View source for 63rd Street Shuttle

{{Short description|Former New York City Subway service}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{refimprove|date=March 2017}}
The '''63rd Street Shuttle''' was the name given to four shuttle trains that served the [[63rd Street Lines]] of the [[New York City Subway]] during various times from 1997 to 2001, and again from 2023 to 2024.

==Sixth Avenue==
<div class="thumb tright">
{| style="width:90px;"
|[[File:NYCS-bull-trans-S6-Std.svg|75px]]
|-
|<div class="thumbcaption">Orange bullet for the Sixth Avenue/63rd Street Shuttle</div>
|}
</div>

Three of the shuttles ran along the [[IND Sixth Avenue Line]].

{{anchor|1997}}The first shuttle, designated with an orange S, began in August 1997. It operated during overnight hours only between [[21st Street–Queensbridge (IND 63rd Street Line)|21st Street–Queensbridge]] and [[Second Avenue (IND Sixth Avenue Line)|Second Avenue]] via the [[63rd Street Lines|IND 63rd Street Line]] and [[IND Sixth Avenue Line]] and made all stops along the full route. Prior to that, {{NYCS|F}} and {{NYCS|Q}} trains{{efn|Between 1989 and 1993, a special daily late night F/Q combination service operated, in which F trains would operate along its normal route from Coney Island to [[47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center (IND Sixth Avenue Line)|47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center]], then turn into a Q and operate to [[21st Street–Queensbridge (IND 63rd Street Line)|21st Street–Queensbridge]]; in the southbound direction, Q trains would operate from 21st Street to 47th–50th Streets, then turn into an F train and operate along its normal route to Coney Island. The special F/Q service was redesignated as F starting in April 1993.|name=F/Q train}} served the IND 63rd Street Line during late nights. This service was suspended in February 1998 when construction suspended service between the 63rd Street Line and the Sixth Avenue Line, but it resumed in May 1999 when the construction was completed. It was discontinued in November 2000 when preparation for full-time service on the IND 63rd Street Connector began.

{{anchor|2001}}The second shuttle, also with an orange bullet, began on July 22, 2001, due to the closure of the north tracks on the [[Manhattan Bridge]]. It operated between [[21st Street–Queensbridge (IND 63rd Street Line)|21st Street–Queensbridge]] and [[Broadway–Lafayette Street (IND Sixth Avenue Line)|Broadway–Lafayette Street]], running an almost identical route to the first. Unlike the first shuttle, this shuttle operated 24 hours, replacing the {{NYCS|B}} and {{NYCS|Q}} trains which previously served the IND 63rd Street Line during daytime hours. The shuttle operated at frequencies of 12 minutes during daytime hours, 15 minutes during evening hours, and 20 minutes during overnight hours. The shuttle initially utilized six-car [[R32 (New York City Subway car)|R32]] consists, but on July 26, 10-car R32 consists began to be utilized due to passenger complaints.<ref>{{cite journal |title=The Repeal of Chrystie Street |journal=The Bulletin |url=https://erausa.org/pdf/bulletin/2000s/2001/2001-09-bulletin.pdf |date=September 2001 |publisher=Electric Railroaders' Association |volume=44 |number=9 |pages=2-3 |access-date=March 30, 2025}}</ref> On December 16, 2001, the 63rd Street connector to the [[IND Queens Boulevard Line]] opened and the {{NYCS|F}} train was rerouted to serve the IND 63rd Street Line full-time, permanently replacing this shuttle.<ref name="nyt 200105">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/25/nyregion/panel-approves-new-v-train-but-shortens-g-line-to-make-room.html|title=Panel Approves New V Train but Shortens G Line to Make Room|last=Kennedy|first=Randy|date=May 25, 2001|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=March 20, 2010}}</ref> At the same time, the [[Grand Street Shuttle]] was extended beyond Broadway–Lafayette Street and originated and terminated at [[West Fourth Street–Washington Square (New York City Subway)|West Fourth Street]].

The third shuttle ran from August 28, 2023,<ref name="NBC New York 2023 v033"/> until March 29, 2024.<ref name="MTA 2024 r107">{{cite web | title=Subway and rail service changes: March 29-April 1 | website=MTA | date=March 29, 2024 | url=https://new.mta.info/article/subway-and-rail-service-changes-march-29-april-1-2024 | access-date=March 30, 2024}}</ref><ref name="NBC New York 2024 k355">{{cite web | title=F, M service returning to full service in Manhattan and Queens: What to know | website=NBC New York | date=March 19, 2024 | url=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/f-m-service-returning-to-full-service-in-manhattan-and-queens-what-to-know/5241120/?amp=1 | access-date=March 20, 2024}}</ref> F trains were rerouted via the [[53rd Street Tunnel]] between Queens and Manhattan, and weekday {{NYCS|M}} service was rerouted to [[57th Street (IND Sixth Avenue Line)|57th Street]] in Manhattan, due to track replacement and other repairs in the 63rd Street Tunnel. The shuttle operated every 20 minutes between [[Lexington Avenue-63rd Street (63rd Street Lines)|Lexington Avenue-63rd Street]] and [[21st Street-Queensbridge (IND 63rd Street Line)|21st Street-Queensbridge]], stopping at [[Roosevelt Island (IND 63rd Street Line)|Roosevelt Island]] every day during daytime hours only. Shuttle buses operated between [[Queens Plaza (IND Queens Boulevard Line)|Queens Plaza]] and 21st Street during daytime hours and between Queens Plaza and Roosevelt Island during overnight hours.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Service changes on the F and M lines starting August 28 |url=https://new.mta.info/article/service-changes-f-and-m-lines-starting-august-28 |access-date=July 30, 2023 |website=MTA |language=en}}</ref><ref name="NBC New York 2023 v033">{{cite web |date=August 25, 2023 |title=F, M changes start Monday: What to know about the subway interruptions lasting until 2024 |url=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/f-m-changes-start-monday-what-to-know-about-the-subway-interruptions-lasting-until-2024/4624625/ |access-date=August 26, 2023 |website=NBC New York}}</ref>

==<span class="anchor" id="1998"></span><span class="anchor" id="Broadway (1998)"></span>Broadway==
<div class="thumb tright">
{| style="width:90px;"
|[[File:NYCS-bull-trans-SB-Std.svg|75px]]
|-
|<div class="thumbcaption">Yellow bullet for the Broadway/63rd Street Shuttle</div>
|}
</div>

This service, designated with a yellow S, ran at all times during reconstruction of the [[63rd Street Lines|IND 63rd Street Line]] between February 22, 1998, and May 22, 1999. Originally running between [[21st Street–Queensbridge (IND 63rd Street Line)|21st Street–Queensbridge]] and [[57th Street–Seventh Avenue (BMT Broadway Line)|57th Street–Seventh Avenue]] on the [[BMT Broadway Line]] via the [[BMT 63rd Street Line]], it was extended to [[34th Street–Herald Square (New York City Subway)|34th Street–Herald Square]] on weekdays starting April 6, 1998, skipping [[49th Street (BMT Broadway Line)|49th Street]]. The shuttle stopped at the downtown platform at 34th Street.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us:80/mta/communications/nyct072.htm|title=Starting April 6, shuttle service from 21st St./Queensbridge will be extended to 42nd St. and 34th St.|date=April 1998|website=mta.nyc.ny.us|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000819115838/http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/mta/communications/nyct072.htm|archive-date=August 19, 2000|url-status=dead|access-date=June 3, 2018}}</ref> During this time, {{NYCS|B}} and {{NYCS|Q}} trains terminated at [[57th Street (IND Sixth Avenue Line)|57th Street–Sixth Avenue]], which was closed late nights, while the late night Sixth Avenue shuttle was suspended. Once work was completed, the Broadway shuttle was discontinued, the late night Sixth Avenue shuttle was restored, and {{NYCS|B}} and {{NYCS|Q}} trains returned to 21st Street–Queensbridge. <!--In 2000, Another shuttle started running Between 21th Street Queensbridge and 34th Street Herald Square on the BMT Broadway Line during late nights and weekends when B service on the IND 63rd Street Line was discontinued.  The shuttle was discontinued in 2001 when Manhattan Bridge work started on the B and D lines.-->

==Final route==

{| class="wikitable collapsible" summary="Service information for the F train and its stations, including service times, ADA-accessibility, subway transfers, and non-subway connections." style="font-size:90%"
| colspan="5" style="font-weight:bold; text-align:center" |[[63rd Street Lines|63rd Street Line]]
|-
| align="center" |{{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}
|{{stl|NYCS|21st Street–Queensbridge}}
| align="center" |{{Access icon}}
|
|
|-
| colspan="5" style="font-weight:bold; text-align:center" |[[Manhattan]]
|-
| align="center" |{{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}
|{{stl|NYCS|Roosevelt Island}}
| align="center" |{{Access icon}}
|
|[[Roosevelt Island Tramway]] 
|-
| align="center" |{{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}
|{{stl|NYCS|Lexington Avenue–63rd Street}}
| align="center" |{{Access icon}}
|
|
|-
| colspan="5" style="font-weight:bold; text-align:center" |[[IND Sixth Avenue Line|Sixth Avenue Line]]
|-
| align="center" |{{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}
|{{stl|NYCS|57th Street|Sixth}}
|
|
|
|-
| align="center" |{{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}
|{{stl|NYCS|47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center}}
| align="center" |{{Access icon}}
|[[B (New York City Subway service)|B]] <sup>{{NYCS SSI|weekdaysonly}}</sup> [[D (New York City Subway service)|D]] <sup>{{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}</sup> [[F (New York City Subway service)|F]] <sup>{{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}</sup><nowiki></nowiki>
|
|-
| align="center" |{{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}
|{{stl|NYCS|42nd Street–Bryant Park}}
| align="center" |[[File:Aiga_elevator.svg|alt=Elevator access to mezzanine only|20x20px]]
|[[B (New York City Subway service)|B]] <sup>{{NYCS SSI|weekdaysonly}}</sup> [[D (New York City Subway service)|D]] <sup>{{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}</sup> [[F (New York City Subway service)|F]] <sup>{{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}</sup><nowiki> </nowiki>{{NYCS Flushing south|time=show}} ([[IRT Flushing Line]] at {{stl|NYCS|Fifth Avenue}})
|
|-
| align="center" |{{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}
|{{stl|NYCS|34th Street–Herald Square|Sixth}}
| align="center" |{{Access icon}}
|[[B (New York City Subway service)|B]] <sup>{{NYCS SSI|weekdaysonly}}</sup> [[D (New York City Subway service)|D]] <sup>{{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}</sup> [[F (New York City Subway service)|F]] <sup>{{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}</sup>
{{NYCS Broadway|time=show}} <nowiki><Q></nowiki><sup>{{NYCS SSI|weekdaysonly}}</sup> ([[BMT Broadway Line]])
|Note: Diamond Q express discontinued in February 2004
|-
| align="center" |{{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}
|{{stl|NYCS|23rd Street|Sixth}}
|
|[[F (New York City Subway service)|F]] <sup>{{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}</sup>
|
|-
| align="center" |{{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}
|{{stl|NYCS|14th Street|Sixth}}
|
|[[F (New York City Subway service)|F]] <sup>{{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}</sup>
{{NYCS Broadway-Seventh|time=show}} [[9 (New York City Subway service)|9]] <sup>{{NYCS SSI|rush}}</sup> ([[IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line]] at {{stl|NYCS|14th Street|Broadway-Seventh}})
{{NYCS Canarsie|time=1}} ([[BMT Canarsie Line]] at {{stl|NYCS|Sixth Avenue}})
|Note: 9 train discontinued in May 2005
|-
| align="center" |{{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}
|{{stl|NYCS|West Fourth Street–Washington Square}}
| align="center" |{{Access icon}}
| [[F (New York City Subway service)|F]] <sup>{{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}</sup>
{{NYCS Eighth south|time=show}} ([[IND Eighth Avenue Line]])
|
|-
| align="center" |{{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}
|{{stl|NYCS|Broadway–Lafayette Street}}
| align="center" |{{Access icon}}
| [[F (New York City Subway service)|F]] <sup>{{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}</sup>
{{NYCS Lexington local day|time=show}} ([[IRT Lexington Avenue Line]] at {{stl|NYCS|Bleecker Street}}; transfer to downtown trains only)
|
|}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.thejoekorner.com/brochures/63rd-shuttle-brosh-indx.html S Train Special Shuttle], MTA service notice, 1998
*[http://www.thejoekorner.com/brochures/manny-bridge-01-indx.html Manhattan Bridge Service Changes], MTA service notice, 2001

{{NYCS navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:S 63rd Street}}
[[Category:Defunct New York City Subway services]]
[[Category:Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation| S 63rd Street]]