View source for Franklin Avenue Shuttle

{{short description|New York City Subway shuttle service}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{About|the subway service|the physical trackage and its history|BMT Franklin Avenue Line}}
{{Infobox NYCS service
| service = S
| name = Franklin Avenue Shuttle
| image1 = 1986-1988 Westinghouse R68 2922 on the Franklin Av Shuttle entering Botanic Garden.jpg
| caption1 = A Franklin Avenue Shuttle train of [[R68 (New York City Subway car)|R68s]] entering [[Franklin Avenue/Botanic Garden station|Botanic Garden]]
| shuttle = Franklin
| north term = [[Franklin Avenue station (Fulton Street)#BMT Franklin Avenue Line platform|Franklin Avenue]]
| south term = [[Prospect Park station (BMT lines)|Prospect Park]]
| stations = 4
| depot = [[Coney Island Yard]]
| started = {{start date and age|1878}} (predecessor, along with current Q route)<br />{{start date and age|1963}} (current shuttle)
| map = {{switcher
|{{maplink-road|from=BMT Franklin Avenue Line.map}}
|Show interactive map
|{{Franklin Avenue Shuttle}}
|Show route diagram
}}
| map_state = collapsed
}}

The '''Franklin Avenue Shuttle'''<ref name="timetable">{{NYCS const|timetable|S}}</ref> is a [[New York City Subway]] [[S (New York City Subway service)|shuttle]] service that operates in [[Brooklyn]]. The shuttle service uses the [[BMT Franklin Avenue Line]] exclusively and operates 24 hours a day. The north terminus is [[Franklin Avenue (BMT Franklin Avenue Line)|Franklin Avenue]], with a transfer available to the [[IND Fulton Street Line]]. The south terminus is [[Prospect Park (BMT Franklin Avenue Line)|Prospect Park]], with a transfer available to the [[BMT Brighton Line]]. NYCT Rapid Transit Operations staff refer to it internally as the '''S''' or '''FS'''.<ref name=":4a">{{Cite web|url=https://progressiveaction.files.wordpress.com/2016/08/sub-division-b-general-distribution-fall-2016-wp-book.pdf|title=General Distribution – Sub-Division B – Train Operator/Conductor – Road & Non-Road Work Programs|date=July 29, 2016|publisher=[[New York City Transit Authority]]|access-date=August 19, 2016|archive-date=October 10, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161010184526/https://progressiveaction.files.wordpress.com/2016/08/sub-division-b-general-distribution-fall-2016-wp-book.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Like the other two shuttles, the [[42nd Street Shuttle]] in [[Manhattan]] and the [[Rockaway Park Shuttle]] in [[Queens]], its route bullet is colored {{NYCS const|color|darkgray}} on route signs, station signs, rolling stock, and the official subway map.

The S started running along its current route in 1963, and it has had four stations since 1995.<ref name="Wilson2"/> [[Consumers Park (BMT Franklin Avenue Line)|Consumers Park]] was closed in 1928 and replaced by the current [[Botanic Garden (BMT Franklin Avenue Line)|Botanic Garden]] station five blocks to the north. There is a visible clearing at the former station location. [[Dean Street (BMT Franklin Avenue Line)|Dean Street]] was closed in 1995 due to low paid fare entrance and extensive [[fare evasion]].

The shuttle runs two 2-car train sets of [[R68 (New York City Subway car)|R68]] cars under [[One Person Train Operation]] with the motorman also being the conductor. The motorman will go to the opposite end to make another run at each terminal. The northbound and southbound trains usually pass each other at [[Botanic Garden station|Botanic Garden]], the only station on the line to use both tracks. This effectively leaves a [[passing loop]] for the northbound train to leave Botanic Garden when the southbound train arrives.

==History==

=== Early history ===
The current service is co-extensive with the [[BMT Franklin Avenue Line]]. It parallels Franklin Avenue, hence the shuttle's name (and the name of the line). It was originally a part of the mainline of what is now the [[BMT Brighton Line]] and opened as part of that steam railroad line in 1878.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://forgotten-ny.com/1998/10/franklin-avenue-shuttle-the-city-has-closed-this-line-for-reconstruction-but-while-it-was-open-it-was-probably-the-most-decrepit-route-in-the-city-here-are-some-pictures-from-just-before-the-renov/|title=The Lore of the Franklin Avenue Shuttle – Forgotten New York|website=forgotten-ny.com|date=October 4, 1998|access-date=June 21, 2016|archive-date=November 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111230736/https://forgotten-ny.com/1998/10/franklin-avenue-shuttle-the-city-has-closed-this-line-for-reconstruction-but-while-it-was-open-it-was-probably-the-most-decrepit-route-in-the-city-here-are-some-pictures-from-just-before-the-renov/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lirrhistory.com/joint.html|title=Joint LIRR / BRT Elevated/Rapid Transit Service|website=www.lirrhistory.com|access-date=June 21, 2016|archive-date=March 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303204530/http://www.lirrhistory.com/joint.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.arrts-arrchives.com/brbch2.html|title=Brighton Beach Line Part 2|website=www.arrts-arrchives.com|access-date=June 21, 2016|archive-date=June 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160608201425/http://arrts-arrchives.com/brbch2.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[BMT Franklin Avenue Line|Franklin Avenue Line]] was established as a discrete route on August 1, 1920, when the Brighton Beach mainline was shifted to the new tunnel connecting [[Prospect Park station (BMT lines)|Prospect Park station]] with the [[BMT Fourth Avenue Line|Fourth Avenue Subway]] at [[DeKalb Avenue station (BMT lines)|DeKalb Avenue station]]. Subway trains from [[BMT Broadway Line|the BRT Broadway Line]] in Manhattan and elevated trains from Franklin Avenue began sharing operations to [[Coney Island]].<ref name="www.thethirdrail.net">{{Cite web|url=http://www.thethirdrail.net/0003/index.htm |title=The Third Rail – The New Franklin Shuttle – Preface |website=www.thethirdrail.net |access-date=June 21, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314064623/http://thethirdrail.net/0003/index.htm |archive-date=March 14, 2016 }}</ref>{{sfnp|Cudahy|1999}} The subway operations became the full-time service, and the Franklin Avenue trains provided a variety of scheduled services, based on day of the week, time of day, and even seasonal variations, reverting to shuttle service at other times.{{sfnp|Cudahy|1999}}

After the city gained ownership of the line in 1940, Brighton–Franklin (labelled '''7''' by the BMT) services gradually declined. A major blow to through service viability occurred in 1954 when the {{NYCS|D}} train of the [[Independent Subway System|IND]] Division was extended to Coney Island via the [[IND Culver Line|Culver Line]], depriving the Franklin of a major source of transfer traffic, consisting of passengers from [[Harlem]] and [[the Bronx]], who now had a more direct route to Coney Island.{{sfnp|Cudahy|1999}}<ref name="www.erictb.info">{{Cite web|url=http://www.erictb.info/linehistory.html#f|title=NYCT Line by Line History|website=www.erictb.info|access-date=June 21, 2016|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304100921/http://www.erictb.info/linehistory.html#f|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Truncation ===
Brighton–Franklin Sunday express service ended after the 1956 summer season, though it continued for several years as a summer-only local. The last through service, on Saturdays, ran on February 16, 1963 in advance of new BMT schedules in effect the next day,<ref>{{Cite journal |date=April 1963 |title=New BMT Schedules |journal=NY Division, ERA Bulletin |volume=VI |issue=6 |pages=6}}</ref> resulting in the 7 Franklin Avenue Line becoming a full-time shuttle. On November 1, 1965, when [[R27 (New York City Subway car)|R27s]] started going into service, this service was named '''SS''', and in 1985, when the practice of using double letters was eliminated, this service became the '''S'''.{{sfnp|Cudahy|1999}}<ref name="www.erictb.info" /> However, some trains from the 1960s to 1980s continued to use the BMT 7 signage.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Showing Image 6528|url=https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?6528|access-date=October 4, 2020|website=www.nycsubway.org|archive-date=October 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009031138/https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?6528|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Showing Image 66759|url=https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?66759|access-date=October 4, 2020|website=www.nycsubway.org|archive-date=January 22, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220122205409/https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?66759|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Showing Image 66483|url=https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?66483|access-date=October 4, 2020|website=www.nycsubway.org|archive-date=October 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201008161707/https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?66483|url-status=live}}</ref>

On December 1, 1974, a southbound shuttle train of [[R32/A (New York City Subway car)|R32]]s was approaching the tunnel portal en route from Franklin Avenue when it derailed on the crossover at Empire Boulevard and smashed into the same place where BRT car 100 had hit in the [[Malbone Street wreck|Malbone Street Wreck]]. This derailment resulted in some injuries, with R32 car 3668 damaged beyond repair, but there were no fatalities, because [[Signaling of the New York City Subway#Time signals|time signals]] limit the speed of trains coming down the hill from Crown Heights.{{sfnp|Cudahy|1999}}

=== Deterioration and renovation ===
<div class="thumb tright">
{| style="width:80px;"
|[[File:NYCS-bull-trans-SF-Std.svg|75px]]
|-
|<div class="thumbcaption">Alternate S<sup>F</sup> bullet, displayed on the MTA website, station advertisement displays, and select [[R68 (New York City Subway car)|R68]] cars retrofitted with the S<sup>F</sup> bullet</div>
|}
</div>
In 1981, the MTA proposed abandoning the service under the failed [[Program for Action]]. At the time, only 10,000 passengers used the shuttle per day, and in addition, the Franklin Avenue Line was severely deteriorated. It was proposed that additional [[B48 (New York City bus)|B48]] bus service along nearby Franklin Avenue could substitute for the line.{{sfnp|Cudahy|1999}} During the winter, the line would often be closed because there was fear that trains would derail. Stations were in horrible condition; portions of the wooden platforms were sealed off because they had burned or collapsed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.straphangers.org/exhibit/franklinshuttle.html|title=The Fight to Save the Franklin Avenue Shuttle|website=www.straphangers.org|access-date=June 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161215112612/http://www.straphangers.org/exhibit/franklinshuttle.html|archive-date=December 15, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/16/nyregion/transit-authority-switches-tracks.html|title=Transit Authority Switches Tracks|last=Finder|first=Alan|date=March 16, 1992|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=June 21, 2016|archive-date=August 12, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160812111148/http://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/16/nyregion/transit-authority-switches-tracks.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In January 1982, the line needed to close for emergency repair work because a retaining wall along the line was in danger of collapse.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/01/22/nyregion/franklin-avenue-subway-shuttle-in-brooklyn-is-closed-for-repairs.html|title=Franklin Avenue Subway Shuttle In Brooklyn Is Closed For Repairs|last=Goldman|first=Ari L.|date=January 22, 1982|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=August 5, 2016|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=August 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821010739/http://www.nytimes.com/1982/01/22/nyregion/franklin-avenue-subway-shuttle-in-brooklyn-is-closed-for-repairs.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the 1990s, the term "Ghost Train" was coined for the shuttle due to its increasing deterioration. It was shrunk in size to only two cars, and the [[Dean Street (BMT Franklin Avenue Line)|Dean Street station]], which only had 50 paying riders per day, was closed in 1995 due to extensive fare evasion.{{sfnp|Cudahy|1999}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/abandoned/elevated.html|title=Abandoned Stations : Elevated Stations|website=www.columbia.edu|access-date=June 21, 2016|archive-date=July 2, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160702204132/http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/abandoned/elevated.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The entire line was under consideration for abandonment, but community leaders were opposed to the move. They showed up to town hall meetings, news conferences and they sat down with transit officials. They also formed the Committee to Save the Franklin Avenue Shuttle. The coalition included the Straphangers Campaign, a local church, local community boards and the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance. They argued that subway station repair work occurred elsewhere, while no attention was paid to the Franklin Avenue Shuttle.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tstc.org/bulletin/19941109/mtr01002.htm|title=MTR 10, Franklin Ave Shuttle Site of Leafletting Action|date=November 9, 1994|website=www.tstc.org|publisher=Tri-State Transportation Campaign|access-date=June 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990506142235/http://www.tstc.org/bulletin/19941109/mtr01002.htm|archive-date=May 6, 1999|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In the end they convinced the New York State Assembly to force the MTA to rebuild rather than abandon the line, and as a result most of the supporting infrastructure and stations were completely rehabilitated in 18 months, between July 1998 and October 1999 at a cost of $74&nbsp;million.<ref name="Wilson2">{{Citation|last=Wilson|first=Michael|title=In Brooklyn, It's the Little Train That Can|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/nyregion/24shuttle.html|publication-date=July 24, 2008|periodical=[[The New York Times]]|date=July 24, 2008|issn=0362-4331|access-date=July 27, 2008|archive-date=April 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416173234/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/nyregion/24shuttle.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="www.thethirdrail.net"/><ref name=Faison>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/06/20/nyregion/hope-for-overhaul-dims-on-a-crumbling-subway-line.html?src=pm|title=Hope for Overhaul Dims on a Crumbling Subway Line|date=June 20, 1993|work=The New York Times|last=Faison|first=Seth|access-date=August 5, 2016|archive-date=August 12, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160812114610/http://www.nytimes.com/1993/06/20/nyregion/hope-for-overhaul-dims-on-a-crumbling-subway-line.html?src=pm|url-status=live}}</ref> While the closure of the line started in July 1998, work began in September 1997.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mta.info/press-release/mta-headquarters/new-franklin-avenue-shuttle-makes-early-debut|title=New Franklin Avenue Shuttle Makes Early Debut|date=October 18, 1999|website=www.mta.info|publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority|access-date=June 21, 2016|archive-date=July 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160729142557/http://www.mta.info/press-release/mta-headquarters/new-franklin-avenue-shuttle-makes-early-debut|url-status=live}}</ref> During the renovation, a temporary shuttle bus and the [[B48 (New York City bus)|B48]] bus replaced train service. The line reopened on October 18, 1999, three months ahead of schedule.<ref name="www.thethirdrail.net" /><ref name="Faison" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mta.info/nyct/facts/ffhist.htm|title=About NYC Transit – History|date=October 19, 2002|website=mta.info|publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021019203759/http://www.mta.info/nyct/facts/ffhist.htm|archive-date=October 19, 2002|url-status=dead|access-date=September 18, 2016}}</ref>

{{As of|2008}}, the Franklin Avenue Shuttle is the most punctual train in the New York City Subway system with a 99.7 percent on-time average. The shuttle averages 20,000 riders per day.<ref name="Wilson">{{Citation|last=Wilson|first=Michael|title=In Brooklyn, It's the Little Train That Can|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/nyregion/24shuttle.html|publication-date=July 24, 2008|periodical=[[The New York Times]]|date=July 24, 2008|issn=0362-4331|access-date=July 27, 2008|archive-date=April 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416173234/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/nyregion/24shuttle.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

On June 7, 2024, the MTA announced that the Saint Marks Avenue bridge would be replaced during summer 2024, with no shuttle service on weekends between June 14 and July 8 and between August 9 to September 3. Between July 8 and August 9, northbound trains ended at Park Place, and free shuttle buses replaced service between Park Place and Franklin Avenue-Fulton Street.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 7, 2024 |title=Summer 2024 Franklin Av Shuttle Service Changes |url=https://new.mta.info/article/service-changes-franklin-av-shuttle-summer-2024 |access-date=June 9, 2024 |website=MTA |language=en}}</ref> Full service resumed on August 10, 2024.<ref>{{cite web | last=Simko-Bednarski | first=Evan | title=Franklin Ave. Shuttle returns to full service after St. Marks Ave. bridge replacement | website=New York Daily News | date=August 11, 2024 | url=https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/08/11/franklin-ave-shuttle-returns-to-full-service-after-st-marks-ave-bridge-replacement/ | access-date=August 11, 2024}}</ref>

Effective December 15, 2024, service on the shuttle was increased, with weekend service beginning to run on an identical schedule with weekday service. Sunday service would run every ten minutes between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. and every twelve minutes from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m., instead of every fifteen minutes between 7 a.m. and about 9 a.m., every twelve minutes between about 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., and every fifteen minutes between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.. Saturday headways were decreased from fifteen to twelve minutes during the 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. hour and from twelve to ten minutes between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.. In addition, weekday service began running every ten minutes instead of every twelve minutes during the 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. hour.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 8, 2020 |title=MTA S subway timetable Effective November 8, 2020 |url=https://new.mta.info/document/9541 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241125073323/https://new.mta.info/document/9541 |archive-date=November 25, 2024 |access-date=December 16, 2024 |website=mta.info |publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=December 15, 2024 |title=MTA S subway timetable Effective December 15, 2024 |url=https://new.mta.info/document/9541 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241216170414/https://new.mta.info/document/9541 |archive-date=December 16, 2024 |access-date=December 16, 2024 |website=mta.info |publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority}}</ref>

== Stations ==

[[File:Franklin Avenue Shuttle.jpg|thumb|right|Full track map]]
For a more detailed station listing, see [[BMT Franklin Avenue Line]].<ref name="timetable"/><ref>{{NYCS const|serviceguide}}</ref>
{{NYCS service legend
| alltimes = show
| allexceptnights = show
| nightsonly = show
| nightsweekends =
| weekdaysonly = show
| allexceptrush =
| rushonly =
| rushpeak =
| closed = show
| custom_icon_1 =
| custom_text_1 =
| custom_icon_2 =
| custom_text_2 =
}}
{| class="wikitable collapsible" style="font-size:95%" summary="Service information for the Franklin Avenue Shuttle and its stations, including service times, ADA-accessibility, subway transfers, and non-subway connections."
! width=3% | [[File:NYCS-bull-trans-S-Std.svg|20px|Franklin Avenue Shuttle service]]
! width=28% | Stations
! width=3% | {{Access icon}}
! width=36% | Subway transfers
! width=30% | Connections
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:center" colspan=5 | [[Brooklyn]]
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:center" colspan=5 | [[BMT Franklin Avenue Line|Franklin Avenue Line]]
|-
| align=center | {{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}
| {{stl|NYCS|Franklin Avenue|Franklin}}
| align=center | {{Access icon}}
| {{NYCS Fulton local|time=show}} ([[IND Fulton Street Line]])
|
|-
| align=center | {{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}
| {{stl|NYCS|Park Place|Franklin}}
| align=center | {{Access icon}}
|
|
|-
| align=center | {{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}
| {{stl|NYCS|Botanic Garden}}
|
| {{NYCS Eastern west|time=show}} ([[IRT Eastern Parkway Line]] at {{stl|NYCS|Franklin Avenue–Medgar Evers College}})
|
|-
| align=center | {{NYCS SSI|alltimes}}
| {{stl|NYCS|Prospect Park}}
| align=center | {{Access icon}}
| {{NYCS Brighton|time=show}} ([[BMT Brighton Line]])
|
|}

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
* {{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v5eYL7PTP3cC |title=The Malbone Street Wreck |last=Cudahy |first=Brian J. |date=January 1, 1999 |publisher=Fordham University Press |isbn=978-0-8232-1932-2 |language=en}}

== External links ==
{{commonscat|Franklin Avenue Shuttle}}
Official websites:
* [http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/sline.htm#franklin MTA NYC Transit – Franklin Avenue Shuttle]
* {{NYCS const|traintime|S}}
* {{NYCS const|timetable|S}}

Fan sites:
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20131030100420/http://www.stationreporter.net/fstrain.htm Station Reporter – Franklin Avenue Shuttle]
* [http://arrts-arrchives.com/brbch2.html Arrt's Arrchives – Brighton Beach Line (The Franklin Avenue Shuttle)]
* {{NYCS ref|http://nycsubway.org/wiki/BMT_Brighton_Line|BMT Brighton Line|3=}}
* {{youtube|id=yOw1K4OrQpw|title=Railfanning on the Franklin Ave. Shuttle (S)}}
* {{youtube|id=7g4qUpSwFWE|title=Backfanning on the Franklin Avenue Shuttle}}

{{NYCS navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:S Franklin Avenue}}
[[Category:Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation|#]]
[[Category:New York City Subway services|Franklin Avenue Shuttle]]
[[Category:Railway services introduced in 1963]]