47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center station

47–50 Streets–Rockefeller Center
47–50 Streets–Rockefeller Center
New York City Subway station (rapid transit)
	View from southbound platform
Station statistics
Address	Sixth Avenue between West 47th Street & West 50th Street; New York, NY 10020
Borough	Manhattan
Locale	Midtown Manhattan
Coordinates	40°45′31″N 73°58′53″W / 40.758603°N 73.981376°WCoordinates: 40°45′31″N 73°58′53″W / 40.758603°N 73.981376°W
Division	B (IND)
Line	IND Sixth Avenue Line
Services	B (Weekday rush hours, middays and early evenings); D (all times); F (all times) <F> (two rush hour trains, peak direction); M (Weekday rush hours, middays and early evenings)
Transit	NYCT Bus: M5, M7, M50
Structure	Underground
Platforms	2 island platforms; cross-platform interchange
Tracks	4
Other information
Opened	December 15, 1940; 81 years ago
Station code	225
Accessible	ADA-accessible
Opposite-; direction; transfer	Yes
Traffic
2019	18,604,810 7.6%
Rank	11 out of 424
Station succession
Next north	57th Street (63rd Street): F <F> ; Seventh Avenue (Eighth Avenue): B D ; Fifth Avenue/53rd Street (Queens Boulevard): M
Next south	42nd Street–Bryant Park: B D F <F> M
Location
	Show map of New York City SubwayShow map of New York CityShow map of New YorkShow all
Track layout
	Legend
Street map
Station service legend
Symbol	Description
	Stops all times
	Stops all times except late nights
	Stops weekdays only
	Stops rush hours in the peak direction only (limited service)

The 47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center station is an express station on the IND Sixth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. It is located along Sixth Avenue (Avenue of the Americas) between 47th and 50th Streets, on the west side of Rockefeller Center. The station is served by the D and F trains at all times, the B and M trains on weekdays, and the <F> train during rush hours in the peak direction. In 2018, it was the 12th busiest subway station in the system.

History[]

47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center opened in 1940 as part of the mainline portion of the IND Sixth Avenue Line to West Fourth Street–Washington Square, with connections to the IND Queens Boulevard Line to the north.^[5] Rockefeller Center's underground mall, built in 1935 as part of the complex's construction,^[6] contains passageways to the station.^[7]

In February 1958, Rockefeller Center Inc., the owners of Rockefeller Center, leased 15,000 square feet (1,400 m²) the northern mezzanine for 20 years at a total cost of $2 million over that period. Architects Harrison & Abramovitz were hired to redesign that part of the mezzanine with stores similar to Rockefeller Center's underground mall. The work would also include a new connection to 1271 Avenue of the Americas, which at the time was under construction.^[8]^[9] The renovations were completed in February 1960, along with the passageway to 1271 Avenue of the Americas.^[10]

Express service began in 1967 with the completion of express tracks between West Fourth and 34th Streets and the opening of the Chrystie Street Connection.^[11]^[12]

Station layout[]

G	Street level	Exit/entrance
M	Mezzanine	Fare control, station agent, Rockefeller Center concourse Elevator at the northwest corner of 6th Avenue and 49th Street
P Platform level	Northbound local	← toward 179th Street (57th Street) ← weekdays toward 71st Avenue (Fifth Avenue/53rd Street)
	Island platform
	Northbound express	← weekdays toward Bedford Park Boulevard or 145th Street (Seventh Avenue) ← toward 205th Street (Seventh Avenue)
	Southbound local	→ toward Coney Island via Culver (42nd Street–Bryant Park) → → weekdays toward Metropolitan Avenue (42nd Street–Bryant Park) →
	Island platform
	Southbound express	→ weekdays toward Brighton Beach (42nd Street–Bryant Park) → → toward Coney Island via West End (42nd Street–Bryant Park) →

The station has two island platforms and four tracks, like most express stations, but has an unusual track arrangement. The uptown side has the traditional arrangement of local service on the outside track and express service on the inside track, but the downtown side reverses this (local on the inside, express on the outside). This is to avoid level junctions with the IND Queens Boulevard Line, which is perpendicular with the IND Sixth Avenue Line north of this station. Express trains come from the Bronx via a connection from the IND Eighth Avenue Line while local trains come from Queens via either the IND 63rd Street Line or the 53rd Street Tunnels. South of this station, the downtown local track crosses under the express track and the line returns to the traditional arrangement in both directions at 42nd Street–Bryant Park.^[13]

Each platform has seven stairs to mezzanine, the north end of the northbound platform has an active tower, and is depressed about ten feet below the southbound platform. This is to prepare the lines to be branched out towards the Bronx and Queens. Both trackside walls have a permanent red trim line with a chocolate brown border, and small tile captions alternating between "47" and "50" run below the tile band at regular intervals. Red I-beam columns run along both platforms, alternating ones having the standard black station name plate with white lettering. Also at this station is a sign next to the tower saying "What you punch is what you get"; this sign is referring to the automatic punch boxes on both tracks on the northbound platform. In the case of an emergency or service reroute, the express tracks can also be used to access the 63rd Street tunnel.

Exits[]

Map of the Rockefeller Center, with the subway entrance on the NE corner of 6th Avenue and 48th Street marked.

The station has numerous passageways and exits, including fourteen street stairs and an elevator. This does not include several passageways through Rockefeller Center, all of which are outside fare control. The mezzanine has a full-time booth at its north end, at West 49th Street. A passageway to one northern part-time staircase leads to West 50th Street. Another passageway along the west side of 49th Street connects to the 49th Street subway station on the BMT Broadway Line outside of fare control. The middle fare control at West 48th Street has a ghost booth and all-day HEET access. The south fare control at West 47th Street has a part-time booth and more staircases.^[14]

One stair, on street, to NW corner of 6th Avenue and 50th Street^[14]
One stair, within Radio City Music Hall building, to east side of 6th Avenue north of 50th Street;^[14] usually open late during evening performances
One stair, within plaza of 1251 Avenue of the Americas (facing street), to SW corner of 6th Avenue and 50th Street^[14]
Passageway directly to 1251 Avenue of the Americas^[14]
Passageway directly to 30 Rockefeller Plaza^[14]
One stair, within plaza of 1251 Avenue of the Americas (facing street), and one elevator, on street, to NW corner of 6th Avenue and 49th Street^[14]
One stair, within 30 Rockefeller Plaza, to NE corner of 6th Avenue and 49th Street^[14]
Two stairs, within courtyard of 1221 Avenue of the Americas (under grade level), to west side of 6th Avenue between 48th and 49th Streets^[14]
One stair, within Simon & Schuster Building (1230 Avenue of the Americas), to west side of 6th Avenue between 48th and 49th Streets^[14]
Passageway directly to Simon & Schuster Building^[14]
One stair, on street, to NE corner of 6th Avenue and 48th Street^[14]
One stair, on street, to SE corner of 6th Avenue and 48th Street^[14]
One stair, within plaza of 1211 Avenue of the Americas (facing street), to SW corner of 6th Avenue and 48th Street^[14]
Passageway directly to 1211 Avenue of the Americas^[14]
One stair, on street, to NE corner of 6th Avenue and 47th Street^[14]
One stair, on street, to SE corner of 6th Avenue and 47th Street^[14]
One stair, on street, to SW corner of 6th Avenue and 47th Street^[14]

In popular culture[]

The station was featured in the 1976 film Marathon Man, where the former KK route's emblem is posted on a street entrance of the east side of Sixth Avenue and West 47th Street.

The station exit to 1271 Avenue of the Americas (Time and Life Building) was featured in the opening sequence of 2012 film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

References[]

^ "Glossary". Second Avenue Subway Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) (PDF). Vol. 1. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. March 4, 2003. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 26, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
^ "Station Developers' Information". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
^ "Facts and Figures: Annual Subway Ridership 2014–2019". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
^ ^a ^b "Facts and Figures: Annual Subway Ridership 2014–2019". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
^ "New Subway Line on 6th Ave. Opens at Midnight Fete". The New York Times. December 15, 1940. p. 1. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
^ "ROCKEFELLER CITY FINISHES TUNNELS" (PDF). The New York Times. May 4, 1935. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
^ Jackson, Kenneth T., ed. (2010). The Encyclopedia of New York City (2nd ed.). New Haven: Yale University Press. p. 1115. ISBN 978-0-300-11465-2.
^ Katz, Ralph (February 10, 1958). "Lease to Enrich Subway System: Rockefeller Center to Pay 2 Million in 20 Years to Use IND Mezzanine". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
^ "IND Station To Have Its Face Lifted: For Rockefeller Center Stores". New York Herald Tribune. February 10, 1958. p. 5. ProQuest 1328092620.
^ Gleason, Gene (February 9, 1960). "50th St, 1ND Station in New Dress: $85,000 Spent by Rockefeller Center on Redecorating Job". New York Herald Tribune. p. 10. ProQuest 1324118287.
^ Perlmutter, Emanuel (November 16, 1967). "SUBWAY CHANGES TO SPEED SERVICE: Major Alterations in Maps, Routes and Signs Will Take Effect Nov. 26" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
^ Perlmutter, Emanuel (November 27, 1967). "BMT-IND CHANGES BEWILDER MANY; Transit Authority Swamped With Calls From Riders as New System Starts". The New York Times. Retrieved August 23, 2015.
^ "www.nycsubway.org: New York City Subway Track Maps". www.nycsubway.org. October 9, 2015. Retrieved October 9, 2015.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r "MTA Neighborhood Maps: 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Center (B)(D)(F)(M)". mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2015.

External links[]

[1] "Glossary". Second Avenue Subway Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) (PDF). Vol. 1. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. March 4, 2003. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 26, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2021.

[stationinformation-2] "Station Developers' Information". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved June 13, 2017.

[3] "Facts and Figures: Annual Subway Ridership 2014–2019". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.

[riderref-4] "Facts and Figures: Annual Subway Ridership 2014–2019". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.

[5] "New Subway Line on 6th Ave. Opens at Midnight Fete". The New York Times. December 15, 1940. p. 1. Retrieved October 7, 2011.

[6] "ROCKEFELLER CITY FINISHES TUNNELS" (PDF). The New York Times. May 4, 1935. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 11, 2017.

[7] Jackson, Kenneth T., ed. (2010). The Encyclopedia of New York City (2nd ed.). New Haven: Yale University Press. p. 1115. ISBN 978-0-300-11465-2.

[8] Katz, Ralph (February 10, 1958). "Lease to Enrich Subway System: Rockefeller Center to Pay 2 Million in 20 Years to Use IND Mezzanine". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 16, 2021.

[p1328092620-9] "IND Station To Have Its Face Lifted: For Rockefeller Center Stores". New York Herald Tribune. February 10, 1958. p. 5. ProQuest 1328092620.

[p1324118287-10] Gleason, Gene (February 9, 1960). "50th St, 1ND Station in New Dress: $85,000 Spent by Rockefeller Center on Redecorating Job". New York Herald Tribune. p. 10. ProQuest 1324118287.

[11] Perlmutter, Emanuel (November 16, 1967). "SUBWAY CHANGES TO SPEED SERVICE: Major Alterations in Maps, Routes and Signs Will Take Effect Nov. 26" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved July 7, 2015.

[12] Perlmutter, Emanuel (November 27, 1967). "BMT-IND CHANGES BEWILDER MANY; Transit Authority Swamped With Calls From Riders as New System Starts". The New York Times. Retrieved August 23, 2015.

[tracks-13] "www.nycsubway.org: New York City Subway Track Maps". www.nycsubway.org. October 9, 2015. Retrieved October 9, 2015.

[MTAMaps-2015-14] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r "MTA Neighborhood Maps: 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Center (B)(D)(F)(M)". mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2015.

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v t Stations of the New York City Subway, by service
Sixth Avenue Express	Bedford Park Boulevard Kingsbridge Road Fordham Road 182nd–183rd Streets Tremont Avenue 174th–175th Streets 170th Street 167th Street 161st Street–Yankee Stadium 155th Street 145th Street 135th Street 125th Street 116th Street Cathedral Parkway–110th Street 103rd Street 96th Street 86th Street 81st Street–Museum of Natural History 72nd Street 59th Street–Columbus Circle Seventh Avenue–53rd Street 47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center 42nd Street–Bryant Park 34th Street–Herald Square West Fourth Street–Washington Square Broadway–Lafayette Street Grand Street DeKalb Avenue Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center Seventh Avenue–Flatbush Avenue Prospect Park Church Avenue Newkirk Plaza Kings Highway Sheepshead Bay Brighton Beach
Sixth Avenue Express	Norwood–205th Street Bedford Park Boulevard Kingsbridge Road Fordham Road 182nd–183rd Streets Tremont Avenue 174th–175th Streets 170th Street 167th Street 161st Street–Yankee Stadium 155th Street 145th Street 125th Street 59th Street–Columbus Circle Seventh Avenue–53rd Street 47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center 42nd Street–Bryant Park 34th Street–Herald Square West Fourth Street–Washington Square Broadway–Lafayette Street Grand Street DeKalb Avenue* Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center Union Street* Ninth Street* Prospect Avenue* 25th Street* 36th Street Ninth Avenue Fort Hamilton Parkway 50th Street 55th Street 62nd Street 71st Street 79th Street 18th Avenue 20th Avenue Bay Parkway 25th Avenue Bay 50th Street Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue
Queens Blvd Express/ Sixth Avenue Local	Jamaica–179th Street 169th Street Parsons Boulevard Sutphin Boulevard Briarwood Kew Gardens–Union Turnpike 75th Avenue 71st Avenue Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue 21st Street–Queensbridge Roosevelt Island Lexington Avenue–63rd Street 57th Street 47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center 42nd Street–Bryant Park 34th Street–Herald Square 23rd Street 14th Street/Sixth Avenue West Fourth Street–Washington Square Broadway–Lafayette Street Second Avenue Delancey Street East Broadway York Street Jay Street–MetroTech Bergen Street Carroll Street Smith–Ninth Streets Fourth Avenue Seventh Avenue 15th Street–Prospect Park Fort Hamilton Parkway Church Avenue Ditmas Avenue 18th Avenue Avenue I Bay Parkway Avenue N Avenue P Kings Highway Avenue U Avenue X Neptune Avenue West Eighth Street–New York Aquarium Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue
Queens Blvd Express/ Sixth Avenue Local (Rush Hour Express)	Jamaica–179th Street 169th Street Parsons Boulevard Sutphin Boulevard Briarwood Kew Gardens–Union Turnpike 75th Avenue 71st Avenue Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue 21st Street–Queensbridge Roosevelt Island Lexington Avenue–63rd Street 57th Street 47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center 42nd Street–Bryant Park 34th Street–Herald Square 23rd Street 14th Street/Sixth Avenue West Fourth Street–Washington Square Broadway–Lafayette Street Second Avenue Delancey Street East Broadway York Street Jay Street–MetroTech Seventh Avenue Church Avenue Ditmas Avenue 18th Avenue Avenue I Bay Parkway Avenue N Avenue P Kings Highway Avenue U Avenue X Neptune Avenue West Eighth Street–New York Aquarium Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue
Queens Boulevard/ Sixth Avenue Local	71st Avenue 67th Avenue 63rd Drive–Rego Park Woodhaven Boulevard Grand Avenue–Newtown Elmhurst Avenue Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue 65th Street Northern Boulevard 46th Street Steinway Street 36th Street Queens Plaza Court Square Lexington Avenue–53rd Street Fifth Avenue/53rd Street 47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center 42nd Street–Bryant Park 34th Street–Herald Square 23rd Street 14th Street/Sixth Avenue West Fourth Street–Washington Square Broadway–Lafayette Street Essex Street Marcy Avenue Hewes Street Lorimer Street Flushing Avenue Myrtle Avenue Central Avenue Knickerbocker Avenue Myrtle–Wyckoff Avenues Seneca Avenue Forest Avenue Fresh Pond Road Middle Village–Metropolitan Avenue
See also Lists by borough (The Bronx Brooklyn Manhattan Queens) Accessible Closed Terminals Transfer Commons category Note: Service variations, station closures, and reroutes are not reflected here. Stations with asterisks have no regular peak, reverse peak, or midday service on that route. See linked articles for more information.