86th Street station (BMT Sea Beach Line)

86 Street
New York City Subway station (rapid transit)
North end of the station
Station statistics
Address	86th Street & West Seventh Street Brooklyn, NY 11223
Borough	Brooklyn
Locale	Gravesend
Coordinates	40°35′33.56″N 73°58′41.74″W / 40.5926556°N 73.9782611°W / 40.5926556; -73.9782611Coordinates: 40°35′33.56″N 73°58′41.74″W / 40.5926556°N 73.9782611°W / 40.5926556; -73.9782611
Division	B (BMT)[1]
Line	BMT Sea Beach Line
Services	N  (all times) ​   Q  (selected rush-hour trips) ​   W  (selected rush-hour trips)
Transit	New York City Bus: B1, B4
Structure	Open-cut
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	4 (2 in regular service)
Other information
Opened	June 22, 1915 (106 years ago) (1915-06-22)[2]
Closed	January 18, 2016; 5 years ago (2016-01-18) (northbound reconstruction) July 31, 2017; 4 years ago (2017-07-31) (southbound reconstruction)
Rebuilt	May 22, 2017; 4 years ago (2017-05-22) (northbound reopening) October 29, 2018; 2 years ago (2018-10-29) (southbound reopening)
Station code	079[3]
Opposite- direction transfer	Yes
Former/other names	Gravesend–86th Street
Traffic
2019	708,542[5]  16.2%
Rank	394 out of 424[5]
Station succession
Next north	Avenue U: N  ​Q  ​W
Next south	(Terminal): W  Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue: N  ​Q
showLocation Show map of New York City SubwayShow map of New York CityShow map of New YorkShow all
showTrack layout Legend to Av U to CI Yard to Stillwell Av
showStreet map Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap
showStation service legend Symbol Description Stops all times Stops rush hours only Stops rush hours in the peak direction only

86th Street, also known as Gravesend–86th Street, is a local station on the BMT Sea Beach Line of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of 86th Street and West Seventh Street in Gravesend, Brooklyn.^[6] It is served by the N train at all times. During rush hours, several W and northbound Q trains also serve the station,^[a] serving as the southern terminus for W trips to Brooklyn.^[8]

History[]

The station opened on June 22, 1915, as part of an expanded Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company operation to Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue.^[2][9] Between 2001 and 2005, the station was known as Gravesend–86th Street when N trains originated/terminated here while the Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue terminal was reconstructed.^[10] Some destination signage continues to use this name.^[11]

From January 18, 2016 to May 22, 2017, the Manhattan-bound platform at this station was closed for renovations.^[12][13] The Coney Island-bound platform was closed for a much longer period of time, from July 31, 2017^[14][15] to October 29, 2018.^[16]

Between October 21, 2019 and Spring 2020, N trains terminated here so work could be completed to protect Coney Island Yard from flooding. An out-of-system transfer was available between the N at 86th Street and the F at Avenue X station.^[17]

Station layout[]

G	Street level	Station house, entrances/exits, station agent, MetroCard machines
P Platform level	Side platform
	Northbound local	← toward Ditmars Boulevard (Avenue U) ← toward 96th Street (select weekday trips) (Avenue U) ← toward Ditmars Boulevard (select weekday trips) (Avenue U)
	Northbound express	← No regular service
	Southbound express	← No regular service
	Southbound local	→ toward Coney Island (Terminus) → → termination track (select weekday trips) →
	Side platform

Southbound platform pre-renovation

The station has four tracks and two side platforms. The two center express tracks are not normally used, but both are available for rerouted trains. To the south of the station, the four tracks merge into two tracks and there is a connection to the Coney Island Complex.^[18] As of 2013, the Manhattan and Coney Island express tracks have been replaced with new track beds and new third rail protection boards.^{[citation needed]}

There is a building on the Coney Island-bound platform for non-public uses. Like many other stations on the Sea Beach Line, the platforms are dilapidated and have paint-chipped columns. At the southern end of the station there is a pedestrian bridge for employees only that provides access to Coney Island Yard. South of the station the line exits the open cut and runs at-grade. Portions of the platform are located beneath 86th Street.^[19]

The 2018 artwork at this station is "Celebration", a glass mosaic made by Karen Margolis. The artwork highlights the connection between the neighborhood and commuters.^[20]

Exits[]

The only entrance to the station is through a station house at 86th Street between West 8th and West 7th Streets, and it has a crossover between platforms.^[6] There is an employee-only crossover between the platforms on the south end of the station; it is unknown if this crossover was part of a former second entrance, as the bridge also leads to a path to the nearby Coney Island Yard, although other stations on the line have two entrances.^[21]

Notes[]

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 86th Street (BMT Sea Beach Line).

• nycsubway.org – BMT Sea Beach Line: 86th Street
• Station Reporter — N Train
• The Subway Nut — 86th Street Pictures Archived January 5, 2018, at the Wayback Machine
• 86th Street entrance from Google Maps Street View
• Platforms from Google Maps Street View (During 2016-2018 Rebuild)
• Southern end of the platforms from Google Maps Street View