C train in the yard
The 174th street subway yard is a cavernous space under Washington Heights that is currently used to store C trains.
The subway was originally built by the IND, which was a forward thinking company plotting on building numerous subway routes that never came to fruition. It has been long said that this yard was actually built as a provisions for a subway route that was suppose to go over the George Washington Bridge. Indeed, the wall at the very end of this tunnel is right up against the Trans-Manhattan expressway.
Track Map of the Yard & surrounding tracks.
It features 5 tracks – 4 of which are used to lay up C trains (the fifth track is too short to fit a full length subway – I’m not sure why it was built).
Coming north from 168th street, the two center tracks ramp upward, allowing the southbound A tracks to pass underneath.
Due to the limited space within this yard, at least one train is often laid up on the yard lead tracks
C train on the Yard Lead
Looking back towards the yard leads / 168 street
“The Cavern Crossover”
The two tracks come to a large cavern with a crossover allowing access to 2 sets of tracks. The 5th track splits off deeper into the yard.
Some impressive historic SaneSmith graffiti can be found here.
The only exit close to the yard
At the northern edge of this cavern, there is an abandoned control tower.
Abandoned Tower
The walls, of course, are all covered in graffiti – much of it historic in nature.
Historic Tags from when kids came here to paint trains in the 1970s and 1980s
There’s also some worker graffiti, in official MTA maintenance paints.
Parked Trains
At the very end of the yard, the tracks dead end at the wall.
There’s a tiny utility room here, stocked with some subway car cleaning materials. I’m not sure why this room exists – car cleaners usually perform their duties in terminal stations, not deep into dark layup yards where there aren’t even bench walls to provide easy access.
Maintenance room
“A5” track
The Short “A5” track is usually devoid of train cars, since it’s too short to fit an entire full length C train. (The track is perhaps 4-6 car lengths long at most). This track likely would have had some purpose had the route over the GW Bridge been built, though I haven’t seen any planning documents on what the intent of constructing this track was.
The walls all around the layup yard are covered in very old tags, and some slightly more recent
Revolt
Min
MUL Goonz
Conclusion
This is one of the darker, secluded layup yards in the subway system. It is far away from active subways passing by. It’s eerily quiet, and many workers rate it as one of their least favorite places to have to park a train at night.
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Really great photos – so glad there’s old stuff still running. Thanks for posting these – it’s really refreshing to see there’s some “real” old New York left…
Fascinating stuff. Just when you think you know all of the subway’s secrets, here’s another. Now, if you could just get behind The Cinder Block Wall and solve the 76th Street Mystery once and for all.
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Great pics Control!
Had a job there (FDNY) around 1977.
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I’ve actually visited there yesterday and it was cool but also scary. I mean it was my first hand experience on the NYC tracks and I swear I was on high alert. I remember going up on the A2 track thinking its all good, since its usually the track left empty when the trains are layed up. I continue to go and I see a work train parked up there. It was one of those diesel powered ones. I went back down and went across to the A1 track and was hiding behind the R160. Luckily I made it all the way in. Even got me a pair of work gloves.
^ Also my first time in the tracks. Exhilarating, thanks for the info on this spot. I made it past the worker graffiti all the way up to where the 5 tracks are, but not the maintenance room. There were no trains there but there were workers?? It was weird.
174th. Street Yard.
Back in the 1980’s The C.A.C. Crew, SlamCAC, RabCAC, DoleCAC, SueieCAC, HP173CAC, & Vec4CAC
Bombing the (AA) (B) (K) & the occasional (A)
on A3, A4, A5 & A6 Tks.
A comment about track A5: The original 8th Avenue local, the “AA”, was always only 4 cars in length. The only time an 8 car local train left that station was during rush hours when the “B” took over service. So it was logical that there was use for that short track to store trains on weekends and overnight when service was reduced. The “AA” ran all times except rush hours even overnight but at reduced headways.
I have seen track diagrams of the leads and this small layup yard. It is nice to be able see photos of this area. Thank you very much for posting these photos.
Jeez, really cool pics. I’ve been there once during the day but there were workers which seems pretty unlucky since I was thinking that trains are only layed up at night. Anyone has info about that schedule?
I’ve seen it quiet at night, with the trains parked in there. During the day they’re turning the C trains at the entrance which makes it harder.
Thanks, for a trip down memory lane. This place was my playground. As an old graffiti writer from the 80’s I can tell you its a FULL HOUSE on snowy weekend evening. So many trains they sit right past the exit near track A1 hatch. its a beautiful scene.
My favorite way into this layup was through a metal grating that could be picked up in the school yard of PS173. There was a metal ladder under the grating which scaled the wall into the northbound A line track two blocks south of 175st. Then it was another two blocks to the next “proper” emergency exit which has the long corridor which also takes you into the layup area. Track A5 has that lovely open space where you can paint and take a good photo from A4. Sane and I did a really nice R-40 slant there in 1990.
Yes, that was another way in Ven. I couldnt go that way because too many FK crew in that schoolyard looking for trouble.
Track A5 did have a good spot for painting. you and Sane had lovely cars.
That entrance in the schoolyard still work or is it sealed down or something? Just wanna know the easiest way to get in there
The short track was useful during the time AA locals sometimes ran with as few as three cars and often with only four.
Wow!! First time ever hearing about this unique, proprietary IND layup yard!! Am a rapid transit enthusiast, wanted to be an MTA employee in the early 80’s, didn’t come to fruition! Wondering if prewar R9s and postwar R10s took up residence there as well. These are the vintage car classes I’m most associated with, growing up there till 1967! Thank you much for posting this literature and great pics!!
Honestly not sure. I went via walking from 168. Your mileage may vary.
Charles – what I had no idea the AA ran that short.
Same no worries. I’m a big fan of the R9s & R10’s as well. I only got to ride them a few times though. When I was super young & small the extra tall RFWs on the R40s were my friend lol!
I wish i could help in knowing if R9s & R10s were ever parked there. Ive only been there in the 1980’s when they parked. R40’s, R42s and an occasional R38. I once saw an R30 and 1 R44. They took me by surprise and I left them alone. I felt like it was a setup/trap.
Bad Guy Joe. I honestly felt walking in from 168th was the easiest, safest and fastest.
Gino – Pretty good bet that they used to pack some R9s & 10s back there, though this was also before my time. I feel the same way whenever I see a train parked in an odd spot.
And yeah, 168 is just such a fast simple route. On a dead night it’s perfect.
This is great collection of graffiti history highlighting our caves of creation that were indeed like another world to graffiti artists. In 1985, Manhattan Subway kings fought TNS, or Take No Shit crew for control of this convenient underground yard. It became a graffiti playground thereafter for MSK who enjoyed A train Ding Dong Trains there along with added treat of R, J or M flat trains that resembled IRT trains as MSK rocked 1 trains and hit layups on IND like 200 Dykeman St, often parked with two trains in middle tracks. MOST ONE MSK was rocking those lines back then with several other lines on trains, walls, rooftops and highways until retiring in 1988 for clubbing and girls. But Most or Moster with his orginal throwups and All City efforts allows me to tell his tale reflecting just one OCD youth at the time.