Historic views of the Transportation Hub of the Bronx

The Bronx Hub - Bergen Ave Cut-Off - The Hub Then and Then

1936 overhead view of the 149th St 3rd Ave El Station looking North.
The station and structure were expanded from the original two track single island platform to three tracks with two center island platforms as shown. The volume of connecting traffic between the two lines necessitated the construction of an escalator from the El station to the IRT Subway platforms beneath the street as seen in the lower right.

The junction of Third Avenue, 149th Street, Melrose Ave and Willis Ave was known as the Bronx HUB. This where thre Bronx grew out of as the street car lines radiated out in the directions of all of these streets. Third Ave was actually a collection of a many other named steets that were renamed for the elevated railway line which was built above it. Melrose was the name of the town north of the Hub in the 19c. 149th St is still the major East-west thoroughfare. Willis Ave runs south to the Harlem River as does Third Ave.

1905 overhead view of the 3rd Ave El 149th St (two Track) Station looking South out Willis Ave

The Suburban Railway, the original name of the Third Ave Elevated Line in the Bronx, was built on a Private Right Of Way (PROW) from the Harlem River North to 144th St in 1889. The PROW was located btween Willis and Alexander Avenues North of the New Haven RR Freight Yard at 133rd St. At 144th St the structure transitioned from the PROW back onto Third Ave at 145th St. The 1888 plans of the Suburban Railway included a branch out Westchester Ave from a junction at 144th St. The junction was not built at that time but a provisional stub was made for it.

In 1904, the IRT Subway would use that route for the Westchester Ave elevated extension of the line to the Bronx Zoo at East 180th St. The two track subway portal is located below the intersection of Bergen Ave and 149th St and then follows a PROW North to Westchester Ave from there. Since the franchise for the Westchester Ave route was held by the predecessor Suburban (elevated) Railway, a connection was built at 150th St from the 3rd Ave El(North of the 149th St station) to the Westchester Ave structure. The connection was built at 150th St instead of the using the original Willis Ave / Bergen Ave route because the the IRT Subway station was built directly below the 3rd Ave El station at Third Ave and 149th St. The subway route on 149th St went West to the Harlem River tunnel connection from Lenox Ave in Manhattan at 143rd St. The elevated connection was integral to construction of the Westchester Ave Line and subsequently, 3rd Ave El trains started operating over the before the subway connection from the Harlem River Tunnel was completed.

In 1914, the 2nd and 3rd Ave Els were being improved for center track express service in Manhattan. In the Bronx, the 3rd Ave El was being rebuilt as a three track line from the 149th St Station to the Fordham Road Station.

The Bergen Cutoff structure on Willis Ave approaching the curve onto Bergen Ave at 147th St.