6 (New York City Subway service)

On October 27, 1904, local and express service opened on the original subway in Manhattan, following the route of the present IRT Lexington Avenue Line from City Hall to Grand Central–42nd Street. From there, the service traveled west on 42nd Street on the route of the present 42nd Street Shuttle, and then north on the present IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line to 145th Street.

The current "H" configuration, with separate services along Lexington Avenue and Broadway/Seventh Avenue, was introduced in 1917.[4] Full Lexington Avenue local service from City Hall to 125th Street opened on July 17, 1918. On August 1, 1918, Third Avenue–138th Street opened with trains running between there and City Hall, making all stops.[5]

On January 17, 1919, trains were extended from 138th Street to Hunts Point Avenue, and on May 30, 1920, 6 service was extended to East 177th Street.[5] On October 24, 1920, 6 service was extended again to Westchester Square.[5] On December 20, 1920, 6 service was extended to Pelham Bay Park.[5]

On December 21, 1925, the number of Manhattan-bound through trains in the morning rush hour, between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., were increased from thirteen to eighteen, a 38% increase in service. The remainder of trains continued operating as a shuttle service to Hunts Point Avenue.[6]

On January 28, 1931, two southbound morning rush hour trips began starting at Pelham Bay Park instead of Hunts Point Avenue. On April 13, 1931, service to Pelham Bay Park was increased. Two additional southbound trips were added, starting at Pelham Bay Park at 5:50 and 6:10 a.m., reducing headways from ten to five minutes. Four northbound trips that terminated at Hunts Point Avenue between 3:53 p.m. and 5:05 p.m. were extended to Pelham Bay Park, reducing headways from nine to six minutes, and four northbound trips terminating at Third Avenue—138th Street between 3:36 p.m. and 4:48 p.m. were extended to Hunts Point Avenue, reducing headways from 4.5 to three minutes.[7]

By 1934, service south of the City Hall station had been discontinued, and late-night service ran from Pelham Bay Park to 125th Street only; late night express service on the 4 ran local for the first time that year.

Effective December 31, 1945, City Hall station closed with the former Brooklyn Bridge station (renamed to Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall) being the permanent southern terminal. However, the 6 train still uses the loop to get from the southbound to the northbound local track at Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall.[8]

On May 10, 1946, late-night service was extended from 125th Street to its previous terminus at Brooklyn Bridge when late night express service on the 4 was restored.[5][9]

Beginning October 14, 1946, weekday rush and Saturday morning rush peak direction express service started, with Pelham Bay trains using the middle track between East 177th Street and Third Avenue–138th Street.[5] This express service saved eight minutes between Third Avenue and East 177th Street. During this time, 6 trains that ran local in the Bronx when express trains operated began to terminate at East 177 Street to make room for express trains to Pelham Bay Park. On March 7, 1949, the hours of the PM Bronx-bound express service were advanced from 4:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., and on June 17, 1949, the hours of the AM Manhattan-bound express service were extended from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m..[9]

On September 22, 1948, 54 additional cars were placed in service on the 6 train, increasing the lengths of trains from six cars to seven cars.[9]

From December 15 to 22, 1950, the weekday rush trains from Pelham Bay Park were extended to South Ferry.[5] On June 23, 1956, Saturday morning express service began operating local on the 6 train.[5] Starting April 8, 1960, late night and weekday evening trains were extended to South Ferry, followed by weekend evening service starting October 17, 1965; however, all trains were again cut back to Brooklyn Bridge by May 23, 1976, a year before the inner loop platform of South Ferry closed.[5]

From March 1, 1960, to October 17, 1965, the 4 and 6 trains also ran local together in Manhattan late nights when late night express service on the 4 was discontinued for a time.

Beginning on January 13, 1980, late night service terminated at 125th Street in Manhattan with the 4 again making all stops south of there. This service cut affected 15,000 riders, and was criticized by Manhattan Borough President Andrew Stein as no public hearing was held.[10] On the same day, Bronx express service was expanded to operate during middays, with Pelham Bay trains running express in the peak direction to Brooklyn Bridge in the morning, then to Pelham Bay Park in the afternoon.[5][11]

For a few months in 1985, one scheduled daily 6 train traveled to Atlantic Avenue before turning for Pelham Bay Park.[5]

From January 21 to October 5, 1990, late night service was extended back to Brooklyn Bridge when late night express service on the 4 was restored. But the 6 was then cut back to 125th Street for the last time when late-night express service on the 4 in Manhattan was permanently discontinued.[5][12]

Effective October 3, 1999, the 4 and 6 trains once again began to operate local together in Manhattan late nights when the 6 train was permanently extended back to Brooklyn Bridge.[13]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 6 (New York City Subway service).

• MTA NYC Transit – 6 Lexington Avenue / Pelham Local
• MTA NYC Transit – 6 Lexington Avenue Local / Pelham Express
• MTA Subway Time – 6 Train
• "6 Subway Timetable, Effective September 13, 2020". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved December 9, 2020.