Prospect Park (B,Q,Shuttle to Franklin Av)

Prospect Park is the southern terminus of the Franklin Avenue Shuttle. The station is a Brighton Line Express Stop, with two island platforms on the four-tracked line, in the Brighton Line's open-cut trench. Two car shuttle trains originate and terminate towards the northern end of the Manhattan-bound platform. The central tracks that become the express tracks are used by all B and Q trains trying to reach the Manhattan Bridge. Q trains switch to the local tracks for their local run to Coney Island just south of the station.

At the northern end of the station, the underground tunnel begins that B and Q trains stay in until they reach the Manhattan Bridge. The island platforms become split with the express sides for the B and Q trains angling downwards and the local sides for the Shuttle train or unused angling upwards. This is all under the station house that leads out to Flatbush Av, just south of Ocean Av. The exit from this station house is up some steps through a bit of a plaza between a couple of buildings that makes a 90-degree turn out of the station house (another door with a big Emergency Exit Sign leads to the opposite direction). Inside the station house was once a Customer Assistant Booth (on duty 6am-2am daily) which was removed in 2011, leaving the station house now unstaffed along with a High Entrance/Exit Turnstile which was for the rest of the middle-of-night hours (and is no longer necessary). Two staircases lead down to each platform. One to the middle of the platform in daylight beneath its canopy, while an additional two lead down to northern end of each platform in the area that is in a tunnel, these staircases have a split landing, a upper one that at one time lead to the local tracks for Franklin Avenue-bound trains, but those exits have been fenced off since neither side platform sees trains there, (The two-car R68 Shuttle trains pull a bit further up so there in front of the main stairwell that leads to the portion of the platform outside on the Manhattan-bound platform.) and a short staircase of four steps continues down to the open gate to the Manhattan-bound platform that is already sloping down to reach its tunnel.

There is a second station house that has the full-time token booth that has an equally interesting layout at the southern end of the platforms. This station house is directly on the northside of Lincoln Road between Flatbush and Ocean Avenues. After passing through the turnstiles doors lead out of the station house to either a staircase down each platform or a narrow bridge that is directly above each platform that leads to an elevator shaft that is a bit beyond the staircase down. These elevators provide ADA compliant access to the station. Prospect Park is a rare two island platforms express station that has ADA access with only two elevator shafts.

Each platform, when it isn't in one of the tunnels at either end of the station has a canopy for its entire length. This canopy has been painted green. This means passengers waiting for trains are always under cover.
Photos 1-3: March 14, 2004; 4-6: October 14, 2005; 7-11: April 2, 2006; 12-47: June 29, 2009; 48-52: January 20, 2012; 53 & 54: November 20, 2012; 55: November 25, 2023;

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Looking down one of the empty island platforms at Prospect Park, by the Wheelchair boarding area.

Some birds on one of the Third Rail covers at Prospect Park.

A R42 train signed as 'Shuttle' enters Prospect Park to enter service, it is running to Essex Street on the J, because of construction that has closed the Joralemon Street Tubes (4,5) between Brooklyn Bridge and Brooklyn. This train, due to a power frailer, actually ended up going to Whitehall Street.

Looking across a very rainy Prospect Park Station.

Another View down the very rainy center tracks at Prospect Park, one of the elevator shafts is visible off in the distance.

A R40M B train enters Prospect Park, passing R40S #4371 also running on the B.

R42 #4679 is stopped at Prospect Park, the front sign of the car is signed to say Z. This is a special shuttle train, due to track work on the Joralemon Street Tubes running to Essex Street.

A special J train leaves Prospect Park.

A Manhattan-bound R68 Q train leaves Prospect Park.

A R68 Franklin Avenue Shuttle Train on layover at Prospect Park.

A Coney Island-bound R68 Q train enters Prospect Park.

Passengers make there way on and off of R68 #2919, a Franklin Avenue Shuttle train that has just pulled into Prospect Park.

Approaching the doors into the Flatbush Avenue & Ocean Avenue Station House at Prospect Park.

An interior view, just before the turnstiles of the station house at Flatbush Avenue & Ocean Avenue.

A bench underneath a sign that says waiting area in the quite nicely tiled station house that leads to Flatbush Avenue & Ocean Avenue.

Passengers figure out their MetroCards, in front of two doors that say Emergency Exit Only, No Reentry outside of fare control in the northern station house at Prospect Park.

An ornate fence marks the entrance to the Flatbush Ave & Ocean Ave, northern station house at Prospect Park.

A close up of an ornate iron fence with elephant motifs on top of it, (the station is near the Prospect Park zoo), at an entrance to the plaza that leads to the Flatbush & Ocean Avs (northern) station house at Prospect Park.

Its a bit hard to tell that this is a subway entrance to Prospect Park, except for the subway station indicator post with a red bulb (it really should be green, the entrance is never closed and staffed except between 2am and 6am).

Looking back towards the actual entrance to the subway in its little entry plaza at the Ocean & Flatbush (northern) station house at Prospect Park.

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