86 Street (N) - The SubwayNut

Gravesend-86 Street is the southernmost N train station and has been terminus of the line at various times when construction has been undertaken at the Coney Island Terminal complex, depriving N riders a direct trip to the Seaside Subway Terminal. The station is still the origination point of some rush hour N trains (none terminate) and the origination point of 1 in the AM rush hour and 1 in the PM rush hour W train, and the terminus of 2 in the AM rush hour, and 1 in the late evenings W train that runs via the Montague Street tunnel and local via 4th Avenue.

The station is at the northern reaches of the Coney Island Yard as the N train enters its trench. It has the standard two side platforms for the four-track line. At the southern end of the station, the has left its built up trench area and a pedestrian bridge for employees only provides access to the yard. The platform canopy ends here as well and there is barbed wire everywhere preventing easy pedestrian yard access.

There is also a newer building on the Coney Island-bound platform for non-public uses. Most of the rest of the platform has the standard dilapidated Sea Beach Line feel although more portions of this platform are located beneath streets, where the open-cut has been covered. Other portions of the platforms are exposed, and have the standard chipping paint concrete pillars that hold up a canopy. Including a significant section of the platform where there is a column less covering across the entire station for a pedestrian plaza. It is in this area where two staircases lead up to passageways that lead into the station house. This exit is along the northside of 86 Street just west of West 8th Street. The station house is inside a small concrete pedestrian plaza set back from the street at an odd angle to the existing street grid because the Sea Beach Line trench here isn't at a right angle to the street grid.
Photos 1-13: June 4, 2005; 14-24: August 11, 2009

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86 Street column sign on the overpass to the Coney Island yard, along with an N train beginning to leave the station

A R68 N train leaves 86 Street

A graffiti covered No Trespassing sign on the overpass to the Coney Island yard

A modern 86 Street sign outside of a non-public building I'm amazed to see a pay phone

A R68 D train bypasses 86 Street because of track work on its West End Line, a fairly regular occurrence (Manhattan-bound trains will run normally)

A R68 D train passes a R40-Slant N train with one bullet signed as W at 86 Street

R40-Slants #4194 and #4195 stop at 86 Street

A R40-Slant N train leaves 86 Street

A R68 D train approaches 86 Street to bypass it

The paint chipping off northern end of the Coney Island-bound platform at 86 Street

A R68 D train continues to bypass 86 Street

Beneath the wide covered portion of 86 Street, its column less

A R68 N train enters 86 Street

Approaching the station house at 86 Street at its strange angle to the street grid

The doors and windows into 86 Street's station house

Two sides of 86 Street's station house are clearly visible

The token booth inside the station house at 86 Street

A boarded up area of the station house within fare control, perhaps an old token booth or newsstand

A view down the paint chipping platform at 86 Street

A conventional portion of the tunnel portion beneath 86 Street

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