8 Avenue
8 Avenue has a single island platform for terminating trains. A cross-over switch just before the station and the tracks end in bumper blocks right along the platforms. When the station was renovated in 1999 a replica Vickers trimline with little 8s on arrangement of various colors was installed. This is not original because the stop was built by the IND complete with a blue trimline with 8 TH Av in tile beneath (photo) when the station opened as a one-stop extension from 6 Avenue on May 30, 1931, completing the 14 Street-Canarsie Subway Line. Along each track is a line of maroon columns. The stop has a collection of closed or never open to the public areas including at least two additional ramps that are still visible on a peephole from the existing ramp, and a mostly closed off to the public lower-level mezzanine area (except for small intermediate landings). This area is now used as the NYCT Training Center on the eastern half of the mezzanine and the NYCT Signal School on the western half. Signs in the station direct employees to these training centers. These extra public areas are the influence of the IND buliding and paying for this 2 block subway extension.
For access to the exits and transfers to the 8 Avenue subway trains, beginning near the eastern end of the platform there are two staircases that lead up to an intermediate mezzanine before they meet at the bottom of the one still open ramp continuing up to the upper-level IND mezzanine, at the top of the mezzanine is another staircase down to the L platform and a staircase down, and then the platform elevator for the L train. There is a bank of two high entrance/exit turnstiles immediately at this upper landing that lead out to a passageway outside of fare control at the main station entrances (this entrance is closest to the streetstair to the SE corner of 8 Avenue and 14 Street), otherwise a passageway within fare control leads out to the southern end of the IND Mezzanine and the free transfer to the A,C,E 8th Avenue Subway trains. The top of this ramp once housed the entrance to a now closed passageway (that was never within fare control) beneath 14 Street above the L train to 7 Avenue and the 14 Street 1,2,3 Station, that connected to another now closed ramp that once led to the lower-level mezzanine at the front of the platform
Continuing down the platform is final staircase that leads up to a network of 2 staircases (and passes dead-end staircases to the NYCT signal training center as signs direct) up to the its own set of high exit only, and high entrance/exit turnstiles out to the main fare control area beneath 14 Street and 8 Avenue, right next to signal school, between the other two streetstairs to SW and SW corners of 14 Street and 8 Avenue. This staircase is signed Exit Only, No Transfers on the platform. If you accidently walk up this staircase (or your towards the front of a terminating L train) and have an Unlimited Ride MetroCard it's actually a more direct transfer and less walking to exit fare control and swipe back into the subway system catch an A,C, or E train at the main bank of turnstiles just a short walk down the mezzanine, then walking down the L train platform to the within fare control staircase.
Photo 1-5: January 1, 2005; 6-10: August 13, 2008; 11: August 17, 2008; 12-23: May 24, 2010; 24-32: September 19, 2012
