The Saratoga Avenue Station is a simple elevated stop on the two-track Livonia Avenue el. The station has two side platforms and a single exit that is at the extreme eastern (railway southern) end of the platforms. This exit is inside a small headhouse on the elevated structure beneath the tracks so a free cross-under is provided. There is a single staircase down from the Manhattan-bound platform that is at about the very last door of the last car. There is a staircase down from the New Lots-bound platform at this same point as well (first door of the first car), but there is also a second exit that instead of being directly on the platform juts out from the elevated platform for its own staircase and entrance into the station house. This secondary staircase has gates and signs on the gates that say it is open Monday - Friday 6:00am to 10:00pm.
From the station house there are three staircases down from the elevated, these lead to the NW, SW, and SE corners of Saratoga Avenue and Livonia Avenue, the corner missing a staircase is the NE one.
When I last visited the station in 2009 and 2012, before it was closed for renovations from April 11, 2016 until September 19, 2016, the station still featured a couple of extremely rare (and valuable to collectors) enamel on porcelain signs in the form of ones saying To Street that direct passengers from the staircases off the platform and into the headhouse so they can leave the subway system.
Even more impressive through were the still legible sign at the bottom of an entrance staircase to the elevated that reads: 'Interborough Rapid Transit Company: To All Trains'. The platforms have the standard cream colored metal windscreens for most of there lengths. The cantilevered metalwork that holds up the windscreen is painted green and has little Saratoga Avenue signs on it. There is a small exposed section at the end opposite the station's exit and this has the standard low black painted metal fence. At the other end of the platform beyond the exit staircases the platforms continues a bit (although no trains ever stop here) and there is another small exposed portion of the platforms that are great places to photograph incoming trains.
Sadly, the renovations that gave the platform green and cream windscreens, rebuilt the streetstairs and renovated other parts of the mezzanine removed these historic features.
1-23: July 22, 2009; 24-32: November 3, 2012; 33-51: November 27, 2023;
R62 #1536, has finished its brief stop at Saratoga Avenue and begins to slowly move out of the station, its the last car of a New Lots Av-bound 3 train.
R62 #1536 and a New Lots-bound 3 train continue to leave Saratoga Avenue.
Looking down the platforms at Saratoga Avenue, the platform canopies are about to begin and cover the platforms all the way to their other ends, where the station's exit is.
Looking across to the very small section of the exposed to the elements end of the Manhattan-bound platform at Saratoga Avenue, the roof of a house is visible behind it.
A close-up of a Saratoga Av station name sign on the exposed portion of the New Lots-bound platform, the greenery of trees are visible behind it.
Looking down the long and seemingly endless New Lots-bound platform at Saratoga Avenue, the staircases that lead down to the station's exit are at its other end.
A close up of a Saratoga Avenue sign on a platform column.
Which staircase? Two lead down to exactly the same place, the station's only headhouse beneath the tracks at Saratoga Avenue.
Looking across to a couple of passengers waiting for the next Manhattan-bound train, by the only staircase up to that platform.
Looking down the unusual second staircase down from the New Lots-bound platform at Saratoga Avenue, the windscreen of the side of that platform is visible in this picture.
Looking down the unusual 2nd staircase down from the New Lots-bound platform, approaching the station's exit and head house.
Looking beneath the elevated from the headhouse level at Saratoga Avenue, and a view of life on Livonia Avenue, beneath its elevated.
A close up of an old white sign saying exit on doors into the headhouse at Saratoga Avenue.
Inside the headhouse at Saratoga Avenue, before passing through the turnstiles to leave the subway system, this stop has a decent number of them for a minor stop in Brooklyn.
An old enamel on porcelain sign saying 'To Street' with an arrow into the headhouse on the side of fencing that separates paid passengers from unpaid ones on the mezzanine level beneath the tracks at Saratoga Avenue.
Looking back up the standard end of platform staircase to the New Lots-bound platform at Saratoga Avenue.
Looking back in one of the passageways that helps funnel people to the platforms partially inside the station house at Saratoga Avenue.
At street level looking up an entrance staircase to Saratoga Avenue, the station house is visible snugly tucked beneath the elevated line.
A close-up of an old porcelain-enamel sign that says 'Interborough Rapid Transit Company: To All Trains' on an entrance staircase to Saratoga Avenue.
Last Updated: April 1, 2024
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