Camera at Station 54+00, looking north, showing west intersection of 57th Street and New Utrecht Avenue. Image prior to construction of the elevated BMT West End Line. This line was built under the Dual Contracts of 1913. The original surface railroad tracks of the Brooklyn, Bath and Coney Island Railroad can be seen in the photograph. At the time of the photo, the BRT operated elevated trains over these tracks using trolley wired electricity. These tracks were retained for use by trolley lines after the elevated was built over them.
New York Transit MuseumWest intersection of New Utrecht Avenue and 57th Street, March 25, 1914.
Taken from in front of the market at no. 5702, this view is north along New Utrecht Avenue. The building at the north corner no longer stands. The rounded castle-like structure seen in the distance at right is the Sandalphon Lodge, a Masonic building. The photograph was take in preparation for the construction of the elevated BMT West End Line. The tracks seen at right are the surface railroad tracks of the Brooklyn, Bath and Coney Island Railroad (later the Brooklyn, Bath and West End Railroad). Established in 1862, this steam railroad began service between 25th Street and Fifth Avenue and Bath Beach in October 1863. The steam trains were replaced with electrified trolleys (seen here) in 1893.
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