"New Signs for the New Shuttle Passage"
On the morning of September 7th, 2021 the newly configured Times Square Shuttle platform opened to passengers for the time. Included in this new configuration is a passageway that offers a free, in-system transfer to the IND Sixth Avenue Line at the 42 St-Bryant Park station. Here we see a Stations Department crew installing new signs at one of the entrances to the passage as a F train departs the station.
Opened in August of 1918, the 42nd Street Shuttle runs between Times Square & Grand Central on part of the original IRT subway which first opened in October of 1904. Many aspects of the original subway could still be seen, but work began on August 16th, 2019 to drastically revamp the Shuttle. The first phase of the work on the Times Square side involved turning the right of way of Track 3 into a huge island platform. The final phase of the project which began last month, called for shortening Track 1 and walling off the original Track 4 platform. The new shuttle configuration was opened at 6AM on September 7th, 2021 introducing 2 six-car trainsets instead of the original 3 smaller trainsets, increased capacity and ADA compliance.