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Revision as of 13:39, 15 January 2008

Gap fillers, as used on the New York City Subway, are movable platform extensions used in certain stations where the curvature of the platform creates a significant gap between the platform and subway car door. In contrast, see "Mind the gap".

History

The Interborough Rapid Transit Company's first cars were built with only two doors on each side which were located at the extreme ends of the car. These doors would sufficiently line up with the curved platforms so as not to leave a wide gap between the train and the platform. When the IRT modified existing cars and future car orders to contain a middle door, the gap fillers were needed because the middle door would not be near the platform. When the City of New York bought the IRT in 1940 and eventually went to a new design (starting with the R12) the end doors were moved away from the extreme ends of the carbody. This also required the use of gap fillers at certain stations.

Stations with gap fillers

The IRT stations that had gap fillers added were:

• South Ferry (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line), outer loop.

• Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall (IRT Lexington Avenue Line), uptown and downtown express platforms. These were deactivated when the station was extended northward. These gap fillers are still in place and can be seen just south of the current platforms.

• 14th Street–Union Square (IRT Lexington Avenue Line), downtown platform (local and express). There is evidence that there may have been gap fillers on the uptown express platform. A new design of gap filler was installed in 2004 to provide maintenance access from the platform rather requiring crews to stand at track level.

• Times Square (IRT 42nd Street Shuttle), tracks 1 and 3.

Manufacturers

Gap fillers are manufactured by both Jaygo Incorporated and Manning & Lewis Engineering.

External links

Images:

• Gap filler in use
• Gap filler before installation

• New York City Subway