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Revision as of 17:16, 5 April 2010

Gap fillers on the New York City Subway are movable platform extensions at 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, at the extreme ends of the car, lining 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 ordered new cars with a middle door, gap fillers were needed because the middle door was not near the platform. After the City of New York bought the IRT in 1940, new car designs (starting with the R12) had the end doors away from the extreme ends of the carbody, which also required the use of gap fillers at certain stations.

Stations with gap fillers

IRT stations with gap fillers were:

• South Ferry, outer loop. Station closed on March 16, 2009, replaced by a new station which does not require gap fillers.

• 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 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 Jaygo Incorporated and Manning & Lewis Engineering.

External links

Images:

• Gap filler in use at South Ferry station
• Gap filler before installation

• New York City Subway