42nd Street Shuttle

New York City Subway service

42nd Street Shuttle
42nd Street Shuttle train of R62A cars at Grand Central.
Northern end	Times Square
Southern end	Grand Central
Stations	2
Rolling stock	R62A[1][2] (Rolling stock assignments subject to change)
Depot	Livonia Yard
Started service	August 1, 1918; 106 years ago (1918-08-01)
Route map Legend Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line Times Square Sixth Avenue Line Grand Central Lexington Avenue Line

IRT 42nd Street Line
Overview
Status	Open
Owner	City of New York
Locale	Midtown Manhattan
Termini	Times Square Grand Central
Stations	2
Service
Type	Rapid transit
System	New York City Subway
Operator(s)	New York City Transit Authority
Rolling stock	R62A
Daily ridership	100,000
History
Opened	October 27, 1904; 120 years ago (1904-10-27)
Technical
Line length	0.44 miles (0.71 km)
Number of tracks	2 (formerly 4)
Character	Underground
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification	625V DC third rail
Route map Legend Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line Times Square Sixth Avenue Line Grand Central Lexington Avenue Line

The 42nd Street Shuttle^[3] is a New York City Subway shuttle train service that operates in Manhattan. The shuttle is sometimes referred to as the Grand Central/Times Square Shuttle, since these are the only two stations it serves. The shuttle runs at all times except late nights, with trains running on two tracks underneath 42nd Street between Times Square and Grand Central; for many decades, three tracks had been in service until a major renovation was begun in 2019 reducing it to two tracks. With two stations, it is the shortest regular service in the system by number of stops, running about 2,402 feet (732 m) in 90 seconds as of 2005^[update].^[4] The shuttle is used by over 100,000 passengers every day, and by up to 10,200 passengers per hour during rush hours.^[5]

The 42nd Street Shuttle was constructed and operated by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) and is part of the A Division of New York City Transit as of 2024^[update]. The shuttle tracks opened in 1904 as part of the city's first subway. The original subway line ran north from City Hall on what is now the IRT Lexington Avenue Line to 42nd Street, from where it turned west to run across 42nd Street. At Broadway, the line turned north, proceeding to 145th Street on what is now the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line. This operation continued until 1918, when construction on the Lexington Avenue Line north of 42nd Street, and on the Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line south of 42nd Street was completed. One trunk would run via the new Lexington Avenue Line down Park Avenue, and the other trunk would run via the new Seventh Avenue Line up Broadway. The section in the middle, via 42nd Street, was converted into shuttle operation.

Through the 20th century, various attempts to convert, replace, or extend the shuttle have failed. The proposals have included conveyor-belt systems, as well as reconstruction of connections to the Broadway–Seventh Avenue and Lexington Avenue lines. One of the shuttle's trains was outfitted with automatic train operation on a trial basis in 1962, although the trial ended after a fire in 1964. A major reconstruction of the shuttle took place between 2019 and 2022. The reconstruction allowed trains to be lengthened to six cars while also expanding both shuttle stations' capacity, and brought the shuttle into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

The shuttle operates at all times except late nights, and each of the shuttle tracks in operation at any given time is independent of the other. Its route bullet is colored dark gray on route signs, station signs, and rolling stock with the letter "S" on the official subway map.