46th Street–Bliss Street (IRT Flushing Line)

46th Street–Bliss Street
New York City Subway rapid transit station
Looking west at two Flushing-bound 7 trains approaching 46th Street-Bliss Street station at night
Station statistics
Address	46th Street & Queens Boulevard Queens, NY 11104
Borough	Queens
Locale	Sunnyside
Coordinates	40°44′35.28″N 73°55′6.25″W / 40.7431333°N 73.9184028°WCoordinates: 40°44′35.28″N 73°55′6.25″W / 40.7431333°N 73.9184028°W
Division	A (IRT)
Line	IRT Flushing Line
Services	7  (all times)
Transit connections	NYCT Bus: Q32, B24 MTA Bus: Q60, Q104
Structure	Elevated
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	3
Other information
Opened	April 21, 1917
Former/other names	Bliss Street
Traffic
Passengers (2015)	4,593,351[1]  2.2%
Rank	105 out of 422
Station succession
Next north	52nd Street: 7
Next south	40th Street–Lowery Street: 7
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times
Location

46th Street–Bliss Street is a local station on the IRT Flushing Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 46th Street and Queens Boulevard in Sunnyside, Queens, it is served by the 7 train at all times.

History

Track layout
Legend
to 52 St to 40 St–Lowery St

The Flushing Line was opened from Queensboro Plaza to 103rd Street – Corona Plaza on April 21, 1917, with a local station at 46th Street.^[2]

The platforms at 46th Street were extended in 1955–1956 to accommodate 11-car trains.^[3]

Station layout

P Platform level
	Side platform, doors will open on the right
	Southbound local	← toward 34th Street–Hudson Yards (40th Street–Lowery Street)
	Peak-direction express	← does not stop here →
	Northbound local	→ toward Flushing–Main Street (52nd Street) →
	Side platform, doors will open on the right
M	Mezzanine	to entrances/exits, station agent, MetroCard vending machines
G	Street Level	Entrances/Exits

Entrance from street

This elevated station has three tracks and two side platforms. The center track is used by the rush hour peak direction <7> express train. This is the easternmost (railroad north) station on the IRT Flushing Line's concrete viaduct above Queens Boulevard. East of here, the line curves north and becomes elevated over Roosevelt Avenue.

Each platform has concrete windscreens painted in beige and green canopies in the center and waist-high beige barriers at either side. The windscreens contain stained glass windows as part of an artwork called "Q is For Queens" by Yumi Heo installed in 1999. They depict various images related to Heo's children book illustrations. This can also be found on the station's main entrance.

This station has two entrances/exits, both of which are station houses built within the viaduct's concrete structure. The main one is at the west (geographic south) end of the station and has two staircases and one turnstile bank to each platform, token booth, and four street stairs built within the viaduct's support pillars. These stairs lead to all four corners of 46th Street and the parking lot underneath the viaduct and between the two sides of Queens Boulevard. This entrance does not allow a free transfer between directions (even though it has the layout that could allow one as both turnstile banks lead to the center of the station house).

The station's other entrance is unstaffed, containing just HEET and exit-only turnstiles, two staircases to each platform, and two street stairs, also built within the support pillars, going down to either western corners of 47th Street and the parking lot. This entrance has a waiting area that allows a free transfer between directions.

Naming

An eastbound 7 train departing

46th Street was originally named simply Bliss Street after early ferry operator and industrialist Neziah Bliss, whose other namesakes include the nearby neighborhood of Blissville. His name was dropped from the street in the 1920s. The subway station retained the name until 1998, during which time the station name was the inspiration for the electronic band 46bliss. In 1998, the MTA removed it from maps and signage, but by 2003, neighborhood activist Pat Dorfman collected 1,900 signatures, successfully lobbying the MTA and the City Council to restore the old street and station names. The MTA did so in 2004, and the Council added the ceremonial name; street intersection signs near the station now feature a secondary Bliss St plaque.^[4]

References

1. "Facts and Figures: Annual Subway Ridership". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
2. "Transit Service on Corona Extension of Dual Subway System Opened to the Public". The New York Times. April 22, 1917. p. RE1. Retrieved 2011-10-02.
3. Authority, New York City Transit (1955-01-01). Minutes and Proceedings.
4. Karni, Annie (October 7, 2012). "Subway stations retain signs listing places and streets that no longer exist". New York Post. Archived from the original on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2014.

External links

• nycsubway.org – IRT Flushing Line: 46th Street/Bliss Street
• nycsubway.org — "Q" is For Queens Artwork by Yumi Heo (1999) along with the 40th Street — Lowery Street and the 33rd Street — Rawson Street stations.
• Station Reporter — 7 Train
• The Subway Nut — 46th Street–Bliss Street Pictures
• MTA's Arts For Transit — 46th Street–Bliss Street (IRT Flushing Line)
• 46th Street entrance from Google Maps Street View
• 47th Street entrance from Google Maps Street View
• Platforms from Google Maps Street View