Spring Street station (IRT Lexington Avenue Line)


Spring Street is a local station on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Lafayette Street and Spring Street in SoHo and Little Italy, Manhattan, it is served by trains at all times, <6> trains during weekdays in the peak direction, and trains during late night hours.

History

Spring Street was one of the 28 original stations of the first subway line in Manhattan, which opened on October 27, 1904. At this time, Spring Street served local trains from the now-abandoned City Hall station to 145th Street at Broadway.

Station layout

Spring Street has two side platforms and four tracks, the center two of which are express tracks. Both platforms have a slight curve which creates a gap between the train and the platform. Because this gap is not significant, gap fillers are not necessary.
Spring Street had a fifth center track at the time of its opening. This track did not last long; it was reportedly disconnected and removed in 1906, only two years after the subway opened. Although its function has never been determined, the trackway is now used as the location of a mechanical room.
The station retains the typical large and small IRT mosaics in the old portion. The station has small "S" cartouches with two poppies from 1904, made by Atlantic Terra Cotta, and large mosaic tablets by Heins & LaFarge, also from 1904. Other small "S" and "Spring St" mosaics are newer. The "S" cartouches are similar to the ones cast for Canal Street station.

Exits

Spring Street has four entrances, two to each platform. The northbound entrances are at either western corner of Lafayette and Spring Streets, while the southbound entrances are at either eastern corner of the same intersection.

In popular culture

This station is featured in the 2008 film Cloverfield. The scene was not filmed there, however. The station is featured in the season 3 episode, "Lo-Fi", in the television show Criminal Minds.