B63 (New York City bus)

The B63 is a bus route in Brooklyn, New York City, running mainly along Fifth Avenue and Atlantic Avenue between Fort Hamilton and Cobble Hill. Originally a streetcar line called the Fifth Avenue Line, it is now operated by the New York City Transit Authority as the Fifth/Atlantic Avenues bus.

This article is about the bus route that replaced the BMT streetcar line. For the former elevated rapid transit line, also owned by the BMT, see Fifth Avenue Line (Brooklyn elevated).
b63
Fifth Avenue Line
A B63 bus in snow
Overview
SystemMTA Regional Bus Operations
OperatorNew York City Transit Authority
GarageJackie Gleason Depot
VehicleNew Flyer C40LF
New Flyer XN40
Began serviceAugust 28th, 1860
Route
LocaleBrooklyn
Communities servedBay Ridge, Sunset Park, Park Slope, Gowanus, Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill
StartBrooklyn Bridge Park-Pier 6
ViaFifth Avenue, Atlantic Avenue
EndBay Ridge-Shore Road
Length5.8 miles (9.3 km)
Service
Operates24 Hours[1]
Annual patronage4,132,750 (2017)[2]
TransfersYes
TimetableB63
← B61  {{{system_nav}}}  B64 →

Route description

The B63 bus route begins at Shore Road and Fourth Avenue in Fort Hamilton, and heads north on Fourth Avenue, splitting onto Fifth Avenue at 94th Street. Fifth Avenue is followed through Bay Ridge, Sunset Park, and Gowanus to Park Slope, where buses turn northwest on Flatbush Avenue and west on Atlantic Avenue to South Ferry. Along the way, subway connections can be made at Bay Ridge – 95th Street, Fourth Avenue – Ninth Street, and Atlantic Avenue – Barclays Center, as well as the Long Island Rail Road's Atlantic Branch at Atlantic Terminal.[1]

History

The Brooklyn Central and Jamaica Railroad opened the line along Fifth Avenue, from its Atlantic Avenue Line south to 24th Street at Greenwood Cemetery, on August 28, 1860.[3][4] The Brooklyn, Bath and Coney Island Rail Road opened on October 5, 1863, running steam dummies from Fifth Avenue and 36th Street (the city line) south to 37th Street, and east on 37th Street and south towards Coney Island. At the same time, the Central Railroad extended its Fifth Avenue Line south to 36th Street.[5][6][7] The Atlantic Avenue Railroad, the Central's successor, gained control of the Brooklyn, Bath and West End Railroad, the BB&CI's successor, in January 1893, and soon changed it to an electric trolley line.[8][9]

The Nassau Electric Railroad was incorporated in 1893, and its plans included the east-west Church Avenue Line along 39th Street and a branch south along Fifth Avenue into New Utrecht.[10] The Nassau Electric leased the Atlantic Avenue on April 5, 1896, and opened their Fifth Avenue Line that day as an extension of the Atlantic Avenue's line all the way to Fort Hamilton; they also continued to operate West End Line cars via Fifth Avenue, and soon also ran cars to Coney Island over Fifth Avenue and the 86th Street Line.[11][12]

Bus service replaced streetcar service on February 20, 1949. This was the first bus route in New York City in February 2011 to test the tracking real time arrival system called MTA Bus Time.[13]


References
  1. MTA Regional Bus Operations. "B63 bus schedule" (PDF).
  2. "Facts and Figures". mta.info. 2011-08-28. Archived from the original on 2017-09-24. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  3. "New Railroad Route". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. August 23, 1860. p. 3.
  4. "The Brooklyn Central Railroad". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. August 29, 1860. p. 3.
  5. "The Dummy Engines". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. September 11, 1863.
  6. "Railroads". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. October 5, 1863. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2020-12-17. Retrieved 2020-12-16. Brooklyn, Bath, and Coney Island Railroad - Will commence running on and after Monday October 5th ... Leave Bath 8, 10 and 12 A.M., and 2, 4 and 6 P.M. Leave Thirty-sixth street and Fifth avenue 6:40, 9 and 11 A.M., and 1,3 and 5 P.M.
  7. "Opening of a New Railroad - Another Route to Coney Island". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. October 5, 1863. p. 2. the Brooklyn Central railroad company have extended their track through the Bath plank road, making a most delightful road to the city line. At the city line the passengers take the dummy engine cars which convey them to New Utrecht, bath, Unionville and Coney Island in a half hour
  8. "Another Railroad Sold". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. January 17, 1893. p. 12.
  9. "Will Move Down Town Soon". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. January 21, 1893. p. 10.
  10. "Financial Brooklyn". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. July 1, 1894. p. 22.
  11. "New Railroad Conveniences". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. April 3, 1896. p. 1.
  12. "Run by the Nassau Now". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. April 5, 1896. p. 9.
  13. "New MTA web service tracks B'klyn bus". New York Post. Archived from the original on 2017-11-13. Retrieved 2020-01-03.
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