I remember the three sets of discs that would be swung down above the edge of the southbound platform to let you know what train was coming in next. Be it the #1 Brighton Express, #4 Sea Beach Express, or the #3 West End Express, although the West End Trains used the Standards type cars that did not have the numbers on the head or rear ends of there trains until the early 60s when the West End Train line were given the Tri-plex cars when the Sea Beach Line started using the new R-27 and R-30 cars. Also at the front end of that platform there was a wooden extension of about 15 feet to handle the slightly longer 12 Tri-plex train cars along side the interlocking switch tower at the front end of the 42nd St. station. There was a sign asking riders not to stand on that platform extension because it was very narrow. I use to stand right where that wooden platform started and when the Brighton Express can to a stop I would then walk to the almost end of that platform and get on at the front door so that I could stand at the front window of the train until we got to the Newkirk Av. Station where I would then get on the Brighton Local and get off at either the Av. J or Av. M Station. Some times I would ride the express to the Kings Highway Station and then ride back on a northboud local to the Av. M Station. I started doing all of this when I was 8 years old in the spring 1953 just when the train fare went to 15 cents and the first subway token was introduced.
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