Vernon Boulevard–Jackson Avenue station

The Vernon Boulevard–Jackson Avenue station (often informally referred to as Vernon–Jackson station; formerly Vernon–Jackson Avenues station) is a station on the IRT Flushing Line of the New York City Subway, and the westernmost station on the Flushing Line in Queens. It is served by the 7 train at all times and the <7> train rush hours in the peak direction. Despite its name, the station is not quite located at the intersection of Vernon Boulevard and Jackson Avenue. It is located on 50th Avenue between Vernon Boulevard and Jackson Avenue, both of which have entrances to the station.
== History ==
This station opened on June 22, 1915, as a terminal for shuttle trains going into Manhattan via the Steinway Tunnel until the line was extended to Hunters Point Avenue on February 5, 1916. A westerly extension of the Manhattan-bound platform opened for service on December 20, 1923.
In 1981, the MTA listed the station among the 69 most deteriorated stations in the subway system.
The platforms at Vernon Boulevard were extended in 1955–1956 to accommodate 11-car trains.
===1997 station agent murder===
In 1997, this station was the site of a night station agent being killed for subway tokens. The result of this incident was a change in policy where night station agents do not have to empty the turnstiles after the evening station agent leaves unless police, a supervisor, or another employee is present (and that is left to the option of the station agent). Since the introduction of the MetroCard, this process remains the same. Two armed NYCT guards clear the vending machines.
==Station layout==
thumb|left|250px|The Train of Many Colors at Vernon Boulevard-Jackson Avenue in 2016.
This underground station has two side platforms and two tracks. A black wall separates the two tracks for most of the station.
Both platforms have a line of yellow columns along their edges. Most of these are normal I-beam columns, but in the middle of the platforms, cream colored arches, which is also the color of the station's ceiling, starting at about four feet off the ground support a short section of the columns. The platform walls have a mosaic gold and brown trim line on top while the name tablets are mosaic white with white text reading "Vernon-Jackson Ave's" (erroneous if the use is considered in the possessive context, but it can also be considered as a contractional form of the plural) on a brown background and gold and brown border. There are also a few directional signs to the station's fare control areas reading "Vernon Ave" or "Jackson Ave" with an arrow beneath.
===Exits===
Each platform has two same-level fare control areas and there are no crossovers or crossunders connecting the platforms. The full-time fare control areas are just west of the middle of the platforms, though only the Manhattan-bound platform still has a token booth. Each area has a small regular turnstile bank and two staircases to the street, the northeast corner of Vernon Boulevard and 50th Avenue for the Manhattan-bound platform and the southwest corner for the Flushing-bound platform. The southern staircase's steel fencing does not have the standard black sign saying what station this is and what trains serve it.
Each platform also has a larger, unstaffed fare control on their extreme east (railroad north) ends. On the Manhattan-bound platform, a wide, but short staircase goes up to some High Entry/Exit Turnstiles that lead to two street stairs, one to each northern corners of 50th Avenue and Jackson Avenue. This entrance at one time had a part-time token booth and regular turnstiles. The Flushing-bound platform has a similar arrangement with short staircase to a wide intermediate landing with an exit-only turnstile at each corner. Outside the turnstiles is a single street stair, each going up to each southern corners of 50th Avenue and Jackson Avenue.
This is one of only two stations along the 7 (the other being 40th Street–Lowery Street to not have a crossover or crossunder, as well as the only underground station on the line to not allow for free transfers between directions.
== References ==
== External links ==
* 
* Station Reporter — 7 Train
* The Subway Nut — Vernon Boulevard–Jackson Avenue Pictures
* Vernon Boulevard entrance from Google Maps Street View
* Jackson Avenue entrance from Google Maps Street View
* Southbound platform from Google Maps Street View
* Northbound platform from Google Maps Street View
Category:IRT Flushing Line stations
Category:New York City Subway stations in Queens, New York
Category:New York City Subway stations located underground
Category:Railway stations in the United States opened in 1915
Category:1915 establishments in New York City
Category:Long Island City