116th Street–Columbia University is a local station on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line of the New York City Subway, served by the 1 train at all times. It is located at the intersection of Broadway and 116th Street, just outside the west gate to the main campus of Columbia University and the southeast corner of the Barnard College campus. The express track that passes through the station is currently unused in revenue service.HistoryOperation of the first subway began on October 27, 1904, with the opening of the original 28 stations of the New York City Subway from City Hall to 145th Street on the West Side Branch including the 116th Street station.In 1948, platforms on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line from 103rd Street to 238th Street were lengthened to 514 feet to allow full ten-car express trains to platform. Previously the stations could only platform six car local trains. The platform extensionswere opened in stages. On April 6, 1948, the stations from 103rd Street to Dyckman Street had their platform extensions opened, with the exception of the 125th Street, which had its extension opened on June 11, 1948.
