Substation 401

Substation 401 is a Beaux-Arts style electrical facility located beneath the elevated tracks of the BMT Jamaica Line at 3046 Fulton Street in Brooklyn. The structure continues to supply power to the city's subway system and remains actively in operation serving that function.

Built in 1901 by architect Thomas E. Murray, the facility was designed to supply power to the expanding Brooklyn Rapid Transit system. The substation helped enable the electrification that made the city's rapid transit network possible in its earliest years.

The building reflects how the city once displayed its technical progress through industrial architecture, making engineering visible to everyday travelers. Visitors walking past recognize the structure as a working part of the neighborhood's infrastructure, not just a historical relic.

The facility sits between Essex Street and Shepherd Avenue and is easily visible from the subway platform or street level. Best viewing is from the Jamaica Line platform itself, where the structure is clearly visible from the passing trains.

Despite its importance to the early subway system, the structure remains hidden from many riders because it sits beneath the elevated tracks. What makes it special is that this building from the turn of the century still performs the same job it did over 100 years ago.