Bronx boxes - is there a pattern?

Atlas Aerial

Atlas Aerial

Joined
Sep 24, 2011
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150
I'm curious to know if there is any pattern to Bronx box numbers. For instance in Manhattan the boxes count up from south to north. Any similar rule of thumb for the Bronx?
 
Generally, Bronx street boxes increase in number from south to north, beginning with 2103 in Mott Haven. Between 2500 and 4099, if the first two digits are odd (i.e., 25xx, 37xx) the location is west of the Bronx River. If the first two digits are even numbers (28xx, 36xx) the location is east of the Bronx River.

Boxes 4100 through 4565 are in the northeast section of the borough. 42xx are mainly in the Throggs Neck, 43xx"s in Pelham Bay/Gardens, 44xx CO-OP City and Bay Chester,  45xx just on City Island.

This was all laid out in the early 1920s. Prior to that, all Bronx Box numbers began with a 2- to differentiate them from Manhattan boxes. As the Bronx population exploded, circuits 46xx, 47xx, 48xx, and 49xx were overlaid on the existing circuits for better street coverage. These also conformed to the east/west of the Bronx River. Examples: 4600 in Parkchester, 4800 on Pelham Pkwy; 4723 at the Richmond housing complex, 4902 in Bedford Park.

There are no 50xx boxes. Above that are basically Class 3 boxes (51xxs the Hunts Point Market), subways, roads and schools.

Hope this helps

 
Thanks "3511", I never knew that about the odd/even being east/west of the Bronx River.
 
Cool info, thanks. I too never knew about that little trick, I have been trying to find a pattern in BX boxes but dont know enough about the borough. QNS and BK are other ones where I know little about the box # patterns, although if the right box # series comes out I'll know exactly what part of the Boro its in. As for the MAN pattern, the same is similar for SI. The lower box #s are highest up on the north shore and the higher they go, the more south you go on the island. For example, Box 775 last night on SI was in Port Richmond, North shore. Box 4165, earlier today, is in Charleston, one of the southern most areas of the island.
 
3511 said:
Generally, Bronx street boxes increase in number from south to north, beginning with 2103 in Mott Haven. Between 2500 and 4099, if the first two digits are odd (i.e., 25xx, 37xx) the location is west of the Bronx River. If the first two digits are even numbers (28xx, 36xx) the location is east of the Bronx River.

Boxes 4100 through 4565 are in the northeast section of the borough. 42xx are mainly in the Throggs Neck, 43xx"s in Pelham Bay/Gardens, 42xx CO-OP City and Bay Chester,  45xx just on City Island.

This was all laid out in the early 1920s. Prior to that, all Bronx Box numbers began with a 2- to differentiate them from Manhattan boxes. As the Bronx population exploded, circuits 46xx, 47xx, 48xx, and 49xx were overlaid on the existing circuits for better street coverage. These also conformed to the east/west of the Bronx River. Examples: 4600 in Parkchester, 4800 on Pelham Pkwy; 4753 at the Richmond housing complex, 4902 in Bedford Park.

There are no 50xx boxes. Above that are basically Class 3 boxes (51xxs the Hunts Point Market), subways, roads and schools.

Hope this helps
Click to expand...

Excellent! Thanks for the detailed explanation
 
4723 it is. Typo. Thanks for correcting the record, scooby.

There is ALWAYS a pattern when numbers are involved. I am even learning it applies to Queens, where my current girl friend resides.  Nice for me to discover that borough has box #s also. And now you have enlightened me on Staten Island as well. Please don't tell me Brooklyn too. Don't they still have bell towers/sectors out there,  wherever Brooklyn is?

Glad I could help here. I would like to contribute it to my superior research. Or perhaps just the osmosis of being a buff in my homeland borough. But I must give credit where credit is due.

My ol' man.

Like many who grew up in an FDNY (or any FD) family, I was influenced by the profession of my father and uncles. Before the nuns got hold of me I could count, learned by hearing the pattern of the bells in their firehouses. Who rolled in to what box in the neighborhood was yet another pattern. By age 10, I could discern yet another by the board of assignments on the wall of the firehouses,  but I was too young to crack the code. So I asked my father.

What I posted today was nothing more than he explained to me all those years ago.

That big, tough, Irish SOB has been gone for almost 40 years, but he still gets it right.
 
3511 said:
Glad I could help here. I would like to contribute it to my superior research. Or perhaps just the osmosis of being a buff in my homeland borough. But I must give credit where credit is due.

My ol' man.

That big, tough, Irish SOB has been gone for almost 40 years, but he still gets it right.
Click to expand...

A toast to your Ol'Man! Cheers!
 
For the Bronx it is very simple:
Rule # 1:
Use the BRONX RIVER to separate the EAST side (odd #) from the WEST side (even#) for the first two box numbers - 21xx to 49xx.
Rule # 2: 
Use PELHAM PKWY - EAST FORDHAM RD & EAST & WEST KINGBRIDGE RD to separate the South from the North "Fill in boxes.
Rule # 3:
The 51xx boxes are in the Hunts Point Market area. (forget about rule #1)

21XX from East 132 St to East 144 St.
22XX from East 145 St to East 156 St.
23XX from East 156 St to EAST / WEST 164 St. - a few boxes in Hunts Point.
24XX in the Hunts Point -East of Bruckner Blvd - a few boxes outside of Hunts Point like 2415 & 2417...also some in the old market.
25XX from EAST / WEST 164 ST to EAST / WEST 169 St.
26XX (Rule # 2) Sound View - Classion Point - Castle Hill areas.
27XX  from East / West 169 St to East / West 172 St.
28XX  Same as 26XX boxes including the Unionport Community.
29XX  from East / West 172 St to EAST / WEST 179 St.
30XX Bronx River, Parkchester, Zerega, South of East Tremont & West of Westchester Ave.
31XX  from East / West 178 St to East / West 183 St.
32XX  from East Tremont Ave to Pelham Pkwy - West of the Hutchinson Rv Pkwy.
33XX  from East / West 182 St to East / West 197 St.
34XX  from Pelham Pkwy to just south of East Gun Hill Rd - East of Eastchester Rd.
35XX  from East / West 197 ST to East / West 213 St - East of Major Degan Expwy - a few boxes in the Woodlawn community.
36XX  from East Gun Hill Rd to East 227 St - East of Eastchester Rd.
37XX  West of the Major Deegan Expwy - from West 225 St to West 249 St. Marble Hill, Kingsbridge, & Southern Riverdale.
38XX  from East 228 St to City Line (Mt Vernon) - East of Eastchester Rd. (3800 is @ East 233 St & Webster Ave)
39XX from West 250 St to City Line (Yonkers) - Riverdale.
3957 to 3981 are in the Woodlawn section -East 233 St - Jerome Ave to Webster Ave - to Yonkers City Line.
40XX  Eastern section of Throggs Neck. (Eng 72) East of Schley Ave
41XX Center section of Throggs Neck.  (Eng 72/89) East of Randall Ave
42XX  Western section of Throggs Neck - West of Randall Ave - including Country Club section.
43XX  East of Eastchester Rd from East Tremont Ave to Gun Hill Rd / Bartow Ave also Section#5  (South section of Co-op City)
44XX North of East Gun Hill Rd / Bartow Ave - East of Eastchester Rd including Co-op City to city line -(Pelham Manor/ Mt. Vernon)
45XX - 4500 to 4519 - in Pelham Bay Park & along the north border of the Bronx with Pelham Manor.
45XX - 4521 to 4565 - on City Island.

51XX - Hunts Point - off of Loop Rd - NEW MARKET AREA.

Now for the fill in boxes - remember rule # 1 & # 2. Its a cross          49  I  48
                                                                                                      ______I_______
                                                                                                                  I
                                                                                                          47  I  46
46XX South of Pelham Pkwy & East of the Bronx River.
47XX South of West / East Kingsbridge Rd - East Fordham Rd to the Bronx River.
48XX North of Pelham Pkwy & East of the Bronx River.
49XX North of West / East Kingsbridge Rd - East Fordham Rd to the Bronx River.

There are no planning in assigning the Bronx 8XXX boxes.

I hope this answers your questions.

There are keys to all the Boro's except QUEENS.




 
QUEENS - needs to have a major over hall of the box numbers. Its a disaster to even try to renumber the boxes in an attempt to get some order to them. As a former director of the Alarm Assignment Unit in FDNY, I had some one looking into this project. It would be too costly to do.

First of all - its the largest borough & has the most boxes. When the boxes were first planned it seems that there was a master plan, but some where that plan was put a side & the available box numbers were used anywhere as a fill in. One of the best examples is found in the teen series of numbers - These box # were used for the Rockaway section of Queens up to box # 1484, Eng 329. The next box in use is 1560 which is located at Bell Blvd & 53 Ave. with Eng 326 responding 1st due. Then box 1601 is located on Cross Bay Blvd with Eng 266 responding 1st due.

This is only one example of the problems. If all the boxes were ERS (voice) the job MIGHT be able to be completed, but with old fashion boxes still on the street, the job will be prolong since each of these boxes will require a change made within the box. Next fire alarm boxes will have to be reprinted with all the changes.

There a lot of things that goes on behind the scene that the average person might be unaware of. Some might consider this project a waste of tax payers money.
   
 
i believe Atlas and 3511 explained it completely different....3511 said odd numbers are west of the BRP and even numbers are east of the BRP.    Atlas said it completely opposite.  unless i read them wrong
 
Engcap,

Without plotting all the boxes, I believe Atlas and my descriptions jive. He has just been more specific on the location of each circuit than I. In any case, I would defer to his experience.
 
so just so i am not mistaken.....boxes east of the BRP are odd numbers (first 2 digits) and boxes west of the BRP are even #'s  (first two digits). 
 
Atlas,

Engcap has a point here. Your rule #1 does state odd numbered boxes are to the east of the Bronx RIVER and that ain't so and not what I wrote.

Engcap, note we are using the RIVER not the parkway as the reference point. They are not always the same.
 
SORRY GUYS, My rule # 1 is incorrect. Reverse the info - ODD is West while even is EAST.
The remaining info is correct. Again, SORRY!!! I know I got three late watches.

Just remember that Jerome Ave is the border line between East & West Bronx streets.
The Bronx River remains the border line for odd & even. Enjoy the rest of the info.
 
Three late watches....in a house with horses and a coal furnace. ..so you can shovel for both all night long!
 
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