From the press release accompanying 1991 SERVICE CAPACITY PLAN, issued by NYC Transit:
Routes: A,B,C,D,Q
Lines: Central Park West, Concourse, Washington Heights, 63rd Street
Time: Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
Proposal:
Central Park West service would be reduced from four routes to three on weekdays and three to two routes on weekends. Express service would be provided by the "Q" from 207th Street to the 6th Avenue line and the "D" from 205th Stret to 6th Avenue. Local service would be provided by the 8th Avenue "A" from 168th Street to Euclid Avenue. the "A" woudl be extended to 207th Street evenings, nights, and weekends when the "Q" does not operate. The "B" would replace the "Q" to 21st Street/Queensbridge. The "D" would provide local service in the Bronx at all times.
Routes: A,C,H
Line: 8th Avenue/Fulton Street/Rockaways
Time: Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
Proposal:
In conjunction with the changes in Central Park West service, during rush hours, the "H" would provide three-way split service from Lefferts Boulevard, Far Rockaway and Rockaway Park to the FUlton Stret and 8th Aveneu express lines to 34th Street/8th avenue, replacing "A" express sericde and "C" service to Rockaway Park. The Rockaway Park "H" would operate every 20 minutes, with published timetables available. During non-peak periods, the "H" would oprate to Lefferts Boulevard and Far Rockaway, with connecting rail shuttle service between Beach 67th Street and Rockway (sic) Park. The "A" would provide 8th Avenue and Fulton Street local service to Euclid Avenue. During night hours, the "A" would operate from Far Rockaway via Fulton Street and 8th Avenue local lines to 207th Street. Rail shuttle service would be provided between Rockaway Boulevard and Lefferts Boulevard, and between Beach 67th Street and Rockaway Park.
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As I recall (and I was in NYCT(A) Customer Services at the time and had to answer literally HUNDREDS of letters on the subject), the chief objection to this service plan came from people in upper Manhattan who were upset that their MAIN SERVICE WAS BEING RELABELED "Q"!!!!! They kept citing the Billy Strayhorn song (performed most famously by Duke Ellington), "Take the 'A' Train." Funny thing is, if NYCT(A) had called the 207th Street-6th Avenue-Brighton service "A" instead of "Q", probably nobody would have said a word and the plan would have gone through unchallenged!
David