Far Rockaway Branch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Far Rockaway Branch |
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Far Rockaway Branch train 2820 departing Cedarhurst Station.
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| Overview | |
| Status | Operational |
| Owner | Long Island Rail Road |
| Locale | Queens and Nassau County, New York, US |
| Termini | Valley Stream Far Rockaway |
| Stations | 11 |
| Service | |
| Type | Commuter rail |
| System | Long Island Rail Road |
| Services |
Far Rockaway Branch
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| Operator(s) | Metropolitan Transportation Authority |
| Ridership | 4,904,415 (annual ridership, 2023) |
| History | |
| Opened | 1869 (as part of South Side Railroad of Long Island) |
| Technical | |
| Number of tracks | 2 |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Electrification | 750 V DC |
The Far Rockaway Branch is a train line in New York that uses electric power. It is owned and run by the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR). The line starts near the Valley Stream station. From there, it goes south and southwest through Nassau County. It ends in Far Rockaway in Queens, which is part of New York City. LIRR maps show that trains from the Far Rockaway Branch continue west to Jamaica. This train line has two tracks and offers service all day. Trains go to Grand Central Madison and Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan.
Contents
History of the Far Rockaway Branch
How the Line Started
The South Side Railroad (SSRLI) built this train line in 1869. They created a smaller company called the Far Rockaway Branch Railroad to do it. While building the tracks, the company laid about 700 feet (200 m) of track across a farmer's land. However, they had not yet finished buying the land. The farmer and his friends tore up the tracks. After a legal fight, the company paid the farmer.
Growing the Train Line
Because the train line was popular, the South Side Railroad built a restaurant called the South Side Pavilion in 1872. It was on the beach. The train line was also made longer, reaching the Seaside House in 1872 and Neptune House in 1875. In 1876, the Long Island Rail Road bought the Far Rockaway Branch and the rest of the South Side Railroad.
Two stations on the line were named Arverne. Both were built by a land developer named Remington Vernam. The first one was built in 1888 at Gaston Avenue. It looked like a large Victorian hotel. It also connected to another train line called the Ocean Electric Railway. Because of a disagreement between the LIRR and Vernam, another Arverne Station was built in 1892 at Straiton Avenue. After that, the first Arverne station was called Arverne-Gaston Avenue. The new one was called Arverne-Straiton Avenue.
In 1908, the train line between Cedarhurst and Far Rockaway got a third track. This helped more trains run. In the early 1940s, the path where the tracks were laid was changed. The tracks were moved from ground level onto a raised concrete structure, like a bridge. This structure crossed Mott Avenue in Far Rockaway. The tracks then went back to ground level, passed over Nameoke Street, and continued to Gibson Station. From there, they went back onto a raised structure to Valley Stream.
When Trains Stopped Going to Jamaica Bay
Until 1950, trains from Penn Station could travel south to the Rockaway area. They could turn right to go to Rockaway Park or left to go to Valley Stream. However, there were many fires and problems keeping the tracks in good shape. A big fire in 1950 between Broad Channel and The Raunt caused the LIRR to stop using the Queens part of the line. This happened on October 3, 1955.
The city then bought this part of the line. It became the IND Rockaway Line for the New York City Subway. Subway trains, like the A train, started using these tracks. Most of the old train stations in Queens reopened as subway stations on June 28, 1956. The Far Rockaway–Mott Avenue station was shared by both the subway and the LIRR starting January 16, 1958.
Newer Changes
From the late 1960s to the 1990s, many stations on the Far Rockaway Branch were updated. They got "high-level platforms." These platforms are at the same height as the train doors, making it easier for people to get on and off the newer trains.
The Far Rockaway Branch has the oldest train station building still standing on Long Island. This building is at Hewlett. It is the only building built by an LIRR predecessor (a company that existed before the LIRR). In 2003, the LIRR closed the old Hewlett station. They opened a new one nearby. However, the original old station building is still there.
Stations on the Line
Most trains from stations west of Locust Manor go to Grand Central or Penn Station. Some late-night trains end their trip at Jamaica. Stations past Far Rockaway were closed in 1955. However, many of them reopened as subway stations on the IND Rockaway Line in 1956. The exact spot of the old Atlantic Park station is not clear.
| Zone | Location | Station | Miles (km) from Long Island City |
Date opened |
Date closed |
Connections and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Locust Manor, Queens | Locust Manor | 12.2 (19.6) | 1869 | New York City Bus: Q3, Q85, QM21 | |
| Springfield Gardens, Queens | Higbie Avenue | 1908 | 1960 | |||
| Laurelton, Queens | Laurelton | 13.1 (21.1) | 1907 | New York City Bus: Q77, Q85 | ||
| Rosedale, Queens | Rosedale | 14.0 (22.5) | 1870 | New York City Bus: Q5, Q85, X63 | ||
| 4 | Valley Stream | Valley Stream  |
16.1 (25.9) | 1869 | Long Island Rail Road: Long Beach, West Hempstead branches Nassau Inter-County Express: n1, Elmont Flexi |
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| Zone | Location | Station | Miles (km) from Valley Junction |
Date opened |
Date closed |
Connections and notes |
| 4 | Valley Stream | Gibson |
0.8 (1.3) | 1928 | Nassau Inter-County Express: n1 | |
| Hewlett | Hewlett |
1.7 (2.7) | 1869 | Nassau Inter-County Express: n1, n31, n32 First called Cedar Grove, then Hewletts |
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| Woodmere | Woodmere |
2.3 (3.7) | 1869 | Nassau Inter-County Express: n31, n31x, n32 | ||
| Cedarhurst | Cedarhurst |
3.2 (5.1) | 1869 | Nassau Inter-County Express: n31, n31x, n32 | ||
| Lawrence | Lawrence |
4.0 (6.4) | 1869 | Nassau Inter-County Express: n31, n31x, n32 | ||
| Inwood | Inwood |
4.4 (7.1) | 1905 | Nassau Inter-County Express: n31, n31x, n32 First called Westville |
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| Far Rockaway, Queens | Far Rockaway (Nameoke Street) |
5.0 (8.0) | 1958 | New York City Subway: A (at Far Rockaway–Mott Avenue) Nassau Inter-County Express: n31, n31x, n32, n33 MTA Bus: Q22, Q113, Q114, QM17 |
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| Far Rockaway–Mott Avenue | 1869 | 1958 | Now Far Rockaway–Mott Avenue subway station | |||
| Wavecrest | 1928 | 1955 | Now Beach 25th Street subway station | |||
| Atlantic Park | 1875 | No remains left | ||||
| Edgemere, Queens | Edgemere | 1895 | 1955 | Now Beach 36th Street subway station | ||
| Frank Avenue | 1922 | 1955 | Now Beach 44th Street subway station | |||
| Arverne, Queens | Arverne–Straiton Avenue | 1892 | 1955 | Now Beach 60th Street subway station | ||
| Arverne–Gaston Avenue | 1888 | 1955 | Originally named Arverne, now Beach 67th Street subway station | |||
| Rockaway Beach, Queens | Hammels | 1880 | 1941 | Replaced the Eldert's Grove station (1872-1887) | ||
| Holland | 1880 | 1955 | Now Beach 90th Street subway station | |||
| Playland | 1903 | 1955 | Now Beach 98th Street subway station | |||
| Seaside | 1880 | 1955 | Now Beach 105th Street subway station | |||
| Rockaway Park, Queens | Rockaway Park | 1882 | 1955 | Originally named Rockaway Beach, now Rockaway Park–Beach 116th Street subway station |
See also
In Spanish: Ramal Far Rockaway para niños
