Passenger Trains > NY LIRR Lower Montauk line

A plan to restore passenger service. Currently freight only.

https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-qns-lower-montauk-rail-line-20190414-2rchb3yrl5cgtc4od6rgin22nm-story.html

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It won't happen. The line has been leased to the New York and Atlantic for freight service for 20 years. LIRR can only used it for equipment moves with an NY&A pilot, which never happens. The freight has to be somewhere and nobody wants more trucks. The line has been de-signaled, made PTC-exempt. One of the two main tracks is essentially a linear freight yard. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/14/19 16:36 by joemvcnj.

The line does have potential to be a good line for maybe a light rail line. I know that that has been discussed multiple times. It does pass through areas where the subway and LIRR don't reach into but close by. You must take a bus to reach a subway or LIRR stop. LIC has been seeing so much growth in both commercial and residential development for a while. There is even recreational activities such as a nice waterfront park along the East River. If light rail were to ever be built on the old Montauk Branch right of way west of Jamaica, then that would help people who live in Nassau and Suffolk County get to places like LIC and Glendale faster than what it takes. Maybe an agreement can be reached in terms of running freight late at night so that way, it doesn't interfere with light rail operations. This is the case on a lot of NJT's RiverLine light rail between Bordentown and Pennsauken 36th Street Station.

Passfanatic Wrote:
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> The line does have potential to be a good line for
> maybe a light rail line. I know that that has been
> discussed multiple times. It does pass through
> areas where the subway and LIRR don't reach into
> but close by. You must take a bus to reach a
> subway or LIRR stop. LIC has been seeing so much
> growth in both commercial and residential
> development for a while. There is even
> recreational activities such as a nice waterfront
> park along the East River. If light rail were to
> ever be built on the old Montauk Branch right of
> way west of Jamaica, then that would help people
> who live in Nassau and Suffolk County get to
> places like LIC and Glendale faster than what it
> takes. Maybe an agreement can be reached in terms
> of running freight late at night so that way, it
> doesn't interfere with light rail operations. This
> is the case on a lot of NJT's RiverLine light rail
> between Bordentown and Pennsauken 36th Street
> Station.

The only agreement would be driving all the freight customers out of the city and out of business.  Don't be a joker.

I think one of the reasons the line went feight-only was LIRRs conversion to passenger equipment that requires high level platforms.  



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/19 17:37 by CA_Sou_MA_Agent.

The proposed numbers are mind-boggling:  $259 million PER MILE to restore passenger service on an ACTIVE double-track line that had passenger trains using it 20 years ago.  $2.2 BILLION total cost to handle a projected 21,000 riders per day.  This is the PROPOSED cost, which usually means it is a low-ball estimate.  Does anyone else find this outrageous?

CA_Sou_MA_Agent Wrote:
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> I think one of the reasons the line went
> feight-only was LIRRs conversion to passenger
> equiment that requires high level platforms.  

The line went freight only because they did not want to install PTC.   All the signals have been deactivated and mostly all removed.   There were still a few through passenger trains until they did this about 3 years ago.   Passenger service stopped in 1999 becuase the demand was not there.    

There has been no passenger service whatever since 1998. The line had been leased. LIRR can't use it. It has been far more than 3 years.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/19 11:28 by joemvcnj.

I'm being real with what I am saying. Of course, even though LIC is becoming built up with residential and commercial development, at the end of the day, Midtown Manhattan is where many people will still go to. While I want to see light rail on the old Montauk Line west of Jamaica, my stance is indifferent. I don't know who would be resposible for the project, whether if it is the City of NY or the MTA.

The probablility of the MTA doing this, like the Rockaway Beach Branch, is zero. 

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> There has been no passenger service whatever since
> 1998. The line had been leased. LIRR can't use it.
> It has been far more than 3 years.

That's not true. LIRR was still operating diesel trains directly to Long Island City with no stops via the Montauk Line up until a few years ago.  You could spot these trains in the schedule because they didn't make Hunterspoint Ave.  I believe the trains were off the Oyster Bay Branch.

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> The probablility of the MTA doing this, like the
> Rockaway Beach Branch, is zero. 

Rockaway Beach Branch is at least intact and practical and would have tremendous ridership.

Never say never