Passenger Trains > Queens, NY Rockaway Line News

One month ago, there was this "where is it?" thread here on TO:

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,5565077,5565077#msg-5565077

This was about the abandoned LIRR Rockaway line in Queens, New York.

Yesterday's New York Times has an article about the potential revival of the line, either as a rail trail or as rapid transit (two conflicting groups of proponents):

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/26/nyregion/queens-high-line.html?smid=url-share

Disappointing that the 100 year old Regional Plan Association (RPA) supports another linear park at the complete exclusion of any rail. Queens already has a large Forest Park, among others, which is more than the city can manage to begin with. 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/27/22 09:23 by joemvcnj.

Well, given the potential strong ridership growth along the former LIRR Rockaway Branch, I think that it would be worth seriously looking into some sort of rail. It would provide a fast ride to Midtown, particularly the East Side. For those people who live in the areas of Northern Queens like Rego Park fast access to JFK Airport plus the Rockaway peninsula. It could probably enable a faster subway ride to anywhere in Midtown Manhattan from the Rockaway Peninsula. The present day A train operations takes too long from Midtown Manhattan to the Rockaways.

The RPA is Manhattan-centric and bought off by Manhattan real estate interests, so they oppose it. In the 1980's, they proposed tearing down several els in the outer boroughs without replacements (Jerome, Culver, West End, Jamaica). They don't care about "those people".



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/27/22 09:31 by joemvcnj.

It would be nice to have some sort of parkland along the former Rockaway Branch but at the end of the day, rail transit is a must. For those people who work at JFK Airport and at the casino extremely close to the airport who live in Rego Park and Long Island City plus East Midtown-having the Rock Branch converted to subway would be great.

No, Im not subscribing to the NYT.   Not that I dont like the NYT...I just dont need to know everything going on in NY, or the time to read about it....

So, with lack of any other info.....This would be restoring the part from connection to the Main line somewhere near Forest Hills, to a connection with the NYCTA operated trackage?    Would it be to give the orig Rockaway park line back to the LIRR, or just have LIRR operate as far as the Aqueduct/JFK station...sharing it with the NYCTA?

A linear park is a stupid idea...especially when its being pushed by (incredibly self interested) real estate interests.   I have news for these lunatics....passenger RR tracks will increase property values more than a linear trail thru a densely populated area where i wouldnt want to walk anyway.

There is a subway proposal and a LIRR railroad proposal. The connections would be in Rego Park about a mile west of Forest Hills, also called White Pot Jct. You can find it in Google satellite. Subway connection would be difficult to build, but a more useful outcome and compatible with subway operations south of Ozone Park.

Posted from Android

The subway station at 63rd Drive-Rego Park was constructed with provisions to build a connection to the LIRR Rockaway Beach Line. Whitepot Junction was the name of the LIRR junction between the Main Line and the Rockaway Beach Branch. If a rebuilt Rockaway Beach Branch were to be a Long Island Rail Road operation, it would connect to the LIRR Main Line at Whitepot Junction. If it were to be a subway operation, it would connect to the Queens Blvd Line at 63rd Drive. 

The LIRR option would be easiest and least expensive to construct, but (IMHO) be of less value to residents of the communities served. LIRR fares are significantly higher than NYCT subway fares, which would be an impediment to most residents of those communities. Rapid transit service headways would be more appropriate to the market than LIRR headways.

Jim

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There is a subway proposal and a LIRR railroad
> proposal. The connections would be in Rego Park
> about a mile west of Forest Hills, also called
> White Pot Jct. You can find it in Google
> satellite. Subway connection would be difficult
> to build, but a more useful outcome and compatible
> with subway operations south of Ozone Park.
>
> Posted from Android

In NJ, the former NY&Greenwood Lake stretch of the Boonton Line east of Montclair is being converted into a bike/walking trail with linear parks. The mileage is a lot longer than that of the former LIRR Rockaway Branch.

Trail fanatics do not share. 

Passfanatic Wrote:
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> In NJ, the former NY&Greenwood Lake stretch of the
> Boonton Line east of Montclair is being converted
> into a bike/walking trail with linear parks. The
> mileage is a lot longer than that of the former
> LIRR Rockaway Branch.

Im not too sure what the point is here.    NJT abandoned the Greenwood lake from Montclair to West End Jct, cause they didnt want to pay to rehab 2 movable bridges.  Also there is basically no one living between Arlington and West end jct...its all the meadowlands swamp.

The area between Rego Park and lefferts blvd is high density living......could certainly use a rail line, and not a treally good area for a "park".

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> Trail fanatics do not share. 

I guess you haven't visited the Western Maryland Scenic/Great Allegheny Passage between Cumberland and Frostburg, MD.

Dave

---

Yes, at the very least, the former Rockaway Branch should get some sort of rail. It's already set up to be a rail line. If they want to put in parkland, than they will probably have to scale back.

DavidP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> joemvcnj Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Trail fanatics do not share. 
>
> I guess you haven't visited the Western Maryland
> Scenic/Great Allegheny Passage between Cumberland
> and Frostburg, MD.

That's a tourist railroad plaything, not public transit with constant service. 
There are examples of militant trails and bike people all over NY and NJ.