A little splash of reality here - everyone forgets why the LI abandoned it in the first place. A requirement for compliant stations with ADA (as opposed to posting a station sign by a crossing) and having to wire the branch for PTC. Big $$$. Also, really low passenger counts. A few old timers and a few UPS guys heading to LIC.
Now the ABS is gone/torn up, and tracks have not been maintained to fast pax standards. So lots of work to do, and the funds are rapidly going to dry up. If someone else could get the money, I'm sure the LI would love to go back to their roots, but here they have to make do with what Albany dolls out.
There's a couple of local Queens politicians who like to trot this out for whatever reason, and then there's much more ready to pounce on it in favor against. There's a very hostile Community Board in Fresh Pond and apartment complex in Glendale that have had a lot of practice trying to decimate what's there already, for years.