Railroad Forums 

  • Elmhurst Station Past Present and Future (Reopening)

  • Discussion of the past and present operations of the Long Island Rail Road.
Discussion of the past and present operations of the Long Island Rail Road.

Moderator: Liquidcamphor

 #159174  by baileyjet2000
 
Nimbykiller:

If your referring to the side track that's behind the eastbound platform, it was used as a switching lead for the Queens Village freight yard. This let the train work the yard without interfearing with the main.

When I was growing up in QV that yard was very busy and had a freight house plus an overhead crane.

Ray Jensen
Ft. Myers, FL
 #159213  by dukeoq
 
Dave, do you mean UN station?
UN block was Huntington before CTC.
UN station platform had it's upright supports knocked out from under it with the platform laying on the ground when I worked the MA-13 (swamp job) in the summer of 1960.
 #159214  by dukeoq
 
Let me add to that for the benefit of our younger members that, before the UN building was built in NY City, the UN met in the former New York City building that was left over from the 1939 World's Fair.
When the current building was built in Manhattan, the train station was abandondond and the NYC building was used for recreational purposes.

 #159217  by 7 Train
 
The UN station (IIRC) was located at or near the current Shea Stadium station, which I believe dates from circa 1963 and was built for the 1964 World's Fair.

 #159246  by NIMBYkiller
 
Thank you for that insight Dukeoq

Baileyjet2000, yeah that's the track I'm talking about. Guess I was wrong. Should've remembered, there's no 3rd rail on that track. They could still use it though I bet for some sort of local service from QV to someplace like FBA, LIC, or NYP
 #159251  by dukeoq
 
Nimby, when the LIRR provided local service on a rapid transit schedule, there were many more stations between Hillside and FBA.
Union Hall Street,(Jamaica), Dunton, Morris Park, Woodhaven Jct., Etc, Etc.
These were all at grade and were abolished ca1940 when the Atlantic branch was put into a subway under Atlantic Ave.
If some kind of shuttle service were to be established, it would most likely be a reverse move at Queens and not a layover at the team yard.

 #159377  by Legio X
 
The overhead crane at Queens Village Yard was removed in the past year or two when the yard was rehabilitated for the track work that's been going on in the Q.V.-Bellerose area. It was a very interesting relic. When was it last used? Too bad the access to the yard is a steep, curving road paved with cobblestones going out to 99 Ave. and 217 St. I'm sure the NYA could get some local businesses, such as Marks Lumber, at Springfield Blvd. and Hempstead Ave., to take delivery of building products and lumber, if the access was better.
 #159462  by dukeoq
 
Let's look into the real reason for Elmhurst's closing.
The G local runs under Broadway, so why should beople pay two-three times the cost of transportation to take the LIRR?
Not to mention that eliminating a station can shorten the headway between major stations, like Woodside and Flushing.
Let's not get into hypothetical reasons here unless you have the facts to back it up.

 #159549  by RRChef
 
What happened to the crane at Queens Village? Was it scrapped or moved to another location? I know it wasn't used in a very long time. I seem to remember it being used in the early 80's.

If no one else has noticed, there seems to be a pattern to new members like Brock appearing here and the garbage they dump. I think it's the same person each time.

 #159641  by NIMBYkiller
 
dukeoq:

I know about all those former stations. And Woodhaven was built into the underground section of Atlantic. I've also heard of some pushes to reopen Union Hall St.

I figured use that side track so it doesn't block the rest of the line.

 #159647  by 4 Express
 
NIMBYkiller wrote:dukeoq:

I know about all those former stations. And Woodhaven was built into the underground section of Atlantic. I've also heard of some pushes to reopen Union Hall St.

I figured use that side track so it doesn't block the rest of the line.
Union Hall St. should be reopened, it will help Jamaica, get customers from 165th St. bus terminal, York College is right there & help downtown Jamaica customers, but I don't they are actually planning on reopening it, but I do remember the exterior of the station was worked on. Also, somebody said that why would people use the station if the G is near by, first of all, the G goes past Court Sq.? didn't know that :wink:, but, if that statement is true, then basically every LIRR station in NYC would be closed.
 #159659  by RetiredLIRRConductor
 
Elmhurst was closed due to low ridership according to the railroad. The g train and 7 train are both within walking distance of the old Elmhurst station, and the 7 train connects with the Railroad at both Woodside and Flushing Main Street. In fact the #7 train runs side by side with the railroad about 2 or 3 blocks away, from Flushing to win curve, which is just east of woodside. So i doubt you will see a new elmhurst station, it would be redundant service, and the subway is less expensive then the RR.

 #159692  by robertwa
 
The reason Union Hall St. was built in the first place was that it was close to the location of the original Jamaica station. The local residents demanded it back in 1913 when the new elevated Jamaica station opened about 1/4 mile west.

You can see where Jamaica station was originally located by the church in this 1879 picture, which is still standing. It is very close to the remains of the Union Hall St. station.

Image

Here's a more current view.

Image

 #159759  by 4 Express
 
robertwa wrote:The reason Union Hall St. was built in the first place was that it was close to the location of the original Jamaica station. The local residents demanded it back in 1913 when the new elevated Jamaica station opened about 1/4 mile west.
Union Hall St. is actually a mile away from the current Jamaica station.
LirrConductor wrote:i doubt you will see a new elmhurst station, it would be redundant service, and the subway is less expensive then the RR.
How will it be redundant? I do not understand on how you got to that conclusion. Once again if the subway is less expensive, then what's the point for stations such as Jamaica, every Hempstead station in Queens, the FBA Branch, Woodside, Flushing, Hunterspoint Ave., Far Rockaway & etc...? In my point if view, I think the subway helps the Railroad, as it will transport passengers to the stations, as well as helping passengers getting closer to their destinations.