LaGuardia (LGA): AirTrain or Astoria Line (N, W) Train plus IBX Interborough Express

What would be interesting would be the plan that is being scrapped with an additional link from Willets Pt. to Jamaica. Or to put it another way, run it from Jamaica Station up the GCP thru Willets Point and on up the GCP to LaGuardia. That way passengers and airline crews could use it to commute between the two airports. And Long islanders could use it to get to LGA from Jamaica Station.

Agreed it wouldn't help the Manhattan people as much but it would be better than the recent proposal by itself.

Gilbert B Norman wrote:Yes, LGA Airtrain was Andy's pet, so therefore Kathy must oppose it. So what's new; it's politics.

I'm at a loss to understand AOC's objections. That is her District - and the project means jobs - good paying UNION jobs!!!

Yeah, but for what? Even with traffic taking a bus or a cab to LGA would be *FASTER* than taking this backtracking route. You won't get people taking it. It'll become a boondoggle, a waste of taxpayer dollars.

Andy's idea of "DIRECT" is rather crooked. Scrapping it and redesigning is the better idea.

Mr. Wolf, my experience with "train to the plane" - here and overseas - is that those in a perceived rush will continue to gravitate towards taxicabs; after all, somebody else is "paying the freight". I have observed enough uniformed airline and ground service employees using rail - even including Flight Officers - to arrive at this conclusion.

Since the "lowerlings" are more likely to make their homes in the Outer Boroughs than Manhattan, there is good argument that any "train to plane" should be accommodating to such employees.

Let's be honest, any solutions that involve digging or construction in neighborhoods are going to get the ire of NIMBYs.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Thu Oct 07, 2021 7:56 am Mr. Wolf, my experience with "train to the plane" - here and overseas - is that those in a perceived rush will continue to gravitate towards taxicabs; after all, somebody else is "paying the freight". I have observed enough uniformed airline and ground service employees using rail - even including Flight Officers - to arrive at this conclusion.

Since the "lowerlings" are more likely to make their homes in the Outer Boroughs than Manhattan, there is good argument that any "train to plane" should be accommodating to such employees.

I can see a case where an extension of a subway line can go through, stop at LGA, and continue to Willets. I could go farther but I'll be repeating previous posts.

I thought about trying to type my idea out, but I think a map would be better: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit? ... sp=sharing
Astoria Blvd would be the biggest obstacle. If the station were "slid" north to allow a junction just south, it could physically work, but I believe it's also a pretty major station so not stopping there might be detrimental. Otherwise, I envision three phases, Astoria-LGA, LGA-Mets, Mets-Jamaica (tie-in at Briarwood). I envision most of this to be elevated in the median of the highways. I admit, I've only been to New York twice so I'm certainly not very familiar with the dynamics up there, so, flame away!

I'm not the only one who's suggested this route. I've also added access from 125th street... all the way from the 1 station (maybe combined 1 and A/B/C/D, then 2/3, then 4/5/6) following that highway to Astoria Blvd, and then following your route.

I seem to remember that either the "E"" or "F" train track ran alongside the west side of the GCP for a short distance before the subway yard. Is my memory faulty ? Way too many years ?

west point wrote: ↑Sat Oct 09, 2021 9:58 pm I seem to remember that either the "E"" or "F" train track ran alongside the west side of the GCP for a short distance before the subway yard. Is my memory faulty ? Way too many years ?

Forest Hill to Kew Gardens, if you're thinking of east of LGA.

The E and F train lines in that part of Queens are all underground. But you may have seen the spur to the Jamaica Yard which crosses over the G.C. Parkway just north of the Kew Gardens Interchange.

Head-end View wrote: ↑Sun Oct 10, 2021 7:28 pm The E and F train lines in that part of Queens are all underground. But you may have seen the spur to the Jamaica Yard which crosses over the G.C. Parkway just north of the Kew Gardens Interchange.

Oh nice. This also means you could curve off of GCP at Mets/Willets Point, build on top of the 7 station, then curve off onto/along side I-678 down to Jamacia Yard, and tie in there.

There is one other problem... and that's LGA itself. Three disconnected terminals and they're connected by a *!)@#( bus.

Stopping three times isn't going to be viable. I can see the new MTA Subway line with one stop at LGA, with a transfer to a separate airtrain for terminals A and C/D from the Terminal B headhouse.

As I recall, at Heathrow, rail connections existed in each major terminal. No one seemed to consider it a problem that within the airport there were a few stops. Having said that, you also need a train looping through the parking lots and the terminals, so either you do both, or you have a very easy transfer from the end of the subway line to the loop train.

Well, for once I agree with photobug56. LOL There is no problem with any kind of train making multiple terminal stops in a large airport. In Phila., the SEPTA train has like three closely spaced stops in the terminal area. And JFK and EWR Airtrains make multiple terminal stops. Just requires intelligent design.

Head-end View wrote: ↑Mon Oct 11, 2021 6:49 pm Well, for once I agree with photobug56. LOL There is no problem with any kind of train making multiple terminal stops in a large airport. In Phila., the SEPTA train has like three closely spaced stops in the terminal area. And JFK and EWR Airtrains make multiple terminal stops. Just requires intelligent design.

SEPTA's Airport train is commuter rail, so you can have it serve as an inter-terminal transport.

Making a NYC MTA subway... well, how are you going to enforce fare policy? That's what I'm hinting at. I think you'll have to have a transfer station to an airtrain a la JFK.

"NYC subway extension to LaGuardia idea gains steam after Cuomo’s AirTrain nixed"
By CLAYTON GUSE OCT 24, 2021 AT 2:23 PM
https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny ... story.html

".A new overhead track that bends east from a point between the 30th Ave. and Astoria Blvd. N/W stations and then runs along the Grand Central would not require disrupting swaths of the surrounding neighborhood, [Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Queens)] says." He opposed an earlier plan to extend the N at Ditmars.

And the part that interests me for another reason:

"[F]unding it may be easier since the Federal Aviation Administration earlier this year changed regulations that only allowed airport passenger facility charges to fund rail links that do not also serve communities. The shift would allow the MTA or Port Authority to use passenger charges to fund a subway extension."

Those airline ticket fees could be a boon for public rail transit in the U.S. They tend to be underused, from what I've read. Smaller airports building gazebos, mowing the lawn every day, lowering state roads five inches, building traffic circles, etc. And that's just one airport I know of! As for lengthening runways, the justification from the local airport is that the newer class of small airline jets need it, and in general safety specs have gone up, taking into account air temperature and all that.