LIRR Public Hearing in June

Not much too add, except I too think elevating the line through Mineola would add an accent or defining point (a landmark), like it does in Rockville Center or Lynbrook (and, this is NimbyKiller) would make the job of restoring the N-S LIRR connection easier - no tunnel under Old Country Road - a trestle structure off the main line over it ala Lynbrook's elevated Montauk line and the Long Beach branch off of that at Atlantic and Sunrise gradually lowering to grade level by Stewart Ave.(OK, I know it won't happen, and what we'll actually end up with is a hodge-podge of overpasses and underpasses, but still...)

Actually, the 1 block from Old Country Rd to the main line HAS to be underground. The ROW is now both a narrow street and a big blue glass building. That means that an el through there is nearly impossible, unless they want to try routing it over the narrow street(which 2 tracks still could probably fit on) and in between the buildings.

A tunnel really is the best bet for reconstruction of the north-south connection. Shouldn't really be a big deal anyway, it's only a few blocks. Would probably total 1/2 of a mile in distance.

I'm not sure what Mineola you guys are seeing, but directlu east of the Tower across the street is the switch machine, its right on the corner.

Also the area south of the tower is a walkway that leads up to the station platform.

If the idea to make the eastbound platform an Island style, then that means elimnating the already crowded parking area as well as taking out the building on the eastbound side as well.

Als to route around the tower would defintely mean to cut and narrow Front St.

I think what you guys are forgetting is that Front St empties into Main St. Also Front St, if it was to continue and cross Mineola Blvd. it would turn into Station Rd.

Here is a map of the area so you can see what I am talking about.

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?fo ... Y&zipcode=

I sit directly on the corner of Front and Main everyday. So if you see a young guy in a light bluiesh/grey/silver car thats me.

I'll take some pics with my Cameraphone so you can see what I'm talking about.

Station Rd and Front St I think are supposed to become part of the 3rd track. I understand about the streets there. And if you mean that big red brick building near the tower, that is NOT in the way of the 3rd track.

The building I am talking about is on the west side of Mineola Blvd, I believe its an enclosed waiting room similar to the station/waiting room on the westbound side.

If they are going to axe Station Rd. and Front, that means that Verizon will have to find a new way to access their parking lot which is only accessible from Front St. Mineola makes alot off money with parking off that street.

Also the land between Willis and Roslyn on the southside of the tracks is privately own, and they will have to buy that in order to build there.

Ok, I know that little waiting room on the eastbound side, but what about it? It's not in the way really, and all it is is a small waiting room. If they have to, they can demolish it and build a new one somewhere else on that platform.

I'm sure Verizon will still be able to have a small driveway that can lead to their parking lot. Basically, the parking lane nearest to the tracks is most likely going to be gone. The roadway part is probably going to be gone too as a buffer. The parking lane on the south side of the road can be used for Verizons driveway(or is there no parking lane on the south side?).

And it doesn't matter if the land is privately owned. Eminent domain.

Sir Ray wrote:

AMoreira81 wrote:How about this instead: remove the stops where the NIMBYs live, so they have no trouble, or worse: close ALL the crossings except the New Hyde Park Road crossing? That should (as they used to say) learn them!

I say no way in Hell, because while that may 'learn them', it would be a disaster for people like me who do use those crossings regularly, and also support the 3rd main line project (and I would support line elevation also).
Again, sounds like a study of a study of a trial balloon...

I agree with you. However, building a bridge for that busy road over the LIRR tracks is way overdue. (Since this is a county road, it would be up to the county legislature to allocate funds for this, or would the bridge be owned by the MTA?) Either way, Suozzi should have recognized long ago that a road this busy should not be subject to a grade crossing. (The only busier road subject to a grade crossing is the William Floyd Parkway in Mastic.)

I had only suggested this because the LIRR has closed many grade crossings in Patchogue east of West Avenue.

One of One-Sixty:

All the things you mentioned above can be moved, switches, Nassau Tower, etc... In fact, Nassau tower needs to be redone. When I use to clean stations, I use to clean Nassau Tower. Any time a train zoomed by at MAS, the tower would not only shake, but it actually sways back and forth from the wind generated by the passing trains. I'd say that Nassau is ready to be re-done before it tips over onto an oncoming train! And yes, the Mineola Bridge was built to accomodate a third main track. The plan actually calls for the south side platform to be made into and Island platform, with the third track to the south side of it. the present shed or hut would be leveled. This was the talk when I cleaned stations, and I heard it again not to long ago. If you go under the overpass, you can clearly see that a third main will fit. Obviously the parking lot and adjacent street would have to be compromised, and Like I said before, don't rule out the need to purchase residencies along the route in order to provide ample accommidations for the third main line, especially within the vicinity of Carle Place station. Use your imagination, and you can clearly see that a third track fits perfectly in many places along the route without needing to make massive adjustments to the area.

Isn't Nassau Tower going to be phased out eventually? I thought the LIRR was building a new train dispatch center at Jamaica that will centralize these functions.

Guys: From reading all your posts,I had to put my two cents on this issue. We all agree that a third main line track is sorely needed and should be built as a priority project by the MTA. What has gotten me in the past are the trackside interests in Mineola,NHP and Westbury that has been a thorn in the side of the LIRR on this matter. I recall a interview back in the late 80s or early 90s with a female village of Mineola official who talked about being against any grade crossing elevated structure and it would change the character of the village and make it more like the "city" - I recall shaking my head in wonder why an improvment like eliminating the Mineola grade crossings would not make things better there. I am picturing in my mind the tight squeeze in places like Carle Place-retaining walls could be constructed in a way to allow the additional track to be built without taking properties - also the re-laying of tracks thru the "canyon" east of Roslyn Road to the Glen Cove Road overpass. Between WBY and HVL sone walls would need to be built around New Cassel and an embankment expansion just W of HVL. In a related matter,the Ronkonkoma branch would be double-tracked from the West end of DPK siding to the old Republic location. There would have to be a new platform constructed at WYA and some embankment expansion. The other KO single track gap-from CI to the west end of KO would need embankment expansion and some retaining walls in spots. I know this stretch as I have lived nearby for more than 30 years. What some people do not realize or fail to comprehend is that improvments for the better can benefit us all regardless if you use the LIRR or do not. Comments by MACTRAXX

Nimby you are right about that because when I asked one of the P.A. guys how they were to do this the responce I got was is that N.Y.S. was going to look into this to see what can be done with the Main Street Grade Crossing . If you bring that 3rd track down from just south of Herricks Road you could go around Nassau Tower but you would have to eliminate part of Station Road and make it very narrow Which I do not think All Island Taxi would be to happy about.

mark777 wrote:well, this is where the problem lays. Yes the RR can raise fares if it wants to even with sharp disagreements from politicians and commuters alike, but when it involves a project like this, you can bet your sweet buns that the NIMBYs will hop at any chance that they will get to block this from happening. As I said above, the village of NHP had all the opportunity to remove these crossings when the Hericks road project was being planned, but they settled for asthetics rather than safety. What a tragedy it is to have an elevated main line pass by through the town. It just screws up the whole landscape, but it's perfectly acceptable to have people get killed at the crossings, have trains screaming by blowing their horns at all times of day and night, and add more congestion to road traffic, yes, lets think about how rationale this thinking is. I'm also sure that those NIMBYs are not the folks who live track side by the Covert Ave crossing who have to constantly hear the trains blow rule 14L 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Well, maybe this time things will go well, or maybe we will have to wait until a tragedy occurs that involves a top political figure or their family members to get this project complete. How do you think the Herricks road project got to see the light of day? Priorities are always screwed up when politics and the public get involved, especially when you include NIMBYs.

Yeah absolutely correct. The LIRR seems to be hampered in a big way by the NIMBYs. It's not just the much needed main line improvement project, but also improvements on the Port Jeff line (double-tracking and electrification) and on the Oyster Bay line (electrification). Residents of Glen Cove claimed electrification would "bring an undesirable element to their community and bring decay". Well if you go to Glen Cove, you'll see lots of undesirables walking around and plenty of decay. So that point is totally moot. Some go under the guise of environmentalists (such as the Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor). How can someone say diesel trains spewing out clouds of pollution is better than electric. Not to mention electric service would take more cars off the road (alot of those cars drive to Manhasset and Syosset).
It seems Metro-North turned out much different. Electrification extends far into rural areas (like Southeast) and there don't seem to be many busy grade crossings. I guess it goes to show you how Long Island is the land of NIMBY. Look at Shoreham. They didn't want it because it was nuclear. Now we continue to suffer with high electric rates and a tight power supply.
And even getting new small gas fired plants up and running is extremely hard to do. They want their quick rides, power, and big homes but don't want the construction that goes with it.

I had some time yesterday and walked the entire length of the eastbound side of Mineola, from 5th & Station Rd to Front and Willis Ave.

I can see where some say that it looks like there will be a 3rd track there, but after walking this entire length, I have to point out some things that you guys did not take into account for.

1) relocating some gas and underground utilites lines that run along the course of the station.

2) making the soutside platform ADA compliant if turned into an island platform station

3) demolshing the garages that belong to the apts at Roslyn Rd,.

Do not get me wrong, I would love to see a 3rd track put in, but I can not see where it would go. Also how would this affect other stations east of Mineola such as Carle Place and Westbury where real estate is very limited and everyting is already squeezed in tight.

I thought they were already taking down those garages for the grade elimination...

NIMBYkiller wrote:I thought they were already taking down those garages for the grade elimination...

Nope, there is a building being tdemolished on the northwest corner of the grade. I do not know if that is the LIRR doing or the owner or owns the building.

Also now that I think about it, I believe there is a house on the southwest corner, but I am not sure, it could be an empty lot