Today I was at the Howard Beach A Line/AirTrain station and I took a few moments to check out the R.oW. north and south of the station. Of the four tracks that comprise the R.o.W. here, it is readily apparent that only three are used by A Line trains. The unused track in the middle is cut at the south end of the station, where a complex crossover is located. This track extends into the distance north of the station, for how far I don't know. What is the story with this track? It obviously has'nt seen a train in years, but in how many years? Is it disconnected somewhere north of the station? Why did'nt the TA pull it up if it's no longer needed? Thanks.
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Old track at A Line/AirTrain station at Howard Beach
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Wasn't Howard Beach the JFK station (connecting to buses) for the "Train to the Plane" of the early 1970's? Maybe the abandoned track was used by this train?
"Welcome aboard Orange Line run 711. Travel time to downtown is 25 minutes. Next stop will be Pulaski."
check the forgotten ny web-site, I think there's an explanation of a planned LIRR link.
Next stop, Willoughby
~el Jefe :: RAILROAD.NET Site Administrator/Co-Owner; Carman at Naugatuck Railroad
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~el Jefe :: RAILROAD.NET Site Administrator/Co-Owner; Carman at Naugatuck Railroad
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I used to live in Ozone Park and fanned the Rockaway branch all the time in the 70s. Back then the (and i don't see why not now) both tracks went south as far as the trestle where they merged with the tracks going over it. The Aquaduct Specials would lay-up on those tracks while they waited to take patrons back after the races. As far as I know there was never express service along that line so they were not used for that.
I remember looking at the rails (at least back in the late 90s) and noting that they read something like "Bethlehem Steel 1954". The date may be off by + 4 years but they're definitely old.
Before the interlocking and siding were installed just north of Broad Channel, they would turn the Rockaway Park shuttle on the center tracks of HB.
During the renovation for JFK airtrain, the northbound "express" track was used and a temporary wooden platform was constructed over the northbound "local" and southbound "express" tracks. This allowed for shots like this to be taken. They did not upgrade the track for this, so it was a somewhat bumpy ride going at-speed on the 50 year-old jointed rails.
Before the interlocking and siding were installed just north of Broad Channel, they would turn the Rockaway Park shuttle on the center tracks of HB.
During the renovation for JFK airtrain, the northbound "express" track was used and a temporary wooden platform was constructed over the northbound "local" and southbound "express" tracks. This allowed for shots like this to be taken. They did not upgrade the track for this, so it was a somewhat bumpy ride going at-speed on the 50 year-old jointed rails.
hs3730 wrote:I remember looking at the rails (at least back in the late 90s) and noting that they read something like "Bethlehem Steel 1954". The date may be off by + 4 years but they're definitely old.Rails are like National Geographic magazines. The one from your basement only seems old, but in comparison to the REALLY old ones, it's pretty new. I fully expect that on some branch line out there is rail from 1907.
