Atlantic Avenue Branch
Encyclopedia
The Atlantic Branch is an electrified rail line owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road
in the U.S. state
of New York
. Partly underground and partly elevated, it runs from Atlantic Terminal in Downtown Brooklyn
to Valley Stream
, in Nassau County
, where it becomes the two-track Long Beach Branch
with the two-track Far Rockaway Branch
splitting southward just east of the Valley Stream station
.
The section between Atlantic Terminal and Nostrand Avenue
is underground along Atlantic Avenue. From there the line is elevated above the median of Atlantic Avenue to Ralph Avenue where it returns underground.
At East New York
the line rises to street level to cross above the north-south, freight only Bay Ridge Branch
, then descends once more to Jamaica
. Between East New York and Jamaica
, the intact but closed station at Woodhaven Junction
is visible.
In Jamaica the line rises to street level and passes the Morris Park Facility, which has a station for employees and shops for the diesel engine
s that power the longer runs to eastern Long Island.
It turns southeast immediately east of Jamaica, ducking beneath the eastward Main Line tracks. It curves parallel to the Montauk Branch
after a few miles and continues next to it to Valley Interlocking
in Valley Stream.
Atlantic Terminal saw completion in 2010 of $93 million in renovations, including a new entry pavilion.
to what is now 151st Street in Jamaica on April 18, 1836.
Initially, the line turned halfway between Classon and Franklin Avenues, running halfway between Herkimer Street and Schuyler Street (now Atlantic Avenue) along the line of the present Herkimer Place. It turned slightly to the southeast near Howard Avenue, crossing the centerline of Schuyler Street about one-third of the way between Hopkinson Avenue (Thomas Boyland Street) and Paca Avenue (Rockaway Avenue). It crossed into the town of New Lots
just beyond Stone Avenue (Mother Gaston Boulevard).
The Atlantic Branch was one of the first lines in the LIRR system slated to be electrified. In anticipation of this the entire line to Jamaica was to be grade separated. Between 1903 and 1905 the line was depressed into a tunnel from Flatbush Avenue to Bedford Avenue, then placed on an elevated viaduct from Bedford Avenue to Ralph Avenue then depressed back into a tunnel until Manhattan Crossing located just west East New York station. At East New York the line returned to grade level then rose onto another elevated viaduct until Atkins Ave. The rest of the line from Atkins Ave to Morris Park located just west of Jamaica remained at grade level along Atlantic Avenue with numerous grade crossings with the anticipation of grade separating the line later on. Additionally a new terminal and yard was built at Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues. Electric service commenced in 1905 with the line consisting of two tracks between Flatbush Avenue and Woodhaven Junction and four tracks beyond that point to Jamaica.
During this time the LIRR ran two services along the line: the traditional commuter type services from points on eastern Long Island to Flatbush Avenue, along with what was known as the "local" rapid transit type service, providing frequent elevated/subway like service at lower fare between Flatbush Ave and Queens Village (although referred to as a rapid transit type service, standard LIRR commuter cars were used, and the service was operated by railroad rules, as opposed to rapid transit). At this time the line from Jamaica to East New York had many more stations along Atlantic Avenue spaced at closer intervals, much like an elevated/subway rapid transit line. The four tracks between Jamaica and Woodhaven Junction lent itself to this service with rapid transit trains using the outer two tracks while commuter trains used the inner two tracks.
For a while the LIRR operated joint service along the Atlantic Branch with the Brooklyn Rapid Transit
company (BRT) consisting of two connections, one with the Fifth Ave El
at Flatbush Avenue, and another with the Broadway and Lexington Avenue els with a connection built at Chestnut Street in Brooklyn. This allowed BRT trains to access the Rockaways and Manhattan Beach, while affording the LIRR a connection into Manhattan to the BRT terminal located at Park Row
over the Brooklyn Bridge
(this service predated the opening of the East River Tunnels
to Penn Station). Nevertheless the Interstate Commerce Commission
ended this service in 1916 when they classified different operating standards between rapid transit trains and regular heavy rail railroads which the LIRR was classified as.
By the late 1930's it became apparent that the rest of the line was going to have to be grade separated. Much of the surrounding areas along Atlantic Avenue in Ozone Park and Richmond Hill
began their suburban development leading to more traffic along Atlantic Avenue which was plagued by the lines many grade crossings. The City of New York along with the LIRR thus allocated the funds to depress the rest of the line from Morris Park to East New York in a tunnel. Building of the tunnel commenced in 1939 (although plans to build the tunnel date back to 1893) with two of the lines four tracks being pulled out of service and the rapid transit service being discontinued.
In 1942 the tunnel was completed and opened with the two remaining at grade tracks pulled out of service. Additionally around this time Atlantic Avenue was raised over the East New York station via a viaduct thus separating the road and the railroad. The elevated trestle from East New York to Atkins Avenue was also demolished as it had been included in the new tunnel to Jamaica. Only one station was included in the new tunnel: Woodhaven Junction, where the Atlantic Branch crossed under the Rockaway Beach Branch
. An interlocking and track connection was built just west of the Woodhaven Junction station to connect the two lines, but these closed after the abandonment of the Rockaway Beach Branch between 1955 and 1962.
. With the consolidation of the South Side into the Long Island Rail Road
system in 1876, all passenger trains were rerouted to use the LIRR main line from Berlin Junction (west of Jamaica) to Rockaway Junction and the LIRR's Rockaway Branch to Springfield Junction
, where it crossed the South Side. This change took effect Sunday, June 25, 1876, and resulted in the closure of the South Side's Berlin, Beaver Street (Jamaica), Locust Avenue, and Springfield stations. This formed the current configuration, where the Montauk Branch
follows this route, mostly ex-South Side, and the Atlantic Branch (then the Old Southern Road) uses the old South Side to Springfield Junction.
The line was soon reopened due to a lawsuit, but closed again by Austin Corbin
as of January 6, 1881.
Effective May 17, 1906, when an electrified third track opened alongside the Montauk Division from Springfield Junction
to Valley Stream, the Old Southern Road and this new track became part of the Atlantic Division.
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Partly underground and partly elevated, it runs from Atlantic Terminal in Downtown Brooklyn
Downtown Brooklyn
Downtown Brooklyn is the third largest central business district in New York City , and is located in the northwestern section of the borough of Brooklyn...
to Valley Stream
Valley Stream, New York
Valley Stream is a village in Nassau County, New York in the United States. The population in the village of Valley Stream was 37,511 at the 2010 census...
, in Nassau County
Nassau County, New York
Nassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...
, where it becomes the two-track Long Beach Branch
Long Beach Branch
The Long Beach Branch is an electrified rail line and service owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The branch begins at Valley Interlocking, at Valley Stream station, where the Atlantic Branch tracks from the west are redesignated Long Beach Branch and the...
with the two-track Far Rockaway Branch
Far Rockaway Branch
The Far Rockaway Branch is an electrified rail line and service owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The branch begins at Valley Interlocking, just east of Valley Stream station; the Long Beach Branch also begins there, heading east and south to Long Beach,...
splitting southward just east of the Valley Stream station
Valley Stream (LIRR station)
Valley Stream is a station on the Long Island Rail Road's Atlantic Branch serving the residents of Valley Stream, and is the first station in Nassau County. The station is located at Franklin Avenue and Sunrise Highway, west of Rockaway Avenue, and is 17.7 miles from Penn Station in Midtown...
.
The section between Atlantic Terminal and Nostrand Avenue
Nostrand Avenue (LIRR station)
Nostrand Avenue is an elevated station on the Long Island Rail Road's Atlantic Branch in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City. The station has two side platforms located above Atlantic Avenue. Entrances and exits are located at Nostrand Avenue and New York Avenue...
is underground along Atlantic Avenue. From there the line is elevated above the median of Atlantic Avenue to Ralph Avenue where it returns underground.
At East New York
East New York (LIRR station)
East New York is a station on the Long Island Rail Road's Atlantic Branch in East New York, Brooklyn, where that branch passes through the historic Jamaica Pass. It is located at ground level, in the median of Atlantic Avenue, and underneath the elevated main lanes of Atlantic Avenue, with one side...
the line rises to street level to cross above the north-south, freight only Bay Ridge Branch
Bay Ridge Branch
The Bay Ridge Branch is a rail line owned by the Long Island Rail Road and operated by the New York and Atlantic Railway in the U.S. State of New York...
, then descends once more to Jamaica
Jamaica (LIRR station)
Jamaica is a major hub station of the Long Island Rail Road, and is located in Jamaica, Queens, New York City. It is the largest transit hub on Long Island and is one of the busiest railroad stations in the country with over 200,000 daily passengers...
. Between East New York and Jamaica
Jamaica (LIRR station)
Jamaica is a major hub station of the Long Island Rail Road, and is located in Jamaica, Queens, New York City. It is the largest transit hub on Long Island and is one of the busiest railroad stations in the country with over 200,000 daily passengers...
, the intact but closed station at Woodhaven Junction
Woodhaven Junction (LIRR station)
Woodhaven Junction was a station on the Atlantic Branch and Rockaway Beach Branch of the Long Island Rail Road. It should not be confused with the former Woodhaven Station two stops west along the Atlantic Branch.-History:...
is visible.
In Jamaica the line rises to street level and passes the Morris Park Facility, which has a station for employees and shops for the diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
s that power the longer runs to eastern Long Island.
It turns southeast immediately east of Jamaica, ducking beneath the eastward Main Line tracks. It curves parallel to the Montauk Branch
Montauk Branch
The Montauk Branch is a rail line owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The branch runs the length of Long Island, 115 miles from Long Island City on the west to Montauk on the east...
after a few miles and continues next to it to Valley Interlocking
Valley Stream (LIRR station)
Valley Stream is a station on the Long Island Rail Road's Atlantic Branch serving the residents of Valley Stream, and is the first station in Nassau County. The station is located at Franklin Avenue and Sunrise Highway, west of Rockaway Avenue, and is 17.7 miles from Penn Station in Midtown...
in Valley Stream.
Atlantic Terminal saw completion in 2010 of $93 million in renovations, including a new entry pavilion.
History
The current Atlantic Branch is the successor to two separate lines: the Brooklyn and Jamaica Railroad (opened 1836) along Atlantic Avenue from Flatbush Avenue to Jamaica, and the South Side Railroad of Long Island (opened 1867) from Jamaica to Valley Stream.Atlantic Terminal to Jamaica
The Brooklyn and Jamaica Railroad opened the line from South FerrySouth Ferry, Brooklyn
South Ferry was a ferry landing on the Brooklyn side of the East River, at the foot of Atlantic Avenue at the border of the neighborhoods of Cobble Hill and Brooklyn Heights. The ferry known as South Ferry traveled to South Ferry, Manhattan...
to what is now 151st Street in Jamaica on April 18, 1836.
Initially, the line turned halfway between Classon and Franklin Avenues, running halfway between Herkimer Street and Schuyler Street (now Atlantic Avenue) along the line of the present Herkimer Place. It turned slightly to the southeast near Howard Avenue, crossing the centerline of Schuyler Street about one-third of the way between Hopkinson Avenue (Thomas Boyland Street) and Paca Avenue (Rockaway Avenue). It crossed into the town of New Lots
New Lots, Brooklyn
New Lots is a sub-section of the East New York neighborhood in the eastern part of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It was known as the Town of New Lots from 1852 when the area seceded from the Town of Flatbush until it was annexed in 1886 as the 26th Ward of Brooklyn. The population is...
just beyond Stone Avenue (Mother Gaston Boulevard).
The Atlantic Branch was one of the first lines in the LIRR system slated to be electrified. In anticipation of this the entire line to Jamaica was to be grade separated. Between 1903 and 1905 the line was depressed into a tunnel from Flatbush Avenue to Bedford Avenue, then placed on an elevated viaduct from Bedford Avenue to Ralph Avenue then depressed back into a tunnel until Manhattan Crossing located just west East New York station. At East New York the line returned to grade level then rose onto another elevated viaduct until Atkins Ave. The rest of the line from Atkins Ave to Morris Park located just west of Jamaica remained at grade level along Atlantic Avenue with numerous grade crossings with the anticipation of grade separating the line later on. Additionally a new terminal and yard was built at Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues. Electric service commenced in 1905 with the line consisting of two tracks between Flatbush Avenue and Woodhaven Junction and four tracks beyond that point to Jamaica.
During this time the LIRR ran two services along the line: the traditional commuter type services from points on eastern Long Island to Flatbush Avenue, along with what was known as the "local" rapid transit type service, providing frequent elevated/subway like service at lower fare between Flatbush Ave and Queens Village (although referred to as a rapid transit type service, standard LIRR commuter cars were used, and the service was operated by railroad rules, as opposed to rapid transit). At this time the line from Jamaica to East New York had many more stations along Atlantic Avenue spaced at closer intervals, much like an elevated/subway rapid transit line. The four tracks between Jamaica and Woodhaven Junction lent itself to this service with rapid transit trains using the outer two tracks while commuter trains used the inner two tracks.
For a while the LIRR operated joint service along the Atlantic Branch with the Brooklyn Rapid Transit
Brooklyn Rapid Transit
The Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company was a public transit holding company formed in 1896 to acquire and consolidate lines in Brooklyn and Queens, New York City, United States. It was a prominent corporation and industry leader using the single-letter symbol B on the New York Stock Exchange...
company (BRT) consisting of two connections, one with the Fifth Ave El
Fifth Avenue Line (Brooklyn elevated)
The Fifth Avenue Line, also called the Fifth Avenue Elevated or Fifth Avenue-Bay Ridge Line, was an elevated rail line in Brooklyn, New York City, United States. It ran above Hudson Avenue, Flatbush Avenue, Fifth Avenue, 38th Street, and Third Avenue from Downtown Brooklyn south to Bay Ridge...
at Flatbush Avenue, and another with the Broadway and Lexington Avenue els with a connection built at Chestnut Street in Brooklyn. This allowed BRT trains to access the Rockaways and Manhattan Beach, while affording the LIRR a connection into Manhattan to the BRT terminal located at Park Row
Park Row
Park Row may refer to:* Park Row , a street in downtown Manhattan* Park Row Building, 1899 Manhattan skyscraper* Park Row a BMT elevated train terminal bordering the Manhattan street* Park Row , a 1952 film by Samuel Fuller...
over the Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River...
(this service predated the opening of the East River Tunnels
East River Tunnels
The East River Tunnels are 4 single-track railroad tunnels that extend from the eastern end of Pennsylvania Station under 32nd and 33rd Streets in Manhattan and cross the East River to Long Island City in Queens. The tracks carry Long Island Rail Road and Amtrak trains travelling to and from Penn...
to Penn Station). Nevertheless the Interstate Commerce Commission
Interstate Commerce Commission
The Interstate Commerce Commission was a regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads to ensure fair rates, to eliminate rate discrimination, and to regulate other aspects of common carriers, including...
ended this service in 1916 when they classified different operating standards between rapid transit trains and regular heavy rail railroads which the LIRR was classified as.
By the late 1930's it became apparent that the rest of the line was going to have to be grade separated. Much of the surrounding areas along Atlantic Avenue in Ozone Park and Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill, Queens
Richmond Hill is a neighborhood in central-southern Queens, New York City, USA. It is bordered by Kew Gardens to the north, Woodhaven and Ozone Park to the west, South Ozone Park to the south and South Jamaica to the east...
began their suburban development leading to more traffic along Atlantic Avenue which was plagued by the lines many grade crossings. The City of New York along with the LIRR thus allocated the funds to depress the rest of the line from Morris Park to East New York in a tunnel. Building of the tunnel commenced in 1939 (although plans to build the tunnel date back to 1893) with two of the lines four tracks being pulled out of service and the rapid transit service being discontinued.
In 1942 the tunnel was completed and opened with the two remaining at grade tracks pulled out of service. Additionally around this time Atlantic Avenue was raised over the East New York station via a viaduct thus separating the road and the railroad. The elevated trestle from East New York to Atkins Avenue was also demolished as it had been included in the new tunnel to Jamaica. Only one station was included in the new tunnel: Woodhaven Junction, where the Atlantic Branch crossed under the Rockaway Beach Branch
Rockaway Beach Branch
The Rockaway Beach Branch was a rail line owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in Queens, New York City, United States. The line left the Main Line at Whitepot Junction in Rego Park heading south via Ozone Park and across Jamaica Bay to Hammels in the Rockaways turning west there to a...
. An interlocking and track connection was built just west of the Woodhaven Junction station to connect the two lines, but these closed after the abandonment of the Rockaway Beach Branch between 1955 and 1962.
Jamaica to Valley Stream
The portion east of Jamaica was opened by the South Side Railroad of Long Island on October 28, 1867, as part of its initial line from Jamaica to BabylonBabylon (village), New York
Babylon is a village in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 12,615 at the 2000 census.Its official name is The Incorporated Village of Babylon...
. With the consolidation of the South Side into the Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
system in 1876, all passenger trains were rerouted to use the LIRR main line from Berlin Junction (west of Jamaica) to Rockaway Junction and the LIRR's Rockaway Branch to Springfield Junction
Springfield Junction (Long Island Rail Road)
Springfield Junction was a junction between the Long Island Rail Road's Montauk Branch and Atlantic Branch in Laurelton, Queens, New York City, United States...
, where it crossed the South Side. This change took effect Sunday, June 25, 1876, and resulted in the closure of the South Side's Berlin, Beaver Street (Jamaica), Locust Avenue, and Springfield stations. This formed the current configuration, where the Montauk Branch
Montauk Branch
The Montauk Branch is a rail line owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The branch runs the length of Long Island, 115 miles from Long Island City on the west to Montauk on the east...
follows this route, mostly ex-South Side, and the Atlantic Branch (then the Old Southern Road) uses the old South Side to Springfield Junction.
The line was soon reopened due to a lawsuit, but closed again by Austin Corbin
Austin Corbin
Austin Corbin was a 19th-century American railroad executive and robber baron. He consolidated the rail lines on Long Island bringing them under the profitable umbrella of the Long Island Rail Road....
as of January 6, 1881.
Effective May 17, 1906, when an electrified third track opened alongside the Montauk Division from Springfield Junction
Springfield Junction (Long Island Rail Road)
Springfield Junction was a junction between the Long Island Rail Road's Montauk Branch and Atlantic Branch in Laurelton, Queens, New York City, United States...
to Valley Stream, the Old Southern Road and this new track became part of the Atlantic Division.
Station listing
Only former stations that existed after the ca. 1905 improvement and electrification are listed in this table.| Station | Connections/notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Terminal | Subway New York City Subway The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit... : trains at Atlantic Avenue – Pacific Street Bus New York City Transit buses New York City Transit buses, marked on the buses MTA New York City Bus, is a bus service that operates in all five boroughs of New York City, employing over 4300 buses on 219 routes within the five boroughs of New York City in the United States... : B41, B45, B63, B65, B67 |
|
| Nostrand Avenue Nostrand Avenue (LIRR station) Nostrand Avenue is an elevated station on the Long Island Rail Road's Atlantic Branch in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City. The station has two side platforms located above Atlantic Avenue. Entrances and exits are located at Nostrand Avenue and New York Avenue... |
Subway New York City Subway The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit... : trains at Nostrand Avenue Nostrand Avenue (IND Fulton Street Line) Nostrand Avenue is a two-level express station on the IND Fulton Street Line of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of Nostrand Avenue and Fulton Street in Brooklyn... Bus New York City Transit buses New York City Transit buses, marked on the buses MTA New York City Bus, is a bus service that operates in all five boroughs of New York City, employing over 4300 buses on 219 routes within the five boroughs of New York City in the United States... : B25, B44, B65 |
|
| East New York East New York (LIRR station) East New York is a station on the Long Island Rail Road's Atlantic Branch in East New York, Brooklyn, where that branch passes through the historic Jamaica Pass. It is located at ground level, in the median of Atlantic Avenue, and underneath the elevated main lanes of Atlantic Avenue, with one side... |
Subway New York City Subway The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit... : trains at Atlantic Avenue Atlantic Avenue (BMT Canarsie Line) Atlantic Avenue is a rapid transit station on the BMT Canarsie Line, a part of the New York City Subway system. Built in 1916, it was reconfigured in 2002–04. This station is a good example of the Dual Contracts architecture. Much of the period woodwork and ironwork is intact. The fare control... , trains at Broadway Junction Broadway Junction (New York City Subway) Broadway Junction is a New York City Subway station complex shared by the elevated BMT Canarsie Line and BMT Jamaica Line, and the underground IND Fulton Street Line. It was also served by trains of the Fulton Street Elevated until that line closed in 1956... Bus New York City Transit buses New York City Transit buses, marked on the buses MTA New York City Bus, is a bus service that operates in all five boroughs of New York City, employing over 4300 buses on 219 routes within the five boroughs of New York City in the United States... : B12, B20, B25, B83, Q24, Q56 |
|
| Woodhaven Junction Woodhaven Junction (LIRR station) Woodhaven Junction was a station on the Atlantic Branch and Rockaway Beach Branch of the Long Island Rail Road. It should not be confused with the former Woodhaven Station two stops west along the Atlantic Branch.-History:... |
closed 1977 | |
| Boland's Landing Boland's Landing (LIRR station) The Morris Park facility is a maintenance facility of the Long Island Rail Road in Queens, New York. It includes two employee-only side platforms on the Atlantic Branch named Boland's Landing... |
Employee only station | |
| Jamaica Jamaica (LIRR station) Jamaica is a major hub station of the Long Island Rail Road, and is located in Jamaica, Queens, New York City. It is the largest transit hub on Long Island and is one of the busiest railroad stations in the country with over 200,000 daily passengers... |
LIRR Long Island Rail Road The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US... : Babylon Branch Babylon Branch The Babylon Branch is a rail service operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The term refers to the trains serving Montauk Branch stations from Valley Stream east to Babylon. The Babylon Branch is a rail service operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of... , Belmont Park Branch, Far Rockaway Branch Far Rockaway Branch The Far Rockaway Branch is an electrified rail line and service owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The branch begins at Valley Interlocking, just east of Valley Stream station; the Long Beach Branch also begins there, heading east and south to Long Beach,... , Hempstead Branch Hempstead Branch The Hempstead Branch is an electrified rail line and service owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The branch begins at the Main Line at Queens Interlocking, just east of Queens Village station... , Long Beach Branch Long Beach Branch The Long Beach Branch is an electrified rail line and service owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The branch begins at Valley Interlocking, at Valley Stream station, where the Atlantic Branch tracks from the west are redesignated Long Beach Branch and the... , Montauk Branch Montauk Branch The Montauk Branch is a rail line owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The branch runs the length of Long Island, 115 miles from Long Island City on the west to Montauk on the east... , Oyster Bay Branch Oyster Bay Branch The Oyster Bay Branch is a rail line and service owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The branch splits from the Main Line just east of Mineola station, and runs north and east to Oyster Bay.-History:... , Port Jefferson Branch Port Jefferson Branch The Port Jefferson Branch is a rail line and service owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The branch splits from the Main Line just east of Hicksville and runs northeast and east to Port Jefferson... , Ronkonkoma Branch Ronkonkoma Branch The Ronkonkoma Branch is a rail service operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. On LIRR maps and printed schedules, "Ronkonkoma Branch" refers to trains running along the railroad's Main Line from Hicksville east to the line's terminus at Greenport.The section of the... and West Hempstead Branch West Hempstead Branch The West Hempstead Branch is an electrified rail line owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York.The branch separates from the Main Line just east of Jamaica Station, and runs southeastward to West Hempstead... trains Subway New York City Subway The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit... : trains at Sutphin Boulevard – Archer Avenue – JFK Airport Bus New York City Transit buses New York City Transit buses, marked on the buses MTA New York City Bus, is a bus service that operates in all five boroughs of New York City, employing over 4300 buses on 219 routes within the five boroughs of New York City in the United States... : Q6, Q8, Q9, Q20A, Q20B, Q24, Q25, Q30, Q31, Q34, Q40, Q41, Q43, Q44, Q60, Q65 AirTrain JFK AirTrain JFK AirTrain JFK is a 3-line, -long people mover system and elevated railway in New York City providing service to John F. Kennedy International Airport... |
|
| Locust Manor Locust Manor (LIRR station) Locust Manor is a station on the Long Island Rail Road's Atlantic Branch serving the residents of the Locust Manor neighborhood of Queens, New York.... |
Bus New York City Transit buses New York City Transit buses, marked on the buses MTA New York City Bus, is a bus service that operates in all five boroughs of New York City, employing over 4300 buses on 219 routes within the five boroughs of New York City in the United States... : Q3 (to JFK Airport), Q85, QM21 |
|
| Laurelton Laurelton (LIRR station) Laurelton is a station on the Long Island Rail Road's Atlantic Branch, in the Laurelton neighborhood of Queens, New York. It is 14.9 miles from Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan. The station is at 225th Street and 141st Road and has an eight-car island platform. There are enclosed waiting rooms... |
Bus New York City Transit buses New York City Transit buses, marked on the buses MTA New York City Bus, is a bus service that operates in all five boroughs of New York City, employing over 4300 buses on 219 routes within the five boroughs of New York City in the United States... : Q77, Q85 |
|
| Rosedale Rosedale (LIRR station) Rosedale is a station on the Long Island Rail Road's Atlantic Branch in the Rosedale neighborhood of Queens in New York City. The station is at Sunrise Highway, Francis Lewis Boulevard and 243rd Street. Rosedale has an island platform and a municipal parking lot on street level. The Rosedale... |
Bus New York City Transit buses New York City Transit buses, marked on the buses MTA New York City Bus, is a bus service that operates in all five boroughs of New York City, employing over 4300 buses on 219 routes within the five boroughs of New York City in the United States... : Q5, Q85, X63 |
|
| New York City New York City New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... / Long Island Long Island Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban... border |
||
| Valley Stream Valley Stream (LIRR station) Valley Stream is a station on the Long Island Rail Road's Atlantic Branch serving the residents of Valley Stream, and is the first station in Nassau County. The station is located at Franklin Avenue and Sunrise Highway, west of Rockaway Avenue, and is 17.7 miles from Penn Station in Midtown... |
Long Island Bus: N2 | |
| Trains continue south via the Far Rockaway Branch Far Rockaway Branch The Far Rockaway Branch is an electrified rail line and service owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The branch begins at Valley Interlocking, just east of Valley Stream station; the Long Beach Branch also begins there, heading east and south to Long Beach,... or east via the Long Beach Long Beach Branch The Long Beach Branch is an electrified rail line and service owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The branch begins at Valley Interlocking, at Valley Stream station, where the Atlantic Branch tracks from the west are redesignated Long Beach Branch and the... , Babylon Babylon Branch The Babylon Branch is a rail service operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The term refers to the trains serving Montauk Branch stations from Valley Stream east to Babylon. The Babylon Branch is a rail service operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of... and Montauk Montauk Branch The Montauk Branch is a rail line owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The branch runs the length of Long Island, 115 miles from Long Island City on the west to Montauk on the east... Branches |
||
Full list, including all former stations
| Miles from Atlantic Terminal |
Name | Location | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Ferry | ||||
| Henry Street | ||||
| Clinton Street | ||||
| 0.0 | Atlantic Terminal earlier Flatbush Avenue |
July 2, 1877 | Present | |
| Vanderbilt Avenue | August 13, 1877 | |||
| Washington Avenue | by late 1878 | |||
| Grand Avenue | August 13, 1877 | by late 1878 | ||
| 1.22 | Bedford also called Franklin Avenue |
east of Franklin Avenue | by mid-1842 | |
| 1.57 | Nostrand Avenue Nostrand Avenue (LIRR station) Nostrand Avenue is an elevated station on the Long Island Rail Road's Atlantic Branch in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City. The station has two side platforms located above Atlantic Avenue. Entrances and exits are located at Nostrand Avenue and New York Avenue... |
August 13, 1877 | Present | |
| Brooklyn Avenue | August 13, 1877 | |||
| Kingston Avenue | ||||
| Albany Avenue | August 13, 1877 | |||
| 2.27 | Troy Avenue | August 13, 1877 by mid-1890 |
by late 1878 |
|
| Schenectady Avenue | by late 1878 | |||
| 2.56 | Utica Avenue | August 13, 1877 by mid-1890 |
by late 1878 |
|
| Rochester Avenue | August 13, 1877 | |||
| Ralph Avenue | August 13, 1877 | |||
| Saratoga Avenue | ||||
| Hopkinson Avenue | August 13, 1877 | by late 1878 | ||
| Rockaway Avenue | by late 1878 | |||
| Stone Avenue | August 13, 1877 | by late 1878 | ||
| 3.97 | East New York East New York (LIRR station) East New York is a station on the Long Island Rail Road's Atlantic Branch in East New York, Brooklyn, where that branch passes through the historic Jamaica Pass. It is located at ground level, in the median of Atlantic Avenue, and underneath the elevated main lanes of Atlantic Avenue, with one side... earlier Manhattan Beach Railroad Crossing |
by late 1878 | Present | |
| 4.10 | Howard House earlier East New York East New York (LIRR station) East New York is a station on the Long Island Rail Road's Atlantic Branch in East New York, Brooklyn, where that branch passes through the historic Jamaica Pass. It is located at ground level, in the median of Atlantic Avenue, and underneath the elevated main lanes of Atlantic Avenue, with one side... |
Alabama Avenue | by early 1843 | 1905 |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | ||||
| Wyckoff Avenue | Wyona Street | by late 1878 | ||
| Bradford Avenue | mid-1899 | |||
| Van Siclen Avenue | by late 1878 | |||
| 4.8 or 4.9 | Warwick Street | August 29, 1905 | November 1, 1939 | |
| 5.02 | Linwood Street earlier Van Wicklens |
by late 1878 | ||
| 5.32 | Norwood Avenue | by mid-1890 | November 5, 1915 | |
| Cypress Avenue | Crescent Street | by mid-1853 | ||
| Cypress Hills | west of Autumn Avenue | by early 1849 | ||
| 5.8 | Autumn Avenue earlier Railroad Avenue |
April 28, 1905 | November 1, 1939 | |
| Adamsville | west of Eldert Lane | June 1872 | November 1, 1876 | |
| City Line | ||||
| Unionville | west of 80th Street | |||
| 6.3 | Union Course | east of 80th Street | by late 1842 | November 1, 1939 |
| 6.69 | Woodhaven Woodhaven (LIRR station) Woodhaven is a former railroad and trolley station on the Atlantic Branch of the Long Island Rail Road. Though it was also on one of the same lines as Woodhaven Junction the two stations were distinguished from one another... earlier Woodville |
east of 87th Street | by mid-1848 | November 1, 1939 |
| Trotting Course Lane | 94th Street | |||
| 7.19 | Woodhaven Junction Woodhaven Junction (LIRR station) Woodhaven Junction was a station on the Atlantic Branch and Rockaway Beach Branch of the Long Island Rail Road. It should not be confused with the former Woodhaven Station two stops west along the Atlantic Branch.-History:... |
west of 100th Street | by mid-1890 | 1977 |
| Chester Park | 104th Street | |||
| 7.79 | Clarenceville Clarenceville (LIRR station) Clarenceville Station was a station on the Atlantic Branch, which ran along Atlantic Avenue, of the Long Island Rail Road, located west of 111th Street in the Woodhaven section of Queens, New York City... |
111th Street | by late 1874 | November 1, 1939 |
| Lefferts Avenue | west of 119th Street | by 1867 | June 1870 | |
| 8.07 | Morris Park | west of 120th Street | by mid-1890 | November 1, 1939 |
| Morris Grove | west of 124th Street | 1878 | 1886 | |
| Boland's Landing | 126th Street | 1889 | ||
| Berlin | west of 130th Street | |||
| Berlin Junction | ?? | |||
| 8.86 | Dunton Dunton (LIRR station) Dunton was a ground-level station on the Long Island Rail Road's Main Line, Montauk Branch, and Atlantic Branch in Dunton, Queens, New York City, United States... originally Van Wyck Avenue, then Berlin |
Van Wyck Avenue | June 1869 | November 1, 1939 |
| Jamaica Jamaica (LIRR station) Jamaica is a major hub station of the Long Island Rail Road, and is located in Jamaica, Queens, New York City. It is the largest transit hub on Long Island and is one of the busiest railroad stations in the country with over 200,000 daily passengers... |
Sutphin Boulevard | 1876 | Present | |
| 9.6 | Beaver Street also called Jamaica—Beaver Street |
east of Jamaica Station Jamaica (LIRR station) Jamaica is a major hub station of the Long Island Rail Road, and is located in Jamaica, Queens, New York City. It is the largest transit hub on Long Island and is one of the busiest railroad stations in the country with over 200,000 daily passengers... |
October 28, 1867 | 1913 |
| South Street | South Road | November 15, 1917 | June 1922 | |
| 10.8 | Cedar Manor earlier Power Place |
near Linden Boulevard | 1906 | 1959 |
| 11.7 | Locust Manor Locust Manor (LIRR station) Locust Manor is a station on the Long Island Rail Road's Atlantic Branch serving the residents of the Locust Manor neighborhood of Queens, New York.... earlier Locust Avenue |
Farmer's Boulevard & Bedell Street | June 1869 | Present |
| 12.6 | Higbie Avenue Higbie Avenue (LIRR station) Higbie Avenue was a railroad station along the Atlantic Branch of the Long Island Rail Road, in Queens, New York City. The station was located on 140th Avenue and Edgewood Avenue in the Springfield section of Queens, New York City between Locust Manor and Laurelton Stations.-History:Higbie Avenue... earlier Springfield |
140th Avenue | 1908 | 1960 |
| Springfield | Springfield Boulevard | October 28, 1867 | 1906 | |
| 13.1 | Laurelton Laurelton (LIRR station) Laurelton is a station on the Long Island Rail Road's Atlantic Branch, in the Laurelton neighborhood of Queens, New York. It is 14.9 miles from Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan. The station is at 225th Street and 141st Road and has an eight-car island platform. There are enclosed waiting rooms... earlier Central Avenue |
224th Street | April 1907 | Present |
| 13.8 | Rosedale Rosedale (LIRR station) Rosedale is a station on the Long Island Rail Road's Atlantic Branch in the Rosedale neighborhood of Queens in New York City. The station is at Sunrise Highway, Francis Lewis Boulevard and 243rd Street. Rosedale has an island platform and a municipal parking lot on street level. The Rosedale... earlier Foster's Meadow |
Francis Lewis Boulevard & Sunrise Highway | Present | |
| 15.7 | Valley Stream Valley Stream (LIRR station) Valley Stream is a station on the Long Island Rail Road's Atlantic Branch serving the residents of Valley Stream, and is the first station in Nassau County. The station is located at Franklin Avenue and Sunrise Highway, west of Rockaway Avenue, and is 17.7 miles from Penn Station in Midtown... |
Franklin Avenue & Sunrise Highway | June 1869 | Present |
See also
- Lower Manhattan-Jamaica/JFK Transportation ProjectLower Manhattan-Jamaica/JFK Transportation ProjectThe Lower Manhattan – Jamaica/JFK Transportation Project is a proposed public-works project in New York City, New York, that would use the Long Island Rail Road Atlantic Branch and a new tunnel under the East River to connect a new train station at the World Trade Center Transportation Hub site...
- Proposal to use the LIRR Atlantic Branch in a new direct JFK connection to Lower Manhattan
External links
- 1884 and 1900 Maps of the Atlantic Branch and Vicinity (Arrt's Arrchives)
