From the Daily News:The Railroad Option would have the LIRR resume operations between Penn Station and Aqueduct. Two stations would be built — at Rego Park and at Aqueduct.
The latter would allow transfers to the A train and to the Air Train (if it were extended from Howard Beach). If rail cars are developed with the ability to operate on both lines, a one-seat ride from Midtown to JFK would be created.
The Subway Option would divert the M or R subway line east of 63rd Drive (via an already built connection) to the northern section of the Rockaway line.
The subway would converge with the A train north of the Aqueduct Station and continue into the Rockaways. At Rego Park, two stations would be built, one for the subway and one for the LIRR mainline to permit transfers between the two services.
This would allow Rockaway riders a quick trip to Midtown or to eastern points in Long Island.
Under both options, additional stations can be added after consultation with the affected communities.
Partially adopting a suggestion from COMMUTE (Communities United for Transportation Equity), Select Bus Services could be established at the Rego Park stations to take riders to LaGuardia Airport, Citi Field and Flushing.
Thus, Rego Park would become a transportation hub improving intra-Queens connectivity and allowing riders to travel to many different points with only one transfer.
With Genting, the developer behind the project, willing to put up some money and with Governor Cuomo’s strong backing of the convention center, discussing these options is realistic. Since New York City owns the right-of-way, it can build the line itself — as with the #7 extension — if the MTA is not interested.
8 comments:
Interesting - which underused rails would be used?
The LIRR Rockaway Branch.
Don't count on this to be Ok with all the people who live near the tracks..the noise is already pretty horrible not to speak of the increased vibrations.
oh yes, there will be NIMBY opposition and personally, I don't blame them, who wants a train in their back yard? It should be said though that this right of way has existed for decades and was in use when the vast majority of housing stock abutting the line was created. There are old aerial photographs that show this. It really cannot be said that it is unfair to restore the line as everyone in those homes knew it was always a possibility however remote.
I'd rather see subway service than LIRR service - it would be more useful to more people.
Assuming their routes remained otherwise unchanged, extending the M or the R would produce a REALLY long line. From that point of view it would probably be slightly more practical to extend the M, which would mean it would have to run 24/7, and probably more frequently, too, which would both be wins for much of Queens. Of course, if the R were chosen it would provide access from JFK to both Midtown AND Lower Manhattan, which has been a real need for, well, forever. I'd say build a terminal and turning tracks on the grounds of JFK and just use the AirTrain as an in airport people mover but, all that money having been spent on the AirTrain, that's never going to happen.
Diverting one of the services from Continental Ave would free up turning space there, which has always limited the number of services that could run on the Queens Blvd local. So perhaps the G could be returned to Forrest Hills, which certain loud groups have been calling for ever since the birth of the V.
And, perhaps, Genting could be eventually induced to help pay for the fabled Queens SuperExpress, that was supposed to be built in the 60s or 70s or 80s.
There's a lot of possible upside to this. I hope even some of this happens.
It appears to be only 1 track......
Pictured is one track. The line is two tracks. Look at a satellite map.
I really think this is an awesome proposal. The most economic thing to do would be to return the Q53 to the previous routing pattern, wherein it stopped at 63rd Drive, before running as an express or limited stop bus on Woodhaven Boulevard. As the Rockaway LIRR tracks are refurbished, then it could use that route as a dedicated roadway (much like a bus tunnel functions in Seattle.)
There is a lot going on in the Rockaways and a lot going on out here in Rego. If the Peninsula had better mass-transit connections to the rest of Queens, I would consider moving there, since the views are gorgeous and the rents are much lower than they are on the "mainland."
The first stop is to restore Q53 service to 63rd Drive.
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