Hempstead Branch
Encyclopedia
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. It parallels the Main Line past Bellerose
to Floral Park
, where it splits southward and continues east via the village of Garden City
to Hempstead Crossing. There it turns south to the final two stations, Country Life Press
and Hempstead. LIRR maps and schedules show Hempstead Branch service continuing west along the Main Line to Jamaica
. (In other words, Queens Village and Hollis are actually on Main Line track, but the only trains stopping there are bound to/from the Hempstead Branch).
The Central Railroad of Long Island
opened from Flushing east to Hempstead Crossing and south to Hempstead on January 8, 1873; the main line east from Hempstead Crossing opened later that year on May 26. The Central Railroad's successor, the Flushing, North Shore and Central Railroad, was leased to the LIRR on May 3, 1876, and in June a connection at Hempstead Crossing was built, allowing trains from Mineola to use the ex-Central's Hempstead Branch; the original LIRR Hempstead Branch was abandoned south of Hempstead Crossing.
The old Central main line through Hempstead was named the Central Branch
by the LIRR, while the line from Mineola on the LIRR's Main Line south past Hempstead Crossing to Hempstead was the Hempstead Branch. The New York Bay Extension Railroad opened the current West Hempstead Branch
in 1893, resulting in a realignment of the Hempstead Branch from Hempstead Crossing south to Meadow Street to better connect to the new line.
The current route of the Hempstead Branch, from Queens Village east along the Main Line and Central Branch
and south along the Hempstead Branch to Hempstead, was electrified on May 26, 1908. The then-Hempstead Branch north to Mineola was electrified on October 20, 1926, along with the West Hempstead Branch
. The line north of Hempstead Crossing last saw passenger service on September 14, 1935, and was abandoned for freight in 1965. Park Interlocking at Floral Park was taken out in the circa-1960 grade crossing elimination; since then Hempstead Branch trains switch off the Main Line at Queens Village and continue next to it to Floral Park. At some point the old Central Branch west of Hempstead Crossing was renamed as part of the Hempstead Branch.
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...
. The branch begins at the Main Line at Queens Interlocking, just east of Queens Village
Queens Village (LIRR station)
Queens Village is a station on the Main Line of the Long Island Rail Road, located between 218th Street and Springfield Boulevard in Queens Village, Queens, New York City. It has two side platforms along the four-track line, and only serves Hempstead Branch trains. The two-story station house is...
station. It parallels the Main Line past Bellerose
Bellerose (LIRR station)
Bellerose is a station along the Main Line of the Long Island Rail Road ; only trains to/from the Hempstead Branch stop. The station is at Commonwealth Boulevard and Superior Road, south of Jericho Turnpike, in Bellerose, New York, and has a full-service ticket machine on the north side of the...
to Floral Park
Floral Park (LIRR station)
Floral Park is a Long Island Rail Road train station in Floral Park, New York at Tulip and Atlantic Avenues, on the Main Line and Hempstead Branch just west of their split...
, where it splits southward and continues east via the village of Garden City
Garden City, New York
Garden City is a village in the town of Hempstead in central Nassau County, New York, in the United States. It was founded by multi-millionaire Alexander Turney Stewart in 1869, and is located on Long Island, to the east of New York City, from mid-town Manhattan, and just south of the town of...
to Hempstead Crossing. There it turns south to the final two stations, Country Life Press
Country Life Press (LIRR station)
Country Life Press is one of five stations of the Long Island Rail Road in the village of Garden City, New York. It serves the Hempstead Branch and is located on Damson Street and St. James Street South in Garden City....
and Hempstead. LIRR maps and schedules show Hempstead Branch service continuing west along the Main Line 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...
. (In other words, Queens Village and Hollis are actually on Main Line track, but the only trains stopping there are bound to/from the Hempstead Branch).
History
The original Hempstead Branch of the LIRR ran south from Mineola, ending just west of the current terminal in Hempstead. It opened on July 4, 1839 as the first branch of the LIRR.The Central Railroad of Long Island
Central Railroad of Long Island
Central Railroad of Long Island is a former railroad on Long Island built by Alexander Turney Stewart, who was also the founder of Garden City. The railroad was established in 1871, was merged with the Flushing and North Side Railroad in 1874 to form the Flushing, North Shore, and Central Railroad,...
opened from Flushing east to Hempstead Crossing and south to Hempstead on January 8, 1873; the main line east from Hempstead Crossing opened later that year on May 26. The Central Railroad's successor, the Flushing, North Shore and Central Railroad, was leased to the LIRR on May 3, 1876, and in June a connection at Hempstead Crossing was built, allowing trains from Mineola to use the ex-Central's Hempstead Branch; the original LIRR Hempstead Branch was abandoned south of Hempstead Crossing.
Central Branch (Long Island Rail Road)
The Central Branch is a rail line owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York, extending from just east of Bethpage to just west of Babylon. It was built in 1873 as part of the Babylon Extension of the Central Railroad of Long Island , which was owned by...
by the LIRR, while the line from Mineola on the LIRR's Main Line south past Hempstead Crossing to Hempstead was the Hempstead Branch. The New York Bay Extension Railroad opened the current 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...
in 1893, resulting in a realignment of the Hempstead Branch from Hempstead Crossing south to Meadow Street to better connect to the new line.
The current route of the Hempstead Branch, from Queens Village east along the Main Line and Central Branch
Central Branch (Long Island Rail Road)
The Central Branch is a rail line owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York, extending from just east of Bethpage to just west of Babylon. It was built in 1873 as part of the Babylon Extension of the Central Railroad of Long Island , which was owned by...
and south along the Hempstead Branch to Hempstead, was electrified on May 26, 1908. The then-Hempstead Branch north to Mineola was electrified on October 20, 1926, along with the 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...
. The line north of Hempstead Crossing last saw passenger service on September 14, 1935, and was abandoned for freight in 1965. Park Interlocking at Floral Park was taken out in the circa-1960 grade crossing elimination; since then Hempstead Branch trains switch off the Main Line at Queens Village and continue next to it to Floral Park. At some point the old Central Branch west of Hempstead Crossing was renamed as part of the Hempstead Branch.
Stations
| Station/location | Station link | Miles to Penn Station Pennsylvania Station (New York City) Pennsylvania Station—commonly known as Penn Station—is the major intercity train station and a major commuter rail hub in New York City. It is one of the busiest rail stations in the world, and a hub for inbound and outbound railroad traffic in New York City. The New York City Subway system also... |
Connections/notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| For continuing service 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... and points west, see City Terminal Zone City Terminal Zone The City Terminal Zone is the name given to a collection of rail lines of the Long Island Rail Road in New York City. Specifically, it refers to all stations that lie in fare zone 1 , which is the set of stations west of Jamaica.-Stations:- Routes : There are three routes that are considered part... |
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| Union Hall Street Union Hall Street (LIRR station) Union Hall Street was a station on the Long Island Rail Road's Main Line at Union Hall Street at York College in Jamaica, Queens, New York City, United States.-History:... Union Hall Street at York College (New York), Jamaica Jamaica, Queens Jamaica is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York, United States. It was settled under Dutch rule in 1656 in New Netherland as Rustdorp. Under British rule, the Village of Jamaica became the center of the "Town of Jamaica"... |
closed 1976 | ||
| Hillside Hillside (LIRR station) Hillside, earlier Rockaway Junction, was a junction and station on the Long Island Rail Road's Main Line and Montauk Branch in Hillside, Queens, New York City, United States... Jamaica Jamaica, Queens Jamaica is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York, United States. It was settled under Dutch rule in 1656 in New Netherland as Rustdorp. Under British rule, the Village of Jamaica became the center of the "Town of Jamaica"... |
closed 1966 | ||
| Hillside Facility | http://mta.info/lirr/html/ttn/hillside.htm | Employees-only station | |
| Hollis Hollis (LIRR station) Hollis is a station on the Long Island Rail Road's Main Line at the intersection of 193rd Street and Woodhull Avenue in Hollis, Queens, New York City, United States. It has two side platforms along the four-track line; only trains to/from the Hempstead Branch stop. The station was called East... 193rd Street and Woodhull Avenue, Hollis Hollis, Queens Hollis is a neighborhood within the southeastern section of the New York City borough of Queens. A predominantly African American community, the boundaries are considered to be the Far Rockaway Branch of the Long Island Rail Road to the west, Hillside Avenue to the north, Francis Lewis Boulevard to... |
http://mta.info/lirr/html/ttn/hollis.htm | 13.5 | Bus (New York City Transit Bus):Q2, Q3 |
| Bellaire Bellaire (LIRR station) Bellaire was a station stop along the Hempstead Branch of the Long Island Rail Road. Originally, it was the site of a station known as Brushville in 1837 which opened along with the rest of the LIRR Main Line to Hicksville, New York. The station was razed sometime in 1871... Bellaire Bellaire, Queens Bellaire is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. Bellaire is in east central Queens between Hollis and Queens Village, and covers the area surrounding Jamaica Avenue and 211th Street... |
Named Interstate Park 1900 — 1907 closed 1972 |
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| Queens Village Queens Village (LIRR station) Queens Village is a station on the Main Line of the Long Island Rail Road, located between 218th Street and Springfield Boulevard in Queens Village, Queens, New York City. It has two side platforms along the four-track line, and only serves Hempstead Branch trains. The two-story station house is... Springfield Boulevard and Amboy Lane, Queens Village Queens Village, Queens Queens Village is mostly a residential neighborhood in the eastern part of the New York City borough of Queens.The Queens Village Post Office serves the ZIP codes of 11427 , 11428 , and 11429... |
http://mta.info/lirr/html/ttn/queensvi.htm | 15.1 | Bus (New York City Transit Bus):Q1, Q27, Q36, Q83 (Late Night Only),Q88 Bus (MTA Long Island Bus MTA Long Island Bus MTA Long Island Bus is the name used by MTA Regional Bus for its bus network serving primarily Nassau County. It also serves parts of western Suffolk County as well as parts of Queens. Long Island Bus is the trading name of Metropolitan Suburban Bus Authority, a name which has not been used... ): N24 |
| Belmont Park Branch diverges | |||
| 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... / 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... border |
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| Main Line Main Line (Long Island Rail Road) The Main Line is a rail line owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. It begins in Long Island City and runs along the middle of Long Island about 95 miles to Greenport... diverges |
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| Bellerose Bellerose (LIRR station) Bellerose is a station along the Main Line of the Long Island Rail Road ; only trains to/from the Hempstead Branch stop. The station is at Commonwealth Boulevard and Superior Road, south of Jericho Turnpike, in Bellerose, New York, and has a full-service ticket machine on the north side of the... Commonwealth Boulevard and Superior Road, Bellerose Bellerose, New York Bellerose is a village in Nassau County, New York, in the United States. The population was 1,193 at the 2010 census.Bellerose is in the town of Hempstead near the western county line.- History :... |
http://mta.info/lirr/html/ttn/belleros.htm | 16.2 | |
| Floral Park Floral Park (LIRR station) Floral Park is a Long Island Rail Road train station in Floral Park, New York at Tulip and Atlantic Avenues, on the Main Line and Hempstead Branch just west of their split... Tulip Avenue and Atlantic Avenue, Floral Park Floral Park, New York Floral Park is an incorporated village in Nassau County, New York, United States, on Long Island. The population as of the US Census of 2010 is 15,863. The village is at the western border of Nassau County, and is located in both the Town of Hempstead and the Town of North Hempstead... |
http://mta.info/lirr/html/ttn/floralpa.htm | 16.8 | 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... : 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:... and 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... trains |
| Stewart Manor Stewart Manor (LIRR station) The Stewart Manor Station is one of five stations of the Long Island Rail Road that serve the village of Garden City, New York. It is located just south of Stewart Avenue, to the west of New Hyde Park Road. Contrary to its name, the station is not within the limits of the village of Stewart Manor.... New Hyde Park Road and Manor Road, Garden City Garden City, New York Garden City is a village in the town of Hempstead in central Nassau County, New York, in the United States. It was founded by multi-millionaire Alexander Turney Stewart in 1869, and is located on Long Island, to the east of New York City, from mid-town Manhattan, and just south of the town of... |
http://mta.info/lirr/html/ttn/stewartm.htm | 18.2 | Bus (MTA Long Island Bus): N25 |
| Nassau Boulevard Nassau Boulevard (LIRR station) The Nassau Boulevard is a station on the west side of Nassau Boulevard in Garden City, New York. It is one of five Long Island Rail Road stations in the village. Originally it was a station for "Stewart's Central Rail Road," a railroad envisioned to serve the village of Garden City by its founder,... Nassau Boulevard and South Avenue, Garden City Garden City, New York Garden City is a village in the town of Hempstead in central Nassau County, New York, in the United States. It was founded by multi-millionaire Alexander Turney Stewart in 1869, and is located on Long Island, to the east of New York City, from mid-town Manhattan, and just south of the town of... |
http://mta.info/lirr/html/ttn/nassaubo.htm | 19.2 | |
| Garden City Garden City (LIRR station) Garden City is one of five stations of the Long Island Rail Road that serves the Village of Garden City, New York. It is on the Hempstead Branch and is located at Seventh Street between Hilton and Cathedral Avenues, directly across the street from the Garden City Hotel. It is one of the few Long... 7th Street between Hilton and Cathedral Avenues, Garden City Garden City, New York Garden City is a village in the town of Hempstead in central Nassau County, New York, in the United States. It was founded by multi-millionaire Alexander Turney Stewart in 1869, and is located on Long Island, to the east of New York City, from mid-town Manhattan, and just south of the town of... |
http://mta.info/lirr/html/ttn/gardenci.htm | 20.3 | Bus (MTA Long Island Bus): N40, N41 |
| Garden City-Mitchel Field Secondary Garden City-Mitchel Field Secondary The Garden City-Mitchell Field Secondary is currently a lightly used freight branch of the Long Island Rail Road.-History:The trackage of the Garden City-Mitchell Field Secondary, originates back to the 1870s to the Central Railroad of Long Island... diverges |
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| Country Life Press Country Life Press (LIRR station) Country Life Press is one of five stations of the Long Island Rail Road in the village of Garden City, New York. It serves the Hempstead Branch and is located on Damson Street and St. James Street South in Garden City.... Damson Street and Saint James Street South, Garden City Garden City, New York Garden City is a village in the town of Hempstead in central Nassau County, New York, in the United States. It was founded by multi-millionaire Alexander Turney Stewart in 1869, and is located on Long Island, to the east of New York City, from mid-town Manhattan, and just south of the town of... |
http://mta.info/lirr/html/ttn/countryl.htm | 20.9 | |
| Hempstead West Columbia Street, East of Main Street and Fulton Avenue, Hempstead Hempstead (village), New York Hempstead is a village located in the town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 53,891 at the 2010 census.Hofstra University is located on the border between Hempstead and Uniondale.-Foundation:... |
http://mta.info/lirr/html/ttn/hempstea.htm | 21.7 | Bus (MTA Long Island Bus) at Hempstead Transit Center: N6, N15, N16, N27, N31, N32, N35, N40, N41, N46, N47, N48, N49, N54, N55, N70, N71, N72 |