IND Rockaway Line
Encyclopedia
The IND Rockaway Line is a rapid transit
line of the IND
Division of the New York City Subway
. It branches from the IND Fulton Street Line
at Rockaway Boulevard, extending over the Jamaica Bay, into the Rockaways.
. In the late 1890s, the Brooklyn Elevated Railway (later BRT) got permission to use Brooklyn el trains on the line for beach access. The city soon began eying the line as popularity soared.. Additionally the Ocean Electric Railway
used part of it as a connection between the Far Rockaway
and Rockaway Beach Branches
.
In 1950 a serious track fire between The Raunt
and Broad Channel Stations destroyed the trestle across Jamaica Bay, and as a result the line was deemed useless. Instead of repairing it, the LIRR
decided to abandon the line in favor of their "land route" to Far Rockaway via Nassau County. The city bought the line for $8.5 million and spent an additional $47.5 million to convert it for subway use, something they were planning to do as far back as the 1930's (See Proposed New York City Subway expansion (1929–1940)).
The line was incorporated into the Independent Subway System
, and all of the stations except Far Rockaway – Mott Avenue, opened on June 28, 1956, with the Far Rockaway station opening January 16, 1958.
The line charged a double fare which entailed the deposit of two tokens for those entering along the line or one token on exit for those arriving from other parts of the system. The unpopular double fare was abolished in 1975.
In the late 1990s, outer tracks were installed to the north of Broad Channel
. The track to the west of the original tracks extends slightly less than two miles, and is used for testing of equipment. The track to the east of the original tracks is used for reversing trains on the Rockaway Park shuttle, and is approximately as long as a standard full length train. This track allows the shuttle to turn around significantly faster than it had been able to do before, when it was forced to relay at Howard Beach – JFK Airport or Euclid Avenue
.
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
line of the IND
Independent Subway System
The Independent Subway System , formerly known as the Independent City-Owned Subway System or the Independent City-Owned Rapid Transit Railroad, was a rapid transit rail system in New York City that is now part of the New York City Subway...
Division of the New York City 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...
. It branches from the IND Fulton Street Line
IND Fulton Street Line
The IND Fulton Street Line is a rapid transit line of the IND Division of the New York City Subway, extending from the Cranberry Street Tunnel under the East River through all of central Brooklyn to a terminus in Ozone Park, Queens. The IND Rockaway Line branches from it. It forms part of the A...
at Rockaway Boulevard, extending over the Jamaica Bay, into the Rockaways.
History
The line dates back to 1892, when it first saw service by the Long Island Rail RoadLong 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 late 1890s, the Brooklyn Elevated Railway (later BRT) got permission to use Brooklyn el trains on the line for beach access. The city soon began eying the line as popularity soared.. Additionally the Ocean Electric Railway
Ocean Electric Railway
The Ocean Electric Railway was a street car line that operated on The Rockaways. It ran parallel to parts of the Rockaway Beach Branch and Far Rockaway Branch of the Long Island Rail Road...
used part of it as a connection between the Far Rockaway
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,...
and Rockaway Beach Branches
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...
.
In 1950 a serious track fire between The Raunt
The Raunt (LIRR station)
The Raunt was a former Long Island Rail Road station on the Rockaway Beach Branch. It had no address and no station house, because it was meant strictly as a dropping-off point for fishermen using a small island in Jamaica Bay. The station was located 1300 feet west of signal station "ER" , and...
and Broad Channel Stations destroyed the trestle across Jamaica Bay, and as a result the line was deemed useless. Instead of repairing it, the 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...
decided to abandon the line in favor of their "land route" to Far Rockaway via Nassau County. The city bought the line for $8.5 million and spent an additional $47.5 million to convert it for subway use, something they were planning to do as far back as the 1930's (See Proposed New York City Subway expansion (1929–1940)).
The line was incorporated into the Independent Subway System
Independent Subway System
The Independent Subway System , formerly known as the Independent City-Owned Subway System or the Independent City-Owned Rapid Transit Railroad, was a rapid transit rail system in New York City that is now part of the New York City Subway...
, and all of the stations except Far Rockaway – Mott Avenue, opened on June 28, 1956, with the Far Rockaway station opening January 16, 1958.
The line charged a double fare which entailed the deposit of two tokens for those entering along the line or one token on exit for those arriving from other parts of the system. The unpopular double fare was abolished in 1975.
In the late 1990s, outer tracks were installed to the north of Broad Channel
Broad Channel (IND Rockaway Line)
Broad Channel is a station on the IND Rockaway Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Noel Road and West Road in the Broad Channel neighborhood of the borough of Queens, it is served by the A train and the Rockaway Park Shuttle at all times, the latter of which terminates here.-History and...
. The track to the west of the original tracks extends slightly less than two miles, and is used for testing of equipment. The track to the east of the original tracks is used for reversing trains on the Rockaway Park shuttle, and is approximately as long as a standard full length train. This track allows the shuttle to turn around significantly faster than it had been able to do before, when it was forced to relay at Howard Beach – JFK Airport or Euclid Avenue
Euclid Avenue (IND Fulton Street Line)
Euclid Avenue is an express station on the IND Fulton Street Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Euclid Avenue and Pitkin Avenue in Brooklyn, it is served by the A train at all times, and the southern terminal for the C train, at all times except late nights...
.
Station listing
| Station | Services | Opened | Transfers and notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| splits from the IND Fulton Street Line IND Fulton Street Line The IND Fulton Street Line is a rapid transit line of the IND Division of the New York City Subway, extending from the Cranberry Street Tunnel under the East River through all of central Brooklyn to a terminus in Ozone Park, Queens. The IND Rockaway Line branches from it. It forms part of the A... |
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| Aqueduct Racetrack Aqueduct Racetrack (IND Rockaway Line) Aqueduct Racetrack is a station on the IND Rockaway Line of the New York City Subway. Located on the west side of Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens, it is served by northbound A trains but is open only on racing days from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.... |
June 28, 1956 (subway) | Single side platform for northbound service only, and only when racetrack is open | ||
| Aqueduct – North Conduit Avenue | June 28, 1956 (subway) | |||
| Howard Beach – JFK Airport | June 28, 1956 (subway) | Connection to 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... |
||
| Broad Channel Broad Channel (IND Rockaway Line) Broad Channel is a station on the IND Rockaway Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Noel Road and West Road in the Broad Channel neighborhood of the borough of Queens, it is served by the A train and the Rockaway Park Shuttle at all times, the latter of which terminates here.-History and... |
June 28, 1956 (subway) | |||
| Hammels Wye splits to Far Rockaway Branch & Rockaway Park Branch with a connecting track between the two branches (No Regular Service) |
||||
| Far Rockaway Branch | ||||
| Beach 67th Street Beach 67th Street (IND Rockaway Line) Beach 67th Street, sometimes referred as Beach 67th Street – Arverne By The Sea, is a station on the IND Rockaway Line of the New York City Subway. It is served by the A train at all times. There are two tracks and two side platforms.... |
June 28, 1956 (subway) | |||
| Beach 60th Street Beach 60th Street (IND Rockaway Line) Beach 60th Street, sometimes called Beach 60th Street – Straiton Avenue, is a station on the IND Rockaway Line of the New York City Subway. Located in Queens on the Rockaway Freeway at Beach 60th Street, it is served by the A train at all times. There are two tracks and two side platforms... |
June 28, 1956 (subway) | |||
| Beach 44th Street Beach 44th Street (IND Rockaway Line) Beach 44th Street, sometimes referred as Beach 44th Street – Frank Avenue, is a station on the IND Rockaway Line of the New York City Subway. It is served by the A train at all times. There are two tracks and two side platforms... |
June 28, 1956 (subway) | |||
| Beach 36th Street Beach 36th Street (IND Rockaway Line) Beach 36th Street, sometimes referred as Beach 36th Street – Edgemere, is a station on the IND Rockaway Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Beach 36th Street and Rockaway Freeway in Edgemere, Queens, it is served by the A train at all times.This elevated station has two... |
June 28, 1956 (subway) | |||
| Beach 25th Street Beach 25th Street (IND Rockaway Line) Beach 25th Street, also known as Beach 25th Street – Wavecrest, is a station on the IND Rockaway Line of the New York City Subway, located in Queens on the Rockaway Freeway at Beach 25th Street. It is served by the A train at all times... |
June 28, 1956 (subway) | |||
| Far Rockaway – Mott Avenue | January 16, 1958 (subway) | Connection to 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... at Far Rockaway Far Rockaway (LIRR station) Far Rockaway is the terminus of the Long Island Rail Road's Far Rockaway Branch in the Far Rockaway neighborhood of Queens in New York City... |
||
| Rockaway Park Branch | ||||
| Beach 90th Street Beach 90th Street (IND Rockaway Line) Beach 90th Street, sometimes called Beach 90th Street – Holland, is a station on the IND Rockaway Line of the New York City Subway. It is served by the Rockaway Park Shuttle at all times and ten daily rush-hour only A trains.... |
June 28, 1956 (subway) | |||
| Beach 98th Street Beach 98th Street (IND Rockaway Line) Beach 98th Street, sometimes referred as Beach 98th Street – Playland, is a station on the IND Rockaway Line of the New York City Subway. It is served by the Rockaway Park Shuttle at all times and ten daily rush-hour only A trains.... |
June 28, 1956 (subway) | |||
| Beach 105th Street Beach 105th Street (IND Rockaway Line) Beach 105th Street, sometimes referred as Beach 105th Street – Seaside, is a station on the IND Rockaway Line of the New York City Subway, located at Beach 105th Street on the Rockaway Freeway in Queens... |
June 28, 1956 (subway) | |||
| Rockaway Park – Beach 116th Street | June 28, 1956 (subway) | |||