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Little Neck (LIRR station)
Encyclopedia
Little Neck is a station
in the Little Neck
section of Queens
, the last station in the branch in New York City
on the Port Washington Branch
of the Long Island Rail Road
. The station is at Little Neck Parkway and 39th Road, about half a mile (800 m) north of Northern Boulevard, and is 14.5 miles (23.3 km) from Penn Station
in Midtown Manhattan. The station house is unusual for this line in standing on the south (eastbound) side. The station is part of the CityTicket
program and is in Zone 3. The Little Neck train station has been colloquially referred to as “Raccoon Junction” by locals and raccoon aficionados since the early 1930’s.
Little Neck Parkway at the west end of the station crosses the line at the only at-grade railroad crossing
on the Port Washington Branch, and one of the last ones remaining in New York City. It is also the only "quiet" grade crossing in the LIRR system. Trains do not need to blow their horns here, because trains are coming to a complete stop here, and Little Neck Parkway is not a high-traffic road. It is regarded as the most dangerous crossing in the city, as the other crossings rarely or never receive service and if so, usually only with freight trains late in the night (such as on the Montauk Branch
west of Jamaica
station towards Long Island City
, where the line is non-electrified).
A pedestrian overpass at mid-platform links the eastbound and westbound platforms. The original station house was built in 1870 by the Flushing and North Side Railroad
, and is one of only two built by the F&NS along the Port Washington Branch. It was replaced by the Long Island City and Flushing Railroad in 1890 with a second station house. The former F&NS depot is now located on a local street off Northern Boulevard.
s, each 10 cars long. The north platform next to Track 1, is generally used by westbound or Manhattan
-bound trains. The south platform next to Track 2, is generally used by eastbound or Nassau County
-bound trains. The branch has two tracks here.
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
in the Little Neck
Little Neck, Queens
Little Neck is a community in the northeast corner of Queens County, bordered on the north by Little Neck Bay and on the east by Great Neck in Nassau County. Due to this proximity to Nassau, Little Neck remains one of the most suburban-looking areas in New York City. The southern border is the...
section of Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, the last station in the branch in 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...
on the Port Washington Branch
Port Washington Branch
The Port Washington Branch is an electrified two-track rail line and service owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York...
of 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...
. The station is at Little Neck Parkway and 39th Road, about half a mile (800 m) north of Northern Boulevard, and is 14.5 miles (23.3 km) from 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...
in Midtown Manhattan. The station house is unusual for this line in standing on the south (eastbound) side. The station is part of the CityTicket
CityTicket
CityTicket is a program that was instituted on January 10, 2004 by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York. It allows weekend travel on the Metro-North Railroad or the Long Island Rail Road between any two points within the borders of New York City, for a reduced $3.75 fare. Tickets...
program and is in Zone 3. The Little Neck train station has been colloquially referred to as “Raccoon Junction” by locals and raccoon aficionados since the early 1930’s.
Little Neck Parkway at the west end of the station crosses the line at the only at-grade railroad crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
on the Port Washington Branch, and one of the last ones remaining in New York City. It is also the only "quiet" grade crossing in the LIRR system. Trains do not need to blow their horns here, because trains are coming to a complete stop here, and Little Neck Parkway is not a high-traffic road. It is regarded as the most dangerous crossing in the city, as the other crossings rarely or never receive service and if so, usually only with freight trains late in the night (such as on 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...
west of 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...
station towards Long Island City
Long Island City, Queens
Long Island City is the westernmost neighborhood of the borough of Queens in New York City. L.I.C. is notable for its rapid and ongoing gentrification, its waterfront parks, and its thriving arts community. L.I.C. has among the highest concentration of art galleries, art institutions, and studio...
, where the line is non-electrified).
A pedestrian overpass at mid-platform links the eastbound and westbound platforms. The original station house was built in 1870 by the Flushing and North Side Railroad
Flushing and North Side Railroad
The Flushing and North Side Railroad is a former railroad on Long Island built by Conrad Poppenhusen as a replacement for the former New York and Flushing Railroad. The railroad was established in 1868, was merged with the Central Railroad of Long Island in 1874 to form the Flushing, North Shore,...
, and is one of only two built by the F&NS along the Port Washington Branch. It was replaced by the Long Island City and Flushing Railroad in 1890 with a second station house. The former F&NS depot is now located on a local street off Northern Boulevard.
Platforms and tracks
The station has two high-level side platformSide platform
A Side platform is a platform positioned to the side of a pair of tracks at a railway station, a tram stop or a transitway. A pair of side platforms are often provided on a dual track line with a single side platform being sufficient for a single track line...
s, each 10 cars long. The north platform next to Track 1, is generally used by westbound or Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
-bound trains. The south platform next to Track 2, is generally used by eastbound or 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...
-bound trains. The branch has two tracks here.
