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Long Island City (LIRR station)
Encyclopedia
Long Island City is a rail terminal of the Long Island Rail Road
in Long Island City, Queens
. Within the City Terminal Zone
and located at Borden Avenue and 2nd Street, it is the westernmost LIRR station in Queens and the end of both the Main Line and the Montauk Branch
. The station is wheelchair accessible.
The station is served only during weekday rush hours in the peak direction (to Long Island City in the morning, from Long Island City in the evening) by diesel trains. Trains normally run through from the Oyster Bay
, Montauk, or Port Jefferson
Branches via Hunterspoint Avenue
. One train a day runs via the Lower Montauk Branch, a westbound from Oyster Bay.
, and an office building owned by the LIRR burned down. The station was rebuilt on April 26, 1903, and was electrified on June 16, 1910.
Before the East River Tunnels
were built, the Long Island City station served as the terminus for Manhattan-bound passengers from Long Island, who took ferries to the East Side of Manhattan. The passenger ferry service was abandoned on March 3, 1925, although freight was carried by car float
s (see Gantry Plaza State Park
) to and from Manhattan until the middle twentieth century. Today ferry service is operated by NY Waterway
.
s. All three platforms are two cars long and are accessible from Borden Avenue, just west of Fifth Street. There are 14 tracks, the tracks with no platforms being used for train storage.
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 Long Island City, Queens
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...
. Within the 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...
and located at Borden Avenue and 2nd Street, it is the westernmost LIRR station in Queens and the end of both the Main Line 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...
. The station is wheelchair accessible.
The station is served only during weekday rush hours in the peak direction (to Long Island City in the morning, from Long Island City in the evening) by diesel trains. Trains normally run through from the Oyster Bay
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:...
, Montauk, or Port Jefferson
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...
Branches via Hunterspoint Avenue
Hunterspoint Avenue (LIRR station)
Hunterspoint Avenue is a Long Island Rail Road train station within the City Terminal Zone on the Main Line. It is at Hunters Point Avenue and Skillman Avenue in Long Island City, Queens...
. One train a day runs via the Lower Montauk Branch, a westbound from Oyster Bay.
History
Long Island City station was built on June 26, 1854, and was rebuilt seven times during the 19th Century. On December 18, 1902, both the two-story station buildingStation building
A station building, also known as a head house, is the main building of a passenger train station. It is typically used principally to provide services to passengers.A station building is not to be confused with the station itself...
, and an office building owned by the LIRR burned down. The station was rebuilt on April 26, 1903, and was electrified on June 16, 1910.
Before 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...
were built, the Long Island City station served as the terminus for Manhattan-bound passengers from Long Island, who took ferries to the East Side of Manhattan. The passenger ferry service was abandoned on March 3, 1925, although freight was carried by car float
Car float
A railroad car float or rail barge is an unpowered barge with rail tracks mounted on its deck. It is used to move railroad cars across water obstacles, or to locations they could not otherwise go, and is pushed by a towboat or towed by a tugboat...
s (see Gantry Plaza State Park
Gantry Plaza State Park
Gantry Plaza State Park is a state park on the East River in the Hunter's Point section of Long Island City, in the New York City borough of Queens.The park first opened in May 1998 and was expanded in July 2009...
) to and from Manhattan until the middle twentieth century. Today ferry service is operated by NY Waterway
NY Waterway
NY Waterway, or New York Waterway, is a private transportation company running ferry and bus service in the Port of New York and New Jersey and in the Hudson Valley...
.
Platforms and tracks
This station has two concrete high-level island platformIsland platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
s. All three platforms are two cars long and are accessible from Borden Avenue, just west of Fifth Street. There are 14 tracks, the tracks with no platforms being used for train storage.