Valley Stream (LIRR station)
Encyclopedia
Valley Stream is a station
on the Long Island Rail Road
's Atlantic Branch serving the residents of Valley Stream
, and is the first station (traveling eastbound) in Nassau County
. The station is located at Franklin Avenue and Sunrise Highway, west of Rockaway Avenue, and is 17.7 miles (28.5 km) from Penn Station
in Midtown Manhattan
via the Atlantic Branch east of Jamaica. The station is wheelchair accessible
with an elevator
from street level; parking facilities and taxis are available.
, and was built as a Swiss chalet style
station house inside the legs of an old wye. It also served customers of the Southern Hempstead Branch
which was built by the short-lived New York and Hempstead Plains Railroad between 1871 and 1900. Along with the rest of the SSRRLI, the station was acquired by the Long Island Rail Road
in 1889. In 1893 the station began to serve trains along the West Hempstead Branch
. When Nassau County separated from Queens
in 1899, Valley Stream station became the first station in Nassau County along the Montauk Branch. The station was electrified with the rest of the Far Rockaway Branch on December 11, 1905, and the Long Beach Branch
was extended from Lynbrook Station
in 1910 and became an extension of the Atlantic Branch.
In 1933, the original station was razed as part of a grade elimination project that was occurring along the Montauk, Atlantic, and Babylon Branches throughout the mid-20th Century. Prior to this, a temporary station was relocated on a shoo-fly north of the former station on August 10, 1932, then moved to another one south of the former station on August 31 of the same year. The third elevated center-island structure that exists today was opened north of the former location on February 7, 1933, and although the wye was removed as part of the reconstruction, it remained on many maps well into the late-20th Century, and continues to be shown on some in the present.
) have no platform and are used by trains on the Babylon
, Montauk
and West Hempstead
Branches that bypass this station. An eight-car long island platform
is between the two south tracks, Tracks 1 and 2, of what is officially called the Atlantic Branch. These tracks are mostly used by trains of the Far Rockaway
and Long Beach
branches, and as a terminal
for those West Hempstead Branch
trains that terminate/originate at Valley Stream. In addition (as of September 2011), Tracks 1 and 2 are used by the three weekday Babylon Branch trains (two eastbound and one westbound) that stop at Valley Stream between 11:02pm and 5:20am, and the two weekend Babylon Branch trains (one eastbound and one westbound) that stop at Valley Stream around 2am. The two weekend Babylon Branch weekend trains stop at Valley Stream mainly to pick up passengers from late-night Far Rockaway – Valley Stream shuttle trains.
At the east end of the station the Atlantic Branch designation ends: the two tracks become the Long Beach Branch
continuing east to Lynbrook
and Long Beach, while the Far Rockaway Branch
curves south toward Far Rockaway
in New York City
.
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...
on 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...
's Atlantic Branch serving the residents of Valley Stream
Valley Stream, New York
Valley Stream is a village in Nassau County, New York in the United States. The population in the village of Valley Stream was 37,511 at the 2010 census...
, and is the first station (traveling eastbound) in 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...
. The station is located at Franklin Avenue and Sunrise Highway, west of Rockaway Avenue, and is 17.7 miles (28.5 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
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
via the Atlantic Branch east of Jamaica. The station is wheelchair accessible
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is a law that was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1990. It was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H. W. Bush, and later amended with changes effective January 1, 2009....
with an elevator
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
from street level; parking facilities and taxis are available.
History
The first Valley Stream station was built by the South Side Railroad of Long Island on October 28, 1867. The station house itself opened in July 1869 with the opening of the Far Rockaway BranchFar 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 was built as a Swiss chalet style
Swiss chalet style
Swiss chalet style is an architectural style inspired by the chalets of Switzerland. The style originated in Germany in the early 19th century and was popular in parts of Europe and North America, notably in the architecture of Norway, the country house architecture of Sweden, Cincinnati, Ohio,...
station house inside the legs of an old wye. It also served customers of the Southern Hempstead Branch
Southern Hempstead Branch
The Southern Hempstead Branch was a branch of the Long Island Rail Road from Valley Stream to Hempstead. It was established in 1870 and abandoned in May 1879, and is not the same route as the current West Hempstead Branch....
which was built by the short-lived New York and Hempstead Plains Railroad between 1871 and 1900. Along with the rest of the SSRRLI, the station was acquired by 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...
in 1889. In 1893 the station began to serve trains along 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...
. When Nassau County separated from 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....
in 1899, Valley Stream station became the first station in Nassau County along the Montauk Branch. The station was electrified with the rest of the Far Rockaway Branch on December 11, 1905, and the Long Beach Branch
Long Beach Branch
The Long Beach 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, at Valley Stream station, where the Atlantic Branch tracks from the west are redesignated Long Beach Branch and the...
was extended from Lynbrook Station
Lynbrook (LIRR station)
Lynbrook is a train station in Lynbrook, New York at Sunrise Highway and Peninsula Boulevard on the Long Island Rail Road. The station is elevated and is wheelchair accessible through elevator access.-History:...
in 1910 and became an extension of the Atlantic Branch.
In 1933, the original station was razed as part of a grade elimination project that was occurring along the Montauk, Atlantic, and Babylon Branches throughout the mid-20th Century. Prior to this, a temporary station was relocated on a shoo-fly north of the former station on August 10, 1932, then moved to another one south of the former station on August 31 of the same year. The third elevated center-island structure that exists today was opened north of the former location on February 7, 1933, and although the wye was removed as part of the reconstruction, it remained on many maps well into the late-20th Century, and continues to be shown on some in the present.
Platform and tracks
Four tracks pass the station, but the two north ones (the Montauk BranchMontauk 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...
) have no platform and are used by trains on the Babylon
Babylon Branch
The Babylon Branch is a rail service operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The term refers to the trains serving Montauk Branch stations from Valley Stream east to Babylon. The Babylon Branch is a rail service operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of...
, Montauk
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...
and West Hempstead
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...
Branches that bypass this station. An eight-car long island platform
Island 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...
is between the two south tracks, Tracks 1 and 2, of what is officially called the Atlantic Branch. These tracks are mostly used by trains of 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 Long Beach
Long Beach Branch
The Long Beach 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, at Valley Stream station, where the Atlantic Branch tracks from the west are redesignated Long Beach Branch and the...
branches, and as a terminal
Terminal Station
Terminal Station is a 1953 film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman. The film was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Production:...
for those 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...
trains that terminate/originate at Valley Stream. In addition (as of September 2011), Tracks 1 and 2 are used by the three weekday Babylon Branch trains (two eastbound and one westbound) that stop at Valley Stream between 11:02pm and 5:20am, and the two weekend Babylon Branch trains (one eastbound and one westbound) that stop at Valley Stream around 2am. The two weekend Babylon Branch weekend trains stop at Valley Stream mainly to pick up passengers from late-night Far Rockaway – Valley Stream shuttle trains.
At the east end of the station the Atlantic Branch designation ends: the two tracks become the Long Beach Branch
Long Beach Branch
The Long Beach 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, at Valley Stream station, where the Atlantic Branch tracks from the west are redesignated Long Beach Branch and the...
continuing east to Lynbrook
Lynbrook, New York
Lynbrook is a village in Nassau County, New York, USA. The population was 19,427 at the 2010 census. The Village of Lynbrook is inside the Town of Hempstead. The Village of Lynbrook's current mayor is William Hendrick....
and Long Beach, while the Far Rockaway Branch
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,...
curves south toward Far Rockaway
Far Rockaway, Queens
Far Rockaway is a neighborhood on the Rockaway Peninsula in the New York City borough of Queens in the United States. It is the easternmost section of the Rockaways. The neighborhood starts at the Nassau County line and extends west to Beach 32nd Street. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community...
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...
.
