1891 map of the arrangement of Woodhaven Junction.
The station was first opened by the LIRR in the 1880s for the Rockaway Beach Branch (then known as the New York, Woodhaven and Rockaway Railroad),[2][7] and in 1893 for the Atlantic Branch.
Renovation
Beginning in May 1940, both stations were rebuilt when the Atlantic Branch was grade separated and placed in a tunnel. The elevated Rockaway Beach station opened in September 1941, while the underground Atlantic Branch station opened for service on December 28, 1942.[5]
Decline and closing
In the early expansion plans of the city's Independent Subway System in the 1930s, the Rockaway Beach Branch was planned to be absorbed into the new subway, which would have turned the Woodhaven elevated station into a stop on the IND Queens Boulevard Line or a new Queens crosstown line.[8][9][10] In 1950, the Rockaway Beach Branch south of the Howard Beach station had closed after the trestle on Jamaica Bay between The Raunt and Broad Channel Stations was destroyed by a fire. The city purchased the entire line in 1955, but only the portion south of Liberty Avenue was reactivated for subway service.[11]
Ridership declined on the remaining portion of the LIRR Rockaway Beach Branch, and fewer trains were scheduled to stop at Woodhaven on the Atlantic Branch.[2] Passengers who would normally use the station had to ride buses to the next nearest stations. The elevated station of the Rockaway Beach Branch closed first on June 8, 1962, along with the rest of the Rockaway Beach Branch.[2][12][13]
The underground station of the Atlantic Branch closed on January 7, 1977 due to vandalism and declining ridership. At the time, only two trains, one in each direction, stopped at Woodhaven. Most lights at the station had been broken by thrown beer bottles and rocks, and the walls were covered with graffiti and were filthy. LIRR President Robert Pattison said the station was a popular hangout spot for neighborhood vandals.[1]
The elevated station, located on a trestle adjacent to 100th Street, was built with two concrete high-level side platforms, with staircases down to the street and the Atlantic Branch on either side of Atlantic Avenue. The underground station's design resembled an Independent Subway station, with tile work of the same design; the name mosaic reads "Woodhaven." South of the elevated station was a two-track wye, curving northwest from the Rockaway branch to merge with the Atlantic branch west of its station at about 96th Street.[5][14]
Woodhaven Junction is one of two stations on the abandoned Rockaway Beach Branch still standing (the other being Ozone Park),[2][12] while the underground Atlantic Branch station is still visible from passing trains. The now-abandoned LIRR substation is present on the south side of Atlantic Avenue west of the elevated line.[2] The northern staircases to the elevated station are still visible. The former track junction and part of the Rockaway Branch right-of-way south to 97th Avenue has been paved over and is used as a school bus depot for the Logan Bus Company; the ramp and tunnel portal of the wye have been filled in.[14]
References
^ abcNassivera, Joan (December 29, 1976). "LIRR Ending Service To Woodhaven Jan. 7". Newsday. Hempstead, New York. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
^ abcdefgBresiger, Gregory (July 18, 2012). "The Trains Stopped Running Here 50 Years Ago". qgazette.com. Queens Gazette. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
^Bob Emery Maps; Woodhaven Junction to Ozone Park (Unofficial LIRR History Site)
^. Archived from the original on April 8, 2010. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
"NEW RAIL TUNNEL TO OPEN MONDAY; First Trains for Public to Run in the Underground Route in Atlantic Ave". No. December 26, 1942. New York Times Company. December 26, 1942. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
"ATLANTIC AVE. TUBE OPEN; First Long Island Train Passes Through at 2:47 A. M." No. December 28, 1942. New York Times Company. December 28, 1942. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
"Tunnel Opened on Atlantic Avenue for L.I. Trains; Project Eliminates 20 Hazardous Grade Crossings in Its Run" (PDF). No. December 31, 1942. Leader Observer (Queens/Brooklyn, NY). December 31, 1942. p. 1. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
"First Completed Atlantic Ave. Tube Job Is Inspected: Commissioners Tour Woodhaven Section in 24 Million Project". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. September 10, 1941. p. 3. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
^"Transit Officials Inspect New Tube Under Atlantic Avenue". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. December 30, 1941. p. 3. Retrieved August 18, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Auction Sale at Rockaway Beach: Tuesday, May 20, 1884". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. May 10, 1884. p. 3. Retrieved August 18, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^Roger P. Roess; Gene Sansone (August 23, 2012). The Wheels That Drove New York: A History of the New York City Transit System. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 416–417. ISBN978-3-642-30484-2.
^"City Board Votes New Subway Links". The New York Times. March 19, 1937. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
^Martin, Douglas (November 17, 1996). "Subway Planners' Lofty Ambitions Are Buried as Dead-End Curiosities". The New York Times. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
^Freeman, Ira Henry (June 28, 1956). "Rockaway Trains to Operate Today" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
^ abDunlap, David W. (July 30, 2014). "Clashing Visions for Old Rail Bed (Just Don't Call It the High Line of Queens)". The New York Times. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
^"An Era Ends at 6:09: Last Train Rides Forgotten Spur". Long Island Star-Journal. Fultonhistory.com. June 8, 1962. p. 11. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ ab"Logan Bus Company" (PDF). LaGuardia Community College. Office of the Mayor of New York City. 1998. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Woodhaven Junction (LIRR station).
Abandoned Stations - Woodhaven (Joseph Brennan)
Former Rockaway Beach Branch, including Woodhaven Station (Forgotten New York)
The Former Woodhaven Station (The LIRR Today)
Site of the former Woodhaven Junction LIRR station (Road and Rail Pictures)
March 12, 2023
woodhaven, junction, station, confused, with, woodhaven, station, also, atlantic, branch, woodhaven, junction, station, complex, atlantic, branch, rockaway, beach, branch, long, island, rail, road, located, atlantic, avenue, between, 98th, 100th, streets, wood. Not to be confused with Woodhaven station also on the Atlantic Branch Woodhaven Junction was a station complex on the Atlantic Branch and Rockaway Beach Branch of the Long Island Rail Road located at Atlantic Avenue between 98th and 100th Streets in Woodhaven Queens New York City 6 The elevated Rockaway Beach station was closed in 1962 along with the rest of the branch 2 while the underground Atlantic Branch station was closed and abandoned on January 7 1977 1 Woodhaven JunctionFormer Woodhaven Junction station siteGeneral informationLocationAtlantic Avenue and 100th StreetWoodhaven Queens New YorkCoordinates40 41 22 N 73 50 39 6 W 40 68944 N 73 844333 W 40 68944 73 844333 Coordinates 40 41 22 N 73 50 39 6 W 40 68944 N 73 844333 W 40 68944 73 844333Owned byLong Island Rail RoadLine s Atlantic Branch and Rockaway Beach BranchPlatforms4 side platforms 2 on each level Tracks4 2 on each level Other informationStation codeNoneFare zone1HistoryOpened1881 Rockaway Beach elevated 2 3 1893 1895 Atlantic street level 4 ClosedJune 8 1962 Rockaway Beach elevated January 7 1977 Atlantic underground 1 RebuiltDecember 28 1942 Atlantic underground 5 Electrified1905Other servicesPreceding station Long Island Rail Road Following stationFormer servicesWoodhaven Atlantic Branch ClarencevilleFormer servicesPreceding station Long IslandRail Road Following stationBrooklyn Manortoward Woodside Rockaway Beach Division Ozone Parktoward Gibson or Rockaway ParkBrooklyn Hills before 1911 toward Glendale Contents 1 History 1 1 Early history 1 2 Renovation 1 3 Decline and closing 2 Station layout 3 References 4 External linksHistory EditEarly history Edit 1891 map of the arrangement of Woodhaven Junction The station was first opened by the LIRR in the 1880s for the Rockaway Beach Branch then known as the New York Woodhaven and Rockaway Railroad 2 7 and in 1893 for the Atlantic Branch Renovation Edit Beginning in May 1940 both stations were rebuilt when the Atlantic Branch was grade separated and placed in a tunnel The elevated Rockaway Beach station opened in September 1941 while the underground Atlantic Branch station opened for service on December 28 1942 5 Decline and closing Edit In the early expansion plans of the city s Independent Subway System in the 1930s the Rockaway Beach Branch was planned to be absorbed into the new subway which would have turned the Woodhaven elevated station into a stop on the IND Queens Boulevard Line or a new Queens crosstown line 8 9 10 In 1950 the Rockaway Beach Branch south of the Howard Beach station had closed after the trestle on Jamaica Bay between The Raunt and Broad Channel Stations was destroyed by a fire The city purchased the entire line in 1955 but only the portion south of Liberty Avenue was reactivated for subway service 11 Ridership declined on the remaining portion of the LIRR Rockaway Beach Branch and fewer trains were scheduled to stop at Woodhaven on the Atlantic Branch 2 Passengers who would normally use the station had to ride buses to the next nearest stations The elevated station of the Rockaway Beach Branch closed first on June 8 1962 along with the rest of the Rockaway Beach Branch 2 12 13 The underground station of the Atlantic Branch closed on January 7 1977 due to vandalism and declining ridership At the time only two trains one in each direction stopped at Woodhaven Most lights at the station had been broken by thrown beer bottles and rocks and the walls were covered with graffiti and were filthy LIRR President Robert Pattison said the station was a popular hangout spot for neighborhood vandals 1 Station layout Edit1FFormer Rockaway Branch platform Side platform not in useNorthbound TrackbedSouthbound TrackbedSide platform not in useG Street Level Exit underpassB1Former Atlantic Branch platform level Side platform not in serviceWestbound Atlantic Branch City Terminal Zone does not stop here East New York is the next operating passenger stop Eastbound Atlantic Branch City Terminal Zone does not stop here Jamaica is the next operating passenger stop Side platform not in serviceThe elevated station located on a trestle adjacent to 100th Street was built with two concrete high level side platforms with staircases down to the street and the Atlantic Branch on either side of Atlantic Avenue The underground station s design resembled an Independent Subway station with tile work of the same design the name mosaic reads Woodhaven South of the elevated station was a two track wye curving northwest from the Rockaway branch to merge with the Atlantic branch west of its station at about 96th Street 5 14 Woodhaven Junction is one of two stations on the abandoned Rockaway Beach Branch still standing the other being Ozone Park 2 12 while the underground Atlantic Branch station is still visible from passing trains The now abandoned LIRR substation is present on the south side of Atlantic Avenue west of the elevated line 2 The northern staircases to the elevated station are still visible The former track junction and part of the Rockaway Branch right of way south to 97th Avenue has been paved over and is used as a school bus depot for the Logan Bus Company the ramp and tunnel portal of the wye have been filled in 14 References Edit a b c Nassivera Joan December 29 1976 LIRR Ending Service To Woodhaven Jan 7 Newsday Hempstead New York Retrieved July 15 2021 a b c d e f g Bresiger Gregory July 18 2012 The Trains Stopped Running Here 50 Years Ago qgazette com Queens Gazette Retrieved July 3 2015 Bob Emery Maps Woodhaven Junction to Ozone Park Unofficial LIRR History Site LIRR Station History TrainsAreFun com Archived from the original on April 8 2010 Retrieved February 7 2010 a b c NEW RAIL TUNNEL TO OPEN MONDAY First Trains for Public to Run in the Underground Route in Atlantic Ave No December 26 1942 New York Times Company December 26 1942 Retrieved April 23 2015 ATLANTIC AVE TUBE OPEN First Long Island Train Passes Through at 2 47 A M No December 28 1942 New York Times Company December 28 1942 Retrieved April 23 2015 Tunnel Opened on Atlantic Avenue for L I Trains Project Eliminates 20 Hazardous Grade Crossings in Its Run PDF No December 31 1942 Leader Observer Queens Brooklyn NY December 31 1942 p 1 Retrieved April 23 2015 First Completed Atlantic Ave Tube Job Is Inspected Commissioners Tour Woodhaven Section in 24 Million Project Brooklyn Daily Eagle September 10 1941 p 3 Retrieved August 18 2015 Transit Officials Inspect New Tube Under Atlantic Avenue Brooklyn Daily Eagle December 30 1941 p 3 Retrieved August 18 2015 via Newspapers com Auction Sale at Rockaway Beach Tuesday May 20 1884 Brooklyn Daily Eagle May 10 1884 p 3 Retrieved August 18 2015 via Newspapers com Roger P Roess Gene Sansone August 23 2012 The Wheels That Drove New York A History of the New York City Transit System Springer Science amp Business Media pp 416 417 ISBN 978 3 642 30484 2 City Board Votes New Subway Links The New York Times March 19 1937 Retrieved July 3 2015 Martin Douglas November 17 1996 Subway Planners Lofty Ambitions Are Buried as Dead End Curiosities The New York Times Retrieved June 27 2015 Freeman Ira Henry June 28 1956 Rockaway Trains to Operate Today PDF The New York Times Retrieved June 29 2015 a b Dunlap David W July 30 2014 Clashing Visions for Old Rail Bed Just Don t Call It the High Line of Queens The New York Times Retrieved July 3 2015 An Era Ends at 6 09 Last Train Rides Forgotten Spur Long Island Star Journal Fultonhistory com June 8 1962 p 11 Retrieved August 18 2016 a b Logan Bus Company PDF LaGuardia Community College Office of the Mayor of New York City 1998 Retrieved August 18 2015 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Woodhaven Junction LIRR station Abandoned Stations Woodhaven Joseph Brennan Former Rockaway Beach Branch including Woodhaven Station Forgotten New York The Former Woodhaven Station The LIRR Today Site of the former Woodhaven Junction LIRR station Road and Rail Pictures Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Woodhaven Junction station amp oldid 1124755819, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
