Elmhurst Station Past Present and Future (Reopening)

Doc Emmet Brown wrote:No joke, before I worked for the RR, I worked for a couple of insurance companes. To go from bayside to Lower manhattan on the bus and subway was an hour and a half to 2 hours.
Number 2 or 3, then the LIRR? 40 minutes. I did not make much, so when i had nothing planned after work i took the bus and subway. When I had to get home to go out after work i took the RR. Used to have ten trip tickets.

Those were probably the days before free transfers with MetroCards, so transfers between bus and subway cost an additional token (double fare). Eastern Queens (and SI) residents welcome the free transfers when MetroCard was rolled out systemwide.

Though there may be track capacity issues both on the branch and in western terminals. Could (2) either 8 or 10 car lay up tracks be added at Bayside team yard?
If so could this increase capacity by making trains local to Bayside, then flyers that make Bayside first to either Great Neck or through to Port Wash.
If the room is available in addition to the equipment and track capacity, This could resolve the passenger load issue and improve service on the branch in general with or with out reopening Elmhurst.
Based on current operations Shea extras can lay up in Bayside instead of plugging the layup at Neck or a track at Port Wash.
Are they also restoring the old Shea platforms?

Several years ago, the Railroad examined adding layups at Bayside to increase capacity from City stations.

The idea was scuttled as additional capacity at Penn Station isn't available to support the plan. There is also a sentiment in the MTA "family" that the Railroad should not be serving riders in New York City, as this duplicates already available bus and subway service.

Finally, costs were astronomical, and the City wasn't interested in supporting the plan financially.

I figured the space in Penn may be troublesome but after ESA it might have been possible.

imo, mta should restore basic service that was eliminated not to long ago.(overnite bklyn,weekend greenport,train 2712) before pie in the sky stuff.where is the political complaining about bklyn? a politician wants a new station in elmhurst but the lirr is not providing service to stations that already exist!

To resurrect that station, would take millions of dollars. However, it could be erected cheaply, if only someone in charge had the brains ans the guts. Do not use a contractor. Use the employees. That railroad employs everyone from the building trades. All it takes is supports and concrete and steel and wiring and plumbing and signs.

R36 Combine Coach wrote:Congressman Crowley and and Councilman Dromm think so.

“Reopening the Elmhurst Station will go a long way toward revitalizing the Elmhurst community and growing Queens’ economy,” said Crowley. “This is more than an investment in improving residents’ commutes; it’s about making Elmhurst a destination for all New Yorkers and visitors. Councilman Dromm and I are joining forces in calling on the LIRR to join us in making this idea a reality. The truth is Elmhurst residents already endure the noise and inconvenience of a train running through their neighborhood, why shouldn’t they enjoy the benefits of it becoming an integral part of the neighborhood?”

The Elmhurst Station, which sits on the Port Washington Branch, helped the communities of Elmhurst and East Elmhurst grow and thrive by opening up access to Midtown Manhattan. The station was closed due to a reported decrease in ridership following significant changes to train schedules that made the station unattractive to commuters. Since the station’s closure, Elmhurst’s growing population has suffered from a lack of efficient public transit into Manhattan. Reopening the Elmhurst Station will increase residents’ access to Midtown, help create jobs in the community, and provide an economic boost to the many small businesses in the area.

To resurrect that station, would take millions of dollars. However, it could be erected cheaply, if only someone in charge had the brains ans the guts. Do not use a contractor. Use the employees. That railroad employs everyone from the building trades

Regarding bayside, for a short time they ran an equipment train to bayside and had it turn at the crossover east of bayside, and come west making bayside the first stop. Did not prove to be feasable, buy the time the crew changed ends and were ready to go they were knocking out westbounds.
then they ran it to great neck and had it turn there.
Dont know if that train still runs. Anything out of Great neck that makes bayside the first stop these days?

Nothing from Bayside, there are a couple from Great Neck.

Has anyone else seen the posting on the Facebook page that says the LIRR is conducting a survey to see about the potential for reopening Elmhurst?

I've heard rumours on occasion of reopening Elmhurst at some point to boos intra-city travel, bit I'm not sure if there's been anything concrete about it.

LRail wrote:Has anyone else seen the posting on the Facebook page that says the LIRR is conducting a survey to see about the potential for reopening Elmhurst?

I've seen it on the news. They are going to be conducting a survey with the local residents and businesses in the area. They had a press conference a couple of weeks ago. The whole project to reopen Elmhurst is estimated to cost 30 million dollars.

I don't see it being used much for intra-city travel (at least between Elmhurst and points west), especially outside of City Ticket hours. I do, however, see the opportunity for lots of travel between Elmhurst and points east on the PW branch. I see lots of folks getting off at Flushing on wb off peak trains, especially on the weekends. Whether it's actually worth it though to reopen the station when you can already catch a 7 train to Woodside or Flushing and connect there to the PW line is up for debate. It provides a one seat ride, but do we really want to start re-opening stations in corridors already covered by the subway on both ends?

If the people want it then I don't see the RR turning down demand.A one seat ride to either Penn Station or Grand Central could be appealing to the local residents. Or people from west to Elmhurst or from the east could get off to shop at one of the two malls. I don't think the local pols would be bothering the RR for nothing.

I wrote a little bit about the former Elmhurst station, its demise, and the idea of reopening it on my site: http://thelirrtoday.blogspot.com/2013/0 ... ation.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;