Google earth, LIRR and Stewart Ave

So since I got Google earth (whick I recommend to all of you, at least the free version) its great to see the tracks and aerials as they are on LI.

I'm so used to seeing track sheets and diagrams but the real thing is quite informative. Have a look if you havent yet.

So I have a question about the circus train. When it comes to Long Island, where exactly does it go and what roads to the animals and crew traverse to get to the coliseum? Was hoping to get a better perspective on google earth.


Lastly, for any one studying to be trainmen, its a great tool. (maybe google ought to pay me for that plug )

regards, Mario

I agree with your comments on Google-Earth, a nice internet tool. The free version can vary on how good the satellite images are. I did my last yard in Long Island City and was not happy with the picture.

By the way when the circus goes to NYC at MSG. Long Island City stores the performers sleeper cars on four of our tracks and stores a bunch of others up in Hunterspoint Ave. station.

Find the Hempstead line, follow it east. You'll see at a certain point a track starts curving south and another continues straight. Follow the straight one to the first ROAD crossing(there's a parking lot crossing first). The train stores from the right of that crossing all the way to the end of the tracks.

I recently downloaded the Google Earth "Widget" and was putting in addresses that I was interested in and was amaized at the clarity of the satalite images. While looking at my old neighborhood (Queens), I noticed the subway bridge over Jamaica Bay and zoomed in. From the images you can follow the old Rockaway Beach line right to Rego Park, It's amaizing, you can follow the ROW, clear as day, from the race track all the way back to the main line. At Atlantic Ave you can see where the tracks connected to the Atlantic Ave line even though there are a zillion yellow school busses parked there. After seeing this I will never understand why it wasn't used to access the airport, it's as direct as direct can be. Sorry I diverted from the Circus Train, but the "Google Earth" caught my eye.

jacksons wrote:After seeing this I will never understand why it wasn't used to access the airport, it's as direct as direct can be. Sorry I diverted from the Circus Train, but the "Google Earth" caught my eye.

Simply Politics - the ROW was perfect either for Commuter Rail or Subway access (or both - say commuter rail on the east, subway on the west of the ROW, seperated by a fence for FRA compliance) - going from Rockaway to a central terminal in JFK (ala Chicago's Blue line at O'Hare) served perhaps by an airtrain-like people mover (or monorail like Newark Liberty). So, physically no problems...
Alas, the people of Rego Park whined and whined, and the timid little politicians caved, and so now we have the incompatible w/ subway or commuter rail AirTrain. There have been many threads on this lost opportunity, and I still don't see how we can kick any butts of the people who botched this up...

thanks for the tip. I'm looking for it right now.

Such a great tool. I am always looking for fresh perspectives, as I will be designing an LIRR like layout with concepts of hte richmond hill. morris park area.

My only gripe is that the photo is not pre-DM