Glen Street Platform

Why is the the platform at Glen Street Station on the Oyster Bay Branch so short (station capacity 1 car)? The other Oyster Bay Branch stations platform the entire train with double decker cars. Seems like the LIRR has the property to expand it to normal length. I don't recall the platform being short when they were low levels back in the 1980's.

I'm not exactly sure why the new platforms were built so short...I believe there were some design challenges associated with constructing the high platforms there. If I remember correctly, the LIRR wanted to close the station back in 1996 when it came time to build hi-levels--not because of low ridership but because constructing high platforms of a decent length would be too difficult. But the city whined and complained so the station remained open but it was given its stunted platforms we know today.

This is totally a guess, but maybe it has something to do with the curvature of the track in that location. The gap probably would've been too big (although Syosset is probably worse). Who knows.

I was over at that station a week ago late at night dropping off a friend at her car, and I noticed the old low level platforms are still there and in decent condition. Thought that was interesting. I would also guess that the RR just wanted to save money. The high levels look tiny, almost like a model rr station! My friend also says that it's annoying having to deal with the small platforms

The Community saved Glen Street station.. Due to it being on a curve and how close Sea Cliff and Glen Cove stations were to Glen Street it was on the list of stations to be shuttered. However the community stepped in and saved it. The railroad built a 1 car platform on what use to be about a six car platform.

Ridership at the station is pretty respectable, despite its size, drawing in roughly 500 passengers per weekday. The two neighboring stations (Glen Head and Sea Cliff) both see about 600-650 people on any given weekday. Not that far off.

Glen St is also right by a downtown.

Platform looks about as short as Pinelawn on the Main Line. Island Park and Syosset are built on curves, don't see why Glen ST would have been a problem.

As has been mentioned, Glen Street was a station that was supposed to be closed when high level platforms were constructed. There were challenges to put the platform on a curve, and this was before all of the gap issues that came afterward. Community opposition saved the station, and this was the one of the bunch they wanted to close with high ridership numbers.

Its because of the curve and the closeness of Glen cove being right around the curve. Might be the two closest stations on the RR. There were also complaints about the Main road at the east end of the station coming to a stop when trains loaded and unloaded.
Another station that was to close was Bellport, but the community jumped in and saved it. Imagine, Bellport was saved But Center Moriches was closed, go figure.

Yeah, I don't think the RR ever fixed the grade crossing at Glen Street or Glen Head for that matter. been stuck at both a few times where the train crosses, stops in the station, and you get to sit with the gates down until it clears the station...

Nasadowsk wrote:Yeah, I don't think the RR ever fixed the grade crossing at Glen Street or Glen Head for that matter. been stuck at both a few times where the train crosses, stops in the station, and you get to sit with the gates down until it clears the station...

By default grade crossings right next to stations will stay down no matter what (unless they are keyed up). Usually second, third, and fourth crossings away from the station will time out after a little while to let traffic pass.

Pinelawn is 2 cars. Glen St is 1.5, the same as east of KO and Bellport/Amagansett.

There is a special instruction for the station due to the gap. I don't have the file on hand, and I'm not 100% sure what it is, but I think it's that both open doors need to be manned.

Doc Emmet Brown wrote:Its because of the curve and the closeness of Glen cove being right around the curve. Might be the two closest stations on the RR. There were also complaints about the Main road at the east end of the station coming to a stop when trains loaded and unloaded.
Another station that was to close was Bellport, but the community jumped in and saved it. Imagine, Bellport was saved But Center Moriches was closed, go figure.

Was it the local residents with money??

LB wrote:Platform looks about as short as Pinelawn on the Main Line. Island Park and Syosset are built on curves, don't see why Glen ST would have been a problem.

It's been a while LB, but I also know these following stations are on a curve or part of it is on a curve:

You already said Syosset and Island Park.

Freeport, Amityville (Curves Slowly), Lawrence (Next to the Lawrence Ave. crossing), of course Glen St, East Rockaway, Far Rockaway, and Port Jefferson even have a slight curve to it.