ramah69 wrote:I was born in Far Rockaway in 1954. I didn't take my 1st "A" Train ride until 1966 . Since we also had the LIRR back then I had no idea that before the "MTA brought the line it was LIRR service out to the Rockaways.
When the MTA brought the Line from LIRR (due to the frequent fires on the Jamaica Bay Trestle), they rebuilt it using Concrete & metal (instead of the wooden). They then charged double fare when you went past Broad Channel Stop to pay for the Trestle. The problem was I heard that we the Rockaway Residents kept on paying for years way past the cost to re-built the Trestle. I also read that before the Big Fire on the Jamaica Bay Trestle in May 1950
they were trying to have it fixed since it was over 75 years old and needed repairs. If the LIRR never sold it to the MTA (TA back then) then we would have had (2) Railroad services to Far Rockaways? At least know they have (2) choices to the City , A cheap fare ride & expensive ride.
PS I moved out in 1973 but from 1973 to 1983 I would take on weekends the Subway in the mornings and the LIRR late at night home
No, you would have had one railroad service to Far Rockaway. Before the TA takeover, the elevated portion beginning at Mott Avenue, and the LIRR two blocks away at ground level, were connected by a grade on a fill. There was loop service, with some trains from either NYPenn or Flatbush Avenue crossing the trestle and heading east to Far Rockaway, continuing up (today's) Far Rock. branch, and using the Valley Stream exit to get onto the Atlantic Branch and back to Jamaica. Other loop trains did the same trip in the reverse direction. Plus direct service from both city terminals to Rockaway Park. And passengers could transfer to and from the Atlantic Branch to the Rockaway Beach branch at Woodhaven Junction, to connect with the rest of Long Island. It was a faster and more efficient and much more versatile service than exists to today, with three stub-end branches operated by two different railroad managements, albeit now under the same state MTA umbrella.