Laurelton station

Laurelton
A staircase at the Laurelton station, prior to its 2018-19 renovation.
General information
Location224th Street and 141st Road
Laurelton, Queens, New York
Coordinates40°40′07″N 73°45′06″W / 40.66853°N 73.7518°W / 40.66853; -73.7518
Owned byLong Island Rail Road
Line(s)Atlantic Branch
Distance13.1 mi (21.1 km) from Atlantic Terminal[1]
Platforms1 island platform
Tracks2
ConnectionsLocal Transit NYCT Bus: Q85
Construction
ParkingYes
AccessibleNo; accessibility planned
Other information
Fare zone3
History
OpenedApril 1907[2]
Rebuilt1941, 1942, 1948–1950
ElectrifiedOctober 16, 1905
750 V (DC) third rail
Previous namesCentral Avenue
Passengers
2012—20141,832[3]
Rank55 of 125
Services
Preceding station Long Island Rail Road Following station
Locust Manor Far Rockaway Branch
weekdays
Rosedale
Long Beach Branch
weekends
Rosedale
toward Long Beach
Former services
Preceding station Long Island
Rail Road
Following station
Higbie Avenue Atlantic Division Rosedale
Newbridge Road Garden City–Mitchel Field Secondary Salisbury Plains
toward Bethpage
Location
Map

Laurelton is a station on the Long Island Rail Road's Atlantic Branch, located at the intersection of 225th Street and 141st Road in the Laurelton neighborhood of Queens, New York City. It is 14.9 miles (24.0 km) from Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan.

History

A 1908 postcard of the Laurelton station

The Laurelton station was originally built by the Long Island Rail Road in April 1907.[4][5] The line was electrified through the area on October 16, 1905 – two years prior to the station's opening. The station was one of two along the Atlantic Branch to replace the former Springfield station – the other being the Higbie Avenue station.[4]

Laurelton's original station house was built in connection with Dean Alvord's Laurelton Land Company – the company that developed the surrounding neighborhood of Laurelton.[4] The tracks were laid below grade level, and a floral arrangement on the embankment spelled out the community's name.[4] It was also located northwest of Springfield Junction.[4]

On November 26, 1941, the eastbound facilities were relocated south in anticipation of a proposed grade crossing elimination project, but they were relocated north again on April 10, 1942, when the project was cancelled due to World War II.[4][5] All facilities were again relocated south of the former location between November 16–18, 1948, when the aforementioned grade crossing elimination project was revived after the end of the war.[4][5] The old station depot was razed sometime in 1950. The new elevated structure & station was opened for westbound trains on October 31, 1950, and for eastbound trains a few weeks later, on November 27, 1950.[4][5]

The station received major renovations in the early 2000s, receiving improved lighting and waiting room improvements.[6] It underwent further renovations between 2018 and 2019, during which time it received upgraded features such as LED lighting, repainted canopies, and improved staircases.[5][7]

In March 2022, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced that it would be making the Laurelton station and several other non-wheelchair-accessible stations in Queens compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, thus making the stations wheelchair-accessible.[8][9][10] Elevators would be installed at the Laurelton station to make it accessible.[11] The MTA approved contracts for the elevators' construction in November 2022.[12]

Station layout

This station has one high-level island platform that is eight cars long. There are enclosed waiting rooms and ticket vending machines on street level. The station's current appearance is similar to that of the neighboring Rosedale station.

P
Platform level
Track 1      Long Beach Branch weekends toward Grand Central Madison or Penn Station (Locust Manor)
     Far Rockaway Branch weekdays toward Grand Central Madison or Penn Station (Locust Manor)
Island platform, doors will open on the left
Track 2      Far Rockaway Branch weekdays toward Far Rockaway (Rosedale)
     Long Beach Branch weekends toward Long Beach (Rosedale)
G Ground level Entrance/exit, buses

References

  1. ^ Long Island Rail Road (May 14, 2012). "TIMETABLE No. 4" (PDF). p. VI. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  2. ^ Long Island Railroad Station History (TrainsAreFun.com) Archived 2011-01-06 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ "2012-2014 LIRR Origin and Destination Report : Volume I: Travel Behavior Among All LIRR Passengers" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. August 23, 2016. PDF pp. 15, 198. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 17, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Morrison, David D.; Pakaluk, Valerie (2003). Long Island Rail Road Stations. Chicago: Arcadia. ISBN 0-7385-1180-3. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Modernization and Improvement of Laurelton Station Expected to Be Completed This Summer – A Modern LI". February 4, 2023. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  6. ^ Hendrick, Daniel (November 6, 2003). "Long-Anticipated Upgrades Under Way At Laurelton LIRR". Queens Chronicle. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  7. ^ "Laurelton Station Enhancement (Completed 12/2019) – A Modern LI". February 4, 2023. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  8. ^ Parry, Bill (March 29, 2022). "MTA announces accessibility upgrades at three southeast Queens LIRR stations – QNS". qns.com. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  9. ^ Chasan, Aliza (November 30, 2022). "MTA making accessibility upgrades to subway stations, LIRR stations". PIX11. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  10. ^ "Rail News - MTA to add wheelchair accessibility to 11 stations. For Railroad Career Professionals". Progressive Railroading. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  11. ^ "MTA to Add Accessibility Upgrades to Three Long Island Rail Road Stations in Queens". MTA (Press release). March 28, 2022. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  12. ^ Gannon, Michael (December 5, 2022). "MTA approves boro elevator contracts". Queens Chronicle. Retrieved April 22, 2024.

Media related to Laurelton (LIRR station) at Wikimedia Commons