Rockaway Beach Branch

Rockaway Beach Branch
Overview
StatusOut of service (Rego Park–Liberty Avenue)
In service as IND Rockaway Line (Liberty Avenue–Rockaway Peninsula)
OwnerCity of New York
LocaleQueens, New York, United States
Termini
Stations19
Service
TypePassenger; freight (former)
Rapid transit; disused (current)
SystemLong Island Rail Road
Operator(s)Long Island Rail Road
History
Opened1880 (LIRR)
1956 (subway; south of Liberty Avenue and Rockaway Boulevard)
Closed1950 (Liberty Avenue–Rockaway Peninsula)
1962 (Liberty Avenue–Rego Park)
Technical
Line length4.8 miles (7.7 km)
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Operating speed~35–45 mph (56–72 km/h)
Route map

Main Line
to Long Island City & Penn Station
Main Line
to Greenport
Aqueduct Racetrack
Aqueduct–North Conduit Avenue
Howard Beach–JFK Airport
Broad Channel
Beach 90th Street
Beach 98th Street
Beach 105th Street
Rockaway Park–Beach 116th Street

The Rockaway Beach Branch was a rail line owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in Queens, New York City, United States. The line left the Main Line at Whitepot Junction in Rego Park heading south via Ozone Park and across Jamaica Bay to Hammels in the Rockaways, turning west there to a terminal at Rockaway Park. Along the way it connected with the Montauk Branch near Glendale, the Atlantic Branch near Woodhaven, and the Far Rockaway Branch at Hammels.

After a 1950 fire, the Jamaica Bay bridge was closed and the line south of Ozone Park sold to the city, which rehabilitated the portion south of Liberty Avenue and connected it to the New York City Subway system as the IND Rockaway Line. The portion north of the subway connection was closed in 1962, and three proposals exist for the reuse of the line.