| IND Rockaway Line | |
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The A train serves the entire Rockaway Line. Rockaway Park Shuttle trains only run between Broad Channel and Rockaway Park. <A> trains only run during rush hours in the peak direction. |
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| Overview | |
| Type | Rapid transit |
| System | New York City Subway |
| Termini | Rockaway Boulevard Rockaway Park – Beach 116th Street (Rockaway Park Brnach) Far Rockaway – Mott Avenue (Far Rockaway Branch) |
| Stations | 14 |
| Operation | |
| Opened | 1956-1958 |
| Owner | City of New York |
| Operator(s) | New York City Transit Authority |
| Character | Elevated |
| Technical | |
| No. of tracks | 2-4 |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Electrification | Direct Current traction |
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Legend
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The IND Rockaway Line is a rapid transit line of the IND Division of the New York City Subway. It branches from the IND Fulton Street Line at Rockaway Boulevard, extending over the Jamaica Bay, into the Rockaways.
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The line dates back to 1892, when it first saw service by the Long Island Rail Road. In the late 1890s, the Brooklyn Elevated Railway (later BRT) got permission to use Brooklyn el trains on the line for beach access. The city soon began eying the line as popularity soared..[1][2][3] Additionally the Ocean Electric Railway used part of it as a connection between the Far Rockaway and Rockaway Beach Branches.
In 1950 a serious track fire between The Raunt and Broad Channel Stations destroyed the trestle across Jamaica Bay, and as a result the line was deemed useless. Instead of repairing it, the LIRR decided to abandon the line in favor of their "land route" to Far Rockaway via Nassau County. The city bought the line for $8.5 million and spent an additional $47.5 million to convert it for subway use, something they were planning to do as far back as the late-1920's (See Proposed New York City Subway expansion (1929–1940)).
The line was incorporated into the Independent Subway System, and all of the stations except Far Rockaway – Mott Avenue, opened on June 28, 1956, with the Far Rockaway station opening January 16, 1958.
The line charged a double fare which entailed the deposit of two tokens for those entering along the line or one token on exit for those arriving from other parts of the system. The unpopular double fare was abolished in 1975.
In the late 1990s, outer tracks were installed to the north of Broad Channel. The track to the west of the original tracks extends slightly less than two miles, and is used for testing of equipment. The track to the east of the original tracks is used for reversing trains on the Rockaway Park shuttle, and is approximately as long as a standard full length train. This track allows the shuttle to turn around significantly faster than it had been able to do before, when it was forced to relay at Howard Beach – JFK Airport or Euclid Avenue.
| Station service legend | |
|---|---|
| Stops all times | |
| Stops rush hours in the peak direction only | |
| Time period details | |
| Station | Services | Opened | Transfers and notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| splits from the IND Fulton Street Line (A ) | ||||
| Aqueduct Racetrack | A (Northbound only) | June 28, 1956 (subway) | Single side platform for northbound service only, and only when racetrack is open | |
| Aqueduct – North Conduit Avenue | A | June 28, 1956 (subway) | ||
| Howard Beach – JFK Airport | A | June 28, 1956 (subway) | Connection to AirTrain JFK | |
| Broad Channel | A S | June 28, 1956 (subway) | ||
| Hammels Wye splits to Far Rockaway Branch (A ) & Rockaway Park Branch (A S ) with a connecting track between the two branches (No Regular Service) |
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| Far Rockaway Branch | ||||
| Beach 67th Street | A | June 28, 1956 (subway) | ||
| Beach 60th Street | A | June 28, 1956 (subway) | ||
| Beach 44th Street | A | June 28, 1956 (subway) | ||
| Beach 36th Street | A | June 28, 1956 (subway) | ||
| Beach 25th Street | A | June 28, 1956 (subway) | ||
| Far Rockaway – Mott Avenue | A | January 16, 1958 (subway) | Connection to Long Island Rail Road at Far Rockaway | |
| Rockaway Park Branch | ||||
| Beach 90th Street | A S | June 28, 1956 (subway) | ||
| Beach 98th Street | A S | June 28, 1956 (subway) | ||
| Beach 105th Street | A S | June 28, 1956 (subway) | ||
| Rockaway Park – Beach 116th Street | A S | June 28, 1956 (subway) | ||
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