Forest Hills station (LIRR)

Forest Hills
Forest Hills LIRR station south entrance
Location 71st Avenue and Austin Street
Forest Hills, Queens, New York
Coordinates 40°43′10″N 73°50′42″W / 40.719483°N 73.844883°W / 40.719483; -73.844883Coordinates: 40°43′10″N 73°50′42″W / 40.719483°N 73.844883°W / 40.719483; -73.844883
Owned by Long Island Rail Road
Line(s) Main Line
Platforms 2 side platforms
Tracks 4
Connections New York City Subway:
"E" train ​"F" train ​"M" train ​"R" train at Forest Hills – 71st Avenue
MTA Bus: Q23, Q60, Q64, QM11, QM12, QM18
Construction
Disabled access Yes
Other information
Fare zone 1
History
Opened 1906
Closed 1911
Rebuilt August 5, 1911
Electrified June 16, 1910
750 V (DC) third rail
Traffic
Passengers (2017) 1,967[1]
Services
Preceding station   LIRR   Following station
toward Penn Station
City Terminal Zone
toward Long Island
Former services
Matawok   Main Line   Hopedale

Forest Hills is a station on the Main Line of the Long Island Rail Road in Forest Hills, Queens, New York City. Like other LIRR stations within New York City, passengers may take advantage of the CityTicket program on weekends. It is lightly used compared to other stations in the city, with only 1,967 weekday riders; many residents opt for the subway because of its increased service and direct express trains to Midtown Manhattan. The station is wheelchair accessible.

Location

Located in the Queens neighborhood of the same name, Forest Hills is situated on 71st Avenue (also known as Continental Avenue) between Austin and Burns Streets. It is also the northern boundary of Station Square, a historic Tudor town center, which was across from a building known as the "Forest Hills Inn."[2] The station is also just east of the West Side Tennis Club. Two blocks to the north along 71st Avenue is the Forest Hills–71st Avenue subway station, one of the busiest in Queens.

History

Built in 1910,[3] the Forest Hills station is one of the oldest operating passenger railway stations in New York City, predating IND subway expansion to the area in the mid 1930s. Being subsequently remodeled for handicapped accessibility with ramps, it is one of two LIRR stations without standard blue and white signage (the other is Nostrand Avenue). Instead there are plaques and antique signs that complement the surrounding area. On July 4, 1917, former President Theodore Roosevelt made his "Unification Speech" from the steps of this station.[4]

In November 1963, the LIRR announced a plan to shorten the platforms at Forest Hills and Kew Gardens by 300 feet (91 m). The railroad's justification was that ridership at the stations was low, and did not warrant repairing the crumbling concrete. These sections of platforms had been installed in about 1929 to allow the stations to accommodate full-length trains. This move was opposed by civic groups, and resulted in an investigation by the Public Service Commission. However, the platform extensions were removed in 1965 or 1966.[5]

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), in its 2010–2014 capital program, proposed lengthening the four-car-long platforms at Forest Hills and Kew Gardens to allow additional train cars to board at the station. The platform extensions would reduce waiting time at the station while allowing for more efficient operations between Jamaica and Penn Station. Although $4.5 million was allocated for the project, the money was ultimately redistributed to other projects.[6]:58, 186[lower-alpha 1]

On July 26, 2018, it was announced that the LIRR planned to extend the platforms at Kew Gardens and Forest Hills by 200 feet (61 m) to accommodate six-car trains. The platform extensions will consist of fiberglass decking supported by steel scaffolding structures, allowing the extensions to be completed quickly, and at a low cost, while allowing the LIRR to plan for a permanent solution. Preparation work began during the week of July 23[1] and the new extensions went into service the week of September 12, 2018.[8][9]

Station layout

3 ■ Main Line toward Penn Station or Long Island City (Woodside)
1 ■ Main Line no stop
2 ■ Main Line no stop
4 ■ Main Line toward Long Island (Kew Gardens)

A local station, Forest Hills has two side platforms and four tracks. Platform A serves westbound trains to Penn Station or Long Island City, while Platform B serves eastbound trains to the suburbs of Long Island; both are six cars long. The relatively flat and straight stretch of track at Forest Hills has been used for PATH PA-1 and R44 speed tests.[10][11]

Notes

  1. ↑ A revision to the Capital Program from June 2010 does not include the Forest Hills platform extension project.[7]:32–33

References

  1. 1 2 "LIRR to Lengthen Platforms at Forest Hills and Kew Gardens". www.mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. July 27, 2018. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
  2. ↑ "History of Station Square". www.friendsofstationsquare.org. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  3. ↑ "History of Station Square". www.friendsofstationsquare.org. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  4. ↑ Morrison, David D.; Pakaluk, Valerie (2003). Long Island Rail Road Stations. Images of Rail. Arcadia Publishing. p. 39. ISBN 0-7385-1180-3.
  5. ↑ "L.I.R.R. Plan to Shorten 2 Queens Platforms Scored". The New York Times. November 14, 1963. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 26, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Proposed 2010-2014 Capital Program" (PDF). nysenate.gov. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. September 2009. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  7. ↑ "MTA Capital Program 2010-2014" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. July 31, 2017. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Platform Extensions at Forest Hills, Kew Gardens Stations Now Open". Forest Hills Post. September 12, 2018. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  9. ↑ Kelley, Ryan (September 12, 2018). "LIRR opens extended platforms at Forest Hills and Kew Gardens stations". QNS.com. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  10. ↑ "world.nycsubway.org/Showing Image 21781". nycsubway.org.
  11. ↑ "Showing Image 7650". nycsubway.org.
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