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Far Rockaway Branch:it's not used much?


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So I heard from some people here that no one uses the Far Rockaway LIRR station (note: the station of FR, not the branch). I was wondering: what is the reason for that? Is it the (A)? Because they are a few miles apart.

Then what is it?

 

 

I think they're like 1/4 mile apart. They're definitely not miles apart. In any case, that's the main reason. It's cheaper, more frequent, and brings people to more destinations than the LIRR. And the cost factor definitely plays a large role, because Far Rockaway is a working class area at best.

 

If anybody's interested, the MTA broke down annual ridership by branch in this booklet (and the cost per passenger).

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I think they're like 1/4 mile apart. They're definitely not miles apart. In any case, that's the main reason. It's cheaper, more frequent, and brings people to more destinations than the LIRR. And the cost factor definitely plays a large role, because Far Rockaway is a working class area at best.

 

If anybody's interested, the MTA broke down annual ridership by branch in this booklet (and the cost per passenger).

 

 

How about the nicer parts of Far Rockaway like Bayswater? are they still likely to take the (A) or the LIRR?

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So the problem is the price factor. If it is that underused, why don't they find a better terminal then?

 

 

Like Where? The only street in Far Rockaway that can serve as a good terminal for the LIRR station is Mott Avenue, between Beach Channel Drive and Central Avenue/Beach 20th Street. Unfortunately, the current (A) uses the Mott Avenue station as a terminal, and the LIRR Tracks end at Nameoke Avenue.

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How about the nicer parts of Far Rockaway like Bayswater? are they still likely to take the (A) or the LIRR?

 

 

Probably still the (A). I mean, you have to consider that it's still more frequent and offers access to more areas. In middle-class areas like Queens Village or Laurelton that are right by the LIRR, you still see a lot of people taking the bus to the subway (and they probably outnumber those taking the LIRR by a decent amount), rather than taking the LIRR. Just because somebody can afford it doesn't mean that they'll necessarily want to spend the money, especially when the alternative isn't that much slower. If you save a few minutes, but you have to go through the stress of timing yourself for a particular LIRR train and pay additional money on top of it, you'll probably stick with the more frequent option.

 

So the problem is the price factor. If it is that underused, why don't they find a better terminal then?

 

 

There's no better area to terminate it in. I mean, you could cut it back to Inwood, but that would save like two minutes of running time and the maintainance of one measley station. You can't reroute it anywhere that would get better ridership, so you might as well leave it at Far Rockaway.

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So I heard from some people here that no one uses the Far Rockaway LIRR station (note: the station of FR, not the branch). I was wondering: what is the reason for that? Is it the (A)? Because they are a few miles apart.

 

Then what is it?

 

What I think would happen if the LIRR continued terminating in "commercial" Far Rockaway (across from where the (A) ends) today, is similar to what happens (to a lesser extent) in Hempstead.... I can't think of the terminology for this, but you'll have more people riding towards Far Rockaway on the LIRR than you would have riding it back in the other direction..... Heading back, You'd most likely get folks riding the (A) or the Q113 back towards mainland Queens.....

 

(I brought up Hempstead b/c although the N6 does get a hell of a lot of riders in both directions during all parts of the day, You still have those folk that take the LIRR @ Jamaica to Hempstead in the morning, and take the N6 to get back to Queens in the PM rush..... It's just more convenient to take an N6 that's most likely already at the bus terminal, than having to wait (often longer) for the LIRR to depart)....

I don't remember the last time I took a train out of LIRR Hempstead, and ticket prices had nothin to do with it......

 

 

How about the nicer parts of Far Rockaway like Bayswater? are they still likely to take the (A) or the LIRR?

The LIRR... at LIRR Inwood.

(Some Atlantic Beach patrons also do this btw)

 

 

So the problem is the price factor.

Not entirely.... Locale has a lot to do w/ it as well - Let's face it, the station isn't situated in the best of areas....

 

If it is that underused, why don't they find a better terminal then?

It's a Stub-end terminal ending on street level....

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What I think would happen if the LIRR continued terminating in "commercial" Far Rockaway (across from where the (A) ends) today, is similar to what happens (to a lesser extent) in Hempstead.... I can't think of the terminology for this, but you'll have more people riding towards Far Rockaway on the LIRR than you would have riding it back in the other direction..... Heading back, You'd most likely get folks riding the (A) or the Q113 back towards mainland Queens.....

 

 

i thinky you mean "reverse Communting"

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In middle-class areas like Queens Village or Laurelton that are right by the LIRR, you still see a lot of people taking the bus to the subway (and they probably outnumber those taking the LIRR by a decent amount), rather than taking the LIRR. Just because somebody can afford it doesn't mean that they'll necessarily want to spend the money, especially when the alternative isn't that much slower. If you save a few minutes, but you have to go through the stress of timing yourself for a particular LIRR train and pay additional money on top of it, you'll probably stick with the more frequent option.

 

 

 

What about the riders that take the train to Manhattan from Woodside and Flushing Main Street as opposed to the (7)? both those stations aren't necessarily lightly used LIRR stops

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i thinky you mean "reverse Communting"

 

Although It fits (for at least half of what I'm getting at), that's not what I was thinking of (Thanks though)....

 

Reverse commuting would be people taking trains out of Far Rock. in the PM, and towards Far Rock. in the AM..... What I was getting at in that quote was, there'd be too big a descrepancy; an incongruity, between the amt. of people taking trains to Far Rock (more likely) than out of Far Rock (less likely), regardless of time of day, if the LIRR remained ending across from the A as it once did.....

 

Current state, much of neither of which is happening at that station (usage in or out of LIRR Far Rockaway)... lol....

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I guess the bulk of the ridership on the branch is Intra Nassau Travel instead of dealing with the n31/n32 IMO. Those routes can at times get crazy, the Far Rockaway Stop would most likely be used for riders from Valley Stream down, Not many people really take it TO Manhattan

 

On the contrary, regarding the bus routes - The N31/32 gets usage b/c it goes towards hempstead & commercial far rockaway (well during its LIB days anyway... I highly doubt that's changed now that they're under veolia/NICE).... If anything, it's more, the more people taking those bus routes over the LIRR, for the reason you're giving....

 

I will say though that there is a high enough percentage of riders that utilize the Far Rockaway line b/w Queens (Jamaica specifically) & Inwood....

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I guess the bulk of the ridership on the branch is Intra Nassau Travel instead of dealing with the n31/n32 IMO. Those routes can at times get crazy, the Far Rockaway Stop would most likely be used for riders from Valley Stream down, Not many people really take it TO Manhattan

 

So if I understand you correctly then there's no need for the FR to start at Penn if no one's taking it to Manhattan anyway.

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So if I understand you correctly then there's no need for the FR to start at Penn if no one's taking it to Manhattan anyway.

 

I think what he's saying is not many people travel from NY Penn to Far Rockaway Station...the stations in between however (Queens/Nassau County) are well patronized by NYP bound commuters...at least during the Peak Hours, there's even 2 evening express trains that Bypass Jamaica (one express to Valley Stream, the other express to Locust Manor)

 

Sidebar: One train I always found very interesting on the Far Rockaway Branch was train 2819 the 8:03AM Queens Local (beginning service at Valley Stream) it makes all stops to NY Penn Station and actually gets pretty decent ridership...service on the FR Branch is used but a lot of its ridership is seen heavily during Peak Hours, unlike the other "busier" branches that have a decent amount of people on the train all through out the day and weekend (As of 2006 AM Peak WB Trains saw a total of 7,290 riders while Midday WB service saw 1,927/ PM Peak EB Service saw 6,221 riders while Midday WB saw 1,676.) info comes from the LIRR Spring 2006 Origin/Destination Study

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What about the riders that take the train to Manhattan from Woodside and Flushing Main Street as opposed to the (7)? both those stations aren't necessarily lightly used LIRR stops

 

 

The surrounding neighborhoods are much denser. Aside from that, you still have a lot more people taking the (7) compared to the LIRR.

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