Long Island City Long Island Rail Road
October 1, 2017 1:16 PM Subscribe
I commute against the grain in the morning, eastward from Long Island City (Queens) to Long Island. It's not a common morning commute so the LIRR trains don't bother stopping in Long Island City as it makes its way from Penn Station to Woodside and beyond. However, many thousands of upscale apartments are being built in LIC as it transforms into industrial-chic neighborhood a la Greenpoint. What are the odds, then, that the eastbound LIRR trains begin stopping at LIC stops in the morning? Any insights you provide will be part of the math as I decide whether to buy a car. If LIRR stopped in LIC in morning, I wouldn't need car. (I know I can pick up eastbound in Woodside. I'm familiar with the options.)
Response by poster: A few years would be fine FYI. Why do you think the station couldn't handle additional service?
posted by Buddy_Boy at 1:31 PM on October 1, 2017
posted by Buddy_Boy at 1:31 PM on October 1, 2017
Because the platform is narrow, and bidirectional service would be difficult. Additionally, no service office or bathroom like most stations have.
posted by kellyblah at 2:11 PM on October 1, 2017
posted by kellyblah at 2:11 PM on October 1, 2017
Response by poster: Most stations dont have bathrooms. Been using the system for years. Not a newbie.
posted by Buddy_Boy at 2:13 PM on October 1, 2017
posted by Buddy_Boy at 2:13 PM on October 1, 2017
Almost no chance. It's never been discussed and with East Side Access scheduled to bring the LIRR to Grand Central, LIC riders will be able to take the 7 to Grand Central and access LIRR services there.
posted by Automocar at 2:56 PM on October 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Automocar at 2:56 PM on October 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I sent your question to a high-ranking contact at LIRR, who responded:
"No chance at this point until all the routes are set for east side access (2022ish if we're lucky)."
Sorry dude. Time to go car shopping.
posted by saladin at 5:05 PM on October 1, 2017 [12 favorites]
"No chance at this point until all the routes are set for east side access (2022ish if we're lucky)."
Sorry dude. Time to go car shopping.
posted by saladin at 5:05 PM on October 1, 2017 [12 favorites]
After the above comment, confused about whether you mean Long Island City station or Hunterspoint Avenue. But they aren't on the way between Penn Station and Woodside. See the City Terminal Zone LIRR map from Wikipedia.
Trains can't stop at either of the Long Island City stations between Penn and Woodside. They have to go to or from Long Island City instead of Penn. It's hard to see that happening, especially as the number of Penn trains goes down a lot when East Side Access opens.
posted by grouse at 9:34 PM on October 1, 2017
Trains can't stop at either of the Long Island City stations between Penn and Woodside. They have to go to or from Long Island City instead of Penn. It's hard to see that happening, especially as the number of Penn trains goes down a lot when East Side Access opens.
posted by grouse at 9:34 PM on October 1, 2017
My money is on when there's significant spending on reverse commute access from LIC is "never." The reverse commute to Long Island has always been a distant third of that to Jersey and to Westchester/Rockland, and the reverse commute in the tri-state area is on the decline in any event. (Companies are moving their global and regional HQs back into Manhattan, or out to lower-cost/lower tax regions.) The proportion of people buying those new condos with an eye to working on Long Island has got to be very, very small.
You could consider Forest Hills -- it's a mellow, walkable neighborhood with better logistics to Manhattan given the tendency of the 7 not to run on nights and weekends, and the diversity of locations the E and F trains serve vs. the 7, and has a nice outbound LIRR platform. Even at Forest Hills though the reverse commute through train service is limited, so check schedules. Note that East Side Access should make those schedules somewhat better, as it will facilitate more trains overall going into Manhattan and thus coming back the other way when the yard capacity at Penn Station is full. Finally, Forest Hills is a few miles closer to Long Island but those are terrible LIE / Queens Boulevard miles that you are saving, so a lot more reasonable to drive when you need to drive.
posted by MattD at 6:19 AM on October 2, 2017
You could consider Forest Hills -- it's a mellow, walkable neighborhood with better logistics to Manhattan given the tendency of the 7 not to run on nights and weekends, and the diversity of locations the E and F trains serve vs. the 7, and has a nice outbound LIRR platform. Even at Forest Hills though the reverse commute through train service is limited, so check schedules. Note that East Side Access should make those schedules somewhat better, as it will facilitate more trains overall going into Manhattan and thus coming back the other way when the yard capacity at Penn Station is full. Finally, Forest Hills is a few miles closer to Long Island but those are terrible LIE / Queens Boulevard miles that you are saving, so a lot more reasonable to drive when you need to drive.
posted by MattD at 6:19 AM on October 2, 2017
Best answer: thanks for the thoughts, everyone. ive been living in greenpoint for 17 years and dont plan to move. ill either buy a car or keep getting the nice exercise of my janky ass commute.
posted by Buddy_Boy at 6:18 PM on October 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Buddy_Boy at 6:18 PM on October 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
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posted by kellyblah at 1:22 PM on October 1, 2017