Crossings and Connections.
A New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) A train to Ozone Park-Lefferts Blvd, led by R179 car no. 3257 (Bombardier, 2016-2019), is seen crossing the former Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Rockaway Beach Branch as it makes its way between Rockaway Blvd and 104th St Stations on the IND Liberty Avenue Line. The branch formerly ran from Whitepot Junction on the LIRR Main Line to Rockaway Park on the now IND Rockaway Line, with a connection at Hammels Wye to the Far Rockaway Branch allowing services to loop and continue back to Manhattan.
A fire destroyed much of the trestle over Jamaica Bay and shortly thereafter the railroad opted to abandon the branch instead of rehabilitating the trestle. The City of New York purchased the section from here south in order to expand the subway to the far-flung Rockaway Peninsula. Plans have long called for reactivation of the branch north of here, offering subway service from northwest Queens to JFK Airport and the Rockaways, but as yet none of these have come to fruition.
