Locust Manor station

File:Locust Manor LIRR Station-1.JPG-designed shelters as seen on a rainy late afternoon. These shelters have since been replaced.]]The Locust Manor station first opened in 1869, and it was rebuilt in 1876.{{cite book |last1=Morrison |first1=David D. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=20BUDIVc-5AC&pg=PA57 |title=Long Island Rail Road Stations |last2=Pakaluk |first2=Valerie |publisher=Arcadia |year=2003 |isbn=0-7385-1180-3 |location=Chicago |page= |access-date=April 21, 2024}} For many years, it served as the stop for the racecourse on which Rochdale Village was erected, known as the Jamaica Race Course.

In February 1956, the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) petitioned the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) for permission to close and remove the station if racing was transferred from Jamaica Race Course to Belmont Park due to low ridership.{{Cite news |date=August 30, 1956 |title=LIRR Hearing Set |work=New York Daily News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81462426/public-hearing-to-close-locust-manor/ |access-date=March 19, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} The station was used by 80 riders on weekdays, and by 30 riders on non-racing Saturdays. The LIRR suggested that riders use the Higbie Avenue station instead.{{Cite news |date=February 27, 1956 |title=LIRR Asks End Of a Station |work=New York Daily News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81462482/proposed-discontinuation-of-locust/ |access-date=March 19, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}

On August 23, 1956, the PSC rejected plans to build a permanent railroad station alongside Jamaica Race Course, and approved a revised plan to close the Locust Manor station and a bridge at 120th Avenue, which would save $1,087,000. The PSC ruled that it was not justified for the LIRR to spend $847,000 on a new station in light of public knowledge about the closure of the racetrack in 1958.{{Cite news |date=August 24, 1956 |title=PSC ruling |work=New York Daily News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81462542/psc-rules-to-close-locust-manor-station/ |access-date=March 19, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} The PSC permitted the LIRR to construct temporary facilities instead.{{Cite news |date=1956-08-24 |title=Track Station Dropped; Plan for Jamaica Facility Is Turned Down by P.S.C. |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1956/08/24/archives/track-station-dropped-plan-for-jamaica-facility-is-turned-down-by.html |access-date=2023-03-31 |issn=0362-4331}} The LIRR's application was opposed by the counsel for the Mayor's Committee on Slum Removal, who stated that as soon as racing ended in 1958 at the track following the rebuilding of Belmont Racetrack, and the modernization of Aqueduct Racetrack, a builder would start work on the site.{{Cite news |title=Reports of Housing Project Premature |work=New York Daily News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81462450/locust-manor-proposed-closure/ |access-date=March 19, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite web |date=2023-01-29 |title=Locust Manor Station Enhancement (Completed 05/2019) – A Modern LI |url=https://www.amodernli.com/project/locust-manor-station-enhancement/ |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129062555/https://www.amodernli.com/project/locust-manor-station-enhancement/ |archive-date=January 29, 2023 }}{{Cite web |date=2023-02-04 |title=Locust Manor Station Walkway Renovation Completed – A Modern LI |url=https://www.amodernli.com/locust-manor-station-walkway-renovation-completed/ |access-date=2024-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204084400/https://www.amodernli.com/locust-manor-station-walkway-renovation-completed/ |archive-date=February 4, 2023 }}

On May 19, 1957, the PSC granted the LIRR permission to discontinue the Higbie Avenue and Locust Manor stations following the completion of a station between them at Farmers Boulevard. The new station would initially be accessed by a stairway at its southern end and by a pedestrian walkway at the northern end, which would be extended to Bedell Street after Jamaica Race Course was replaced by a housing project. The PSC also directed the LIRR to combine the project with its planned Old Southern–Rosedale grade crossing elimination project, and approved its $8,170,000 estimated cost.{{Cite news |date=1957-05-20 |title=Two L.I.R.R. Stations in Queens to Close |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1957/05/20/archives/two-lirr-stations-in-queens-to-close.html |access-date=2023-03-31 |issn=0362-4331}} The new station included high-level platforms and Populuxe shelters for passengers. The reconstruction project was completed in 1959.

The station underwent extensive renovations between 2018 and 2019, during which time it received upgraded features such as LED lighting and improved staircases. The project also saw a complete reconstruction of the pathway connecting the station with Bedell Street and 134th Avenue – including the addition of a pedestrian ramp, making the walkway ADA-accessible.

In March 2022, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced that it would be making the Locust Manor station and several other non-wheelchair-accessible stations in Queens compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, thus making the stations wheelchair-accessible.{{Cite web |last=Parry |first=Bill |date=2022-03-29 |title=MTA announces accessibility upgrades at three southeast Queens LIRR stations – QNS |url=https://qns.com/2022/03/accessibility-upgrades-southeast-queens-lirr/ |access-date=2024-04-22 |website=qns.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Chasan |first=Aliza |date=2022-11-30 |title=MTA making accessibility upgrades to subway stations, LIRR stations |url=https://pix11.com/news/local-news/mta-making-accessibility-upgrades-to-subway-stations-lirr-stations/ |access-date=2024-04-22 |website=PIX11 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=September 23, 2019 |title=Rail News - MTA to add wheelchair accessibility to 11 stations. For Railroad Career Professionals |url=https://www.progressiverailroading.com/passenger_rail/news/MTA-to-add-wheelchair-accessibility-to-11-stations--58646 |access-date=2024-04-22 |website=Progressive Railroading |language=en}} Elevators would be installed at the Locust Manor station to make it accessible.{{Cite press release |date=March 28, 2022 |title=MTA to Add Accessibility Upgrades to Three Long Island Rail Road Stations in Queens |url=https://new.mta.info/press-release/mta-add-accessibility-upgrades-three-long-island-rail-road-stations-queens |access-date=2024-04-22 |website=MTA |language=en}} The MTA approved contracts for the elevators' construction in November 2022.{{cite web | title=MTA approves boro elevator contracts | website=Queens Chronicle | last=Gannon | first=Michael | date=December 5, 2022 | url=https://www.qchron.com/editions/central/mta-approves-boro-elevator-contracts/article_5fc7233e-74e1-11ed-95fd-1390a450fe94.html | access-date=April 22, 2024}}

This station has two high-level side platforms, each eight cars long.

This station has two exits; one exit, is on the northeast portion of the sprawling Rochdale Village housing co-operative. At that end of the station, the staircase leads to a walkway linking Bedell Street and residential 134th Avenue, in between two private Rochdale parking lots; both ends of the walkway are connected via a pedestrian underpass below the tracks. The southern exit leads to Farmers Boulevard, between Garrett Street and Bedell Street. There are platform shelters near the exits. Ticket machines are located within the pedestrian tunnel on the north end of the station, at the base of the eastbound LIRR station staircase.

• {{Commonscat-inline|Locust Manor (LIRR station)}}{{LIRR links}}
• [https://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=40.674259,-73.76372&spn=0.003914,0.013658&z=17&layer=c&cbll=40.674421,-73.763695&panoid=MlV9j5YnFX52OzBSCOOkSA&cbp=12,295.75,,0,-2.8 Farmers Boulevard entrance from Google Maps Street View]
• [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Locust+Manor/@40.6748848,-73.7646561,3a,75y,291.82h,83.12t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-8rN4kjpfhWc%2FWTOG8ywUfvI%2FAAAAAAAAqxE%2FOqiIAaIKwWISam6aNrhFvCiFptvbOTqWQCJkC!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh6.googleusercontent.com%2F-8rN4kjpfhWc%2FWTOG8ywUfvI%2FAAAAAAAAqxE%2FOqiIAaIKwWISam6aNrhFvCiFptvbOTqWQCJkC%2Fw234-h106-k-no-pi-0-ya50.000008-ro-0-fo100%2F!7i8704!8i4352!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c266b0ae03b63b:0xf3e52a2c5bce49a0!8m2!3d40.6754082!4d-73.7655973!5m1!1e2!6m1!1e1 Platforms from Google Maps Street View]

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Category:Long Island Rail Road stations in New York City

Category:Railway stations in Queens, New York

Category:Railway stations in the United States opened in 1869

Category:1869 establishments in New York (state)