Long Island Railroad Jamaica Capacity "Improvements"

Published 2024-01-27

The MTA has undertaken a lot of studies on "improvements" some of which are now becoming actualized. In particular, the modifications at Jamaica Station have the effect of REDUCING train capacity rather than increasing it. Combined with increased ridership, mishaps like the recently completed Platform F - which cannibalizes all the space where the through-tracks are supposed to go - have already had a noticeable impact on cross-platform transfers, a time-saving and capacity-enhancing convenience the station was designed to accommodate. Absent the through-tracks all the trains must be run by the platforms, making it so the need for track space at the platforms trumps cross-platform transfers. In fifty years or so, without remediation, these scheduled transfers will have to be eliminated completely. That jibes with management's stated preference for scheduling them "on the fly" - it can't be done. There are several other ill-advised modifications in the works and described here.

0:50 The East Side Access Mitigation Project
3:10 Connection to the Rockaway Beach Branch: Subway versus Long Island Railroad
5:00 Consultant AECOM's impossible subway connection, and work based on it performed
6:50 Rego Park Station
7:55 Glendale Junction
11:25 Richmond Hill
12:00 Jamaica
13:00 Three through tracks needed for train capacity are block by the new Platform F
14:00 Eastbound mainline through track from west of Jamaica
15:05 The purpose of the MTA's planned flyover at Hall Interlocking
15:35 The intended eastern approach track to Station Track 1 never built
17:20 Speculation on why the intended approach track wasn't built
18:50 Planned flyover misses the mark, is premature, a waste of money like Platform F
20:15 The correct fix for bunching of westbound tracks at Hall Interlocking
23:40 More through tracks and a possible Hall flyover for westbound through traffic
24:50 Storage yard is constrained by poor placement of Central Control and Airtrain Tml. Bldg.
26:45 Mainline westbound flyover running off the eastbound through track at Jay Interlocking
29:50 Summation and call for action