The Long Island Rail Road: A Comprehensive History, Part Two: The Flushing, North Shore & Central Railroad/Roster of Passenger Stations
Roster of Passenger Stations
WHITESTONE BRANCH
Whitestone: Temporary wooden depot erected October, 1869. New permanent depot opened on January 30, 1871 on Fourteenth Road between 149th and 150th Streets. Ground dimensions of the building were 86 × 23. It was built in the form of the letter H, the central part being one story high, with towers on either end two stories in height; whole structure brick with Croton facing brick. Main floor contained ticket, telegraph, waiting and baggagerooms. The towers contained 5–6 rooms each for the living apartments and offices of the station master. The building lasted till the end of rail service on February 15, 1932.
College Point: On 127th Street at Eighteenth Avenue. Two-story brick edifice with Mansard roof. Opened for use Saturday, August 14, 1869. Lasted till the end of rail service on February 15, 1932; demolished 1934.
Bridge Street: Located just north of Northern Boulevard. Opened August 14, 1869. Lasted till the end of rail service on February 15, 1932. Two-story station building with Mansard roof built October-November, 1870. New brick station built 1893.
MAIN LINE
Main Street: The original terminus: Site donated by William Redwood, owner of a mansion just north of the tracks. Depot built by Sylvester Roe in December, 1853, fronting on Main Street. In the rear were located a frame engine house with a turntable and a car shed. Station burned down 4 A.M. on Sunday morning, October 30, 1864, along with the car shed. Second depot: built January and February, 1865, on the same site. Nothing is known of the style or dimensions. Third depot: Built October-November 1870, south of the tracks. Brick, fronting 50 feet on Forty-first Avenue, and 80½ feet in depth, extending back to the track. High platforms. Building destroyed November–December, 1912, on electrification of North Side branch. Fourth station: opened October 4, 1913.
West Flushing: The West Flushing Land Co. erected "a neat Gothic depot" on the east side of 108th Street on the north side of the railroad track in September 1854. It is uncertain when this station was abandoned.
Fashion Race Course, later West Flushing, later Corona: Known as West Flushing until June, 1872, when the Post Office was opened under the name of Corona. The depot was built on the west side of National Avenue in March, 1855. The race pens were located on this street which led directly north to the Fashion Race Course. Service opened April 2, 1855. Station became the West Flushing depot when the 108th Street station was abandoned. A new depot was erected in September–October, 1872. This building burned down on December 9, 1880. In the same month the Corona Park "White Line" depot, abandoned four years, was moved to Corona and installed on the site of the burned building. In September, 1894 the old "White Line" building was demolished and a new one-story brick station was built and opened in September, 1894.
Newtown: (Elmhurst) Locality known as Newtown until fall of 1896 when the Post Office changed the name to Elmhurst; in June, 1897, the L.I.R.R. officially changed the station name. Site donated for a station in January, 1855. A building mentioned as housing both depot and post office is mentioned as existing in December 1860. In October 1888, a new brick, one-story structure was built, 22 × 40, with bay window and slate roof, and opened in December, 1888.
Winfield: Winfield was laid out as a village in 1854 by the developers Andrews and Kendall. In July, 1854, they erected a depot at their own expense on the southeast corner of Fiftieth Avenue and Sixty-ninth Street. Building moved to Winfield Junction in August, 1876, to serve both roads.
Woodside: Village did not exist in New York & Flushing days; station opened by the Flushing & North Side R.R. on November 15, 1869. Located on the north side of the tracks and on west side of Fifty-eighth Street. The two-story frame building with peaked roof in the center continued in use till the grade crossing elimination of 1914; demolished 1916.
Maspeth: On January 15, 1855, a station was established at Covert Avenue, now Fifth-eighth Street at Fifty-fourth Drive. So far as is known, there was no depot building. Station discontinued very early, probably 1858.
Penny Bridge (Calvary Cemetery): At Laurel Hill Boulevard opposite Meeker Avenue. The penny toll to cross the bridge at this point continued to be collected until 1881. No evidence of a station building. Abandoned on November 14, 1869, when route was changed.
Hunter's Point: In a description of 1854 we read that a stone embankment extended from the shore line into the river, and piling from there into deep water. Atop this was the depot, described by a contemporary as "a cheap, comfortless painted shanty, entirely open at each side and end … it is built upon a singularly narrow and wedge-shaped pier, at which the steamboat and cars effect a decidedly awkward meeting." Under Oliver Charlick's management a new dock 700 feet long and with a new depot and ferry house built upon it was begun in May, 1859, and finished in 1860. This building was abandoned as a passenger station March 31, 1862, after which all passengers used the Long Island R.R. depot. A new Flushing & North Side depot was begun October 29, 1869, at Fifty-first Avenue between Second Street and the East River. On November 15, 1869, trains began running into the new station. Covered passageways led to the ferries; station refurbished March 1874. In June 1872 the station was enlarged along the west side of Second Street for the use of the Central R.R. by means of a new iron depot 190 × 48 with a car shed 77 × 54. The Flushing & North Side station closed May 27, 1878. In July, 1878, the building was refurbished and reopened for the use of the Long Island's Brighton Beach service, which began using the station on August 6, 1878.
WOODSIDE BRANCH
Grinnell: The sole station on the Woodside Branch was opened April 27, 1874. The station was located probably at Junction Avenue and Thirty-fifth Avenue. Named after D. C. Grinnell who owned the land in this area. In December, 1875, a depot was erected and opened. Service on the Woodside Branch abandoned October, 1877. Building mentioned once in July, 1882, as still existing.
GREAT NECK BRANCH
Broadway: One of the original stations which opened with the road on October 27, 1866. Located on the north side of tracks and south of Northern Boulevard. Nothing is known about the construction of a depot building.
Bay Side: One of the original stations which opened with the road on October 27, 1866. The name is always written as two words. Located on the north side of the tracks and east side of Bell Boulevard. No information is preserved on when a depot was built.
Douglaston: One of the original stations opening with the road on October 27, 1866. Located on the north side of the railroad and west of Douglaston Parkway. Depot built April–May, 1867, at the expense of William P. Douglas, owner of most of the land in the area, and named "Douglaston" in his honor, though listed on timetables as "Little Neck" from 1866 to June, 1870. Depot repaired and furnished with a freight platform in June, 1870. Made into a two-story building summer of 1871. In April, 1887, Mr. William P. Douglas and others of the village contributed $6,000 to erect a new depot in the Queen Anne style; it was completed in June, 1887. The original depot was moved to a private site on Little Neck Parkway, where it was still in use as a storehouse in 1914.
Little Neck: Depot built February-May, 1870, on south side of the tracks and east of Little Neck Parkway. (Old House Landing Road). Building erected by Benjamin Wooley, 16 × 26, two stories, with high platform in front, 75 feet long. Cost $1,500. Station opened July, 1870, as "Little Neck", superseding earlier Little Neck station, which reverted to the name of Douglaston.
Great Neck: Original terminus when road opened on October 27, 1866. Station site and nine acres all about donated by Daniel T. Smith in 1864. Station located north of railroad and east side of Middle Neck Road. Originally called "Great Neck"; on table of November, 1869, first called "Brookdale"; reverts to "Great Neck" again on table of May, 1872. Both names used jointly 1872–75. Thereafter always "Great Neck". The original station was replaced by a new structure in October, 1883.
CENTRAL RAILROAD OF LONG ISLAND
Central Junction: One of the original Central stations; opened January 8, 1873. Depot building completed July, 1873.Abandoned as a station April 30, 1879. Located at the head of Sanford Avenue at Delong Street.
Hillside: Station first appears on the timetable of April, 1874. Located at the present crossing of Main Street and Rose Street. Abandoned as a station April 30, 1879.
Kissena or Kissena Park: Station first appears on the timetable of June, 1873, and is last listed on that of August, 1876. Station reopens in June, 1877, and is re-named "Kissena Park" on timetable of October, 1877; is abandoned April 30, 1879. Depot located at Kissena Boulevard. In 1877–78, the Poppenhusens who owned the land, placed the realtor Hitchcock in charge of developing the surrounding area under the name of Flushing Park, or popularly, Hitchcock Park. Station building bought by the Grady family of Flushing and used as a private home until the night of May 8, 1918, when it burned down.
Frankiston: Station located at Seventy-third Avenue. (Black Stump Road) at 208th Street. This locality had for 200 years been known as Black Stump and occasionally in the 19th century as Union Place. Why the Central R.R. should have chosen to call its station "Frankiston" is an unsolved mystery. There was no family of that name anywhere in the area, nor any such landmark. Loomis L. White, the second largest stockholder in the Central R.R., bought all the land around the station in April, 1871, as a real estate speculation, and it is possible that it was he who, for some unknown personal reason, chose the name "Frankiston". Station building erected by E. W. Karker & Co. of College Point in April and May, 1873. The station is first listed on the timetable of June, 1873; abandoned April 30, 1879.
Creedmoor: One of the original stations; opened January 8, 1873; abandoned April 30, 1879. Station building built June–July, 1872, by Grossmann & Karker of College Point; 40 feet long × 22 feet wide; platform 170 feet. This was one of the most important stations on the line. Located on the south side of the tracks at Range Street.
Hinsdale: Depot built in June, 1872, by Grossmann & Karker of College Point; 70 feet long × 22 feet wide with an ornamental tower in the center of the building in the Swiss chalet style. Depot platform 170 feet long. One of the original stations, opened January 8, 1873; abandoned April 30, 1879. Located on the south side of the track at 254th Street, just north of the Jericho Turnpike. Sold for $300 in March, 1883, and removed in April, 1883.
Hyde Park: Station first appears on the timetable of June, 1873, and is last listed October, 1876. Reappears in June, 1878; station finally abandoned April 30, 1879. Located at New Hyde Park Road on the present Stewart Manor station site.
Garden City: The showpiece station of the railroad, as befitted Stewart's own Garden City. Located on the north side of the tracks at Park Avenue and Seventh Street. A large square brick building with a mansard cupola in the front and high platform in the rear. Built October, 1872–April, 1873. A brick freight house was added October–November, 1874. One of the original stations on the road, opening January 8, 1873. Original depot replaced by a new structure in August, 1898, built just west of the original one.
L.I.R.R. Crossing: Station first appears on the timetable of January, 1875, and last appears on timetable of November, 1875. This was probably located inside the present Garden City Wye. There is no evidence of any station building.
Hempstead: Construction on depot building was begun October 16, 1872; a substantial brick structure just west of the carriage sheds of the Presbyterian Church and facing on Fulton Street. Placed in service January 8, 1873. In 1878 the Central station became the main Hempstead station for all trains.
Meadowbrook (Westbury): Station is first listed on the timetable of May, 1873. A depot building was contracted for in July, 1873, and may have been built. Discontinued as a station May 1, 1876. Station located between the present Merrick Avenue and the Meadowbrook Parkway.
New Bridge Road: Station first listed on table of April, 1874. It is uncertain whether a station building was ever built. There was a hotel and coal yard at the station in 1874. Station last listed on the table of October, 1876.
Island Trees (Hicksville): The name of the locality was derived from a stand of trees which rose up out of the treeless prairie of the Hempstead Plains like an oasis. Station is first listed on the table of May, 1873; station abandoned May 1, 1876. The station building was located at Jerusalem Avenue in today's Levittown. In December, 1875, a telegraph office was opened and operated by the station agent, Mr. William Place. The passing siding was located here.
Central Park (Jerusalem): First listed on the timetable of May, 1873, and last listed in October, 1876. As of February, 1874, there was neither depot nor freight house, but Mr. Smith, the agent, used one of the rooms in his own house for a public waiting room. The station was located on the east side of Stewart Avenue in today's Plainedge. A side track was installed for freight cars in January, 1874, and a swing pole for farmers to load hay and straw onto the freight platform.
Bethpage Junction: First listed on the table of June, 1873; abandoned October 1, 1877. Located at the junction of the Central R.R. right-of-way with the L.I.R.R., where the Bethpage Branch used to branch off. No known station building.
Bethpage: Passenger service opened as an accommodation to farmers beginning November 9, 1874, with one round-trip a day. During 1876 and 1877 summer service only was provided. Station appears to have been located at Winding Road and Battle Row, Old Bethpage, just north of the big Stewart Brick Works. There is no evidence of a station building.
Farmingdale: Station first listed May, 1873. Station building erected in August–September, 1873. Train service discontinued June 1, 1876. Station located on the east side of Main Street just south of W. C. Dupignac's Hotel. Mr. Dupignac, Jr. served as station agent. A freight house was erected by the railroad in April–May, 1874.
Breslau: A station was opened here in June or July, 1873; last listed on the timetable of March, 1875. The station was probably located at Wellwood Avenue, Lindenhurst. As of July, 1873, no depot had yet been constructed.
Belmont Junction: A station was maintained here from January, 1875, to the end of 1876. In September, 1874, the Central R.R. built a freight depot with platforms, and removed the telegraph office from the Central R.R. Babylon depot to this place.
Babylon: A temporary station at the Merrick Road and East Neck Road with covered platforms was maintained from August 1 to October 17, 1873. In September–October, 1873, the permanent depot was completed between Carll Avenue and Fire Island Avenue. The station building was 38 × 60, with 300 feet of platforms around it. An engine house and turntable adjoined the station. In April, 1874, a freight house, 26 × 32 with a platform 10 × 100 was added. After November 9, 1874, all trains ran through to the South Side R.R. station and the Central station was abandoned. In June, 1875, the engine house and freight house were removed to the South Side depot grounds, where they replaced the original engine house and baggage house, which were then torn down. In May, 1876, John Lux, operator of the Washington Hotel, facing the station, bought the abandoned Central depot and moved it on May 18–19 to the southeast corner of his property on Railroad Avenue, where it was converted into a private dwelling.