(rshsdepot) LIRR Queens Stations

[Bernie Wagenblast <brwagenblast_@_comcast.net>]

This is a follow-up to the story Jim Dent posted today.  This is an
editorial from Newsday.

Photo links:
http://www.votegraziano.com/images/PG_photo2.gif  (Murray Hill station)
http://www.votegraziano.com/images/PG_photo3.gif  (Murray Hill station)
http://www.lirrhistory.com/jul99/murray1.jpg  (Murray Hill station)
http://www.lirrhistory.com/jul99/murray2.jpg  (Murray Hill station)

http://www.lirrhistory.com/jul99/bway2.jpg  (Broadway station)
http://www.lirrhistory.com/jul99/bway1.jpg  (Broadway station)

http://www.lirrhistory.com/jul99/auburn1.jpg  (Auburndale station)
http://www.lirrhistory.com/jul99/auburn2.jpg  (Auburndale station)

http://www.lirrhistory.com/feb99/rosedale.jpg  (Rosedale station platform)


List of Hazardous LIRR Stations Shrinks in Queens

April 3, 2002


Time was when Queens commuters could routinely count on several of their
Long Island Rail Road stations to show up in the city's yearly
hazardous-conditions audit. Now, even though city Comptroller William
Thompson Jr. cited two borough stations last month in his office's most
recent study, the state Metropolitan Transportation Authority and its LIRR
subsidiary deserve some credit for facing up to the problem after so many
years of neglect.

The Broadway station in Auburndale, where the hazards included an uneven
platform sidewalk and nails protruding from a platform shelter, is already
undergoing $1.7 million in renovations.

But the second Queens station mentioned in the audit, at Murray Hill, is
more problematic. It has such hazards as crumbling cement and a leaky
staircase ceiling. But it's partly below ground level, so its structural
problems defy simple correction. But their difficulty does not relieve
railroad officials of their obligation to address the hazards in more than
just a temporary sense.

Another Auburndale station, which had been on previous worst-station lists,
was in the midst of a $5-million renovation project at the time of the audit
last year. And the notoriously troubled Rosedale station, which was on last
year's worst-station list, was among the stations that were reported to be
in fair or good condition this year.

Thompson points out that the city paid the MTA more than $65 million last
year for station maintenance; with resources like that to work with, the MTA
should be able to provide Queens commuters stations that are just as
comfortable as those used by their Long Island counterparts.

He's right about that, although recent improvements - even if long overdue -
are worthy of applause.

The new challenge is for railroad officials to make sure none of the
stations ever fall back into disrepair again.



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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org

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