Misc. – Chelsea's Corner

Franklin Ave.-Medgar Evers College (Lines 2, 3, 4, 5) & Botanic Garden (FAS)

Franklin Avenue on the IRT lines and the BMT shuttle’s Botanic Garden station may seem different on paper, but in practice it’s all one station. Why the different names for the different platforms in this day and age? I don’t know! Well, whatever. Here’s another stop on the Franklin shuttle and on the IRT lines. Welcome to …I guess, Franklin Ave.-Botanic Garden? I dunno.

The BMT section of the station is pretty normal, if short (owing to the shuttle’s rather anemically short consist). All the standard amenities you’d expect are present. As a fun aside, the tunnel heading north out of here is the oldest one in the entire subway system, dating back to the 1870s. Sweet! As for the IRT section of the station, it’s an express station with 2 islands/4 tracks, with the platforms having benches and all the amenities you’d expect. The mezzanine also has OMNY machines. Neat! Overall though, it’s standard and a mostly unremarkable station.

Towards the C line (& the oldest tunnel in the system!)

The good: It serves a few things nearby! I’ll talk about that a bit more below. This is also the last station before Rogers Junction and where the 2/5 split off from the 3/4, so it’s kinda important for the passengers that have to make the connection from points east to points south (e.g. Crown Heights to Brooklyn College). It’s also, obviously, a transfer point to the BMT shuttle and the fact it connects to the B, C, and Q lines. With that said…

The bad: It’s inaccessible, presently! There is work, however, to rectify this.

Nearby points of interest: Medgar Evers College, as named. There’s also the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. There’s also a few restaurants, particularly on Franklin Avenue. For the baseball history nerds reading this, Ebbets Field used to be around here too, so if you find a time machine, you can go back in time and enjoy a Dodgers game from before they moved to Los Angeles. Not that they were any good before the move vs. after. After all, the Dodgers are garbage regardless of where they reside. (disclosure, this is a bit closer to Prospect Park).

Transit connections:
MTA subway (Lines #s 2, 3, 4, 5, FAS)
MTA bus (B45, B48)

Overall, nothing offensive or special about it aside from that one tunnel.

Rating: 6/10

Fox Chase (SEPTA)

Fox Chase is a station in northeastern Philadelphia in the namesake neighborhood of, well, Fox Chase. This station is in a rather residential neighborhood, though it’s at the bumper blocks that end at Rhawn Street. There’s also a Wawa here!

Fox Chase station has a relatively unusual layout, with 2 sides and an island platform. At the outer end of the platforms by the bumper blocks lie mini-highs for accessibility. However, trains don’t board here! There’s grade crossings for changing sides, and a sheltered waiting area. There’s also ticketing machines, but as is standard with SEPTA, they don’t dispense tickets. So, screw you if you need to buy a ticket before boarding. (although, to my knowledge, SEPTA doesn’t really charge a surcharge to the same extreme as the LIRR or Metro-North). There’s also departure boards, a decent amount of parking, and even bus connections to the route 18, 24, and 28 buses. Neat!

Towards dow- er, Center City Philadelphia

THE TRAINS DON’T EVEN PLATFORM AT THE MINI-HIGH WTF SEPTA

BIG MEAN MOTHER BUMPERS!!! …and a former grade crossing.

Rare “head on with a Silverliner IV” without being in danger of struck

DA HOLY LAND!!! (as a Cumby’s enjoyer, I give Wawa the seal of approval)

The good: It exists! It’s also technically accessible and, surprisingly, has a departure board! Also, the area around it is walkable to an extent. AND THERE’S A WAWA?! :O

The bad: Why the mini-highs? No full-level platforms? Furthermore, the bus connection locations are a mild mess, but whatever, not the end of the world. But seriously though, SEPTA, y’all got mini-highs, STOP AT THEM!

Nearby points of interest: Wawa! There’s some schools nearby, a lot of housing, green space at the Oxford Avenue loop, and a trail following the old Newtown Extension. Also, as an aside, the Oxford Avenue railroad crossing is NOT a quiet zone, so if you’re around here, and you want to railfan with horns, go there! (it is also an “OH LAWD!!!”-sized crossing).

Transit connections:
Regional Rail (Fox Chase)
SEPTA bus (18, 24, 28)

Overall, it’s not a bad station, it’s about average. It could be far worse, considering this is SEPTA. And there’s also Wawa here! Neat!

Rating: 6/10

Kew Gardens (LIRR)

Kew Gardens is a LIRR station in, well, Kew Gardens, Queens. Located on the LIRR mainline, this station is a stone’s throw from the subway, being half a mile out. The neighborhood, while upscale, isn’t to the same extreme as Forest Hills. With that in mind, let’s look at this station.

The station consists of two high-level platforms, long enough to platform 6 cars each. As for the surroundings, you have a shopping area above the station on an overpass, a trailer for a waiting room, ticketing machines, the usual amenities, and all that. I suspect the trailer, however, is because the actual waiting room was being renovated or something. There’s also bus connections to the Q10 to the E/F and to the JFK AirTrain. There’s also the Q80, which also goes to the AirTrain, but takes a more direct route. There’s also an express bus that runs to 6th Avenue from here. Overall, it’s really not that awful a station.

I do have to ask though, WHO THE HELL IS PAYING $7.25 TO TAKE AN EXPRESS BUS FROM HERE TO MIDTOWN?! Not to mention the LIRR runs on weekends! The QM18, as far as I understand, doesn’t! AND express buses aren’t subject to farecapping. You’d genuinely get more for your money by taking advantage of fare capping on the subway alongside a LIRR monthly, rather than just taking the QM18. I digress. This post is about Kew Gardens LIRR, not the QM18.

WHY DOES THIS STATION HAVE AN *EXPRESS* BUS CONNECTION?!

The good: It’s accessible, has a waiting room that’s cold, and all the usual LIRR amenities! There’s also the Q10 to the JFK AirTrain. It’s also in a rather upscale, but still somewhat walkable, neighborhood.

The bad: The platforms are way too short. I would presume it’s not pleasant at rush hour, and this station should be on the shortlist for platform extensions.

Nearby points of interest: There’s some shops on Lefferts Blvd. There’s also a school and a cemetery. Aside from that, housing.

Transit connections:
LIRR (Hempstead, Ronkonkoma, Far Rockaway, Babylon, West Hempstead, Long Beach, Port Jefferson)
MTA bus (Q10, Q37, Q80, QM18)

Overall, it’s not a bad station, but it really needs extensions. Yeah, sorry, I don’t have a lot to say, but the short platforms aren’t good this close to Penn Station.

Rating: 6.5/10

Shoutout to the trailer waiting room, by the way.

Forest Hills (LIRR)

Forest Hills, a stone’s throw from 71st/Continental Ave.’s, is a LIRR station along the mainline between Penn Station/Grand Central/L.I. City, and Jamaica. Let’s look.

The station is located on an overpass over 71st/Continental Avenue in, well, Forest Hills, Queens. Located 3ft from the EFMR, this station serves trains going to/from Midtown and LIC. The station will accessible by way of ramps (it was not when I visited), and as of writing this, the platforms are being extended to accommodate 10 car trains. At present, though, only the first 4 or so cars platform. The station also has benches, wastebaskets, departure boards, all that usual stuff. Overall, though, while fancy, there isn’t too much special other than appearances. The neighborhood is so upscale, though, that there aren’t even any local buses going down 71st Avenue past the station.

Weird-looking signals, a hazy backdrop, and a broken departure board

Another shot with bridgeplate provisions

An M7!!! (this was during the tail end of the AM rush)

The good: It’s (I think?) accessible, as of writing this post. Also, the MTA is giving the station the care it needs. Furthermore, the connection with the EFMR and various local and express buses are valuable. Also, this section to Jamaica with the LIRR is redundant to the E specifically. As for the station itself, I kinda dig the upscale vibes of it and the neighborhood.

The bad: Why did it take this long for the station to get a platform extension? A station this important should also have an indoor waiting area. Kew Gardens has(/had) one, why not here? Also, surprisingly, no bus going down 71st Avenue itself.

Nearby points of interest: Forest Hills Stadium is the big one. Other than that, same stuff as the subway stop.

Transit connections: Same as the subway stop. But I’ll list ’em anyways:
MTA subway (Lines E, F, M, R)
LIRR (Hempstead, Ronkonkoma, Far Rockaway, Babylon, West Hempstead, Long Beach, Port Jefferson)
MTA bus (Q23, Q60, Q64, Q74, QM4, QM11, QM12, QM18, QM42, QM44)

Overall, not a bad station, and rather upscale at that.

Rating: 7/10

61st St.-Woodside (Line #7, LIRR)

Woodside is one of four interchange points between the LIRR and the #7 subway line, and in terms of accessibility is arguably the best one. That doesn’t mean it’s good, however (I mean it is…), but it’s not bad by any means. With that, welcome to Woodside.

The #7 platforms have countdown clocks, signage, benches, wastebaskets, the usual affair you’d expect for an express station. I am not, however, factoring construction-related weirdness (the other island platform was shuttered due to structural work on the viaduct). However, the entire station was pretty much Oops! All Blue Construction Walls! once you got into the station concourse between the LIRR and the #7 line. However, down here, you have elevators up to the platforms, down to street level, OMNY machines, and LIRR ticketing machines. I think there may have also been a ticket office here, I’m not sure if the station is staffed both for the LIRR and the subway, or just the subway. Nevertheless, there is MTA personnel here as with most subway stations. The LIRR platforms have departure boards (there is also one in the station mezzanine), benches, the usual stuff. It’s also an actually pretty decent spot for railfanning the LIRR, if that’s your thing, especially at rush hour, as you have both Port Washington traffic, along with Main Line traffic and, at rush hour, traffic going in/out of Long Island City (& Hunterspoint Avenue). Overall though, not a bad station!

Another shot of the tracks, looking towards Manhattan!

Construction passageway to the ticketing booth

DM30AC #501 leading a Montauk train into Penn Station

C3 cab car leading a Port Jeff train to L.I. City!

The good: It serves both the #7 line and the LIRR pretty well, with a decent amount of electric service (every Port Washington train, plus about half of the trains between Jamaica and Midtown). There used to be a diesel train that stopped here (what is now train #44 to Speonk), but it became a Penn Station-Jamaica express back in 2023. There’s also the #7 line as redundancy for both the innermost section of the Port Washington Line, and for redundant service to Grand Central. It’s also accessible, and located pretty much in the heart of Woodside. Also, it’s staffed, which is rather rare for a LIRR station. (the only other staffed stations in the city are Atlantic Terminal, Jamaica, Penn Station, and Grand Central). There’s also a bus connection to LaGuardia via the Q70-SBS (which is functionally just a LaGuardia express bus)

The bad: The construction, mainly. That’s really it.

Nearby points of interest: Woodside, as a neighborhood, is mainly residential. However, your main commercial corridors are Woodside Avenue and Roosevelt Avenue. There’s the odd cafe, bar, and locally-owned restaurant on top of the likes of Jollibee and Baskin-Robbins. As with most of the #7 subway line and its reputation for being culturally diverse, you will probably be able to source a meal from different cultures pretty easily around here.

Transit connections:
LIRR (Port Washington, Hempstead, West Hempstead, Port Jefferson, Ronkonkoma, Far Rockaway, Babylon, Long Beach)
MTA subway (Line #7)
MTA bus (Q18, Q32, Q53-SBS, Q70-SBS)

Overall, it’s actually a pretty good station, even with construction everywhere. It’s also a useful connection between the LIRR and the subway, and in that regard easily one of the best stations for making that transfer. It’s also a good spot for railfanning, and shoutout to the Woodside live camera that questionably still exists.

Rating: 9/10

Little Neck (LIRR)

Little Neck is a LIRR station located in the rather quiet Queens neigborhood bearing the same name. Located on the Port Washington Line, this station is a little unusual vs. all the others. Let’s look at it.

First off, I have to give a shoutout to the ride out here. Beautiful ride, especially as the line curves around Little Neck Bay. As for the station itself, the station consists of two high-level platforms that are approximately 10 cars long. Rather unusually, the station is also located at a grade crossing, and one with extra protection at that (quad-gated!). Why? Well, my guess is that the neighbors complained enough to get the LIRR to get permission to protect the crossing enough and put up “NO TRAIN HORN” signage. The station house is nice, and was open when I was here (at around 11am on a weekday), however the HVAC was out of service. Not pleasant when it’s 100 degrees outside! As for outside, the inbound platform has a decent amount of shade. Outbound? Not so much. There’s also a pedestrian bridge that isn’t accessible. As for the amenities, you have your usual LIRR affair (shelter, ticket machines, benches, departure boards, etc.). There’s also a bus connection at 40th Avenue, being the Q36 to Jamaica via Bellerose and Hillside Avenue. That runs every 30 minutes or so on weekdays. Overall though, not a bad station.

The rather toasty station house (on a 100 degree day no less…)

The good: It exists, and serves the local neighborhood and eastern Queens (which is surprisingly rather car-centric!). It’s also accessible and has an open station house, and even a bus connection.

The bad: The damn gates (do NOT try beating the gates!). Also, the pedestrian bridge being inaccessible is a tad annoying.

Nearby points of interest: By and large, housing. I guess there’s a water treatment plant nearby too? The main commercial strip is Northern Boulevard, which is a bit of a hike away.

Transit connections:
LIRR (Port Washington)
MTA bus (Q36)

Overall, it’s not a bad station. It’s a bit unusual, but not in a bad way. Also, shoutout to the video Sammymarrco made of this place. Strongly suggest giving it a watch.

Rating: 8/10

Franklin Ave. (Line C, FAS)

Alrighty, after a one month hiatus from the blog to recover from burnout and life circumstances, I have finally returned. And with that, is Franklin Ave. & Fulton Street. Sweet! Located questionably in Crown Heights (this is disputed), this local station serves both an IND line (the C) and the BMT shuttle.

The shuttle platform has a countdown clock, canopy, and the usual amenities. Not a lot to say, it’s short (2 cars). Gets the job done, and it’s accessible. It’s also above street level on an embankment, and as such there’s a walkway connecting to the IND section of the station.

The coveted grey S. (it is not, in fact, coveted)

Stairs to the Manhattan-bound C platform (& elevator)

The mezzanine is nothing to remark about, with the usual amenities and whatnot. The IND platforms are also pretty standard, with the C stopping here whenever it’s running, and the A taking its stead overnights. However, there’s something different about these platforms! Above the IND tiling are stickers that resemble standard MTA signage, reading “Respect”. So, what the hell does this have anything to do with this (or Franklin St. on the #1 line, for that matter)?

Well, I’ll tell you what: it actually comes back to late Aretha Franklin, known as the “Queen of Soul”. The story goes that passengers and members of the community put up makeshift memorials on the walls of these two stations honoring the then-ill singer in 2018, only for the MTA to then remove it. Presumably, after facing backlash from the community, the MTA then turned around and put up stickers memorializing Franklin in the stations resembling actual MTA signage. Now, I don’t know entirely how “Respect” ties into it as I’m not familiar with her works, but nevertheless, it remains a notable part of the subway.

Now, with that in mind, is there anything else notable about the station that I overlooked? Not really. Overall, not an awful station, and it’s a bit unique in a way, owing to the memorializing of Franklin.

The good: It’s accessible and has connections to both the shuttle and the IND! Furthermore, the fact there’s something memorializing Aretha Franklin is cool. Also, the skyline view of downtown Brooklyn from the overpass is cool, too.

The bad: The transfer between the C and shuttle is a bit lengthy, but whatever.

Nearby points of interest: A few playgrounds, a supermarket, a mosque, a church, and a few restaurants and bars. Fulton Street itself is a bit of a commercial corridor.

Transit connections:
MTA subway (Lines C, FAS)
MTA bus (B25, B48)

Overall, it’s not a bad station, and is a little unique among the others.

Rating: 8/10

Riverfront Stadium (NLR)

Riverfront Stadium was a baseball stadium built for Newark’s Atlantic League baseball team. Unfortunately, it was torn down in 2019, and there lies absolutely NOTHING here.

The station consists of a hunk of concrete, a sign, another sign that tells you HOW to pay your fare (yikes!), and an emergency call point. That’s it. That’s the whole station. At this point, just walk to Broad Street. There isn’t even a saving grace for this sorry excuse of a station.

I’m almost certain this was taken at Broad Street instead of Riverfront Stadium, but I have to pad out the photo count somehow.

The good:

The bad: Existence.

Nearby points of interest: Broad Street Station and Atlantic Street Station.

Transit connections:
NJT (Newark Light Rail)

Overall, this station should not exist.

Rating: 0.25/10

Court Square (Lines E, F, G, 7)

Court Square is either an elevated station or an underground station (that happens to also be a terminal), depending on if you ask the IRT or the IND. Located in the heart of Long Island City, this station has a few things going for it. Let’s look.

The E/F and G platforms, while separate, are connected by a rather lengthy concourse. Both platforms are largely the same, with the usual amenities. The concourses connecting them are not only long but also stupidly oversized. As for what specifically is on the platform, nothing much. Just clocks, benches, and whatnot. As for the 7, there’s an escalator heading up to the IRT headhouse encased in glass – and it looks quite cool! As for the IRT headhouse, though, there’s nothing special. It does feel weird being in an elevated station in a place as densely built as LIC, though, surrounded by glass high rises everywhere. Overall, though, not a bad station.

The next and last stop is: Court Square.

PLEASE STAND AWAY FROM THE PLATFORM EDGE.

The good: It serves the heart of LIC! Furthermore, the lines are all interconnected, and it’s accessible (save for the E/F heading east).

The bad: The E/F is only partly accessible. Also, the transfer from the G to pretty much anything else can be a bit of a hike (especially to the 7).

Nearby points of interest: CUNY’s law school, some luxury housing, and whatnot. Nothing too crazy here.

Transit connections:
MTA subway (Lines #7, E, F, G)
MTA bus (B32, B62, Q63, Q67, Q101, Q102, Q103)

Overall, it’s not that bad and it feels weird. But, it’s not a bad station.

Rating: 7/10

Atlantic Terminal (Lines 2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, N, Q, R, LIRR)

Atlantic Terminal is one of the four terminals of the LIRR within NYC city limits (Far Rockaway notwithstanding). Located in Downtown Brooklyn, the station lies underneath both the namesake Atlantic Terminal Mall, and also the Barclays Center- which, notably, is home of the Brooklyn Nets of the NBA, as well as the New York Liberty of the WNBA (remember the women). With that in mind, and with this being the heart of Brooklyn, let’s dig into this station.

The LIRR section of the station isn’t too crazy, with a handful of platforms. For most times, the station is served by a shuttle train running between here and Jamaica Station in Queens. However, you can also catch an odd West Hempstead train, or at rush hours a train heading all the way towards Babylon or Far Rockaway. The platforms themselves aren’t that crazy. However, the concourse is also relatively small – even if it’s (surprisingly, and if memory serves) staffed. There is, however, a physical connection to the Atlantic Terminal Mall here, as well as the IRT lines! Neat!

Some of the subway entrances retain their original designs (which actually looks cool!), with one such entrance being found on Hanson Place near Flatbush Avenue. Going down this one will bring you to the platforms for the B/Q, and the 2/3/4/5. Notably missing was the DNR platform – which was HELL to find. The platforms themselves look as you’d expect: tiling, usual amenities, but nothing too crazy. I really did hate finding the DNR platforms though. I mean, eventually I did. And, after finding the DNR and photographing it as needed for this blog entry, I made my way back to the BQ platform, and after witnessing someone careening down the stairs on a bicycle (ouch!), I hopped on the Q and proceeded to the BMT shuttle. Overall, nothing insane.

I sure would hate to come careening down these stairs…

The good: It gives Downtown Brooklyn a direct connection to the LIRR network. Furthermore, it’s one stop short of the heart of the BMT (DeKalb), even though arguably this is more important as more BMT lines serve here. It’s also got direct access to both a mall and a sports arena. Neat!

The bad: Trying to find the right passage from the BQ to the DNR can be very tricky.

Nearby points of interest: You may see signs that say “BAM!” on them. That’s actually just the Brooklyn Academy of Music. There’s also the Atlantic Terminal Mall and the Barclays Center, a state DMV branch, and an Apple Store.

Transit connections:
LIRR (Brooklyn Shuttle, West Hempstead, Far Rockaway, Babylon, Hempstead)
7th Ave. IRT (Lines 2, 3)
Lexington Ave. IRT (Lines 4, 5)
Broadway BMT (Lines N, Q, R)
6th Ave. IND (Lines B, D)
MTA bus (B41, B45, B63, B65, B67, B103)

Overall, it’s not too awful a station, but it’s one that’s REALLY annoying to navigate. Yuck. I’d argue this is even worse than Penn Station on that front.

Rating: 6.5/10