Broad Channel (IND Rockaway Line)

Broad Channel is a station on the IND Rockaway Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Noel Road and West Road in the Broad Channel neighborhood of the borough of Queens, it is served by the A train and the Rockaway Park Shuttle at all times, the latter of which terminates here.

The station originally opened in 1880 as a Long Island Rail Road station on the Rockaway Beach Branch. Wooden shelter sheds were added to the station in 1921 and 1923. A fire on the trestle between this station and another one known as The Raunt forced the closure of both stations on May 23, 1950, as well as the entire Jamaica Bay trestle. By October 3, 1955, the entire Rockaway Beach Branch south of Ozone Park, and all of the Far Rockaway Branch west of Far Rockaway was turned over to the New York City Transit Authority, who reopened Broad Channel Station to subway service on June 28, 1956.[4]

This station has two tracks and two side platforms, with a glass-enclosed crossover containing the waiting area and fare control. Entrance/exit is from the southbound platform only, requiring northbound passengers to cross over. Just to the north, the Rockaway Line gains two extra non-revenue tracks straddling the two revenue tracks; the 2 mile long western track is used as a test track, while the eastern track is used to relay shuttle trains. Continuing north, the Rockaway Line crosses Jamaica Bay before reaching Howard Beach; the distance between the two stations is the longest between any two in the New York City Subway system. To the south, the Rockaway Line continues to the Rockaway peninsula, where it splits at Hammel's Wye to allow service to both Far Rockaway – Mott Avenue and Rockaway Park – Beach 116th Street.

As Broad Channel is a small island with less than 3,000 residents, the station has the third-lowest ridership in the subway system as of 2009.[2] However, it is the only transfer point for passengers who must transfer here to access the Rockaway Park Shuttle, and many riders use it to transfer in such a capacity.

[edit] Nearby points of interest

 * Visitor center and trails for the Gateway National Recreation Area Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge