Wantagh (LIRR station)

Wantagh is a station along the Babylon Branch of the Long Island Rail Road. It is located on Wantagh Avenue and Railroad Avenue near NY 27 (Sunrise Highway) in Wantagh, New York.

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Contents
[hide]*1 History
 * 2 Station layout
 * 3 Service
 * 4 MTA Long Island Bus connections
 * 5 References
 * 6 External links
 * }

[edit] History
Wantagh station was originally named "Ridgewood Station" and was built as a South Side Railroad of Long Island depot between 1867 and 1875. The station was replaced in 1885 and renamed "Wantagh" in 1891. Like so many stations along the Babylon-Montauk Branch, it was one of many that were elevated throughout Nassau and Western Suffolk Counties during the 1950s and '60s, in this case between 1966 and 1967. The former station was restored as part of the Wantagh Museum in 1969 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

Wantagh serves as a terminus for some eastbound afternoon rush-hour trains. It also is the point of origin for some westbound morning rush-hour trains.

It is rumored as part of the LIRR's 2008-2013 capital plan that like it's sister station Seaford, they will demolish and rebuild the platform, along with replacing escalators, staircases, lighting, and adding an elevator.

[edit] Station layout
This station has one twelve-car-long high-level island platform serving trains in both directions. The rail line has two tracks at this location.

[edit] Service
Wantagh receives service from trains on the Babylon Branch with inbound service towards New York City and outbound service towards Babylon. In the inbound direction, trains to New York Penn Station depart at 15-minute intervals during peak hours and half-hour intervals during off-peak hours.[1] Local trains take about 53 minutes to arrive at Penn Station at an average of 31.5 mph (50.7 km/h) while express trains take only 48 minutes at 34.8 mph (56.0 km/h).[1] Connections to the other inbound terminals, Flatbush Avenue and Long Island City, are available at Jamaica.[1]

Outbound trains depart in the same manner (with peak hours being in the evening).[2] Local trains take 21 minutes to arrive at Babylon at an average of 30.3 mph (48.8 km/h). Connections to the Montauk Branch are available at Babylon.[2]

[edit] MTA Long Island Bus connections

 * N73: Wantagh to Hicksville (Monday-Saturday only)
 * N74: Wantagh to Hicksville (Weekdays only)
 * N87: Jones Beach summer service