The NY&RB was operated independently until July 1, 1904, when the LIRR leased it as the Rockaway Beach Division.[15] The line south of Woodhaven Junction was part of the LIRR's first electrification, along with the Atlantic Avenue Division west to Flatbush Avenue, with electric passenger service beginning July 26, 1905.[16] Steam trains continued to serve Rockaway Park from Long Island City until June 16, 1910, when the electrified Glendale Cut-off opened, extending the line north from Glendale on the Montauk Division to White Pot Junction at Rego Park on the Main Line. At the same time, the Rockaway Beach Division was electrified north of Woodhaven Junction, and the Main Line was electrified west of Rego Park (and into Penn Station when the East River Tunnels opened on September 8, 1910).[17] The New York and Rockaway Beach Railway was merged into the LIRR on July 19, 1921.[18]
Fire and sale to NYCTA
A fire on the trestle across Jamaica Bay cut service on the middle section of the line in 1950.[19] Service continued west of Hammels via the Far Rockaway Branch.[20] The LIRR saw the Rockaway Beach Branch south Ozone Park as a liability, and sought to either sell or abandon it. The city of New York, however, saw great potential in extending subway service over Jamaica Bay and purchase the line south of Ozone Park. After an extensive rebuilt of all trestles and converting the line for transit operations, the city began operating it as the IND Rockaway Line in 1956 to great fanfare.[21]
End of service
LIRR service of the remaining portion of the Rockaway Beach Branch between Rego Park and Ozone Park was reduced to single-track operations between the two endpoints. Patronage sharply declined over the next few years, with service consisting of a single train in each direction between New York Penn Station and Ozone Park. No connection with the IND Rockaway Line was made in Ozone Park, further hurting any potential ridership growth. Realizing the current truncated operation was served better and more frequently by the transit authority—coupled with the fact it was the only LIRR line to not serve Long Island proper—service quietly ceased in 1962.[22][23]
Legacy
The LIRR never filed to abandon the isolated section of double trackage between Rego Park and Ozone Park, due to the intended connection to the IND Queens Boulevard Line subway. As of 2009, the line remains officially out of service and it known by locals as "the forgotten spur."[22] As such, no effort has been made to remove and dismantle any railway hardware. Rails, wooden ties, electrical towers and even de-electrified third rails still adorn most of the route, and is a regular haunt for hikers, homeless, and such. The right-of-way can be easily be seen, especially along the abandoned elevated embankment in Woodhaven and Ozone Park.[22] It is currently owned by the City of New York.
Restoration proposals
Since service ended in 1962, there has been repeated talks of restoring the line to active passenger service. The 8.1 AirTrain JFKpeople mover was to originally begin at Penn Station, following the route of the original Rockaway Beach Branch, through Rego Park, Ozone Park, and ultimately branching off at the current Howard Beach-JFK subway station served by the IND Rockaway Line. Local and political opposition hurt the prospects of restored service, as residents along the line complained that noise levels would increase and neighborhoods would be aesthetically marred.
In 2005, residents began suggesting a conversion of the line to either a rail trail or, preferably, a rails-with trails. It has been aruged that restoration is needed to enable redevelopment of the Rockaways, "a potentially very attractive area that has long suffered from slow transit service. Higher property values and influxes of people attracted by fast service to Midtown could revitalize en-route neighborhoods like Richmond Hill."[24]
