View source for Hempstead Branch

{{About|the current LIRR service and original branch from Mineola|the defunct line operated in the 1870s|Southern Hempstead Branch|the current form of the Southern Hempstead|West Hempstead Branch|the Pennsylvania Railroad line near Dayton, Ohio|Hempstead Branch (Pennsylvania Railroad)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{short description|Long Island Rail Road branch}}
{{Infobox rail line
| name            = Hempstead Branch
| color           = {{rcr|LIRR|Hempstead}}
| image           = LIRR Bombardier M-7 7425 train 757.jpg
| image_width     = 300px
| caption         = Hempstead Branch train #757 enters [[Stewart Manor (LIRR station)|Stewart Manor]], due west to Brooklyn.
| type            = [[Commuter rail]]
| system          = [[Long Island Rail Road]]
| status          = Operational
| locale          = [[Queens]] and [[Nassau County, New York|Nassau County]], [[New York (state)|New York]], [[United States|USA]]
| start           = Hillside Facility
| end             = Hempstead
| stations        = 10
| routes          = {{Rail color box|system=LIRR|line=Hempstead}}
| daily_ridership = 
| ridership2      = 3,271,387 (annual ridership, 2023)<ref name=ridership>{{cite web | title=2023 ANNUAL RIDERSHIP REPORT | website=mta.info | date= | url=https://new.mta.info/document/138216#:~:text=*%20Annual%20ridership%20is%20based%20on,workdays%20in%202023%20and%202022.&text=The%20Long%20Island%20Rail%20Road%20finished%202023%20with%20increased%20ridership,above%202022's%2052.5%20million%20ridership.| access-date=June 6, 2024}}</ref> 
| open            = 1873 (as part of the [[Central Railroad of Long Island]])
| owner           = [[Long Island Rail Road]]
| operator        = [[Metropolitan Transportation Authority]]
| character       = 
| stock           = 
| linelength      = 
| tracklength     = 
| gauge           = {{RailGauge|ussg|allk=on}}
| electrification = {{750 V DC|conductor=third rail}}
| speed           = 
| elevation       = 
| map             = {{switcher
|{{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|type=line|stroke-color=#CE8E00|zoom=10|id=Q5712708}}
|Show interactive map
|{{Hempstead Branch}}
|Show route diagram map
}}
| map_state       = 
}}
The '''Hempstead Branch''' is an [[electrified (rail)|electrified]] [[rail line]] and service owned and operated by the [[Long Island Rail Road]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[New York (state)|New York]]. The branch begins at the [[Main Line (LIRR)|Main Line]] at  [[Queens Interlocking]], just east of [[Queens Village (LIRR station)|Queens Village]] station. It parallels the Main Line past [[Bellerose (LIRR station)|Bellerose]] to [[Floral Park (LIRR station)|Floral Park]], where it splits southward and continues east via the village of [[Garden City, New York|Garden City]] to [[Hempstead Crossing]]. There it turns south to the final two stations, [[Country Life Press (LIRR station)|Country Life Press]] and [[Hempstead (LIRR station)|Hempstead]].

LIRR maps and schedules show Hempstead Branch service continuing west along the Main Line to [[Jamaica (LIRR station)|Jamaica]]. Hempstead Branch trains provide most service at [[Hollis (LIRR station)|Hollis]] and [[Queens Village (LIRR station)|Queens Village]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://new.mta.info/map/22461|title=MTA Railroads Map|publisher=[[Metropolitan Transportation Authority]]|location=[[New York City|New York]]|date=2023-03-16}}</ref><ref name=timetable>{{cite web|url=https://new.mta.info/document/85001|title=LIRR Hempstead Branch Timetable|date=2023-05-23|publisher=[[Metropolitan Transportation Authority]]|location=[[New York City|New York]]}}</ref> The line is double tracked to just east of Garden City Station, where it is reduced to one track at [[Garden Interlocking]] for the final {{convert|1.4|mi}} to Hempstead station.

== History ==

The original Hempstead Branch of the LIRR ran south from [[Mineola, NY|Mineola]], ending just west of the current terminal in Hempstead.<ref>[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/gmd:@field(NUMBER+@band(g3804n+ct001862)) Map showing the route & connections of the Central Rail Road Extension Company of Long Island], 1873</ref> It opened on July 4, 1839, as the first branch of the LIRR.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.prrths.com/Hagley/PRR1839%20June%2004.wd.pdf |title=PRR Chronology, 1839 }}&nbsp;{{small|(82.7 [[Kibibyte|KiB]])}}, June 2004 Edition</ref>

The [[Central Railroad of Long Island]] opened from [[Flushing, NY|Flushing]] east to [[Hempstead Crossing, New York|Hempstead Crossing]] and south to Hempstead on January 8, 1873; the main line east from Hempstead Crossing opened later that year on May 26.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.prrths.com/Hagley/PRR1873%20Feb%2004.pdf |title= PRR Chronology, 1873 |access-date= December 20, 2006 |archive-date= July 1, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140701100308/http://www.prrths.com/Hagley/PRR1873%20Feb%2004.pdf |url-status= dead }}&nbsp;{{small|(100 [[Kibibyte|KiB]])}}, February 2005 Edition</ref> CRRLI extended their line east to [[Bethpage (LIRR station)|Bethpage]], [[Farmingdale, New York|Farmingdale]], and [[Babylon (village), New York|Babylon]] resulting in the creation of their own Hempstead Branch running parallel to the one owned by the LIRR. The Central Railroad's successor, the [[Flushing, North Shore and Central Railroad]], was leased to the LIRR on May 3, 1876, and in June a connection at Hempstead Crossing was built, allowing trains from Mineola to use the ex-Central's Hempstead Branch; the original LIRR Hempstead Branch was abandoned south of Hempstead Crossing.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.prrths.com/Hagley/PRR1876%20April%2006.pdf |title=PRR Chronology, 1876 }}&nbsp;{{small|(116 [[Kibibyte|KiB]])}}, April 2006 Edition</ref>

[[Image:Stewart Manor Covert Av Xing jeh.JPG|left|thumb|Covert Avenue grade crossing]]
The old Central main line through Hempstead was named the [[Central Branch (Long Island Rail Road)|Central Branch]] by the LIRR, while the line from Mineola on the LIRR's Main Line south past Hempstead Crossing to Hempstead was the Hempstead Branch.<ref>[[Pennsylvania Railroad]], [http://kc.pennsyrr.com/maps/accountingmaps.ws4d Long Island Railroad map] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120724090841/http://kc.pennsyrr.com/maps/accountingmaps.ws4d |date=July 24, 2012 }}, 1941</ref><!--yes, it would be nice to have an earlier reference--> The [[New York Bay Extension Railroad]] opened the current [[West Hempstead Branch]] in 1893,<ref name=valuation>[[Interstate Commerce Commission]], [http://broadway.pennsyrr.com/rail/prr/Corphist/lirr.html Valuation Report, Long Island Railroad] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20020112060748/http://broadway.pennsyrr.com/rail/prr/Corphist/lirr.html |date=January 12, 2002 }}</ref> resulting in a realignment of the Hempstead Branch from Hempstead Crossing south to Meadow Street to better connect to the new line.<ref>[http://arrts-arrchives.com/hc.html Arrt's Arrchives: Hempstead Crossing]</ref><!--it appears Hempstead Branch also referred to a parallel track south of the Central until 1907, but that's probably not important-->

Electric service on the current route of the Hempstead Branch, from [[Queens Village, NY|Queens Village]] east along the [[Main Line (LIRR)|Main Line]] and [[Central Branch (Long Island Rail Road)|Central Branch]] and south along the Hempstead Branch to Hempstead, was inaugurated on May 26, 1908.<ref name="1908electric">{{cite news |title=Hurrah at Hempstead Over the Third Rail |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85706848/hempstead-electric-may-20-1908/ |access-date=September 21, 2021 |work=The Brooklyn Times Union |date=May 20, 1908 |page=5|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112089483272;view=1up;seq=80|title=The Long Island Railroad Twenty-Seventh Annual Report For The Year Ending December 31st, 1908|journal=Report of ..., Trustee&#91;S&#93; of the Property of the Debtor, for the Year Ended ...1949-1953 |publisher=Long Island Railroad Company|year=1909}}</ref>{{Rp|18}} In 1910, the branch's connection to the Main Line was double-tracked.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112089483272;view=1up;seq=230|title=The Long Island Railroad Thirtieth Annual Report For The Year Ending December 31st, 1911|journal=Report of ..., Trustee&#91;S&#93; of the Property of the Debtor, for the Year Ended ...1949-1953 |publisher=Long Island Railroad Company|year=1912}}</ref>{{Rp|23}} The then-Hempstead Branch north to [[Mineola, NY|Mineola]] was electrified on October 20<!--or 19?-->, 1926, along with the [[West Hempstead Branch]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.prrths.com/Hagley/PRR1926%20Jul%2004.wd.pdf |title=PRR Chronology, 1926 }}&nbsp;{{small|(101 [[Kibibyte|KiB]])}}, June 2004 Edition</ref>

The line north of Hempstead Crossing last saw passenger service on September 14, 1935,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.prrths.com/Hagley/PRR1935%20Aug%2004.wd.pdf |title=PRR Chronology, 1935 }}&nbsp;{{small|(47.8 [[Kibibyte|KiB]])}}, August 2004 Edition</ref> and was abandoned for freight in 1965.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.prrths.com/Hagley/PRR1965%20June%2004.wd.pdf |title=PRR Chronology, 1965 }}&nbsp;{{small|(83.5 [[Kibibyte|KiB]])}}, June 2004 Edition</ref> Park Interlocking at Floral Park was eliminated in the circa-1960 grade crossing elimination; Hempstead Branch trains switch off the Main Line at Queens Interlocking, just east of Elmont–UBS Arena station, and continue next to it to Floral Park.<ref>[http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/floralpark/floralpark.htm Floral Park Station History (TrainsAreFun)]</ref> 

Since the opening of the [[East River Tunnels]] in 1910 and until 2023, westbound service on the Hempstead Branch and its predecessors primarily terminated at [[New York Penn Station|Penn Station]] in [[Manhattan]] or [[Atlantic Terminal]] in [[Brooklyn]]. Following the opening of [[Grand Central Madison]], the primary terminal and origin of Hempstead Branch trains became [[Grand Central Madison]]. Hempstead trains now service both Penn and Grand Central on and off peak. This service change caused a decrease in service to Atlantic Terminal and thus to compensate and to allow for a few peak [[Cross-platform interchange|cross-platform-transfers]] at Jamaica for Brooklyn-bound customers, some peak trains from Hempstead service Atlantic Terminal directly.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Changes to LIRR Hempstead Branch service in 2023 |url=https://new.mta.info/agency/long-island-rail-road/lirr-to-grand-central/hempstead |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=MTA |language=en}}</ref> <!--At some point the old Central Branch west of Hempstead Crossing was renamed as part of the Hempstead Branch.{{Citation needed|date=February 2007|reason=it seems to have been disconnected at Bethpage back in 1936!?}}-->

==Projects==
{{#section:Main Line (Long Island Rail Road)|elmont}}
{{-}}

== Stations ==
{{Update section|date=February 2023|reason=New service pattern}}
West of {{lirrs|Hollis}}, most trips go on to terminate at {{lirrs|Grand Central Madison}} or {{lirrs|Penn Station}}, with some trips ending at {{lirrs|Jamaica}}.<ref name=timetable/>
{| class="wikitable"
!Zone<ref name=zone>{{cite web |url=http://web.mta.info/lirr/about/TicketInfo/Fares.htm |title=New Fares — Effective April 21, 2019 |publisher=[[Metropolitan Transportation Authority]] |access-date=April 27, 2020}}</ref>
!Location
!Station
![[Railway milepost|Miles (km)]]<br />from [[Long Island City station|Long Island City]]<ref name="ett-20120514" />
!Date<br>opened
!Date<br>closed
!Connections and notes
|-
|rowspan=5|3
|[[Jamaica, Queens]]
|[[Hillside Facility]]
|
| July&nbsp;22, 1991<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fan |first1=Maureen |title=Cold Reception for Hot LIRR Shop |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85765884/hillside-facility-july-23-1991/ |access-date=September 21, 2021 |work=[[Newsday]] |date=July 23, 1991 |location=[[Suffolk County, New York]] |pages=6, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85765916/hillside-facility-part-2-july-23-1991/ 27]|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref>
|
|Employees-only station
|-
|[[Hollis, Queens]]
|{{lirrs|Hollis}}
|{{convert|11.5|mi|abbr=values}}
|1885
|
|[[New York City Bus]]: {{NYC bus link|Q2|Q3}}<br>[[MTA Bus]]: {{NYC bus link|Q110}}
|-
|rowspan=3|[[Queens Village, Queens]]
|- bgcolor=dfdfdf
|{{lirrs|Bellaire}}
|
|1837
|1972
|Originally named Flushing Avenue, then Brushville, then Interstate Park, then Brushville Road
|-
|{{lirrs|Queens Village}} {{LIRR acc}}
|{{convert|13.2|mi|abbr=values}}
|1881
|
|New York City Bus: {{NYC bus link|Q1|Q27|Q36|Q83|Q88}}<br>[[Nassau Inter-County Express]]: {{LI bus link|n24}}
|-
|rowspan=9|4
|-
|[[Elmont, New York|Elmont]]
|{{lirrs|Elmont–UBS Arena}} {{LIRR acc}}
|
|November 20, 2021 (eastbound){{r|ABC7 Elmont opening 2021|QNS.com Elmont opening 2021}}<br>October 6, 2022 (westbound){{r|Newsday Elmont opening 2022|WSHU Elmont opening 2022}}
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|[[Floral Park, New York|Floral Park]]
|{{lirrs|Bellerose}}
|{{convert|14.3|mi|abbr=values}}
|1898
|
|
|-
|{{lirrs|Floral Park}} {{LIRR acc}}
|{{convert|14.9|mi|abbr=values}}
|1878
|
|[[Long Island Rail Road]]: [[Port Jefferson Branch]] (limited service)
|-
|rowspan=4|[[Garden City, New York|Garden City]]
|{{lirrs|Stewart Manor}} {{LIRR acc}}
|{{convert|16.3|mi|abbr=values}}
|1873
|
|Nassau Inter-County Express: {{LI bus link|n25/58}}
|-
|{{lirrs|Nassau Boulevard}} {{LIRR acc}}
|{{convert|17.3|mi|abbr=values}}
|1907
|
| 
|-
|{{lirrs|Garden City}} {{LIRR acc}}
|{{convert|18.4|mi|abbr=values}}
|1872
|
|Nassau Inter-County Express: {{LI bus link|n40|n41}}
|-
|{{lirrs|Country Life Press}} {{LIRR acc}}
|{{convert|19.0|mi|abbr=values}}
|1911
|
|
|-
|[[Hempstead (village), New York|Hempstead]]
|[[Rosa Parks Hempstead Transit Center]] {{LIRR acc}}
|{{convert|19.8|mi|abbr=values}}
|1872
|
|Nassau Inter-County Express: {{LI bus link|n6|n6X|n15|n16|n16X|n27|n31|n31x|n32|n35|n40|n41|n48|n49|n54|n55|n70|n88x}}, Mercy Medical Shuttle<br> & Greyhound Bus 
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{attached KML|display=inline,title}}
{{Commons and category|Hempstead Branch (Long Island Rail Road)|Hempstead Branch (Long Island Rail Road)}}

* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20000418161602/http://www.lirrhistory.com/hempsta.html Hempstead Branch Stations (Unofficial LIRR History web site)]}}
* [http://world.nycsubway.org/us/lirr/lirr-hempstead.html NYCSubway.org: Hempstead Branch]
* [http://thelirrtoday.blogspot.com/search/label/Hempstead%20Branch Hempstead Branch (The LIRR Today)]

{{Long Island Rail Road}}

[[Category:Long Island Rail Road branches]]
[[Category:Transportation in Nassau County, New York]]
[[Category:Hempstead (village), New York]]
[[Category:1873 establishments in New York (state)]]