FLATBUSH STATION: OLD DEPOT OPENED: ?  RENOVATED: JULY-AUG/ 1878, RENOVATED AGAIN: 6/1880, REBUILT: 1893.
2ND DEPOT OPENED: 4/1/07 WITH DEPOT AT STREET LEVEL AND TRACKS UNDERGROUND. REFURBISHED AND EXTERIOR SANDBLASTED: EARLY 1940s. TRACK #1 OUT OF SVC: 4/10/59. FORMER EXPRESS TRACKS #s 9-14 ("EX" YARD) OUT OF SVC: 3/3/71. TRACKS ORIGINALLY NUMBERED SOUTH TO NORTH RENUMBERED NORTH TO SOUTH: 7/1/78. STREET LEVEL TERMINAL BLDG. CLOSED: 1988. RAZED: c.1990's.
3RD DEPOT OPENED: 1/5/2010. OFFICIALLY RENAMED "ATLANTIC TERMINAL" IN ETT #1, PER G.O. #104 EFF. 3/08/2010. Research: Dave Keller

Flatbush Station Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn 1910
Archive: Rudolph Schubert

 
Flatbush Ave Station  06/1978 Photo: Art Huneke
Archive: Dave Keller

BROOK Tower  1: Flatbush Ave  Brooklyn 10/13/78 Madden-Keller

BROOK Tower 2:  11/3/2005
Archive: Jeff Erlitz

FLATBUSH AVE. OLD DEPOT RENOVATED: JULY-AUG/ 1878 RENOVATED AGAIN: 6/1880, REBUILT: 1893

2ND DEPOT OPENED: 4/1/07 WITH DEPOT AT STREET LEVEL AND TRACKS UNDERGROUND. REFURBISHED AND EXTERIOR SANDBLASTED: EARLY 1940s. TRACK #1 OUT OF SVC: 4/10/59. FORMER EXPRESS TRACKS #s 9-14 ("EX" YARD) OUT OF SVC: 3/3/71. 

TRACKS ORIGINALLY NUMBERED SOUTH TO NORTH RENUMBERED NORTH TO SOUTH: 7/1/78. STREET LEVEL TERMINAL BLDG. CLOSED: 1988. RAZED: c. 1990s.

3RD DEPOT OPENED: 1/5/2010. OFFICIALLY RENAMED "ATLANTIC TERMINAL" IN ETT #1, PER G.O. #104 EFF. 3/8/2010.  Research: Dave Keller

H. Wilhelm Map - VD yard  7/31/1927

Ticket - Flatbush Ave. to Jamaica c.1929+ Archive: Brad Phillips

Flatbush 1908 map13 Passenger/Express coach yard

In 1899 an elevated structure was built to connect the LIRR with the Brooklyn Union Elevated Railroad Company's Fifth Avenue EL. For five years LIRR. rapid transit trains ran to Brooklyn Bridge where they turned on a loop and returned to Jamaica, Far Rockaway, and Rockaway Junction. For faster loading and unloading at Brooklyn Bridge the railroad in 1898 and 1899 purchased 55 (?) center door trailers opened by an employee on the station platform and were used only at the bridge. Archive/Research: Art Huneke

1899 EL construction ramps up and bridges the LIRR tracks, connecting with the elevated BRT tracks running atop the LIRR's Atlantic branch tracks. 

The image above shows the LIRR's tracks at the far right, and the EL structure elevated over Atlantic Ave., over the trolley tracks and over the LIRR tracks, connecting with the BRT's tracks. Research: Dave Keller 

Return Ticket Brooklyn Bridge-Flatbush Ave 1894 allows passenger to either take the “El” or use the ferry from Manhattan Island to Brooklyn. Archive: Brad Phillips

Emery map Flatbush 4/1959

In this view W, Forney steam locomotive pulls an BRT EL train eastbound along Atlantic Ave.  In the distance is the 5th Ave. EL connection, and the original LIRR Flatbush Avenue terminal building is at the right. Passenger cars are visible at the open, ground level platforms in this 1903 view.  In 3 more years this corner would look different as the new, LIRR brick terminal building is put into service.  (Dave Keller archive)

Here's what you're looking at, looking west towards Fifth Ave. c. 1903 from the elevated BRT connection indicated in the center of your map.  The old FBA terminal building is still in place with open-air station platforms.  You can see the many Nassau Elec. Ry. trolleys:

The map has to pre-date the 1906 demolition of the old terminal building and construction of the "new" FBA terminal (which opened in 1907) as the LIRR's tracks are all at-grade. Info: Dave Keller

1899 EL map stitched - View N Archive: Art Huneke

Red rectangle and triangle at upper left is the pre 1906-07 "new" depot with open-air, at-grade platforms. At this time, the BRT tracks are elevated above the LIRR's Atlantic branch tracks. Also note the BRT connection in the center and the gates and grade crossing beneath at Sixth Ave.

Nassau Electric RY was the trolley line running parallel to the LIRR tracks and the BRT tracks were elevated above the Atlantic branch tracks.

The EL tracks curve off at Fifth Ave. and the FBA terminal would be on the north side of the Atlantic branch tracks.  Note gates for grade crossings at Fifth Ave!!! 

"BROOK" TOWER:1 FLATBUSH AVE., BROOKLYN (UNDERGROUND: E. END OF STATION PLATFORM BETWEEN TRACKS 4 AND 5. FORMERLY "FT".  35-LEVER US&S MODEL 14 ELECTRO-PNEUMATIC MACHINE IN SVC: 1906. RENAMED: 4/15/37. OUT OF SVC: SUMMER/1999. Research: Dave Keller

Atlantic Branch maximum speeds ETT 5/25/1970

ALL TRACKS FLATBUSH AVENUE STATION AND BROOK INTERLOCKING 5 MPH. Note ⁽¹⁾

Between Brook and 1000 feet east of East New York: 45 MPH; EXCEPT first curve east of Van to reverse curve east of Nostrand Avenue: 30 MPH.

1000 feet east of East New York to Dunton Tower: 80 MPH; Dunton and Jay: 45 MPH.

Flatbush Avenue (Atlantic Terminal) Mile 0.0
Brook 0.1
Van 0.6
Nostrand Avenue 1.6
East New York 4.0
Woodhaven (closed) 7.2
Dunton 8.7
Jay 9.0 and Jamaica 9.3   Archive: Mike McEnaney

Vanderbilt Ave Yard McCauley Potato Co. Warehouse 
View E just west of the Carleton Avenue overpass. 6/1959
Photo/Archive: Art Huneke 

The elevated tracks, (photo above) according to Emery's map, were for milk cars.  He said on the map that the tracks went across Atlantic Ave. before 1940 and connected with the merchandise terminal, to which his map #789 reefers. The track curved upward eastbound for the potato warehouse. (photo right)  The other track in front of it curved upward westbound for the elevated milk platform indicated on Emery's map.  Info: Dave Keller

VD Passenger Yard view SE 5/11/1979 
(Madden-Keller)

VD Team Yard View east end of Yard 
Brooklyn view SE 5/11/1979 (Madden-Keller)

Barclay's Center Brooklyn view SE c.6/2011

Atlantic Terminal - NEWSDAY 5/16/2018

You can see the tunnel portal at the far left of the yard which accessed the yard from the Atlantic branch below the street and into which was built the subterranean "VD" tower. The Barclay's Center is at the west end of the former VD passenger yard.  There is no yard under the Barclay's Center.  The center was constructed at the depressed grade of the former yard.  The former VD Passenger Yard EAST of 6th Ave. AND VD Team Yard at the far left is to be covered over for new, multi high-rises of "affordable housing" being constructed above it but it's not covered over as of this time, from info I've received from Bob Myers.  The work is still in progress.  It's called the "Atlantic Yards Project."  Data: Dave Keller 

Flatbush Ave/ Atlantic Terminal and the new Barclay's Center - LIRR trains are now being stored for service to and from Atlantic Terminal.

VD yard exists, but is down to 5 tracks and a lead...one way in and out...one track. You go in on a lead, which holds 10 cars...you go in west and then east are brand new tracks 1,2,3,4...1 holds 6 cars, 2-4 hold 8 cars, track 5, which is to the west and just north of the lead track holds 8, and the switching lead (which gets you to all tracks, holds 10).

For simplicity's sake of explaining it, the lead track and track No. 5 both end at bumper blocks at the basement wall to the new Barclay Center.

Tracks 3 and 4 looking west towards the bumpers and subterranean concourse beyond but from a vantage point further east, showing the curved platform condition that was common at the Flatbush Avenue terminal.  When the terminal building opened in 1906, these curved tracks and platforms were not an issue as they accommodated the much-shorter MP41 electric cars.  As years progressed, and longer MU cars were placed in service, it became a hazard to spot a train of those cars here, as a huge gap was created at the platforms as a result.  Seen here, an M1 train is awaiting boarding at track 4 at the left - 10-13-78 (Wm. Madden photo, Dave Keller archive)

MU 1632 Nassau County Heritage Train On Display - Flatbush Ave Brooklyn 10/13/78 (William Madden-Dave Keller)

Photographers are William Madden, Art Huneke and Dave Keller (for the interior ticket office shot) Archive for all photos: Dave Keller.

LIRR Freight Stations map c.1930 illustrates the Atlantic, Manhattan Beach, 
Bay Ridge, and Far Rockaway Branches.

Nostrand Avenue 
East New York
Warwick St. 
Railroad Ave. (Autumn Ave.)
Union Course 
Woodhaven 
Woodhaven Jct. 
Clarenceville 
Morris Park⁽¹⁾
MP Tower⁽²⁾
Dunton 
Cedar Manor
Locust Ave. (Locust Manor)
Higbie Ave. 
Laurelton 
Springfield Jct. 
Rosedale 
Valley Stream

Note 1: (rapid transit station, not Shops)
Note 2: (per ETT #69, eff.  05/25/1913. 
Does not appear on ETT #59)

1.5
4.0
4.8
5.8
6.3
6.7
7.2
7.8
8.2
8.8
8.9
10.8
11.7
12.6
13.1
13.3
13.8
15.7

 
Atlantic Branch 1916 zoom map

As a result of the scheduled 1939-40 grade elimination project, the following seven rapid transit stops were eliminated: Warwick St., Autumn Ave., Union Course, Woodhaven⁽³⁾, Clarenceville, Morris Park and Dunton. (LIRR official announcement effective November 1, 1939 courtesy of 
Dave Morrison)

Note 3:  Woodhaven Jct. was retained as a station stop with a new, subterranean station constructed but the "junction" was dropped from the name, becoming the replacement "Woodhaven" station, 1/2 mile east of the defunct Woodhaven rapid transit station stop.

Nostrand Avenue STATION: 1st DEPOT BUILT: 18xx? (BRICK BLDG.) ALSO USED AS ATLANTIC RAPID TRANSIT STOP PER ETT #11, EFF. 11/4/1878.
ELEV. TRACKS IN SVC: 11/21/1903 DEPOT AT STREET LEVEL IN USE.
2^ND DEPOT (AT TRACK LEVEL) IN SVC: 8/29/1905. AGENCY CLOSED: 8/19/2009.

An old, wooden MU baggage car flying white "extra" flags is running light westbound after leaving the elevated Nostrand Ave. station visible in the background. The train has come off the elevated structure just west of the station and is about to enter the tunnel portal to access the subterranean track level of the Flatbush Ave. terminal. This image was photographed c. 1915 (Dave Keller archive)

MP41 train westbound for FBA approaching tunnel to FBA-Nostrand Ave. Station in background -View E c.1915

Photographed at the same location and date as the image at the left and headed in the same direction, a 3-car "sandwich" train consisting of a front and rear steel MP41 class MU electric motor car with a wooden trailer coupled between. This practice was quite common on the LIRR at the time until all wooden cars were removed from service approximately a decade later. The elevated Nostrand Avenue station is visible in this background as well.
(Dave Keller archive)

Looking east we see the elevated LIRR station at Nostrand Avenue and the elevated viaduct carrying the Atlantic branch tracks through this portion of the line c. 1920. Just west of this station the tracks dip down and enter a tunnel to access the subterranean platform level at Flatbush Ave. terminal. The sign over the stairs reads "Trains to Jamaica and Points East." Note the gas streetlight in the left foreground. This station had many linear feet of beautiful decorative wrought-iron railings. (Dave Keller archive and data) 

Looking west from the rear of an eastbound train on November 1, 1970, the Nostrand Ave. station is seen at elevated track level. The decorative wrought-iron rails are visible along the platforms as well as the old-style, gooseneck platform lamps. In the distance the tracks can be seen dipping down to enter the tunnel that accesses Flatbush Ave. terminal. (Dave Keller archive and data) 

MU train - Nostrand Ave View W 1970

Looking northwest, a 4-car MP54 electric train pulling a railfan extra is on the westbound track at the elevated Nostrand Ave. station. The center guy with the checkered jacket in the group of three railfans at the far right is retired LIRR acting-president Raymond P. Kenny back when he was a college student in 1970. (eBay image)

Ticket - Nostrand Ave. to Bellaire  c.1929+
Archive: Brad Phillips

Note: Derrick Adams’ contribution to this rehab, Around the Way (2019), is on many
of the wall panels on both platforms. Adams is a local artist in this neighborhood.

EAST NEW YORK STATION: HOWARD HOUSE HOTEL SERVED AS ORIGINAL DEPOT AS FAR BACK AS 1853. ALSO SERVED AS RAPID TRANSIT STOP PER ETT #11, EFF: 11/4/1878. 
STATION STOP RELOCATED TO JCT. OF MANHATTAN BEACH BRANCH AT ATLANTIC AND VAN SINDERIN AVES. EFF: 1/1/1884 WHERE THE NY & MB RY?S NEW HOTEL/DEPOT HAD BEEN BUILT THE YEAR PREVIOUS TO REPLACE AN OLDER HOTEL/DEPOT STRUCTURE IN USE. KNOWN AS ?MANHATTAN CROSSING? AND ?MANHATTAN BEACH CROSSING,? 

DEPOT WAS USED JOINTLY BY BOTH RAILROADS AND ALL STOPS AT HOWARD HOUSE CEASED. RENAMED ?EAST NEW YORK? IN 11/1905 WITH INAUGURATION OF FULL ELECTRIC SERVICE. STATION BUILDING ABANDONED: 11/1915 AND RAZED DUE TO BAY RIDGE BRANCH GRADE ELIMINATION PROJECT.

3^RD DEPOT WITH HIGH-LEVEL PLATFORMS AT STREET LEVEL IN SERVICE: 1915. RAZED: 1941 WITH ATLANTIC AVE. GRADE ELIMINATION PROJECT (1941-43) 
4^TH DEPOT OPENED: 1943 WITH TRACKS SLIGHTLY DEPRESSED AND ATLANTIC AVENUE BUILT ON A STRUCTURE DIRECTLY OVERHEAD. AGENCY CLOSED: 8/19/2009. 

Looking northwest, we see the joint NY & Manhattan Beach Railway/LIRR depot at East New York c. 1910. This depot was opened by the NY & MB in 1883 and served as their depot and hotel. It became a joint depot with the LIRR on January 1, 1884. The building was located between Atlantic and East New York Avenues at Van Sinderen Avenue at what was then called "Manhattan Crossing" and "Manhattan Beach Crossing," where the NY & MB Railway's line to Manhattan Beach crossed the LIRR's Atlantic branch tracks at grade. When the NY & MB was acquired by the LIRR, the branch became known as the Manhattan Beach / Bay Ridge branch. This old wooden-framed depot was abandoned in November, 1915 and razed account of the LIRR's Bay Ridge branch grade elimination project. This elimination project resulted in concrete tunnels being constructed under the LIRR's Atlantic branch at East New York between 1913 and 1915 and the tracks subterranean through the area.

East New York Station -  11/10/1910
Photo: LIRR Valuation Archive: Dave Keller

Another view of the East New York station looking north along the former NY & Manhattan Beach Railway tracks (LIRR Manhattan Beach / Bay Ridge branch) on November 10, 1910. Just beyond the 2-story station building can be seen the elevated "NO" tower straddling the LIRR's Atlantic branch. The tower controlled the at-grade track crossings. (LIRR valuation image)

Ticket - LI City to East New York c.1900+ Archive: Brad Phillips

East New York Station -  11/16/1910
 Photo: LIRR Valuation Archive: Dave Keller

East New York station looking west along East New York Ave. on November 1 6, 1910 (LIRR valuation image//Dave Keller archive)

Ticket - East New York to Woodhaven Junction 1929+
 Archive: Brad Phillips

"NO" Tower - BRT El - View E 1913 Archive: Dave Keller

Looking East at the East New York station in 1913, we see "NO" interlocking tower and signal bridge at "Manhattan Crossing," where the Manhattan Beach / Bay Ridge branch crossed the LIRR's Atlantic branch tracks at grade. The BRT EL structure is visible just beyond the tower.

East New York Station  Atlantic Ave. View E - BRT 622 105 at Atlantic Ave Station, Fulton Street Line c.1915

Looking east from the eastern end of the East New York station platform, we see a couple of old, wooden EL cars at  the BRT's Atlantic Ave. station c. 1915.

Again, we're looking east but from further west on the station platform at East New York on March 19, 1920. The express house is visible to the right of the mid-track fence. The BRT EL structures for the Fulton and Canarsie lines are overhead. The ticket office / waiting room was located further south, away from the Atlantic branch tracks and set on a diagonal, paralleling an access track that curved off the Atlantic branch and connected with the southbound subterranean tracks of the Manhattan Beach/Bay Ridge branch. The track connection was later removed but the ticket office left in situ.

This c. 1938 view is looking north at Snediker Avenue and Williams Place at the eastern end of the station platform at East New York, directly under the BRT's Fulton and Canarsie line EL structures. The Bay Ridge branch tracks are now underground at this location. What looks like a signal tower at the right is actually a crossing tower, where the crossing watchman would manually raise and lower the crossing gates at train time. (Dave Keller archive)

East New York - Snediker Ave-Williams Place ENY Ave. crossing Fulton-Canarsie Els - View NE c.1938

This is a better view of the area taken at the same time but looking NE. The two EL trestles for the Fulton and Canarsie lines are easier to see. (Dave Keller archive)

An MU train consisting of MP41 cars heads westbound, approaching East New York station in May of 1939. Viewed east from the BRT EL, we see in the distance the LIRR's elevated structure which carried the tracks part-way along Atlantic Avenue, ending just west of the Warwick Street station. The tracks then returned to grade, and were elevated again west of East New York, to just west of the Nostrand Ave. station, where they went underground to access the Flatbush Ave. terminal whose tracks and platforms were subterranean. (Dave Keller archive) 

Eastbound MU train leaving East New York station. View is looking E from the BMT Fulton EL.  The Canarsie EL and Fulton EL were adjacent to each other as they passed over the LIRR's East New York station at grade.  The Canarsie El was on the west side and the Fulton El was on the east side.  As this view is looking E, it was taken from off the Fulton EL.
This photo shows the tracks removed and ties still in place.  All in preparation for the grade elimination project . Info: Dave Keller

WARWICK STREET STATION: ELEVATED STRUCTURE OPENED: 8/29/1905 WITH ELECTRIFICATION FROM FLATBUSH AVE. OUT OF SVC: 11/1/39 PER G.O. #1204 AND RAZED WITH ATLANTIC AVE. IMPROVEMENT PROJECT: 1939-40

Atlantic Branch Fountain Ave., Brooklyn - View E toward Crescent Street Connection c.1920 Archive: Jeff Erlitz

Joint LIRR/BRT service to the Rockaways ended in 1917. The Crescent St. connection remained in place until about 1922 according to Emery and per CN Interlocking blueprints (below). Note the James V. Osborne photo of CN Tower across the tracks in 1923 (below) and the connection structure is gone. Dave Keller

Milford St. to Autumn Ave. pre-1922  Emery Map  6/1959

Atlantic Branch: Elevated, East New York to Shepherd Avenue:
1903-1942 Info: Robert Emery

Emery noted that the siding was originally John R. Hughes, then Atlantic-Logan Coal Company in 1919 and finally was Rubel Corporation in 1930.

CR4 1919: Atlantic Logan Coal Co. at A5-3/4 and located 5.50 miles from Flatbush Ave. not on CR4 1913, therefore 1913-1919.

CR4 1924:  Rubel Coal & Ice Corp. at A5-1/2, and located 5.26 miles from Flatbush Avenue. This company came into being between 1919 and 1924.

Atlantic Logan Coal Co. renamed Rubel Coal & Ice Corp. at A5-3/4 and located 5.50 miles from Flatbush Ave. Renaming of the company occurred between 1919 and 1924. (Two Rubel locations within 1/4 mile of each other in 1924.)  Research: Dave Keller

Diana Coal matchbook cover indicates 16 years of service c.1954 placing Diana Coal 1938-39.
Diana Coal & Oil matchbooks later changed to telephone TAylor 7 -1534.

railroad ave. - (autumn Ave.) STATION: OPENED: 4/28/1905 AS RAILROAD AVENUE(?) WITH ELECTRIFICATION FROM FLATBUSH AVE. 
NAME CHANGED: ?  OUT OF SVC: 11/1/39 PER G.O. #1204 AND RAZED WITH ATLANTIC AVENUE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT: 1939-40 

These two interlocking blueprints show the Chestnut Street Junction / Autumn Avenue location. The first blueprint shows the actual junction of the BRT connection with the LIRR's Atlantic branch via curving inclined ramps west of "CN" tower as it appeared in 1912. The second blueprint shows that area again in 1922 after the Chestnut Street Junction had been renamed, BRT connection and inclined ramps removed and the interlocking reworked. 
Archive: Art Huneke  Info: Dave Keller

UNION COURSE STATION: LISTED ON TT OF 3/1837 TO SERVICE UNION COURSE RACE TRACK, BUT MAY HAVE OPENED IN 1836. EARLIER SERVICE MAY HAVE BEEN TO UNIONVILLE STATION. 
RAPID TRANSIT SERVICE BEGAN: 4/28/1905, PLATFORMS WIDENED: 1911. 
OUT OF SVC: 11/1/39 PER G.O. #1204 AND 
RAZED WITH ATLANTIC AVENUE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT: 1939-40 

Notes on the photo above:
1. The vertical ropes in the photo over the westbound tracks are the "tell-tails" that dangled off a cantilevered column to warn railroad men atop a car that a bridge was approaching and to get down quickly.

2. The MU train is on the eastbound express track. What's interesting is that the motorman appears to have neglected to turn off his headlight but marker lights are not lit. He wouldn't be operating westbound on the eastbound track unless there was a tie-up on the westbound track further west, or he flipped the wrong switch, meaning to turn on markers but turned on headlights instead. Or maybe the markers weren't working on that car and the conductor saw fit to use the headlight as a marker (?). Or maybe there WAS a tie-up ahead. We'll never know.

3. The station building shows a close-up of the Pennsylvania Keystone Logo wooden station sign.

4. The ticket office is visible in the front left of the man standing on the platform.

5. The small, enclosed waiting room has a railing in front keeping passengers from trying to walk that narrow section of platform and fall onto the tracks. Access to the rest of the westbound platform was through the waiting room, which had a door on each side.

6. There's a Chiclets dispenser hanging on the wall on the west face of the waiting room.

7. Gooseneck platform lamp to the left of the waiting room.

8. At westbound automobile on Atlantic Avenue to the left of the tracks.

9. In the distance, the elevated crossing shanty at 87th Street and Woodhaven station. Note the proximity of the rapid transit station stops and why the LIRR chose to remove most of them when the tracks were relocated below Atlantic Avenue! Think of the expense of all the new stations that would have had to have been constructed and I'd gather ridership no longer favored those stops.  Info: Dave Keller

WOODHAVEN  (1st): ORIGINAL MAIN LINE  BETWEEN BROOKLYN  AND JAMAICA   ORIGINALLY OPENED AS CONNECTICUT AVE. (1837) ON ORIGINAL MAIN LINE BETWEEN BROOKLYN AND JAMAICA.  BECAME TROTTING COURSE AND THEN TROTTING COURSE LANE TO SERVICE THE CENTREVILLE RACE COURSE (TROTTING COURSE). LISTED AS SUCH ON TT OF 1842.  NAME CHANGED TO WOODVILLE AND LATER TO WOODHAVEN.  RAPID TRANSIT SERVICE STARTED: 4/28/1905 WITH ELECTRIFICATION FROM FLATBUSH AVE. PLATFORMS WIDENED: 1911. OUT OF SVC: 11/1/39 PER G.O. #1204 AND RAZED WITH ATLANTIC AVENUE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT: 1939-40  

WOODHAVEN  (2nd): FORMER LOCATION OF WOODHAVEN JCT. STATION. TRACKS AND STATION PLACED BENEATH ATLANTIC AVE. 1939-40. THE ACTUAL JUNCTION WAS TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE: 6/8/62 AND THE ROCKAWAY BEACH BRANCH ABANDONED: 6/9/62.  "JUNCTION" WAS DROPPED FROM THE NAME AND STATION STOP RENAMED "WOODHAVEN."
THE RAPID TRANSIT STATION KNOWN AS "WOODAVEN" ORIGINALLY WEST OF THIS LOCATION WAS LONG OUT OF SERVICE AT THIS TIME (11/01/39), SO THERE WAS NO CAUSE FOR ANY CONFUSION WITH THIS RENAMING.  Research: Dave Keller

 
Emery map Woodhaven Jct. post-1942 when the Atlantic Branch was placed beneath the street. Archive: Dave Keller

Woodhaven Jct. only had a connection between the two branches with a curved track in the southwest quadrant of the junction.  MU trains running southbound along here to Brooklyn would cross the Atlantic branch, clear the switch south of the station, then reverse direction and head westward to Flatbush Avenue.  This procedure would be reversed to head BACK to Penn Station.  Dave Keller

The lower level street entrance to Woodhaven Station is view NW from the south side of Atlantic Avenue (see map left).  The elevated Woodhaven Jct. Station on the Rockaway Beach branch. The upper level had been closed for nearly three years, as service ended in 1962, still had two stairwells visible in this photo. 4/21/1965
 Photo/Archive: Richard Makse

Ticket Form 1 H -Woodhaven and East New York
5/29/1964  Archive: Richard Makse

The ticket was purchased at the Atlantic branch Woodhaven Station, formerly Woodhaven Jct., which agency was still in service until at least 1966, possibly later.

After the 1940-41 improvement, the station on the Atlantic branch was referred to as "Woodhaven Jct" and the elevated station on the Rockaway Beach branch was referred to solely as "Woodhaven."  Dave Keller

WOODHAVEN JCT. STATION: OPENED: 7/1895. WAS ALSO ONE OF THE LIRR's RAPID TRANSIT STOPS.  RAZED : 11/1939 WHEN TRACKS PLACED BENEATH ATLANTIC AVE. WITH ATLANTIC AVE. IMPROVEMENT PROJECT OF 1939-1940. (Valuation photo from 11/21/1939 shows demolition underway.) 

2^ND DEPOT, LOCATED UNDERGROUND, OPENED: 1940-41. RENAMED ?WOODHAVEN? TO REPLACE THE RAPID TRANSIT STOP ORIGINALLY LOCATED FURTHER WEST AND WHICH WAS REMOVED BY THE ATLANTIC AVE. IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.

THE ?JUNCTION? PORTION OF THE STATION NAME WAS ELIMINATED AT THIS TIME ALTHOUGH THE JUNCTION REMAINED IN SERVICE. THE ACTUAL JUNCTION WAS TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE: 6/08/1962 AND THE ROCKAWAY BEACH BRANCH ABANDONED: 6/9/1962. 

PART TIME AGENCY PER "L.I.R.R. TICKET OFFICES OPEN FOR SALE OF TICKETS" OF 9/12/55. AGENCY LAST NOTED IN "LIRR TICKET OFFICE HOURS" LISTING OF 
9/25/1966.  AGENCY GONE BY LISTING OF 5/22/1967 (Brad Phillips data). DISCONTINUED AS STATION STOP: 1/10/1977.  Research: Dave Keller

Ticket Form 1 H -Woodhaven and East New York
5/29/1964  Archive: Richard Makse

The ticket was purchased at the Atlantic branch Woodhaven Station, formerly Woodhaven Jct., which agency was still in service until at least 1966, possibly later.

After the 1940-41 improvement, the station on the Atlantic branch
was referred to as "Woodhaven Jct" and the elevated station on the Rockaway Beach branch was referred to solely as "Woodhaven."  Dave Keller

Here's "WT" tower at Woodhaven Junction looking east on April 24, 1918. The depot is blocked from view by the interlocking tower at the right but the high-level wooden platforms are visible in the distance. A boxcar is spotted on the team track behind the depot and the elevated crossing tower with watchman is visible at the far left. The watchman would manually operate the crossing gates from this tower. In the distance can be seen the bridge carrying the LIRR's Rockaway Beach branch tracks. The Woodhaven Junction station on that branch was accessed by stairs leading from the station platform on the Atlantic branch below. The cutoff connecting the two branches as seen in the previous image was behind the photographer. (LIRR valuation photo, Dave Keller archive)

The Atlantic branch electrified in 1905 and rapid transit service to numerous stations began on 4/28/1905.  Woodhaven was one of the rapid transit stations (RT).

Woodhaven Junction station existed as far back as the construction of the Rockaway Beach branch.  There was a station stop and depot with agency on the Atlantic branch and a station stop with no ticket agency (if I'm correct) on the Rockaway Beach branch which spanned Atlantic Ave. when at-grade. There was stair access from the Atlantic Ave. platform to the elevated station.

The trestle spanning the tracks is the Rockaway Beach branch and that station's platforms extended over Atlantic Avenue in the photo view E along the Atlantic branch. (right). Note the guardrails and double sets of stairs at the distant end of the platforms.

When the Atlantic Avenue Improvement Project began in Nov. 1939, rapid transit service came to an end and all the RT stations were razed.  Woodhaven was one of those stations razed. 

The Woodhaven Junction station on the Atlantic branch was rebuilt below grade and the station on the Rockaway Beach branch overhead was rebuilt in 1940-41.  The "junction" part of the name was eliminated and the stations were renamed "Woodhaven" although the junction remained in operation until service on the Rockaway Beach branch ended in 1962. 

The Atlantic Ave. Woodhaven station had a part-time agency in 1955  and was still listed as an active agency in September, 1966.  It was dropped from the listing in May, 1967 and the stop discontinued on Jan. 10/ 1977.

The Woodhaven ticket dated 5/29/1964 (left), but still indicating the Junction on the dater die was probably because new dies were not issued.  Why spend money when you can still get by with the dies already in use?  Chances are the dies in use at the Woodhaven RT station were destroyed when the station stop was discontinued, otherwise they could have used them at the former junction station.   Info: Dave Keller

Looking east in this LIRR valuation image from April 3, 1916, we see the high level platforms and depot building at Woodhaven Junction.  A whistle post is visible at the west end of the eastbound station platform, for an upcoming grade crossing and beyond the depot is the large, brick, LIRR Substation #3.  Beyond that the overpass carries the LIRR's Rockaway Beach branch.  The Woodhaven Junction station on that branch was located alongside the electric substation.  (Dave Keller archive)

Looking north at 109th St. and Atlantic Avenue we see the pedestrian crossing, manual crossing gates and manned crossing shanty in the area of Queens once known as Clarenceville. At the time of this photo taken on May 7, 1934, the LIRR ran on the surface through here. Most of the north-south streets did not cross the LIRR's tracks. Atlantic Avenue ran parallel to the tracks on both the north and south sides of the right-of-way. With the exception of several below-ground pedestrian crossovers, this was the only at-grade footpath along the Atlantic branch. When the Atlantic Avenue grade elimination project began in late 1939, most of the former LIRR rapid transit stations were taken out of service, demolished and the tracks placed beneath Atlantic Avenue from just outside Morris Park Shops where they entered the tunnel, up to where they came out of the tunnel just east of the East New York station and began to climb a steel viaduct west of the station, until returning underground once again just west of Nostrand Avenue station for the final distance to the subterranean terminal at Flatbush Avenue. (Percy Loomis Sperr photo, Dave Keller archive and data)

 
Another view of the Morris Park station, this time looking west on September 7, 1938 from the 120th St. crossing and showing the high-level platforms and shelter. Note the Pennsylvania Railroad Keystone station sign.  (Dave Keller archive)

Morris Park station from the opposite direction, looking northeast towards the 120th St. crossing on October 26, 1939.  A 3-car MP41 MU train is heading westbound into the station.  Just visible in the background behind the train is the multi-story, white Maintenance-of-Equipment building at the start of the Morris Park Shops.  The end is very near.  In six days, this station will be taken out of service.  (Dave Keller archive)

Ticket - Jamaica to Dunton c.1929+ Archive: Brad Phillips

View south along the Long Island Electric Railway’s line in New York Ave (then New York Blvd and now Guy R Brewer Blvd) at the crossing of the the “Old Southern Division,” aka the Montauk Branch, aka today’s Atlantic Branch, just east of the Cedar Manor station. Note the facing point derail on the west rail of the southbound trolley track. That was controlled, undoubtedly, by the crossing watchman in that little cabin by the tracks. Four years later, in 1918, the railroad built “NA” Tower in that spot to control the trolley crossing, complete with home signals. Note also the switch points in the right foreground. That led to the LI Electric’s carbarns and storage yard.
Research: Jeff Erlitz  Archive: NY Transit Museum

Looking southeast we see the original South Side Railroad of LI Locust Avenue depot at the southwest quadrant of the Locust Avenue (now Baisley Blvd) crossing in Locust Manor as it appeared in 1898, the year it was demolished and replaced by a wooden frame depot at the northwest quadrant of the Locust Ave. crossing.  The photographer's wife is posed on the platform.  Research: Dave Keller (Wm. Murray photo, Queens Library digital archive)

Looking due east at Locust Manor in 1898, a westbound two-car train is about to pass over the Locust Avenue crossing.  The original South Side Railroad of LI Locust Avenue depot is at the far right. Research: Dave Keller (Wm. Murray photo, Queens Library digital archive)

LOCUST MANOR: FORMERLY ?LOCUST AVENUE? OR ?RACETRACK? STATION. RENAMED: 1929. HIGH-LEVEL, WOODEN, COVERED PLATFORM EXTENDED EASTWARD TO ACCOMMODATE TWO, 10-CAR, RACE TRAINS: 1947. HIGH LEVEL PLATFORM AND REGULAR PASSENGER STATION OUT OF SVC: 1/28/59 WITH GRADE ELIMINATION PROJECT AND RAZED. ELEVATED STRUCTURE IN SVC: 1959. AGENCY CLOSED: ?  Research: Dave Keller

Looking west just east of Locust Manor station on June 25, 1937 we see the main tracks at grade at the far left, the access track in the center and the storage tracks that once entered "Springfield Shed D." The sheds were razed earlier that year. (Dave Keller archive)

LAURELTON STATION: OPENED: 1908 AS ?SPRINGFIELD?, RENAMED: 9/1927. PART TIME AGENCY STILL LISTED IN "L.I.R.R. TICKET OFFICES OPEN FOR SALE 
OF TICKETS" OF 9/12/55. AGENCY CLOSED SOMETIME IN 1956. REPLACED WITH TEMPORARY STATION IN 1958 DUE TO GRADE ELIMINATION PROJECT. 
OLD DEPOT RAZED LATE 1958-EARLY 1959. 
TEMPORARY STATION OUT OF SVC: 2/2/60 WITH COMPLETION OF GRADE ELIMINATION PROJECT AND DISCONTINUED AS STATION STOP. 

Note ⁽¹⁾  5 mph due to the curves in the station and the switches placed in risky locations. Clearances are indeed tight. In the years prior to the M-1's only MP-54s could go to Brooklyn. This gave the oldest cars to branches that traveled mostly to Brooklyn, like Far Rockaway. When it became apparent that the M-1s would be the only cars available, several of the structural walls in BROOK Interlocking were chiseled away to make the necessary clearance for the longer cars.