Jamaica (LIRR station)
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2008-07-09T00:39:36Z
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{{Infobox Station
| name=Jamaica
| style=LIRR
| image=Jamaica station sunset, waiting.jpg
| image_size=
| image_caption=Looking west at Jamaica
| platforms= 5
| tracks= 8
| line=[[Long Island Rail Road]]:<br>[[Main Line (LIRR)|Main Line]];{{rail color box|system=LIRR|line=Belmont Park}}{{rail color box|system=LIRR|line=Hempstead}}{{rail color box|system=LIRR|line=Oyster Bay}}{{rail color box|system=LIRR|line=Port Jefferson}}{{rail color box|system=LIRR|line=Ronkonkoma}}
<br> [[Atlantic Branch (LIRR)|Atlantic Branch]]; {{rail color box|system=LIRR|line=Far Rockaway}}{{rail color box|system=LIRR|line=Long Beach}}<br>
[[Montauk Branch (LIRR)|Montauk Branch]];{{rail color box|system=LIRR|line=West Hempstead}}{{rail color box|system=LIRR|line=Babylon}}
| other=[[New York City Subway]]: <br>{{NYCS-bull-small|E}}{{NYCS-bull-small|J}}{{NYCS-bull-small|Z}} at [[Sutphin Boulevard–Archer Avenue–JFK Airport (New York City Subway)|Sutphin Boulevard–Archer Avenue–JFK Airport]]<br>[[AirTrain JFK]]<br>[[New York City Transit buses]]:<br> [[Q24 (New York City bus)|Q24]], [[Q30 (New York City bus)|Q30]], [[Q31 (New York City bus)|Q31]], [[Q43 (New York City bus)|Q43]], [[Q44 (New York City bus)|Q44]], [[Q54 (New York City bus)|Q54]], and [[Q56 (New York City bus)|Q56]]<br>[[Long Island Bus]]: N4
| parking=
| bicycle=
| passengers=
| pass_year=
| pass_percent=-
| opened=1876
| rebuilt=1913, 2001-2006
| ADA=yes
| code=
| owned=[[Long Island Rail Road]]
| zone=3
| services=
}}
'''Jamaica Station''' (often referred to simply as '''Jamaica''') is the major hub and headquarters of the [[Long Island Rail Road]], and is located in [[Jamaica, Queens]], [[New York City]]. It is the largest transit hub on [[Long Island]] and is one of the busiest railroad stations in the country with over 200,000 daily passengers. In the New York City area it ranks only behind [[Pennsylvania Station (New York City)|Pennsylvania Station]], [[Grand Central Terminal]], and [[Secaucus Junction]], with over 1,000 trains passing through it every day. It has a direct rail connection to [[John F. Kennedy International Airport]] via [[AirTrain JFK]]. There are also elevator connections to the [[Archer Avenue Line]] of the [[New York City Subway]] at [[Sutphin Boulevard–Archer Avenue–JFK Airport (New York City Subway)|Sutphin Boulevard–Archer Avenue]] ({{NYCS Archer}}), directly below. The area just outside is served by the [[Q24 (New York City bus)|Q24]], [[Q30 (New York City bus)|Q30]], [[Q31 (New York City bus)|Q31]], [[Q43 (New York City bus)|Q43]], [[Q44 (New York City bus)|Q44]], [[Q54 (New York City bus)|Q54]], [[Q56 (New York City bus)|Q56]], and [[List of bus routes in Nassau County, New York|N4]] bus routes, with more available within a few blocks of the station.
All LIRR services except the [[Port Washington Branch]] pass through Jamaica Station. The [[Main Line (LIRR)|Main Line]] westwards leads to [[Long Island City (LIRR station)|Long Island City]] and [[Pennsylvania Station (New York City)|Pennsylvania Station]] in [[Manhattan]], while the [[Atlantic Branch]] diverges along [[Atlantic Avenue (New York City)|Atlantic Avenue]] to [[Flatbush Avenue (LIRR station)|Flatbush Avenue]] in [[Brooklyn]]. The [[Montauk Branch]] also serves one daily train to/from Long Island City. East of Jamaica, these three lines diverge, with some branch services using the Main Line, some using the Atlantic Branch, and some using the Montauk Branch.
Because of its central location on all but one of the services, it is common for commuters to have to "change at Jamaica", meaning switch from one train to another heading for his or her final destination. "Change at Jamaica" is common lingo among LIRR riders.
The main entrance to the station, where tickets may be purchased and where waiting areas are located, is a 100-year old building that also serves as the offices and headquarters of the Long Island Rail Road Company.
==Configuration and operation==
Jamaica functions as the operational hub for the system. The platforms at Jamaica are designed to facilitate the arrival of several trains at once. During the morning rush, westbound trains, originating from one of three lines and heading to one of the three New York terminals, are scheduled to arrive at Jamaica simultaneously on tracks 1, 2, and 3. Passengers can then cross over to the platform containing their train heading to their destination terminal by either utilizing stairs or passing through the train on track 2. In the evening commute, this process is reversed. Eastbound trains originate at one of the New York terminals destined for one of the branch lines. These trains arrive on tracks 6, 7, and 8 and allow commuters to cross over to the desired outbound train. The middle tracks – 4 and 5 – share a single platform which is utilized during both the morning and evening rush hours to provide passengers ability to transfer to their destination train on the other side of the platform.
==Expansion==
[[Image:Jamaica Station Arch.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The new steel glass canopy.]]
In [[2006]], the MTA completed a $387 million renovation project, begun in [[2001]] and carried out in conjunction with the construction of [[AirTrain JFK]]'s terminal (the [[Port Authority of New York and New Jersey]] contributed $100 million toward the project).
The project had two goals: Passenger-oriented renovations included new platforms and pedestrian bridge, a central elevator bank linking the LIRR to the street and to the Sutphin Blvd subway station, a new mezzanine connecting to AirTrain and a new [[steel]] and [[glass]] [[canopy]] over the elevated tracks.<ref>LIRR Press Release August 9, 2006</ref> The focal point of the project was the Jamaica Control Center, built by Tishman Construction Corporation and [[Bechtel]]. The JCC houses the LIRR offices, railroad control center and MTA Police.<ref>Buildings.com</ref> Overall, the renovations enlarged the station and have made it more modern and efficient, providing easier access to all eight LIRR tracks. The entire station complex, including AirTrain and the subway, is compliant with the [[Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990]] (ADA). The project was named "2006 Project of the Year" by the Long Island branch of the [[American Society of Civil Engineers]].<ref>[http://www.ascemetsection.org/content/view/167/785/ ASCE Metropolitan Section]</ref>
{{s-start}}
{{s-rail|title=LIRR}}
{{s-line|system=LIRR|line=City Main|previous=Kew Gardens|next=branches|type=Penn Station|rows2=4|rowsmid=2}}
{{s-line|system=LIRR|line=City Main|previous=Hunterspoint Avenue|next=branches|type=Long Island City|hide2=yes|hidemid=yes}}
{{s-line|system=LIRR|line=City Montauk|previous=Long Island City|hide2=yes}}
{{s-line|system=LIRR|line=City Atlantic|previous=Boland's Landing|note=(employees only)|hide2=yes}}
{{s-line|system=LIRR|line=Main Hempstead|next=Hillside Facility|note2=(employees only)|rows1=4|previous=City}}
{{s-line|system=LIRR|line=Montauk West Hempstead|next=St. Albans|hide1=yes}}
{{s-line|system=LIRR|line=Atlantic Far Rockaway|next=Locust Manor|hide1=yes}}
{{s-line|system=LIRR|line=Belmont Park|hide1=yes|next=Belmont Park}}
{{end box}}
==See also==
*[[Long Island Rail Road]]
*[[East Side Access]]
*[[Lower Manhattan-Jamaica/JFK Transportation Project]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
*[http://www.panynj.gov/AboutthePortAuthority/InvestorRelations/AnnualReport/pdfs/2001_Annual_Report.pdf Port Authority Annual Report 2001]
==External links==
*[http://www.mta.info/lirr MTA Long Island Rail Road]
*[http://lirr42.mta.info/stationinfo.asp?station=015 MTA-LIRR Official Jamaica Station Website]
*[http://www.lirrhistory.com/jamaica.html LIRR History website]
*[http://subwaynut.com/lirr/jamaica/index.html Jamaica Station (The SubwayNut)]
*[http://www.buildings.com/Articles/detail.asp?ArticleID=3372 Buildings.com]
{{Geolinks-US-buildingscale|40.699511|-73.808727}}
{{NYC terminals}}
[[Category:Long Island Rail Road stations]]
[[Category:Railroad terminals in New York City]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Queens]]
[[Category:Railway stations opened in 1913]]
[[Category:Transportation in Queens]]