Springfield Gardens station

Springfield Gardens was an island platform station that existed along the Babylon-Montauk Branch of the Long Island Rail Road, in the Springfield Gardens, Queens section of Queens, New York City. The station was located between St. Albans and Rosedale Stations, north of Springfield Junction. The only visible evidence of the station today is a wide gap between the tracks.

Springfield Gardens
General information
Location	Springfield Boulevard and Carson Street Springfield Gardens, Queens, New York
Coordinates	40.675464°N 73.755380°W / 40.675464; -73.755380
Owned by	LIRR
Line(s)	Montauk Branch
Platforms	1 island platform
Tracks	2
Connections	NYCT: Q77
Other information
Station code	None
Fare zone	3
History
Opened	1873
Closed	October 13, 1979[1]
Electrified	May 21, 1925
Previous names	Springfield
Former services
Preceding station Long Island Rail Road Following station St. Albans toward Penn Station or Long Island City Montauk Branch Rosedale toward Montauk Preceding station Long Island Rail Road Following station St. Albans toward Rockaway Junction New York and Rockaway Railroad Ocean Point toward Far Rockaway–Lockwood's Grove

History

It first opened around the 1870s by the New York and Rockaway Railroad as Springfield Station^[2] (a name also given to a former station on the Atlantic Branch near Higbie Avenue).

Location

It was originally located on Merrick Boulevard until May 1885 when it was moved to the southeast side of Springfield Road (now Springfield Boulevard). The line was electrified on May 21, 1925 and the station was renamed Springfield Gardens in October 1927. On July 24, 1936, the station was rebuilt as part of a grade elimination project.^[3]

Closure

On May 21, 1973, the LIRR announced plans to significantly reduce service at Union Hall Street, Springfield Gardens, and St. Albans, with only a few trains stopping during rush hours. At Springfield Gardens, service was limited to a single westbound train leaving at 7:41 a.m., and a single eastbound train, leaving at 5:20 p.m.^[4] The station closed on October 13, 1979 due to very low ridership, nearby alternate forms of transportation, and the high cost of maintaining the station. In July 1979, only 51 people used the station. A LIRR spokesperson said that more frequent service was available at the nearby Locust Manor and Laurelton stops, and that bus service stopped nearby. The spokesman said that the high $500,000 cost of doing needed maintenance work to the station building and platform meant it had to be closed.^[1]