Hollis
Queens Village is a station located on the four track LIRR Main Line, although for all intensive purposes is part of the Hempstead Branch because before the opening of East Side Accessall but one westbound AM peak train that serves the station originates or terminates in Hempstead. With the opening of East Side Access, service on weekends became every half-hour with the addition of a Port Jefferson Branch train stopping to provide service to Penn Station, with the huorly Hempstead Branch train continuing to stop, providing service to Grand Central. Today a couple of Ronkonkoma Branch trains even stop overnight and one reverse-peak train during AM rush hours.
The stop is located on an embankment and has two side platforms for the 4 track line located alongside the main commercial district of the neighborhood of Queens Village (it is the last stop in Queens eastbound). The New York platform has a decent sized concrete two-story structure with some non-public uses on the ground level and a small waiting room (open 5am to 2:00pm) at track level.
The station house was built in 1924 when the line was raised up to an embankment and grade separated. There is a small open air waiting area attached to the station house with some benches (which provides the only cover for either platform). Access up to this platform primarily is via a staircase inside the station house. On the outside of it is a small bus loop. To reach the Hempstead-bound platform passengers must use Springfield Blvd's underpass to a single small staircase along the western sidewalk, up to a completely open narrow side platform. There is an additional staircase up to each platform from 218th Street (that crosses through the embankment) at their western ends. Just beyond this side platform is a 5th track that only freight trains appear to use and is unelectrified. For parking there is a city owned Muni-meter lot just west of the station.
The station was renovated since my initial visit with a dedication on October 30, 2013 the addition of ADA compliant elevators. The new elevator up to the Jamaica-bound platform is within the station house. The Hempstead-bound platform has an exposed modern glass elevator shaft (painted brown) next to the staircase up from Springfield Blvd. This renovation also added new platform fencing and modern black lampposts. The Hempstead-bound platform has also finally recieved a shelter in the form of a modern brown one enclosed on four sides by windscreens with a bench inside. There is also now gold lettering on the station house facing the street for MTA Long Island Railroad and Queens Village 'Little Plains'.
Photos 1-16 taken on 5 January, 2011; 17-20 on 1 March, 2013; 21-51: 11 November, 2013; 52-70: November 25, 2023;
