Mineola station (LIRR)

Mineola
Mineola station, where a long-standing sign company welcomes commuters to the village of Mineola.
Location	Front Street & Mineola Boulevard Mineola, NY
Coordinates	40°44′25″N 73°38′28″W / 40.740291°N 73.641025°W / 40.740291; -73.641025Coordinates: 40°44′25″N 73°38′28″W / 40.740291°N 73.641025°W / 40.740291; -73.641025
Owned by	Long Island Rail Road
Line(s)	Main Line
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	2
Connections	Nassau Inter-County Express (see Mineola Intermodal Center below)
Construction
Parking	Yes
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Fare zone	4
History
Opened	1837
Rebuilt	1872, 1883, 1923, 2001, 2007, 2020 (In progress)
Electrified	October 1926 750 V (DC) third rail
Previous names	Branch, Hempstead Branch
Passengers
2006	10,348[1]
Services
Preceding station LIRR Following station Merillon Avenue towards Jamaica, Atlantic Terminal, Long Island City or Penn Station Port Jefferson Branch Carle Place towards Port Jefferson Jamaica towards Atlantic Terminal or Penn Station Ronkonkoma Branch Hicksville towards Greenport via Ronkonkoma Jamaica towards Jamaica, Long Island City or Penn Station Oyster Bay Branch East Williston towards Oyster Bay Montauk Branch limited service Hicksville towards Montauk
Former services Preceding station Long Island Rail Road Following station Merillon Avenue toward Long Island City or Penn Station Main Line Carle Place toward Greenport Terminus Oyster Bay Branch East Williston toward Oyster Bay toward Valley Stream West Hempstead Branch Terminus

Mineola is a station on the Main Line of the Long Island Rail Road in the village of Mineola, New York. All trains for the Port Jefferson, Ronkonkoma, and Oyster Bay branches run through this station, as well as a few for the Montauk Branch. As of May 2011, 145 trains stop at this station every weekday,^[2] more than any other station east of Jamaica. It is the eighth-busiest station on the LIRR in terms of weekday boardings, with 10,348 boardings per day in 2006.

Location[]

The Mineola station house with the newly constructed Morgan Parc apartments behind it in 2021, an example of transit-oriented development

Mineola lies in the center of the village of the same name. Specifically, it is situated to the west of Mineola Boulevard between Station Road to the south and Front Street to the north.

As one of the LIRR's busiest stations and near the center of Nassau County, the Village of Mineola Planning Committee created a master plan for the town meant to encourage transit-oriented development within a few blocks' radius of the station. Much of the plan involves creating links in the surrounding street grid, streetscape improvements, and pedestrian zones.^[3] The Long Island Index, which aggregates data and plans about the island, has listed Mineola as one of the most high-profile targets for smart growth, as of 2010, noting that the town is about halfway through the process of revitalization.^[4]

History[]

The Nassau Tower and substation in front of the pedestrian crossing.

Mineola station was originally built on the south side of the tracks in 1837 as "Branch station", then later renamed "Hempstead Branch station" when the Long Island Railroad was expanded to Hicksville. The station was renovated in June 1872, but a second depot was built between May and June 1883. This station was razed in 1923, and the third one was relocated to the north side of the tracks on September 22, 1923.^[5] The enclosed shelter was built at the old station house's location (See below). A reconstruction project took place in 2001.

With its connection to the Oyster Bay Branch, the Mineola station has always been a major railroad junction, but even more so in the 19th and much of the 20th Century. On the south side of the station, a wye existed between the power sub-station^[6] for a line that connected the West Hempstead Branch with the Oyster Bay Branch.^[7] Sometimes referred to as the Garden City Branch, the east branch of this wye began at Third Street then crossed Main Street, then the main line itself before connecting with the Oyster Bay Branch until it was eliminated in 1928.^[8] The rest of the line was eliminated in 1966.^[9]

Station enhancements[]

Station platforms in 2017 (top), and 2021 (bottom) with new platforms under construction to accommodate addition of the third track

As part of the LIRR third track project, infrastructure around the Mineola station will be renovated starting in late 2018.^[10][11] Both platforms would be replaced, and Platform B will be relocated. Canopies, benches, signage, and security cameras will be installed. The new platforms would be heated to facilitate snow removal. Amenities such as Wi-Fi, USB charging stations, artwork, and digital information displays would be included in the renovation.^[11]

The construction of a new parking structure at Harrison Avenue began in fall 2018,^[10][12] followed by the start of reconstruction on the station itself in early 2019.^[10][11] The Second Street parking lot will also be expanded,^[13] and a park and ride parking lot at Main Street would be built.^[14] The dangerous grade crossing at Main Street would be closed and replaced with a pedestrian overpass with two elevators.^[15] The construction of the third track would also require the replacement of a substation at the intersection of Main and Front Streets.^[16]

Station layout[]

Mineola has two side platforms and two tracks, both slightly-offset to accommodate 12 cars. The main station house is on the north side of the tracks, at Front Street and Mineola Boulevard. The station is wheelchair accessible and has a crossover and a grade crossing for pedestrians at the east end. A smaller enclosed shelter is on the opposite (south) side of the tracks. The Oyster Bay Branch splits away at a grade crossing just east of the pedestrian crossing.

Westbound trains generally use Platform A and eastbound use Platform B, though during rush hours, peak-direction trains will stop at both platforms. The station is bypassed by select Port Jefferson & Oyster Bay Branch trains and most Ronkonkoma Branch and Montauk Branch trains.

M	Mezzanine	Crossover between platforms and to parking garage
P Platform level	Platform A, side platform
	Track 3	←      Port Jefferson Branch toward Jamaica, Atlantic Terminal, Long Island City, or Penn Station (Merillon Avenue) ←      Oyster Bay Branch toward Jamaica, Long Island City, or Penn Station (Jamaica) ←      Ronkonkoma Branch toward Atlantic Terminal or Penn Station (Jamaica) ←      Montauk Branch AM rush hours toward Long Island City (Jamaica) ←      Montauk Branch PM rush hours toward Patchogue or Montauk (Hicksville) → ←      Ronkonkoma Branch PM rush hours toward Farmingdale or Ronkonkoma (Hicksville) → ←      Oyster Bay Branch PM rush hours toward Oyster Bay (East Williston) → ←      Port Jefferson Branch PM rush hours toward Huntington or Port Jefferson (Carle Place) →
	Track 1	←      Port Jefferson Branch AM rush hours toward Jamaica, Atlantic Terminal, Long Island City, or Penn Station (Merillon Avenue) ←      Oyster Bay Branch AM rush hours toward Jamaica, Long Island City, or Penn Station (Jamaica) ←      Ronkonkoma Branch AM rush hours toward Atlantic Terminal or Penn Station (Jamaica) ←      Montauk Branch AM rush hours toward Long Island City (Jamaica) ←      Montauk Branch PM rush hours toward Patchogue or Montauk (Hicksville) → ←      Ronkonkoma Branch toward Farmingdale or Ronkonkoma (Hicksville) → ←      Oyster Bay Branch toward Oyster Bay (East Williston) → ←      Port Jefferson Branch toward Huntington or Port Jefferson (Carle Place) →
	Platform B, side platform
	Street level	Exit/entrance and buses

Mineola Intermodal Center[]

Nassau Inter-County Express, or NICE (formerly MTA Long Island Bus), operates bus service to the Mineola Intermodal Center on the south side of the station. Prior to the opening of the intermodal center on October 16, 2006, bus stops were located at Third Street, a block away from the station. Six NICE routes stop there, as well as local taxicab services.

The transit center, diagonally across from the station, as seen in June 2009, while still run by the MTA.

Nassau Inter-County Express routes[]

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mineola (LIRR station).

• Mineola – LIRR

• Mineola LIRR timetable

• Mineola Station and Vicinity (The SubwayNut.com)
• NASSAU Interlocking (The LIRR Today)
• Station House from Google Maps Street View (Exterior)
• Platforms from Google Maps Street View
• Station House from Google Maps Street View (Interior)