TWU Joins Queens Coalition to Re-Activate 3.5 Miles of Rail, Delivering Subway Service to 500,000

NOVEMBER 10 -- TWU Local 100 President John Samuelsen spoke at a press conference organized by supporters of re-activating the Rockaway Beach Branch, a 3.5 mile stretch of abandoned railroad track that "would connect South and Northern Queens in a way that is not currently possible," according to Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D-Rockaway Park). Goldfeder and officials from Queens College released a study that concluded reactivating the line would generate about 500,000 subway rides per day. TWU Local 100 is strongly in favor of the idea, and we favor the use of MTA capital funds to reactivate the line.

"We view this as a once in a lifetime opportunity," Samuelsen said. "We have existing transit access that has fallen into disuse. In this instance, we have an opportunity to expand the subways and deliver transit service to 500,000 riders a day that is desperately needed. Because it is an existing asset, we have the opportunity to do it at a fraction of the cost of new construction." He also spoke of the big economic boost the line would bring to Queens. "We have an existing transit asset," he reiterated. "Why let it slip out of our hands? Why not put it back into use for 500,000 transit riders?"