Ocean Electric Railway
| Company type | Streetcar service |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Predecessor | Rockaway Village Railroad, Far Rockaway Railroad |
| Founded | April 28, 1897 |
| Defunct | 1928 |
| Fate | Discontinued trolley operations |
| Headquarters | Far Rockaway, Queens , United States |
Area served | Rockaways, Queens, New York City |
| Owner | Long Island Rail Road |
The Ocean Electric Railway functioned as a streetcar service operating within The Rockaways area of Queens, New York. Its route ran alongside segments of the Rockaway Beach Branch and Far Rockaway Branch operated by the Long Island Rail Road. The administrative center was located at the Far Rockaway LIRR station, overseeing all trolley lines owned by the LIRR.
Rockaway Village Railroad
The Ocean Electric Railway succeeded the Rockaway Village Railroad, initially a horse-drawn streetcar line established by local entrepreneurs. Officially chartered on April 28, 1897, its trolley operations dated back to 1881.
Far Rockaway Railroad
On March 18, 1898, the LIRR purchased the Far Rockaway Railroad, a short 1.1-mile horse-car route, which was then incorporated into the Ocean Electric system.
LIRR ownership
The objective of the system was to connect the steam-powered New York and Rockaway Beach Railroad with the Far Rockaway Branch (previously part of the South Side Railroad of Long Island) to provide rapid transit service. Electrification commenced on the Rockaway Beach Branch on July 26, 1905, followed by the Far Rockaway Branch on December 11, 1905.
In June 1904, a third track was constructed between Far Rockaway and Hammels, allowing trolley operations from Fairview Avenue in Hammels to Rockaway Park.
Between 1905 and 1911, the LIRR converted power collection for OER vehicles on shared tracks between Far Rockaway and Hammels from overhead wires to third rail systems. By October 1905, third rails had been installed on the outer tracks, enabling electric train service to Far Rockaway. By 1910, third rails were extended to the center track to accommodate new service to Pennsylvania Station. Trolley cars outfitted with third rail shoes discontinued overhead wire usage by 1911.
Ocean Electric expanded its reach to Belle Harbor at Pelham Avenue (currently Beach 126th Street) in 1915 and further extended service to Neponsit at Beach 149th Street in June 1916—areas beyond the LIRR’s rail terminus at Rockaway Park.
Most trolley stops coincided with existing LIRR stations except for those west of Rockaway Park Station and along Rockaway Beach Boulevard between Arverne and Rockaway Park. Certain stops such as Frank Avenue Station were officially designated as LIRR stations by 1922. Following a decline in trolley patronage after World War I, the LIRR gradually discontinued trolley operations: Roche's Beach Branch ceased in 1924, the section east of Hammels closed in 1926, and the remaining portions were abandoned by 1928.
Lines
| Name | From | To | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hammels | Neponsit | Runs along Rockaway Beach Boulevard from Beach 75th Street to Beach 116th Street, then northward on Newport Avenue and westward along Beach 142nd Street to Neponsit Avenue extending just past Beach 149th Street. | Constructed between 1904 and 1916; service ended October 25, 1928 currently served by Q22 and Q35 | |
| Hammels | Hammels Beach | South Leg of Hammels Wye via Beach 84th Street (formerly Fairview Avenue). | Discontinued | |
| Far Rockaway | Hammels | Utilizes original Long Island Rail Road tracks shared with Far Rockaway Branch trains before continuing down Beach 84th Street to connect with the Rockaway Beach Boulevard line. | Service ended September 9, 1926 now incorporated into the New York City Subway's IND Rockaway Line | |
| Far Rockaway | Roche's Beach | From the original Far Rockaway station at Mott Avenue southward along Central Avenue (present-day Beach 20th Street), proceeding via New Haven and Brookhaven Avenue, then south on Rockaway Turnpike (now Beach 19th Street) reaching Roche's Beach near current Seagirt Boulevard. This included a trestle over the Bay of Far Rockaway susceptible to flooding. | Closed September 14, 1924 |
References
General Sources
- "The Long Island Rail Road: An In-Depth History Volume #5 (New York, Woodhaven & Rockaway Railroad; New York & Rockaway Beach Railway; New York & Long Beach Railroad; New York & Rockaway Railroad; Brooklyn Rapid Transit Service to Rockaway; Over L.I.R.R.)", authored by Vincent F. Seyfried
External links
- 1897 establishments in New York City
- 1928 disestablishments in New York (state)
- Streetcar lines in Queens, New York
- Railway companies established in 1897
- Railway companies disestablished in 1928
- Defunct public transportation providers in the United States
- Obsolete railroads in New York (state)
- Companies associated with the Long Island Rail Road
- Transportation in Rockaway, Queens
- Railroad lines in Rockaway, Queens
- Companies affiliated with the Long Island Rail Road