Sunnyside Yard
| Company type | Rail yard |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Pennsylvania Railroad |
| Founded | 1910 |
| Headquarters | Queens, New York City , United States |
Area served | New York City metropolitan area |
| Products | Passenger railcar storage and servicing |
| Owner | Amtrak |
Sunnyside Yard is an extensive coach yard, serving as a railroad yard dedicated to passenger railcars located in the Sunnyside area of Queens, New York City. This facility, owned by Amtrak and also utilized by New Jersey Transit, was originally constructed by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) in 1910. At its inception, it held the distinction of being the largest coach yard worldwide, spanning 192 acres (0.78 km2).
Within Sunnyside Yard lies Harold Interlocking, recognized as the busiest rail junction across the United States. Along its southern boundary run the shared tracks of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Main Line and Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor. To the northeast of the yard, a balloon track facilitates efficient turnaround operations for Amtrak and NJ Transit trains terminating at Penn Station.
History
Completed by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1910, Sunnyside Yard became a pivotal hub for storing and servicing PRR passenger trains serving New York City. It connected directly to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan through the East River Tunnels. Initially, Sunnyside’s North Yard featured 45 tracks with capacity to hold 526 railcars, while the South Yard mirrored this with another 45 tracks accommodating 552 cars.
The yard’s proximity attracted various industrial operations that benefited from rail access. On its southern flank, the Degnon Terminal hosted several enterprises such as the American Chicle Company chewing gum plant, the Eveready Battery Company factory, and the Loose-Wiles Sunshine Biscuits manufacturing site. Additionally, the nearby Swingline Stapler factory was situated just east at 32-01 Queens Boulevard.
East Side Access project
As part of the East Side Access initiative connecting to the new LIRR terminal at Grand Central Terminal, known as Grand Central Madison (which opened January 25, 2023), certain LIRR trains are rerouted from the main line via a tunnel beneath Sunnyside Yard along the 63rd Street Lines. This project also incorporates a new station named Sunnyside located on Queens Boulevard.
Harold Interlocking
In May 2011, a federal grant totaling $294.7 million was awarded to alleviate congestion at Harold Interlocking—the nation’s busiest rail junction situated within Sunnyside Yard. These enhancements create dedicated bypass tracks for Amtrak trains on the Hell Gate Line, allowing them to avoid delays caused by NJT and LIRR traffic. Some of these upgrades were finalized by early 2023, with remaining construction expected to conclude by late 2025.
Housing development
Beginning in 2017, city officials launched a feasibility study exploring the potential to develop between 21,000 and 31,000 residential units atop Sunnyside Yard—a project on par with developments like Hudson Yards. This proposal sparked considerable public discussion concerning issues such as housing affordability, transit connectivity, availability of open space, and environmental concerns related to a nearby Superfund site. A public forum held in September 2019 encountered protests challenging aspects of the planning process. In early 2020, Amtrak together with city representatives unveiled a master plan envisioning a platform constructed over Sunnyside Yard featuring 12,000 affordable housing units alongside extensive parks and plazas.
See also
- List of railroad yards in New York City
- New York Connecting Railroad
- New York Tunnel Extension
- Transportation in New York City