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New York State proposes LaGuardia Airtrain link
The “air train” is better that what exists now, which is nothing. But it is hardly state of the art for urban transit links to an airport.
The lack of decent rail service to most major US airports is just one more confirmation that we live in a country that is becoming third world.
This would also be more cost-effective if this were built via Jamaica to make a LGA - JFK through-route operation.
Long overdue in my opinion.
Amen to what Ms. Spindler wrote. But if this thing can be run down the GC Parkway ROW why can’t it be a conventional NYCTA subway with a ramp connection to the Astoria Line for a one-seat ride into Manhattan? Something doesn’t seem right about building a standalone with different equipment and no run-through capability.
As a New York native I know many rely on the “Thruway” for long-distance road travel across the state, but I’d sure appreciate seeing “through” used in pieces of journalism to help preserve whatever remains of the English language.
A better idea would be to simply extend the “N” Astoria line to the airport. This would provide direct service onto the Broadway BMT to midtown & lower Manhattan as well as Brooklyn, ending at Coney Island.
It would be interesting to extend this down the Grand Central and then the Van Wyck to the Long Island RR’s Jamaica station. Of course connecting to the Astoria line and the NYCTA would be good practice.
I agree with many of the commenters: Direct links are better than 2 seat rides. Why not extend the existing air train to LaGuardia? That would connect the LIRR AND the two airports all with a one seat ride. Extending an existing subway ride would make sense too to accomplish a one seat ride to downtown Manhattan.
Where is the money going to come from?