Penny Bridge was a station along the Long Island Rail Road's Lower Montauk Branch that runs from Long Island City to Jamaica, Queens, in the state of New York. During its existence, the station served local industry as well as the Calvary Cemetery. Before the Kosciuszko Bridge was built, it also served businesses on the Brooklyn side of Newtown Creek (the name referring to the bridge that formerly connected Laurel Hill Boulevard to Meeker Avenue before it was closed in 1939) prior to the closure and removal of the bridge.

Penny Bridge
Former site of the Penny Bridge station
General information
Other namesCalvary Cemetery
LocationLaurel Hill Boulevard
and Review Avenue
Long Island City, Queens, New York
Coordinates40°43′44.4″N 73°55′53″W / 40.729000°N 73.93139°W / 40.729000; -73.93139
Owned byLong Island Rail Road
Line(s)Montauk Branch
Platforms2 side platforms
Tracks2
History
OpenedJune 26, 1854
August 6, 1870
June 2, 1883
ClosedNovember 14, 1869
July 30, 1880
March 16, 1998[1]
ElectrifiedAugust 29, 1905
Former services
Preceding station Long Island Rail Road Following station
Long Island City
Terminus
Montauk Branch Laurel Hill
toward Montauk
Location
Map
The site of the former station as seen from the Kosciuszko Bridge in 2023, the station was located around the spot of the light grey road that crosses over the tracks of the Montauk Branch

History

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This station first opened on June 26, 1854, by the Flushing Railroad to serve Calvary Cemetery.[2] The Flushing Railroad was purchased by the New York and Flushing Railroad in April 1859. The station, in June 1859, was renamed Calvary Cemetery. The station closed on November 14, 1869. After the line was acquired by the South Side Railroad of Long Island in 1869 the station reopened on August 6, 1870. The Long Island Rail Road purchased the line in 1874 and consolidated the line into its system in 1876. The station was closed on July 30, 1880, before reopening on June 2, 1883.[3] The station would close permanently on March 16, 1998, along with Haberman, Glendale, Fresh Pond and Richmond Hill stations due to very low ridership and incompatibility with the C3 cars that were to be introduced into service around the time of closure. Around that time, the station served an average of one passenger per day.[1][2]

References

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  1. ^ a b Sengupta, Somini (March 15, 1998). "End of the Line for L.I.R.R.'s 10 Loneliest Stops". The New York Times. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
  2. ^ a b Huenke, Art. "PENNY BRIDGE STATION". www.arrts-arrchives.com. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
  3. ^ Stadler, Derek. "The History of Long Island City: Details of its Short-Lived Days as Both an Incorporated Municipality and the Major Western Terminus of the Long Island Rail Road". derekstadler.wordpress.com. Archived from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2016.