⁴ᴷ⁶⁰ NYC Subway Front Window View - The Rockaway Shuttle from Far Rockaway to Rockaway Park and Back

Because of weekend construction work on the Rockaway Line, there was no train service between Rockaway Boulevard and the Rockaways. A shuttle train service operated between Rockaway Park and Far Rockaway, using the connection between the two branches at Hammels Wye. One of the trains that ended up on the Rockaway side was a consist of R32s. The R32 cars have a passenger-accessible front window, which allows a view of the tracks ahead. Enjoy!
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Taken in May 2019.

[@rgw1380rw]

If you know a Conductor on the A named Clifford Wheeler (Cliff), that's my brother.

[@clarencegilliam9334]

Ok

[@stoked4015]

Ok

[@Vx14021]

Cool

[@bsbx]

ok

[@noobharris4973]

Cool gotcha

[@bretkellam6429]

I cant thank you enough for taking me someplace i will never be able to go and see for myself.

[@haroldlaetsch9848]

I grew up in NYC and never got to Rockaway or Far Rockaway so this is a treat for me!

[@pacific322]

Being born and raised in Far Rockaway has me appreciate the content you bring and the memories I still have of that place.

[@kmerena]

@@haroldlaetsch9848 I am so glad to see that there are people like you and me that are just crazy for the trains. I graduated from school in Roslyn, on the North Shore of Long Island in 1966, so perhaps we may be of similar age. Beginning in 7th grade, I would skip school, take the LIRR into Jamaica or Penn Station and ride the trains all day. My goal was to ride through every station in the system but I never made it to the Rockaways. This fabulous bunch of videos has enabled me to do this right from my desk. Because I live in Ecuador and am disabled, this is an unbridled joy and I will actively look for the right person to thank who has made my life a little brighter. I wish you good luck and happy train riding.

[@5argetech56]

Wow such nostalgia..... When we moved to the Rockaways it was still a Double Fare. You had to pay 30 cents (Token Price at that time) to get out the station from NYC... That Shuttle did not exist and The A Train ran Round-Robin after 12 midnight. It would Go from Far Rockaway to Rockaway Bark. Then out to Broad Channel and Howard Beach and beyond... :) PS - PlayLand was still open...

[@1575murray]

I think in those days at night A trains went to Lefferts Blvd. only. The round robin shuttle went from Euclid Ave. to the Rockaways I'm not sure which branch it went to first.

[@tacitdionysus3220]

Good to view a cab ride from overseas that isn't mostly underground or inner urban. You can actually get a good sense of the place and people. (From Sydney NSW)

[@HungryGuyStories]

Yes, this is quite far away from the city center.

[@Mrbeahz1]

And people actually surf at these beaches - nothing like what you've got though.

[@1995hoo]

Thanks for posting this. One of my grandmothers lived in Far Rockaway in the "Wavecrest Gardens" apartments on Seagirt Boulevard. She died in 1995 and I haven't been back there since the funeral (I live in Virginia), and we never took the subway to visit anyway, so this was both interesting in terms of seeing the Rockaways from a new viewpoint and nostalgic in terms of seeing places we drove past so many times when I was growing up. (I have other relatives in Breezy Point, so any visits to the Rockaways since 1995 have been at the other end of the peninsula via the Marine Parkway Bridge.)

[@5argetech56]

Yes I also lived in Rockaway and know where you are talking about... The Pre-Sandy days :) I now live in mid Georgia....... I really miss the Beach.. :)

[@1995hoo]

5argeTech /\ Regarding Sandy, one of my aunts lives in Breezy Point two blocks away from where the huge fire was. Her house survived somehow, though I think she lost her car.

[@5argetech56]

@@1995hoo One of my Moms best friends lost her House on Beach 133rd st. Your Aunt was very fortunate! Hope she is Okay Now in 2019 :)

[@kleptogunz9744]

Immigrants eating Boogres 🤮BE-1844 🤮12C-532

[@victorcolon1454]

Around 2015, there was a mockup hotel on the beach between the 36th and 44th stations. That was for a few scenes in HBO's show "Boardwalk Empire". In fact: one scene shows the A train from far in the background at one night time scene.

[@lgalink70sbs]

Nice being there to watch the experience with you!!!!!!!

[@roberthernandez4458]

Coming from the Bronx where there is garbage everywhere and graffiti even on people haha.. it is amazing to see an area in New York City that is so clean, and from this view I saw probably 3 places with graffiti out of the whole ride.. looks very nice.. Great video... Empire State of mind New York !!

[@koolmazin]

Lovely views of the Rockaways

[@cats0182]

The Rockaways. My old home town. Thanks for the trip.

[@katehughes1860]

Mine as well

[@MrSlamCAC]

I love seeing that Hammels Wye Move.

[@TheAnunnaki-NYC]

It nice to see units going through there since they are usually not used much.

[@1575murray]

@@TheAnunnaki-NYC At one time the Rockaways were served on late nights by a shuttle train from Euclid Ave. that ran to Rockaway Park and then to Far Rockaway using the south leg of the wye. It was also heavily used from 1950-1955 when the LIRR still ran trains there after the May 1950 trestle fire that preceded the sale of the line to the NYCTA in 1952 and its conversion and connection to the A line via the outer end of the Fulton St. elevated line in 1956. After the fire all trains ran the long way through Valley Stream until October 1955 when LIRR service to Rockaway Beach ended forever.

[@dpbl9931]

I don't believe what i see: some subway stations are freed from the pointless graffiti! This creates more confidence and security- really great! :)

[@TheDivineStyles]

DP BL NYC in the 80s dummy

[@sammavacaist]

DP BL Lol. You're thinking of 1970s NYC.

[@rosemary288]

The description says this was taken in May, 2019 … which is before the pandemic. I’m impressed at the overall cleanliness of the stations.

[@scottyerkes1867]

Great video!! New York subway construction detours are always fascinating. My Rockaway trips have always been regular A train or the shuttle from Broad Channel to Rockaway Park. Absolutely fascinating!!😀😀♥️♥️

[@robnnorthaustin]

I love your videos and binge watch them all.

[@billoverdrive9361]

I like these type of videos, nice site seeing, thanks for posting

[@RichardsAdventures]

Front view bliss

[@eventtrading]

You've got Cali weather in NY and we've got NY weather in Cali. Getting cold rain in May is not right.

[@kendavid891]

Gosh I miss my NYC

[@rgw1380rw]

I used to live in Far Rock/Rockaway Beach/The Rock, and still head out there to catch up with some of my family that still lives out there. My brother lives about 2 blocks from the 25th Street station. I'm very familiar with the A Line.

[@lilfred5567]

I love The New York City Subway

[@AzAzMusic]

Freddy Siriya Banda111 I love your mom

[@quanbrooklynkid7776]

@People Evil lol

[@davidkkten3494]

Thanks, nice trip.

[@arifakyuz7673]

It’s nice seeing the Hammels Wye being used

[@upstatenewyorkrailfan6775]

Awesome shot!

[@jess.hawkins]

Nice video, very noticeable time-controlled trainstops!

[@lol-ug2ry]

1:05 R179 Shuttle Train

[@72mrblade]

The color is nice!

[@rgw1380rw]

🤓👍Great footage, fam!

[@robsonrodrigues805]

Belo video!

[@ivorrollo9268]

coolTrain

[@lindaleelaw5277]

Relatives lived there !

[@AlexKhvedor]

Cool!!

[@frankintx699]

Looks like lot of new construction going on!

[@SunbrokenHunter]

I used to live in the Rockaways :,)

[@katehughes1860]

I grew up on B93rd in Rockaway.

[@victorsforza6213]

I love these videos.and I don't have to pay the 2.75$$ hahaha 🤣🤣

[@ivorrollo9268]

cool

[@Maunico0809]

R179 S train at 1:03

[@anthonyd6370]

its safer to watch then ride! about 25 years ago we took subway everywhere safe and clean now all hell break loose down there you stop people from not paying you stop crime

[@thomasmann9216]

Parts of the city, like these, look so nice from above. But, ..........

[@742East3rd]

Used to be called the "Round Robin" schedule.

[@tubblescousine257]

Nicce

[@nyfalcon1]

awesome video what camera did you use.

[@BNforever2009]

That was a pretty neat ride. Could you do the "F" train in its entirety? I rode that train from Manhattan to the last subway stop in Brooklyn. Cant think of the name of the street.

[@arch718]

Stillwell Ave. In Coney Island.

[@quanbrooklynkid7776]

@@arch718 I thought only the b train went to Coney Island

[@TJ-tl8ol]

quan Brooklyn kid Technically the B train stops at Brighton Beach next to Coney Island. The D,F,N, and Q trains all run to Coney Island/Stillwell

[@sammavacaist]

BNforever2009 Stillwell Avenue in Coney Island! Nathan's right across the street. 😊

[@paulfraumeni1546]

Is it possible to get more updated videos like this?

[@1940limited]

Fascinating video! I loved every minute of it. It's amazing the infrastructure and how it all works and is maintained. What's the continuous ringing sound in the background? I've never been to the Rockaways, but thoroughly enjoyed this "trip!" :-) NYC has its share of problems, but it's still a fascinating place.

[@sha1om]

Those old cars often had that noise coming out of the PA system . Note it isn’t always there. My guess is that they powered the PA directly from the car’s DC power, with little or no filtering, and in those places where there was some AC waveform superimposed over the DC, it leaked through to the speakers.

[@jerry550]

Thanks for a ride into the past. We used to take the subway to a bungalow in the summer during the ‘50s. I think we got off at the Arverne stop. I recall some stations weren’t in operation. Went back in the ‘70s and it looked like a nuclear attack destroyed everything. Looks bucolic now. Is your camera suction cupped to the window? There’s no vibration at all. Just before he approaches the bridge and sounds the horn, the signal to the left appears red. And why are the tracks on two levels at that point? Thank you in advance.

[@Jambassa]

you probably get this question alot but what camera did you use for this video, the quality is amazing

[@Sashazur]

I know in some of their other videos it was a GoPro

[@Saxshoe]

I watch these in 2x speed to pretend that the transit is more rapid than it actually is

[@HungryGuyStories]

LoL. But to be fair, this is just a local commuter subway/metro train. If you want to ride on a fast train, take the LIRR or Metro North -- more comfortable, faster, less frequent stops, and (of course) more expensive (more like what you'd call a "real" train).

[@Saxshoe]

LIRR is also a commuter train

[@HungryGuyStories]

@Ali Muhammad Oh, I would't say that. If you live in NYC, you're never more than a few blocks from a station. And it's incredibly easy to get around the city by train. Just don't ride during rush hour is all...

[@Sashazur]

Same, but I do it because I have the attention span of a gnat.

[@m0dze1532]

@Ali Muhammad do you expect a 55 year old subway car to be really fast? That is the subway car he recorded on which is r32

[@user-hx8eb2pj5f]

Dj Hammers Do you require employees in your company?

[@transportebr614]

Make the route video on the other lines as well!

[@rodgiacoleetch6193]

This line used to be part of LIRR, it looks beautiful from the street..or at least it was back then. BTW: there is no Wave Crest, Edgemere, Frank, Straiton, Gaston Aves. LoL! Its a Queensthing... see 'A' and '7' lines

[@kotytoonz1628]

Is there a.... Arverne by the Sea?

[@bruce_adams]

Plane shadow at 9:27

[@dawolf856]

On its way to JFK airport

[@vintagenysubwaylover333]

Djhammer got any videos of the Franklin ave shuttle before renovation? Please post if u do

[@matthewosman412]

That’s cool

[@barryryan7075]

Are there any other "y"'s in the system other than in Rockaway?

[@michaelt.lancaster9776]

You should do the 4 line.

[@dasy2k1]

What is the 4th rail slightly off centre in the 4ft? It is gapped every so often and some of the gaps appear to be electrically bonded? Dosn't appear to have any contact surfaces with the train however, Is it part of the traction return or something different ?

[@DJHammersTrains]

That’s a guard rail that doubles as a secondary traction return rail

[@geraldgreen5371]

Back in the day this was called "The Round Robin" service...right?

[@DJHammersTrains]

Yep!!

[@TeshawnEdmonds]

'Tis the right time to restore this Round Robin service in the Rockaways.

[@BenTheMiner]

That was only going from uptown and back uptown. This route is just back and forth from and to the Rockaways.

[@cats0182]

@@DJHammersTrains As I remember the "Round Robin Service", it was run during the overnight hours. The train would go from Rockaway Park to Far Rockaway, then back to the Hammels Wye and then all the way to Euclid Avenue. It was awful and was dropped after a short time. I believe that's when they came up with the Rockaway Park/Broad Channel Shuttle, connecting with the through trains from Far Rockaway (version of the LIRR's "Change At Ozone Park").

[@quanbrooklynkid7776]

@@cats0182 Yea it's the A train to Far Rockaway, Rockaway Park, Ozone Park, 3 different a trains going to different parts of Queens

[@tomryan943]

Was this stretch part of the Rockaway branch that the TA purchased back in the fifties??? I didn't realize it was this long!!

[@ddr3519]

This block of flats looks like Soviet buildings of 70s

[@ddr3519]

Ps Your public skycrapers looks worse (its my opinion)

[@alb12345672]

Trump made his fortune off buildings similar to those.

[@ericjamieson]

That's how everyone was building public housing back then. In America a lot of it has been knocked down though.

[@alb12345672]

@@ericjamieson Some are "MItchell-Lama" , not quite public housing.

[@sepruecom]

eh, you find those everywhere. In the previously communist countries they are just especially abundant, since the need for new housing was especially high due to forced industrialization (after all you need a working class for the "rule of the working class", and most communist countries were (mostly) agricultural countries before they got socialist governments, with only very few (or any) industrialized centers). That even applied to the Soviet Union, which only had very few industrialized centers before the "revolution". You find such buildings in Munich (e.g. northern Au, around Dachauer Str) and Melbourne/AUS (almost each suburb has a few of those). These kinds of buildings were a cheap and quick way to build new housing, and the concrete design was somewhat "in" in the 60s and 70s. They still use that model for building, it is just not that obviously shaped any more...

[@jess.hawkins]

What music is that tune at the start of this video an excerpt from?

[@jonathancortez7145]

I take the A train to the last stop in gar rockaway. That where my people live

[@noahoneill6685]

You think they should change B105th st-seaside to -Scholars' Academy. Also, my school guest starring in a 50k view video XD

[@eyestoenvy]

The Rockaways are beautiful (minus the housing projects) from above ......

[@arielgonzalez5296]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@cats0182]

An afterthought. There used to be bus service between Beach 116th Street and Far Rockaway; it ran on Rockaway Beach Boulevard "Back in the day", I think it started at Jacob Riis Park. If that service is still in operation, why did they need a shuttle train?

[@1995hoo]

Cats01 I recall the Green Line bus used to run between Riis Park and Far Rockaway. The stop at Riis Park was at what people there still often call "the circle"-just west of the Marine Parkway Bridge but east of Roxbury and Fort Tilden. I think the Green Line was bought out by the MTA. It was a really slow bus service. A shuttle train is bound to be faster.

[@LBJackson4]

Cats01 Yes, it’s the Q22 bus

[@TheRailLeaguer]

The Q22 is super unreliable due to congestion at the bridge.

[@JonathanChan212]

Not only the R32 is on the shuttle, so is R179 10-car.

[@ernierobinson4892]

So NYC subway shuttle trains use the same letter sign? I thought it was only for the shuttle from times square to grand central lol

[@victorcolon1454]

S means Shuttle. There is also the Franklin Avenue shuttle in Brooklyn.

[@meltingtomato]

Is it common for service in New York to be that infrequent, every 14-16 mins?

[@Matthews_Back]

Oof R179 (S)utter train at 00:44

[@CycolacFan]

Station every half mile?

[@cbrown717]

Cool vid. So slow. Play it at 2x speed to get an idea of the proper speed of NYC Subway trains. Its 2019!

[@8avexp]

R-32s?

[@TheJayaldae]

To my understanding, that route is not normal. Why was that route taken?

[@gilsonanderson5807]

Hi! Just old vídeos , something new comming ? Thank you!

[@stegowolf]

The Rockaway lines have always had a special place in my heart: inhereted from the LIRR, and the only Elevated line that I know of in the city with Gravel under the rails!! Question: how far a walk is it from the Far Rockaway NYMTA terminus to the LIRR terminus, and is there any evidence of the old connection left?

[@Alrucards]

Depends on the person and if they know where the LIRR station is but for me its a 5 minute walk between both stations.

[@jackpine4347]

It's about a 5 minute walk. You exit the station and turn left on Mott, then right at the next corner on Redfern. Go past Village Lane on the left (new street built between the new apartment buildings that have gone up over the last couple of years), past Dix Avenue on the left, past Birdsall Avenue on the left, then a right on Nameoke and the LIRR terminus is on the right. They took down the old station building and now there are just ticketing machines. Vestiges of the old connection to what is now the subway line are gone.

[@1575murray]

I thought that they couldn't use R32 cars on this run because they could gap out on the turnouts going to and from the south leg of Hammels Wye. When the H shuttle ran after Sandy they replaced the R32 cars with R46s.

[@TheRailLeaguer]

They’re using 10-car trains.

[@Thelowkeyjayy._.]

What’s that buzzer sound in the beginning

[@leshaunbyrdmilligan9639]

The conductor telling the operator its safe to move train and passenger are on the subway train

[@thetrailermakerwheretraile5149]

What is hammels Wye?

[@BronsonWally]

Is there a driver or do they run it remotely ?

[@amback2681]

Bronson Wally driver

[@purplesword5536]

How long was the broad channel bridge out after sandy??

[@TheRailLeaguer]

6 months or so.

[@purplesword5536]

@@TheRailLeaguer yeah i heard it was at least that long.. Must have been tough on residents of broad channel and the rockaways..

[@TheRailLeaguer]

@@purplesword5536 Agreed.

[@RocketShipSquid]

r179 Shuttle??

[@cats0182]

They had to run a subway shuttle? There's bus service between Far Rockaway and Rockaway Park. Route Q22. No wonder MTA is in financial trouble.

[@TheRailLeaguer]

The Q22 is an unreliable option due to congestion at Beach 90th Street, something recent changes have tried to implement. The subway is far more reliable for this case.

[@mooik1_88]

R160 S ? Very strange.

[@R.A.-X65]

does anyone think the (C) Should go back to the Rockaways?

[@andyroth619]

I want to see the C go to Lefferts, A trains alternating Far Rockaway and Rockaway Park, and no more of this shuttle nonsense.

[@andyroth619]

Keeps it simple for those going to the airport: ALL A trains serve JFK stop.

[@andyroth619]

@Ali Muhammad oh man- that's so frustrating! Last thing you wanna deal with after a day of work too. Recently, riders can't rely on one type of equipment being their train either, with R46s on the C, R32s on the A, R179s on both lines now, and even a R68 run on the A which can easily be confused as a D train in Upper Manhattan. Let the Rider Beware- their job has become our job, man. And ain't it the truth...

[@cats0182]

@Ali Muhammad Ain't gonna happen. It's fate was sealed in May, 1950 when the old trestle caught fire and service was stopped.

[@andyroth619]

Funny enough, today I saw an R32 C train with the destination signs set to 207th St and Lefferts Blvd, presumably from the consist being relocated from A service. A lot of turnover these days with all the new R179s going into service (now that they can finally function more reliably lol).

[@boplax123]

Who else thought this was gonna be a video from Cities:Skylines? :D

[@Trafficlight678]

They should have the H train service run in the Rockaways only between Rockaway park 116th street and far rockaway as a shuttle service And Use the K train designation as the Skip stop version of the A train the same way the Z train is the skip stop version of the J train meaning it uses the center track and only make certain stops and bypasses all other stops and will run during rush hours only all other times take the A train

[@davidthaler7018]

Joseph Leogrande The center tracks along the Rockaway flats can’t be used. One has been decommissioned and the other has been de-energized.

[@Trafficlight678]

David Thaler they can re energize the tracks by installing new cables and fuses

[@davidthaler7018]

Joseph Leogrande Doubt they would do that because of the expense. Also, the center tracks aren’t adjacent to any platforms along the route, which means switching the train between the center and far tracks.

[@Trafficlight678]

David Thaler the center tracks can be used for skip stop service designated as the K train which runs rush hours only Same concept as the Z train

[@Trafficlight678]

Ali Muhammad it would be great a seasonal train service for people coming off the LIRR going to rockaway beach So the H service can be summer service only and suspended after summer ends until the next year when summer begins Similar to certain bee line bus routes in westchester which are suspended until summer season which is service to rye playland Similar theory

[@itzjayy8238]

Guys

[@rodneywilliams3762]

Can you get a full run on the A and C

[@GrowlingMotors]

He already did a run on The A Train, Tho I'm Pretty Sure He Has Not Done The C Train

[@goose3303]

I dont think the C has any trains with RFWs

[@m0dze1532]

@@goose3303 yes they do

[@noahoneill6685]

20:00 what up Scholars'

[@timothystark4475]

When there is no train service on that railway to mainland, do they provide shuttle buses between stations?

[@HungryGuyStories]

They usually provide free bus service, yes. There's also normal bus service.

[@arch9enius]

9:23 EEK Quetzalcoatals' back 20:19 SPEAK UP LASS, AS CAN BARELY HEAR YOUS

[@Cheeseatingjunlista]

Looks kinda bleak, is this a poor area? Fascinating mind, thank you

[@MerveilleuseNadine]

R42 Train

[@randolphparris5147]

Carol. My 200.

[@randolphparris5147]

Rodney.gils.

[@randolphparris5147]

T.

[@ernestrichardson2301]

Never rode this line

[@robbyrob8349]

I hope that one day all of Far Rockaway and edgemere will become gentrified instead of being runned down.

[@whooelse9444]

You mean with less blk ppl?

[@tyshaunthetraindude]

Or how about helping the people that already live there instead of making it a neighborhood that the locals can’t afford anymore?

[@woodrat2296]

So, how is this a subway? Didn't even go under an overpass.

[@hank1519]

Part of the subway system. Just the way we refer to it. Of course, this part is elevated, Not all of the London Underground is underground 😀

[@DJBigNicky]

Here’s my vision; 1) Get rid of the Broad Channel Shuttle. 2) Extend C service to Rockaway Park. 3) Change the A to Lefferts Blvd to either the K or H. 4) Keep this shuttle route permanent. But no; the MTA will think that’s too logical.

[@BenTheMiner]

Nah, tbh C to Ozone Park is better, the shuttle is fine

[@AzAzMusic]

BenTheMiner - Transit & Games nah c should go to ozone park and the H should go to rockaway park

[@cats0182]

That's rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. Service to the Rockaways has been lousy since the day it opened. From what I can gather it still is lousy. The current routing is a nightmare of time and distance. Chances of reopening the LIRR line from Aqueduct to Ozone Park and then to the LIRR mainline through White Pot Junction are non-existent. You will never have enough business to justify separate trains on the full run to Manhattan, except during rush hours from Rockaway Park; it just ain't gonna happen. The best you could do would be to keep the Broad Channel Shuttle, have the through train make all stops beyond that until it gets to the old Fulton Street El. Then run the train non-stop to Euclid Avenue. Then run the train making express stops only to Hoyt-Schermerhorn Street. Then run the train on the regular route to Manhattan. Eliminating stops on the Fulton Street El and making only express stops after Euclid Avenue might buy some time. The original LIRR Rockaway Beach Branch is dead, for whatever reason.

[@BenTheMiner]

@@AzAzMusic I just said that...

[@tombarzey7964]

Could never understand why the A trains run on a split schedule going to either Lefferts Blvd and Far Rockaway. The waiting time going to both terminals is horrible because of this. What would make sense to me is to extend the C trains to Lefferts Blvd and have the A trains go to Far Rockaway only!