Things may soon be quieter for Glendale residents living along Otto Road near the Fresh Pond Railyard, as New York & Atlantic Railway (NYA) will move its train repair facility out of the neighborhood by the end of the month.
Congresswoman Grace Meng — who has been keeping a watchful eye on NYA, especially since the crash in Maspeth in 2015 that involved an NYA train — and several other elected officials made the announcement on June 16 of the plan to move the repair facility.
Under this new plan, NYA will relocate its “Track 11” repair line to a non-residential area in East New York that neighbors the L train, NYA’s East New York Tunnel and the existing NYA rail yard.
Currently, the repair track runs along Otto Road from 67th Place to 69th Place and is used to fix rail cars. Repair operations on the track include changing of wheels and break shoes; fixing mechanical problems; and repainting identifying letters and numbers on locomotives. These operations often involve noisy hammering, drilling, welding and the use of other loud machinery.
“NYA’s plan to transfer its repair operations is good news for Glendale residents who have long been plagued by noise caused by these rail car repairs,” Meng said. “I thank NYA for making this decision. I look forward to building on this positive development, and working further with company officials to address other train-related issues that impact the community.”
NYA plans to have the repair track moved out of the area by the end of June.
“NYA is proud to have worked closely with Congresswoman Meng and other elected officials and community leaders to bring this benefit to our neighbors,” said NYA President James Bonner. “We have historically engaged in improvements when we can do so in a way that allows us to preserve the benefits we provide to our customers and residents of Queens, Brooklyn and Long Island. We look forward to continuing the positive collaboration evidenced by this project.”
Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley, state Senator Joseph Addabbo, Assemblyman Mike Miller, Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan, and Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi also applauded the move, noting it was a major step forward for Glendale residents who had suffered from quality-of-life issues due to the loud train repairs.
