I vote for a rail link to LaGuardia first. Getting there from my house in Bushwick requires a subway and two bus transfers over an hour and 15 minutes.

After that, I’d vote for Islip, which is, as your commenters from the last article pointed out, right next to the the LIRR’s Ronkonloma line. Unfortunately, the terminal is on the opposite side of the property, so you either have to pay a $5 shuttle charge, or take a scenic hour walk (don’t ask) around airport property. It’s about an hour from Penn Station to Islip, and I’d think the one-seat ride would be an attractive alternative to a subway ride with a transfer to the air train.

Only then would I be in favor of a rail connector at Stewart.

Delta, Northwest and USAirways have commuter service.

Jesus, what a boondoggle that was–serves as yet another against lobbyist-driven privatization.

Thanks for keeping up on this issue.

Anyway, your info on the privatization is wrong. It was privatized but that was a huge disaster and a few years back PANYNJ voted to take over the lease. They’ll assume control of Stewart before the end of the year. That’s one of the reasons why the MTA is thinking about this rail link again.

2. The MTA has already secured some federal funds for the rail link through the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) back in mid-2005.

Here, a bit from a Sen. Schumer press release: “Senators Schumer and Clinton also secured Congressional authorization in the bill that will enable the MTA to pursue federal funds in future appropriations bills toward the future design and construction of a direct rail link to Stewart International Airport. The ‘New Start’ designation allows the MTA and other project leaders to purse initial design and alternative analysis, kick starting the project and putting it line to receive significant federal funding in the future. Stewart Rail Access would connect Metro-North station would involve capacity improvements on Metro-North’s Port Jervis Line from Suffern to Salisbury Mills, construction of an extension of the railroad into the airport from that point of the Port Jervis Line, construction of a new station(s) at the Airport, a new rail yard and purchase of needed rolling stock.”

There has been major overhauls of just about every station from Suffern to Salisbury Mills (expanded parking lots, new light poles, shelters, ramps, etc.). I think it may be a result of the funding released by this bill.

3. It should also be noted that, unlike the three other metro airports, Stewart is privately owned and operated by a British company. Gov. Spitzer approved the privatization bid back in 2000 or so when he was Attorney General.

4. The proposed rail link has all the potential to be a colosal waste of limited resources. What the MTA should be doing is looking to improve the regional system through mesaures that benefit regular riders. This can be achieved by upgrading service on the Port Jervis and Pascack Valley lines (weekend service is pretty sparse–I know because I have to use to visit my parents) and researching the feasibility of trans-Hudson rail service in the Mid-Hudson region (possibly via the Tappan Zee Bridge).

Still, I cannot deny that, on some level, the rail spur to Stewart does make sense. Just looking at a map, one realizes that where the tracks loop west above Salisbury Mills, the airport lies only a few miles north. It must be tantalizing for those guys at Stewart.