Station Building and Platforms are Accessible in Accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Art Installation Honoring Local Hero Part of New Station Plaza
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Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) today announced the opening of an upgraded Mineola Station. The enhancements are part the LIRR Expansion Project from Floral Park to Hicksville, as well as part of a broader LIRR initiative to strengthen the reliability and resiliency of LIRR infrastructure.
The upgraded station features:
- New, wider platforms with partial canopies that can accommodate 12-car trains
- Two pedestrian overpasses (one just east of existing station building and another with elevators located at Main St.)
- A renovated station building that is fully accessible to all in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- A majestic 20’ tall bronze sculpture, Bessie and Roxey, commissioned by MTA Arts & Design
- Standard USB charging stations, digital signs and audio speakers announcing upcoming train arrivals, security cameras, customer help and emergency phones, platform shelters with electric radiant heat
- A system to automatically prevent buildup of snow and ice on the platform and on stairs
- New “Kiss and Ride” at Main St with parking
- A future newsstand located within new west overpass building
- New elevators at the Main Street Overpass
“The opening of Main Line Third Track and the inauguration of Grand Central Madison service means that 80 more trains are stopping at Mineola Station every day,” said LIRR Interim President and Metro-North Railroad President Catherine Rinaldi. “Thousands of LIRR customers who travel to and from Mineola now have a modern station with wide, accessible platforms, beautiful artwork and modern amenities.”
“Third Track is a terrific example of how we can maximize improvements to our system by bundling station upgrades into our megaprojects,” said MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer. “Using innovative contracting methods allowed us to make major renovations to stations as we increased capacity. Now, Mineola residents have access to a state-of-the art facility that can better accommodate the large increase in service brought about by the opening of Grand Central Madison.”
“I am proud to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Mineola Long Island Rail Road Station, which has served as an historic symbol of connectivity and community for Long Island commuters. To this day, it remains a vibrant hub that is essential to our region’s growth and has played an integral role in the lives of countless residents and visitors alike for generations,” said New York State Senator Kevin Thomas. “The Mineola LIRR Station remains a vital gateway of opportunity and progress, whose enduring presence is a testament to the resilient spirit of Long Islanders. Here’s to the next hundred years of service and progress.”
“Mineola Station is much more than just another railroad stop, it’s an integral part of our history. Long Island was America’s first suburb and that wouldn’t have been possible without the Mineola Station,” said New York State Senator Jack M. Martins. “It’s 100 years old now so you might even say the island grew up with the station. That’s why today, she serves as a major transportation hub for all of Nassau County.”
“The revitalization of the Mineola LIRR station has been an integral part of the vision of the Village of Mineola‘s master plan for over 20 years. Now that the station is complete, it is a great complement to the ongoing transit-oriented developments, and general downtown revitalization that the village has made its central priority for well over a decade,” said Mineola Mayor Paul A. Pereira. “Our residents, business owners, commuters, and visitors have been rewarded for their patience and understanding during construction with a beautiful state of the art transit facility that will serve generations to come.”
When the ticket office at the newly built Mineola station opened at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22, 1923, George Eggers of Glen Cove bought the first ticket followed by Peter L. Cody of Roslyn and Ray Bernard of Mineola.
The original Mineola station was built in 1837 and in 1865 a depot building was erected and named Mineola Junction. A second station was built in 1883 and was replaced by a new station in 1923.
According to the Long Island Rail Road Information Bulletin of Dec. 3, 1923, a large delegation of LIRR officials led by General Superintendent C. Dwight Baker and the Railroad band boarded a special train at Jamaica at 1:00 p.m. destined for Mineola station and the “Station Day Celebration” activities.
Celebration Chair R.T. Childs celebrated the new stations’ opening exclaiming, “For years it has been regretted among the well-wishers of Mineola that our railroad station facilities were so inadequate. Today all that is changed. We hope another change may soon take place, and that in the very near future we may again welcome you and your associates to celebrate the electrification of the line to Mineola.”
The upgraded station features new public artwork created by artist Donald Lipski. Bessie and Roxey (2023) celebrates two separate but interconnected figures of Long Island history, aviator Bessica (Bessie) Raiche and Roxey, the LIRR dog.
Commissioned by MTA Arts & Design, Bessie and Roxey is a majestic 20’ tall bronze sculpture that lifts two incredible stories from the early twentieth century. Raiche, the first woman to pilot an airplane solo, stands proud on her plinth. Seated at the top of her raised left arm is Roxey, de facto mascot of the Long Island Rail Road.
“Bessie and Roxey is whimsical and inspirational. Donald Lipski's vision brings home to the Mineola community these all but forgotten stories,” said MTA Arts & Design Director Sandra Bloodworth. “Although these notable Long Island residents did not cross paths, the pair is connected through time and place. Stories of their courage and determination have gone unsung for many years. Their shared local history is now forever preserved.”
“Bessie Raiche was a maverick and pioneer of her times; blazing the way in aviation, medicine and women’s rights,” said Executive Director Cradle of Aviation Museum Jennifer Baxmeyer. “The Cradle of Aviation Museum is honored to participate in LIRR recognition of her contributions and achievements.”
“To me, the warm, traditional style of the station called for a bronze statue, something I’d never made. I hope it is loved and enjoyed by generations," said artist Donald Lipski.
Mineola Station on the Main Line of the LIRR serves nearly 14,000 customers daily and consistently ranks as the third busiest station east of Jamaica. All trains for the Port Jefferson, Ronkonkoma, and Oyster Bay branches run through Mineola Station, as well as a few for the Montauk Branch. The station sits adjacent to the Mineola Intermodal Center, operated by Nassau Inter-County Express (NICE) Bus.