Originally intending to run further east to Roslyn, Oyster Bay, and even Huntington, the NY&F's plans were thwarted by the LIRR who reached those destination first, as well as poor service that the company became known for.

When the NY&F collapsed after construction of the Great Neck Extension, the LIRR acquired the railroad and left this branch unfinished.

East of Grinnell station and the Flushing River, there was a junction leading either toward the main line of the F&NS railroad or the Whitestone Branch.

[5] Unfortunately, the NY&F realized that they could not survive the competition, and sold their line (and their lease on the North Shore Railroad of Long Island.

The New York and Flushing continued to own the line west of Winfield, and soon became the South Side Railroad's access to Long Island City.

[9][14] Since both the NY&F and F&NS planned to expand service east of Great Neck, subsidiaries of the railroad were created for this purpose.

In fact, they were eliminated during the merger with the Central Railroad of Long Island in 1874 (see below), although the LIRR did try to extend the line to Roslyn until 1882 due to the difficulty of construction around the Manhasset Valley.

Despite the failed attempt to extend the line from Great Neck to Roslyn in 1882, wealthy Port Washington residents persuaded the LIRR to bring the terminus to their hometown in 1895.