[10] It was originally constructed to allow trains from the Montauk Branch to directly access Sunnyside Yard,[1] which was opened by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1910.

[11]: 161  As a flying junction, the Montauk Cutoff also allowed efficient transport of freight by separating it from the tracks leading to the also newly-constructed East River Tunnels, which carry passenger trains to and from Manhattan.

[12] It was constructed contemporaneously with other freight connections in Queens, including the Hell Gate Line (which now also sees Amtrak passenger service)[13] and Glendale Cutoff.

[9] On weekdays, the Montauk Cutoff was also used in lieu of a turntable (in essence, as a wye track) to turn diesel locomotives in Long Island City – then the main terminus for non-electric trains, which are not allowed to enter the East River Tunnels and Penn Station.

[12] Some potential uses include an expanded garden, urban farm, or a park resembling the High Line in Manhattan, though the MTA announced that it does not want to sell the structure, as it wants to keep open the possibility of reuse as transportation infrastructure.