[8][9][10][11] The company went bankrupt and was sold under foreclosure on July 30, 1887, to Austin Corbin, owner of the LIRR, who reorganized it as the New York and Rockaway Beach Railway (NY&RB) on August 19, 1887, and transferred the property on September 1, 1887.

[22][24][25] The LIRR, then on the verge of bankruptcy, saw the Rockaway Beach Branch south of Ozone Park as a liability and did not wish to spend the huge sum need to repair it, and sought to either sell or abandon it.

The city of New York, however, saw great potential in extending subway service over Jamaica Bay and purchased the line on June 11, 1952, for $8,500,000, equal to $97,526,316 today.

[33][35][36][37][38] On May 9, 1958, the New York Public Service Commission approved the LIRR's application to discontinue facilities at the five stations on the line, except for the platforms and suitable shelters.

This had been proposed under the IND Second System and later by Robert Moses, with an existing provision at the 63rd Drive subway station for a future connection to Whitepot Junction.

[40] The line is owned by the City of New York, with certain areas around the former junction with the Montauk Branch that have been redeveloped for interim use, including the Logan Bus Company lot.

[52][53][54] As part of the 1968 Program for Action, there was a proposal to re-extend the LIRR to John F. Kennedy International Airport via the Van Wyck Expressway.

[59] In October 1974, the president of the Hammel Holland Seaside Civic Association wrote to Mayor Abraham Beame, "It is our earnest plea to you that your decision on this rape of Forest Park be rescinded."

The association's president further said that although it would be cost-ineffective to create a premium service to JFK Airport, the Rockaway Beach Branch should still be reactivated for local passengers.

[60] In April 1976, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Chairman William Ronan said that the link was "not feasible" due to the economic downturn and a corresponding decrease in air traffic.

[61] A subsequent study for a dedicated two-lane bus rapid transit line to JFK along the Rockaway Beach Branch, called the "Transitway", was released in 1982.

[64]: 97, 99, 102 Route A would have run from Midtown Manhattan to JFK and LaGuardia Airports running through the 63rd Street Tunnel and Sunnyside Yard, above the LIRR on an elevated structure from 58th Street to Winfield Junction and then to White Pot Junction, over the Rockaway Beach Branch, before using two tracks of the IND Rockaway Line to Howard Beach, from where a 2 miles (3.2 km)-long extension could be built to JFK.

[66] It has been argued that restoration is needed to enable redevelopment of the Rockaways, "a potentially very-attractive area that has long suffered from slow transit service.

Higher property values and influxes of people attracted by fast service to Midtown could revitalize en-route neighborhoods like Richmond Hill.

"[67] The success of a new racino at Aqueduct Racetrack led to a proposal from Governor Andrew Cuomo to build a massive convention center in the vicinity.

[71] Assemblyman Phillip Goldfeder, who represents Howard Beach and Rockaway, announced in November, 2013 that Queens College would be undertaking a study of all options for the disused line.

[73] As of January 5, 2017, the MTA and Port Authority are evaluating use of the Rockaway Beach LIRR for a one-seat trip between Penn Station and Grand Central and JFK.

That effort has been re-initiated with proponents arguing that the unused railroad would provide green spaces and economic development opportunities like those associated with Manhattan's High Line Park.

[82][83] A proposed 3.5-mile (5.6 km) New York City linear park, it could be built on part or all of the disused section of the Rockaway Beach Branch.

[88] Friends of the Queensway stated that they wanted to appeal to city mayor Bill de Blasio for funding, because it supported two of the mayor's agendas: the Vision Zero traffic safety initiative, and de Blasio's proposal for more parkland in the city; under the plan, there would be bike lanes, walking trails, and access points at major intersections.

[91] After the feasibility study about the branch's possible reactivation was published in October 2019, a Friends of the Queensway member said, "Our hope is that the high costs provide an opening to consider a park.

[94] More than 322,000 people live within one mile of the Rockaway Beach Branch, combined with the fact that New York City Subway service in the area is limited, with only the BMT Jamaica Line (J and ​Z trains) passing through the neighborhood.

[98][99] The New York Times wrote that "both sides feel passionately that they are in the right", since central Queens lacked both parkland and rail lines.

They rebranded, choosing the name QueensLink to represent how the plan would "link" the northern and southern parts of Queens; the team considered the "rail" in QueensRail too specific and derisive.

QueensLink prefers this plan because it will reduce risk of damage to building foundations and enable construction equipment staging to be located more conveniently for residents.

The bike path would connect to the right-of-way from Queens Boulevard via 63rd Drive and the existing underpass below the LIRR main line at Whitepot Junction.

The proposed Forest Hills greenway south of Fleet Street would also consist of the bicycle and pedestrian paths on the embankment with the rail in tunnels below.

The viaduct is in poor condition, and the organization proposes rebuilding it, preserving the businesses at ground level beneath it and containing two tracks and a linear park above.

[113] Not only does QueensLink aim to provide a new north–south connection in Queens, the proposed changes would enable increase service throughout the borough: capacity on the Queens Boulevard Line is limited by the ability to terminate trains at Forest Hills–71st Avenue station, and QueensLink claims that by branching M trains before this point would free up 50% more capacity for the local service.

QueensLink then raised discretionary funds from several Queens city councilmembers and hired the transportation consulting firm TEMS to evaluate the MTA's cost estimate.