The station was originally built by the New York, Woodhaven and Rockaway Railroad in 1883 as Aqueduct, along what would become the now-former Rockaway Beach Branch of the Long Island Rail Road in 1887, and was taken out of service on November 29, 1939, as part of a grade elimination project. A temporary center-island station was built west of the station between that date and the opening of the new high-level station on September 24, 1940. This station was located south of the previous station. On October 3, 1955, the station, like most of the Rockaway Beach Branch was acquired by the New York City Transit Authority and reopened as a subway station along the INDRockaway Line on June 28, 1956. Evidence of the station's previous incarnation is in the Long Island Rail Road-type exit steps near the south end, and the aforementioned longer platforms. The station was planned to be renovated starting in 2016, as part of the 2010–2014 MTA Capital Program.
Station layout
The station has two side platforms and four tracks, but the two center express tracks are permanently removed from service, partially covered with ballast, and are no longer connected to the local tracks. The northbound express track had its third rail removed, while the southbound express track still has its third rail. A portion of the northbound express track, unused in regular service, reconnects with the local tracks south of this station. The platforms are only canopied on the north and south ends. The remaining section has beige concrete windscreens on the Brooklyn-bound platform and black steel fence on the Rockaway-bound platform. The platforms are extra long, about in length – more than a standard IND platform length – since it was built to Long Island Railroad standards. The extra length and short distance north to the Aqueduct/Resorts World special service station to the north mean that a single full length train can straddle both stations. North of the station, the line is at-grade. As a result, the platforms are about 2 meters above street level at this section. The tracks are also less than 1 meter above street level at this section. Due to this, Hawtree Street turns south and becomes Cohancy Street. However, there is a pedestrian tunnel that runs underneath the line. South of the station, it is on a concrete embankment due to North Conduit Avenue changing its level of grade by ramping down into an open-cut on both sides.
Exits
The station's only mezzanine is at sidewalk level on the north end of North Conduit Avenue underneath the tracks. It has MetroCard vending machines, three turnstiles, and one staircase to each platform on the south end. There is an additional unstaffed fare control area at the north end of Rockaway-bound platform. Two HEET platform-level turnstiles lead to a staircase that goes down to a pedestrian tunnel that runs underneath the line. This exits to Hawtree Street. There is a Resorts World Casino shuttle bus stop at the street exit, providing service to Aqueduct Racetrack and the casino. Until August 2013, this was exit-only, with a still-standing chain link fence that was locked when it was closed, with signs that had informed people that there is no subway entrance in the tunnel. However, the portal is now available for both entrance and exit at all times, including casino off hours. Newer signage advises that the entrance provides access to the southbound platform, and to walk the platform to the south mezzanine for northbound service toward Manhattan. Even though the station is partially at-grade, it is not ADA-accessible because both entrances have staircases and no elevators or ramps. However, the adjacent stations to the north and south, and respectively, are both accessible.
