The area around Jamaica Station has been built up a bit since the station was renovated to accommodate new overhead walkways and better connections with the subways and AirTrain JFK. There may be enough places to your liking near Jamaica Station, which would eliminate the need for the round trip subway ride to Jamaica Center. I simply have not had the time I thought I might have to take a train there, a walk to preview the area, and another train out of there. Unless somebody else has to time to go over to Jamaica Station and walk around, we may not know. I'm toying with possibly going over there on Friday the 15th before I head for my hotel in um,
If it is determined that we could eat lunch closer to Jamaica Station (hence the one hour 48 minutes becomes 48 minutes), it would then be possible to do the Hempstead round trip (and the return to Brooklyn, Flatbush Avenue (Atlantic) Terminal, South Ferry, etc. one hour earlier than posted. We shall see, as it would also bring us to dinner an hour earlier. The earlier hour would ensure we would ride the Atlantic Branch of the LIRR (Jamaica to Brooklyn) in daylight as opposed to twilight.
Any volunteers who can take the preview trip, or can I plan for a long Friday doing some late scouting?