Welcome, and thank you. My understanding, based on what you've told us, is that Noodles gets moved during his incarceration. He goes in to prison in Brooklyn, then before he's released, is transferred to Queens. The reason could be mundane or not, we just don't know.
Just noticed this still of Noodles outside the prison in Queens. The sign is difficult to read but it's meant to be Clinton State prison.
Thanks for the link and the extra details, cigar joe. Some saw it as a flaw that Max picked up Noodles in the daytime but arrived at Fat Moe's in the dark. Never saw it as a flaw myself.
The original State prison in 1797 was called Newgate and was located in New York City.Clinton is what everyone here in NY calls Dannemora, its way way upstate near the Canadian border, here is the link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinton_Correctional_Facility