ALL LIRR

LIRR M-7 EMU (Bombardier) 7456 entering Valley Stream on the Far Rockaway Line. Photo by Andrew Sparberg, November 2006.

Overview

Main Line to Penn Station (and Grand Central Madison)

Penn Station, Woodside, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens Long Island City, Hunterspoint Avenue Grand Central Madison Jamaica

Photo locations: Penn Station, Grand Central Madison, LIRR Arch St. Shops, Sunnyside, 55th Ave./Maspeth, 43rd St nr. 37th Ave, Between Woodside and Sunnyside, Woodside, 60th Road Footbridge, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Cuthbert Pl. & Breevort St. nr. Kew Gardens, Morris Park (Closed 1939), Jamaica

Flatbush Avenue Branch

The terminal at Brooklyn is called Flatbush Avenue. It is underneath the intersection of Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues and adjacent to the subway 2-3-4-5 lines station which is called Atlantic Avenue. It is over the D-Q stop also called Atlantic Avenue and connected by underground walkway to the B-M-N-R stop at Pacific Street.

The terminal comprises 6 tracks and 3 platforms. Tracks 1 and 2 can platform 10 cars, but the first 2 cars are never opened because the gap is too large between train and platform. Tracks 3 and 4 platform 8 cars with BROOK Tower at the east end of the platform. Track 5 platforms 6 cars and Track 6 platforms 4 cars but can accomodate a 6 car train. The west end of this platform is directly adjacent to the uptown 2-3 subway platform.

Some relatives depths of stations in the Atlantic Avenue/Pacific Street complex are as follows:

• LIRR Station, 20 feet below street
• IRT Station, 20 feet below street
• BMT (D/Q) Station, 50 feet below street
• BMT (M/N/R) Station, 40 feet below street

Leaving the terminal the line merges into two tracks which run beneath Atlantic Avenue. A storage yard is in an open cut south of the right-of-way. It is visible in two places, the switch out from the line and from an opening due west of that point. The line emerges from the tunnel just west of Nostrand Avenue and ascends to a viaduct in the middle of Atlantic Avenue.

The Nostrand Avenue station consists of two outside six car platforms with a ticket office at the west end of the eastbound platform. The line continues east in the middle of Atlantic Avenue on a steel subway-like viaduct. The outsides of the trains hang over the edges which creates an interesting sight from street level.

The line descends under Atlantic Avenue and then re-emerges in an open-cut in the middle of the lower level of the street at East New York station. This station has 2 side platforms handling 10 car trains, with a cross-under and ticket office beneath the tracks. The Atlantic Avenue "L" subway station is directly above the East New York Station.

Leaving East New York the line re-enters the tunnel under Atlantic Avenue and continues east in practically a straight shot to Jamaica. The Fulton Street subway passes underneath. Trains attain speeds of 70 MPH along this stretch which is quite impressive for an underground railway. The line passes the abandoned station at Woodhaven Blvd. and the cutouts to the old LIRR Rockaway branch are visible. This section of track has been used to store equipment in severe snowstorms in an attempt to keep the M1-M3's free of blowing and drifting snow.

The line emerges from the tunnel just east of Lefferts Blvd. The Morris Park shops are visible on the north side of the right-of-way. There is an employee stop called Boldin's Landing (?). This station can platform 2 cars each direction with a crossover at the west end. Eastbound trains platform the first 2 cars and westbound trains the last 2 cars. DUNTON Tower is on the north side of the line and the Long Island City branch runs on an embankment above it. A one track siding goes off to the south leading to the Johnson Avenue yard. The line passes under the tracks leading to Penn Station and over the Van Wyck Expressway as it approaches Jamaica Station. JAY Tower is on the north side.

Photo locations: Atlantic Terminal (Flatbush Avenue), Nostrand Avenue, Viaduct Between Nostrand and East NY, East New York, Woodhaven, Atlantic Ave. Tunnel Portal @ 123rd St.

Port Washington Branch

The Port Washington Branch diverges from the main line from Penn Station east of Woodside.

Photo locations: Mets-Willets Point (formerly Shea Stadium), Flushing, Murray Hill, Broadway, Auburndale, Clearview Expy. (View from 39th Ave), Bayside, Cross Island Pkwy. Crossing, Alley Creek Bridge, Douglaston, Little Neck, Great Neck, Manhasset Viaduct, Manhasset, Plandome, Port Washington

Hempstead Branch

Photo locations: Union Hall Street, Hillside Facility, Hollis, Bellaire, Belmont Park, Queens Village, Bellerose, Floral Park, Stewart Manor, Nassau Blvd., Garden City, Country Life Press, Hempstead

Oyster Bay Branch

Photo locations: East Williston, Albertson, Roslyn, Between Roslyn and Greenvale, Greenvale, Glen Head, Sea Cliff, Glen Street, Glen Cove, Locust Valley, Mill Neck, Oyster Bay

Port Jefferson Branch

Photo locations: New Hyde Park, Merillon Avenue, Mineola, Carle Place, Westbury, Hicksville, Landia, Syosset, Cold Spring Harbor, Huntington, Greenlawn, Northport, Kings Park, Smithtown, St. James, Stony Brook, Port Jefferson

Ronkonkoma-Greenport Branch

Photo locations: Between Hicksville and Bethpage, Bethpage, Farmingdale, Republic, Pinelawn, Between Pinelawn & Wyandanch, Wyandanch, Deer Park, Brentwood, Central Islip, Ronkonkoma, Holbrook, Holtsville, Medford, Bellport (Bartlett's) LIRR Greenport], Yaphank, Baiting Hollow (Calverton), Riverhead, Jamesport, Mattituck, Cutchogue, Hermitage (Peconic), Southold, Greenport

West Hempstead Branch

Photo locations: St. Albans, Westwood, Malverne, Lakeview, Hempstead Gardens, West Hempstead

Babylon Branch

Reverse this text

The Babylon Branch officially begins, appropriately enough, with the electrified portion of the South Shore line at Babylon. We will board our imaginary M-1 train for our westbound journey here.

Babylon station is located in the heart of Babylon Village, at the intersection of Carll and Railroad Avenues. This is an elevated station, with three tracks and two island platforms. The Babylon storage yard is about a half-mile east. The platform canopies are arched and have concrete roofs. There is a large waiting room, finished in light green tile, with a busy ticket window, which is open at 6AM and stays open into the evening. It is also open on weekends. Just outside, escalators lead to and from the platforms. There are also exits further west at Carll Avenue and just east of the main waiting room. A handicapped elevator is just behind the waiting room building. Permit parking is available, and there are metered spaces in the main lot, with daily-fee ($2.50) lots located to the west. An additional commuter lot is a quarter-mile walk to the east. Both Nassau and Suffolk county bus routes terminate here.

All stations between here and Lynbrook have single island platforms.

Lindenhurst is next. Located at Hoffman Ave. and Irmish St., just east of the old ground-level station, it sits on a concrete viaduct. A modern full-length canopy shades the platform. The low walls around the stairways are covered in light green bricks. There is a waiting room, but the ticket office is closed. Parking is in two lots on the nor th side of the tracks.

Next is Copiague. The station is located north of Oak Street at Little Neck Road. It is identical to Lindenhurst, having been built at the same time and by the same builder. There is a small parking lot on the south side of the station. Again, the ticket office is closed, but there is a waiting room. There is a slight curve to the tracks just to the east.

Amityville station is next. Again, identical construction to the stations at Lindenhurst and Copiague. The station is located about two blocks west of Main Street (Route 110), behind the village's main Fire House. Access is via two side streets. Parking lots are on either side of the tracks. About a half-mile to the west are crossover switches.

Massapequa Park station is next, as we leave Suffolk County and enter Nassau. Just before the station, we pass the busy Sunrise Mall on our right and the smaller companion malls across Sunrise Highway on our left. A bell tower graces the entrance to the station parking lot, which sprawls along the north side of Sunrise Highway. The station itself is located at Park Avenue and Sunrise Highway, and, again, features the same architectural design and features as the three previous stations.

The elevated structure turns into an earthen embankment and lowers itself by about fifteen feet. Soon, we find ourselves at Massapequa station, located at the intersection of Broadway and Sunrise Highway. Parking lots spread out to the east of the station, and one can find commuters actually parking along the shoulders of Sunrise Highway once the lots fill up. This station has retained its original platform canopy, and features a wooden roof covered with asphalt. Flourescent light fixtures with grooved shades peek out from under the canopy's eaves. The old-style roof supports remain. The station waiting room is similar to Babylon's inside, with an active ticket window. Mushroom lights, common throughout LIRR stations, adorn the island platform. There is a covered stairway at the west end with a quaint peaked roof.

The concrete viaduct is replaced by earthen embankments and short elevated structures between Massapequa and Wantagh stations, with the tracks rising and falling gently between stations.

Seaford station is next. Located between Jackson and Washington Avenues, just north of Sunrise Highway, this elevated station features an austere design, with cuplights on tall poles illuminating the platform. The platform canopy is simple, with steel I-beams supporting it. The parking lot is attractive, with many trees shading it and grass islands separating the areas.

Wantagh station is located north of Sunrise Highway, which bows to the south, at Railroad Avenue and Wantagh Avenue. It is similar to the Seaford station, with tall light stanchions and a simple platform canopy. Parking immediately adjacent to the station is limited - the main lot is north and east, towards the Fire House.

Bellmore station finds us returning to the Lindenhurst - Copiague - Amityville school of design, with a concrete viaduct and streamlined platform canopy. The station is at Bellmore Avenue and Sunrise Highway and features a large parking lot along the south side. Waiting passengers might get a jolt here courtesy of the Bellmore Volunteer Fire Department's deafening air horn, which is located directly north of the station.

Next is Merrick, which is a cousin to Bellmore, but features a shorter platform canopy, with mushroom lights at the open east end. Located at Merrick Avenue and Sunrise Highway, it also features a sizeable parking lot along its south flank.

We then slow down approaching the Freeport station due to a large number of switches and turnouts for the Freeport layup yard. The station itself is located in the heart of downtown, north of Sunrise High way at Henry Street. It features early 1960s design, with "Whiteway" flourescent lights. There is a brick waiting room structure at platform level, along with arched sections between the canopy supports. The waiting room is typical of the period - green brick inside and square lights set flush with the ceiling. Buses to Jones Beach terminate here during the summer. A number of parking lots spread out to the south and east, and there are also local bus transfers.

Baldwin station is next. It is similar to Massapequa station, except the platform canopy only covers part of the platform. The mushroom lights are very prominent. The station is just east of Grand Avenue, at Sunrise Highway, in the center of town. A covered stairway leads from the west end of the platform to Grand Avenue below. The elevated structure is lower than that at Freeport.

Rockville Centre station, located between Village and Clinton Avenues, comes next. Opened in July 1950, this concrete station is similar to Babylon, and features the same squared canopy with arches. Directly to the north is the imposing St. Agnes Cathedral, seat of the Rockville Centre Diocese, with its 150-foot-plus spires. There is metered parking to the south and east, and Park Avenue, with its trendy restaurants, is right nearby.

Normally, Babylon Branch trains go straight to Jamaica from here. However, you will get an occasional train to stop at Lynbrook station, located at Atlantic Avenue just north of Sunrise Highway. This station is the transfer point to the Long Beach Branch. It has four tracks and two island platforms, and is decked out smartly in shades of blue with white accents. Aluminum-clad canopies shade the platforms, bearing the same blue and white colors. The station sits on a concrete elevated structure, and was raised in the 1950s.

We now proceed straight to Jamaica to continue our trip.

Photo locations: Lynbrook, Rockville Center, Baldwin, Freeport, Merrick, Bellmore, Wantagh, West of Wantagh, Seaford, Massapequa, Massapequa Park, Amityville, Copiague, Lindenhurst, Babylon

Far Rockaway Branch

Far Rockaway trains usually platform on Track 6 at Jamaica as this track provides a straight shot to the Atlantic branch underjump which is located about 200 yards east of the station. HALL Tower, which controls movements east of Jamaica station is on the south side. The branch crosses under the mainline and heads southeast on a two track embankment. The Far Rockaway line shares this right-of-way with the Long Beach and West Hempstead branches, but the next three stations are served only Far Rockaway trains (although, some Long Beach trains do make these stops, especially on the weekends).

The next stop is Locust Manor, two outside 8 car platforms. After Locust Manor the branch curves east. The next stop is Laurelton, a center 8 car platform. There is a ticket office at platform level in the middle of the station. Just east of this station the Montauk branch rejoins the Atlantic branch. The line runs on a 4 track embankment from this point to just east of the Lynbrook station on the Babylon branch. The next stop is Rosedale, a duplicate of the Laurelton station. There is no access from the Montauk branch, the platform splits the two southernmost tracks only.

The line continues on to Valley Stream. A full set of switches is located west of the station, allowing access from the Montauk to Atlantic branches as well as "reverse platforming" at Valley Stream station. Long Beach branch trains are allowed to continue into the station at regular speed while Far Rockaway trains are given a slow approach which they follow until they are in the station. Valley Stream station is a center 8 car platform, similar to Laurelton and Rosedale except the ticket office is at street level. Again, their is no access to the Montauk branch tracks. VALLEY Tower is located about 100 yards east of the station.

From Valley Stream, the line turns south and descends to grade. There is a set of switches which allow trains to access either side of Valley Stream station. A pedestal position light signal governs this switch. From this point there are no other signals except for ATC. If a train has its speed control cut out, it must remain at this signal until all other trains have cleared the block, which extends to the end of the line at Far Rockaway.

The next station is Gibson, 2 outside 10 car platforms with a crossover pedestrian bridge at the south end. The line is running north and south at this point. The station house is at the north end. The ticket window has been closed for a few years, there is a Ticket Vending Machine outside. I believe there is an apartment in the upper portion of the station building.

The line continues south, rising to cross over Peninsula Blvd., then returning to grade where it will run to Far Rockaway. After crossing West Broadway the line turns back toward New York City. From this point on, eastbound trains will be traveling west and vice-versa. The next stop is Hewlett. The old low level station is visible along the curve with the station building at the west end. The high level platforms begin across Franklin Avenue. The eastbound platform is 8 cars long while the westbound can platform 10 cars.

The next stop is Woodmere, 2 outside 10 car platforms with the station near the east end of the station. The line continues to Cedarhurst. Right before the station was the old switch off for the Laurelton-Cedarhurst cutoff. There are no visible traces of this line (see Herbert George's book Change at Ozone Park: A History and Description of the Long Island Railroad Rockaway Branches for complete details.). The Cedarhurst station is 2 outside 10 car platforms. There are station houses on each side at the east end of the station. The westbound station house is used by a taxi company.

The next station is Lawrence, 2 outside 10 car platforms with the station located at the west end of the Westbound side of the station. This station. like Gibson has not been staffed for a few years. There is a Ticket Vending Machine outside. The next-to-last stop is Inwood, 2 outside 4 car platforms. Most of the station is located under NYS highway 878, also known as the Nassau Expressway. There is no station house.

The branch crosses Doughty Blvd. and then re-enters the borough of Queens. A 2 track storage yard is located on the south side of the right-of-way. The line is tracked in a double "Y" fashion which allows access to the yard and to the 10 car center platform at Far Rockaway station. The station ticket office is at the west end of the platform at Nameoke Avenue. There is no visible remnant of when the line continued on and connected to the present "A" train terminal at Mott Avenue. It is a 5 minute walk to the "A" train, though the neighborhood is not very safe. See Herbert George's book for more information.

Photo locations: Locust Manor, Springfield (at Springfield Blvd.), Laurelton, Rosedale, Valley Stream, Gibson, Hewlett, Woodmere, Cedarhurst, Lawrence, Inwood, Far Rockaway

Long Beach Branch

Photo locations: Centre Avenue, East Rockaway, Oceanside, Island Park, Long Beach Trestle, Long Beach

Montauk Branch

Photo locations: Bay Shore, Brightwaters, West Islip, Islip, East Islip, Great River, Oakdale, Sayville, Patchogue, Bellport, Mastic-Shirley, Center Moriches, Speonk, Westhampton, Quogue, Hampton Bays, Shinnecock Canal, Shinnecock Hills, Southampton, Bridgehampton, East Hampton, Amagansett, Montauk

Page Credits

Text by Wayne Whitehorne and Aaron I. Philipson.