Evergreen Branch |
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Built as part of the main line of the three foot gauge New York and Manhattan Beach Railway the Evergreen Branch consisted of two leased portions: Greenpoint to Flushing Avenue, 2.70 miles leased from the Glendale & East River, and Flushing Avenue to Cooper Avenue Junction, leased from the Brooklyn & Rockaway Beach. In 1883 the standard gauge connection from Cooper Avenue Junction to the Montauk Division at Fresh Pond was built and the lines to Manhattan Beach from Cooper Ave. Jct. And Bay Ridge were made standard gauge. The "Evergreen Branch" remained narrow gauge until 1884. During 1883, 1884 and 1885 a shuttle ran connecting at Cooper Ave. Jct. with every long island city train. In 1886 Greenpoint service was abandoned and a Bushwick shuttle was instituted which ran through the 1894 season. In 1896 - 1897 the right of way between Greenpoint and South Side crossing (Bushwick Branch crossing) was abandoned. On February 9, 1939 eight blocks length of the branch was removed from service. These crossings were closed: Himrod street; Stanhope street; Stokholm street; Dekalb avenue; Hart street; Suydam street; Willoughby avenue and Starr street. In 1965 when New York State purchased the LIRR the Bay Ridge and Evergreen Branches remained part of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Subsequently they became part of Penn Central then Conrail. In 1984 the LIRR, again, took over the Bay Ridge Branch, but decided to abandon the Evergreen Branch and its sole consignee.
Research: Art Huneke
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Evergreen Branch cut back to Grove St. -View E 1972 (Makse-Huneke) |
Upon the dissolution of the Manhattan Beach Branch in 1924, the line became a freight spur between the Bushwick and Bay Ridge Branches in Brooklyn. Freight traffic started to significantly decline in 1938, and on February 9, 1939, eight blocks of track, or 1,834 feet (559 m), were removed between Starr and Himrod Streets Further dismantling took place between 1957 and 1962 and throughout much of the late 20th century...The Evergreen Branch still served a few customers until the 1970s...By 1972, the line was cut back to Grove Street. Wiki abridged version by Steven Lynch |
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Tulnoy Lumber - View W from Putnam Ave 1984 Photo/Archive: Art Huneke
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By the late 1970s, the Cooper Junction end of the line only had one remaining customer: Tulnoy Lumber, located at Putnam Avenue. After this location was closed, Conrail filed to abandon the line on September 15, 1983. The line was out of service in January 1985. Wiki abridged version by Steven Lynch |
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Evergreen Branch - Robert Emery Notes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Built by the Glendale & East
River R.R. Co. from the East River to Jefferson Street as a narrow gauge
line: 1877 1st passenger train from the East River to Cooper Ave. Jct. via narrow gauge NY&MB RR: 1879 Last passenger train from the East River to Cooper Ave. Jct. via narrow gauge NY&MB RR: 1883 Shuttle service from the East River to South Side Crossing: 1883 to 5/8/1886 only. Freight service from the East River to South Side Crossing: 1883 to c. 1890 Connection made to the Bushwick branch at South Side Crossing: 1885 South Side Crossing to Cooper Ave., standard gauged (single track only): 1883 or 1885 (?) South Side Crossing to the East River, (double track) abandoned: c. 1890 NY&MB RR became the NY, Bklyn & Manhattan Beach R.R. in 1885 and leased to the LIRR. Passenger stations on the G&ERR RR until 1885: East River Ferry Terminal (Greenpoint). Station abandoned: 5/1886 5th Street (now Driggs Ave.) Humboldt Street Grand Street South Side Crossing Ridgewood (at Myrtle & Gates Avenues). Built: 1885 |
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1879 Report NY State Railroad Commission Archive: Art Huneke |
1913 CR4 Evergreen Branch to Bushwick Branch at South Side Junction Archive: Art Huneke
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1924 CR4 Evergreen Branch Note: Englander Spring Bed became Goldberger Doll Co. Archive: Art Huneke |
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EVERGREEN BRANCH MAPS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Evergreen Branch map - 1920's Archive: Art Huneke
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LIRR Map - Evergreen 1966 p.77 Archive: Steven Lynch |
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Evergreen Branch and connections map - Drawing: Steven Lynch Source: Google maps 2019
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EVERGREEN BRANCH CONNECTION to BUSHWICK BRANCH at VARICK YARD | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bushwick Branch - 1966 LIRR map Page 10 |
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Emery map - Bushwick Branch 1920's-1930's connection at Varick Ave. Yard Archive: Dave Keller
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Belcher Hyde map - Brooklyn 1929 Vol 2 Plate 66
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Emery Bushwick Branch map -Varick Ave. Evergreen Branch connection 11/1958 Archive: Dave Keller |
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Goldberger Doll Co. - 538 Johnson Ave 1972 View SE (Makse-Huneke) |
Varick Ave Yard - Bushwick Branch and former South Side Crossing in distance. Goldberger Doll Factory at right - View NW 1962 Photo/Archive: Art Huneke
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Goldberger Doll Co. - 538 Johnson Ave/Stewart Ave. View S - 1972 Archive: Art Huneke |
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Eegee, Gold Doll or Goldberger Dolls 1917-1980. The Eegee Doll Company was founded in 1917 by Mr. & Mrs. Eugene Goldberger in Brooklyn, NY - the Eegee trademark was first used in 1923. Early dolls were marked E G, Gold Doll, Gold Doll Co., E. Goldberger and finally Eegee or Goldberger or TRADEMARK EEGEE Dolls MADE IN USA. They produced composition, latex, hard plastic and vinyl dolls. During the thirty year period, 1954 to 1984, manufacturing took place at 538 Johnson Ave., Brooklyn. On the Stewart Ave. side of the building in 2002 there was a sign for Eegee Doll. Eegee Doll was painted over a sign for Englander Spring Beds. Research: Art Huneke
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Emery map - Evergreen Branch Varick Ave to Jefferson St 11/1958 Archive: Dave Keller |
Belcher Hyde map - Brooklyn 1929 Vol 2 Plate 68 |
Evergreen Branch - Varick Ave. Yard - Google 3D 2019 |
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Varick Ave - Freight House - View E Archive: Art Huneke |
Varick Yard - crossing Flushing Ave Fan trip View NW 4/28/1957 Photo/Archive: Art Huneke
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Harrison Place - view NW 1984 Photo/Archive: Art Huneke |
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JEFFERSON STREET to ELDERT STREET | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Emery map - Evergreen Branch Jefferson St. to Linden St. 11/1958 Archive: Dave Keller
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Belcher Hyde map - Brooklyn 1929 Vol 2 Plate 94
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ELDERT STREET to COOPER AVE JUNCTION | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Eldert St. - View E from Halsey St 3/05/1949 (Mike DeLillo- Art Huneke)
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Belcher Hyde map - Queens 1929 Vol 2 Plate 37
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Belcher Hyde map - Queens 1929 Vol 2 Plate 37 zoom
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