Evergreen Branch

Evergreen Branch

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

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

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

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

Crossed the South Side R.R.’s Bushwick line at “South Side Crossing,” located 60’ south of Varick Avenue.

N. Y. & Manhattan Beach R.R. bought the G&ER RR: 1876, and continued the narrow gauge line from Jefferson St. to Cooper Ave. Jct.

Double tracks from the East River to Cooper Ave. Jct.: 1879-1883 (narrow gauge) by the NY&MB RR.

1^st 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

5^th Street (now Driggs Ave.)

Humboldt Street

Grand Street

South Side Crossing

Ridgewood (at Myrtle & Gates Avenues). Built: 1885

New York & Manhattan Beach Railroad map - 1878

				Station List
Miles⁽¹⁾	Name	Opened⁽²⁾	Closed⁽²⁾	Notes
0	Greenpoint	May 16, 1878	September 28, 1885
0.56	Fifth Street	1878	1879
0.99	Humboldt Street	May 16, 1878	September 28, 1885
1.75	Grand Street	May 16, 1878	September 28, 1885
2.33	South Side RR crossing	May 16, 1878 ___________ June 1886	May 25, 1881 ___________ 1890	Crossing with Bushwick Branch near Varick Avenue
	Ridgewood earlier DeKalb Avenue	July 14, 1878	1894	Renamed Ridgewood in June 1882.
3.26	Myrtle Avenue	May 16, 1878	May 1882
3.95	Cooper Avenue	June 2, 1883	1894	Opened as a transfer station to allow passengers from Greenpoint get to Manhattan Beach. Located at the crossing with the Bay Ridge Branch; also called Cooper Ave. Junction
Notes 1: 1879 Report NY State Railroad Commission (see below left) 2: Seyfried, Vincent (1966) The Long Island Rail Road : A Comprehensive History. Part Four

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1879 Report NY State Railroad Commission
Archive: Art Huneke

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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

EVERGREEN BRANCH MAPS

Evergreen Branch map - 1884
Archive: Art Huneke

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Evergreen Branch map - 1920's Archive: Art Huneke

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LIRR Map - Evergreen 1966 p.77 Archive: Steven Lynch

Evergreen Branch and connections map - Drawing: Steven Lynch Source: Google maps 2019

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

Varick Ave lead - Boxcars on the Bushwick Branch 1972 Note: Albert Bros. Pipe Supply, ex-Morgan Sand & Gravel Co, Inc. location (Makse-Huneke)

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Belcher Hyde map - Brooklyn 1929 Vol 2 Plate 66

Varick Ave crossing at Marko Battery Storage Corp. 1932 Archive: Art Huneke

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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)

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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

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

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Belcher Hyde map - Brooklyn 1929 Vol 2 Plate 68

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Evergreen Branch - Varick Ave. Yard - Google 3D 2019

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Varick Ave - Freight House - View E Archive: Art Huneke

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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

JEFFERSON STREET to ELDERT STREET

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Emery map - Evergreen Branch Jefferson St. to Linden St. 11/1958 Archive: Dave Keller

PRR H9s #2826 Switching freight on Evergreen Branch
crossing Grove St. c.1949 (DeLillo-Keller)

Evergreen Branch - RDC Railfan Extra at Ridgewood Station between Palmetto St and Myrtle Ave. Note: Open cars on Myrtle Ave EL. 9/09/1956 (Rugen-Huneke)

Hancock St. 4/12/2012 Photo/Archive: Kevin Walsh
from Forgotten NY

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Belcher Hyde map - Brooklyn 1929 Vol 2 Plate 94

Madison St. - View W 1941 Archive: Dave Keller

Belcher Hyde map - Brooklyn 1929 Vol 2 Plate 98

Weirfield Coal & Fuel, Halsey St. - View W 1972 (Makse-Huneke)

Evergreen Branch - Halsey St. to Covert St. Google 3D 2019

Emery map - Evergreen Branch Linden St. to Decatur St. 11/1958 Archive: Dave Keller

Evergreen Branch - Palmetto St. - Google 3D 2019

Evergreen Branch - RDC Railfan Extra at Palmetto St., Ridgewood Freight Station - View SE 9/09/1956 Closeup
Note: Location #3 Linden St. to Decatur St. (See map above)
Archive: Dave Keller

Evergreen Branch - RDC Railfan Extra at Palmetto St. View E 9/09/1956 Archive: Dave Keller

Palmetto St. - Freight Office 1962 (Makse-Huneke)

ELDERT STREET to COOPER AVE JUNCTION

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Eldert St. - View E from Halsey St 3/05/1949
(Mike DeLillo- Art Huneke)

Emery map - Bay Ridge Branch connection to Evergreen Branch at Cooper Ave. 11/1958 Archive: Dave Keller

Cooper Ave crossing - View E 1982 Bay Ridge Branch in distance Photo/Archive: Art Huneke

Cooper Ave crossing - View W 1982
Photo/Archive: Art Huneke

Belcher Hyde map - Brooklyn 1929 Vol 2 Plate104

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Belcher Hyde map - Queens 1929 Vol 2 Plate 37

Decatur-St. - View W 1972 (Makse-Huneke)
Decatur-St. - View E 1972 (Makse-Huneke)

Cooper Ave Junction - View E 1903 Archive: Art Huneke

Evergreen Branch - Cooper Ave. - Google 3D 2019

AA4 #403A-B pushing freight on the Bay Ridge Branch at Cooper Ave. Junction of Evergreen Branch c.1936
Archive: Dave Keller

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Belcher Hyde map - Queens 1929 Vol 2 Plate 37 zoom

Bienenfeld Glass Works 1539 Covert St. - View N 4/25/1934 (Mike DeLillo- Art Huneke)

Brooklyn Master Bakers Purchasing Association - View W Cooper Ave. 1972 (Makse-Huneke)

Cooper Ave crossing View E 1972 Bay Ridge Branch
in distance (Maske-Huneke)