Memorial Day and the LIRR

Memorial Day and the LIRR
Originally, Decoration Day strictly commemorated those lost in the Civil War. Established in 1868, it was created by Union veterans to honor fallen Civil War soldiers by decorating their graves with flowers. However, following World War I—when the United States suffered massive casualties—the tradition was expanded to honor American service members who died in all wars. The First Official Commemoration (May 30, 1868): Observed at Arlington National Cemetery, participants placed flowers and flags on both Union and Confederate graves. The name "Memorial Day" began to be used alongside Decoration Day after World War I, it did not become the holiday's official federal name until Congress passed the Uniform Holidays Bill in 1968. Finally, fixed to the Last Monday in May (1971): The official federal observance was moved from the traditional May 30 date to create a three-day weekend. Wiki

PINELAWN CEMETERY: BUILT AT THE THEN AMAZING COST OF $135,000, BUILDING CONSISTING OF GENERAL OFFICES, MORTUARY CHAPEL AND LIRR TICKET OFFICE OPENED: 8/30/1904. FANCY TICKET OFFICE LOCATED IN THE MAIN LOBBY. IT WAS SAID THE TICKET OFFICE WAS NEVER PUT IN SVC. BUILDING REMAINED IN SERVICE FOR CEMETERY BUSINESS UNTIL IT WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE ON 4/04/1928 (Per NY State Supreme Court document). STONE WALLS STILL STANDING AS LATE AS 12/27/1939 (Photo provenance). ARCHED PORTICO AT STATION PLATFORM AND COVERED WALKWAY EXTENDING BACK TO WHERE BLDG. ONCE STOOD STILL STANDING AS LATE AS 1960 (Photo provenance). ARCHED PORTICO AND CONCRETE STATION PLATFORM STILL STANDING UNTIL ELECTRIFICATION PROJECT BEGAN IN 1985 (Photo provenance). 1928 Newspaper Article Research: Dave Keller
Roundtrip Ticket Pinelawn to LI City, 34th Street Ferry Archive: Brad Phillips		Pinelawn Cemetery - A birds-eye view from 1909 Archive: Art Huneke MORE: Pinelawn Pinelawn Cemetery station/admin. bldg. (View NE toward Wellwood Ave.) - c. 1910 View after the April, 1928 devastating fire. Photos: Dave Keller archive
Howard Mapes Smith (1848-1919+?) was appointed LIRR Traffic Manager 4/02/1888 and later to GPA on 4/12/1901 It’s a sample (no serial number), for a single organization (Greenlawn Cemetery Assn.), and an excursion ticket good on only one day, probably for Decoration Day (now Memorial Day). Interesting note: The return ticket had to be validated by the agent at Pinelawn! Info: Brad Phillips

Red Stripe Push-Pull Parlors - 1976 Memorial Day Weekend Debute
		The entire fleet of push-pull parlors debuted on the Memorial Day weekend of 1976, to Montauk, for the inauguration. Push-pull Parlors were rebuilt former MU trailer cars converted to diesel-hauled push-pull service (Class PP72B). The red stripe indicated it was later rebuilt into a parlor car. Regular push-pull passenger cars had a blue stripe. The eleven red striped cars were originally built as 123 seat multiple unit (MU) motor trailer cars (Class MP72T). They now feature 42 parlor seats with a midcar service bar. Referred to as the "Sunrise Fleet." Unlike their predecessors, these cars were not named. Research: Mike Boland/Dave Keller LIRR Rebuilt by Morris Park Shop 1975+ plate - Sunrise Fleet lightweight Parlor Cars often affixed to the interior of the car’s end door(s). FA2 #607 All Parlor Car Push-Pull train westbound over Mill Creek (Hashamomuck Pond) west of Greenport - 1988

Named Engines Salute
NYA GP-38-2 #271 7 1/08/2002, 11/03/2004 Photos/Archive: William J. Skeats	#266 “Joe ‘Jo Jo’ Glorioso Operation Desert Storm” (Engineer) Photo/Archive John Volpi 8/1991	#269 “George B. McSherry” (Engineer) Oyster Bay 6/11/1983 - Photo/Archive: Al Castelli	#251 “Bill Jeffries – Operation Desert Storm” (System Road Foreman of Engines) 11/1991 Photo/Archive:: John Volpi