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Babylon |
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BABYLON & FIRE ISLAND CRR OF LI DEPOT BUILDING OPENED ON WEST SIDE OF FIRE ISLAND AVE. AT TERMINATION OF THE LINE ACROSS FROM THE WATSON HOUSE [HOTEL] AND SOUTH OF SSRR's BABYLON DEPOT: 1873. | |||||
![]() Babylon Station - CRR of LI View S 1878 (Brainerd-Huneke) |
This depot was the CRR of LI terminal located on the west side of Fire Island Ave., across from and facing the Watson House (and hotel), per Art Huneke. The tracks were intended to go to the town dock, but that never happened as the line was terminated here. This view is south, as Fire Island Ave. ran North/South. Info: Dave Keller |
![]() Babylon - CRR of LI map 1873 Archive: William D. Slade- Art Huneke |
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BABYLON: SOUTH SIDE R.R. BEGAN SVC:
10/28/1867 DEPOT OPENED. |
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The SSRR's 1867 depot
over the years acquired covered platforms and was moved to the location seen
here for use as an express house once the new, 1881 depot was constructed in
the little depot's former spot. Over the years, the covered platforms
came off and there was some remodeling to the structure. It lasted until
the grade elimination of 1963-64. Research: Dave Keller |
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BELMONT JUNCTION | |||||
West of
Babylon near Great East Neck Road. Named after the nearby Belmont Stud Farm
owned by August Belmont. The Central Railroad of LI crossed the South Side
Rail Road at this point. When both roads were acquired by the LIRR, the CRR
of LI became the LIRR’s Central Branch Extension. The crossing was removed,
a junction was created and tracks south of the junction were removed.
Passenger station and telegraph office appears on |
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![]() 1873 map Central Railroad of Long Island to Fire Island Dock, Babylon Archive: Art Huneke The C.R.R. of L.I. crossed the south side railroad at Belmont Junction. After those roads were merged a connection was installed and the trackage was removed south of the crossing. A passenger station existed from 1873 until at least 1880. “Long Island and Where to Go” from 1877 shows a depot and telegraph office with five daily trains each way. Employee timetable (ETT) no. 22 of June 1885 shows a telegraph office, but no trains stopping. By 1896 Belmont Junction is no longer in the timetables. Info: Art Huneke
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![]() Belmont Junction 1877 Archive: Art Huneke At this point the Central Railroad of Long Island, intersects and joins the Southern Railroad, of Long Island, Within two miles of the depot is Mr. Aug. Belmont's celebrated stud farm, "The Nursery." Here his beautiful thoroughbred horses are raised and trained for the race course; this is one of the most complete establishments of its kind in the country. Nobody should fail to visit it.
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![]() LIRR 4-4-0 #65 Class D54 Bethpage Junction 1899 Photo: Hal Fullerton Archive: Queens Public Library
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![]() Montauk Branch - Belmont Jct. to Babylon Track profile map 1994 |
![]() Belmont Junction historic marker William G. Pomeroy Foundation 2017 |
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Note: Upon
completion of electrification to Babylon (right), Babylon-Patchogue
Scoot service began that month. |
![]() LIRR Special Run - 1st MU electric train to Babylon Pass 5/20/25 Archive: Brad Phillips
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![]() 1902 Hyde map - S. Coleman Coal & Wood Yard, Carll Ave, F. Bunce Coal & Lumber Yard, John St. |
![]() 1915 Hyde map - Martha Sayre Coal & Wood Yard, Carll Ave. - F. Bunce Coal & Lumber Yard, John St. |
![]() Knickerbocker Ice & Coal Co. - Sanborn 1929 |
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![]() 1888 Emery Map - Archive: SUNY Stony Brook |
![]() Babylon Rail Road - Horsecar c.1880 |
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![]() Emery Map: W. Babylon : Great East Neck Road Crossing. <1906 MP34-35. The CRR of LI crossed the road AND the LIRR tracks at grade on their trek to the Babylon Town Dock. Archive: Dave Keller |
![]() Emery map: MP36-37 1925 Archive: Dave Keller |
![]() Emery Map: Babylon - East of Suttons Creek to Higbie Lane before 1925 Archive: Dave Keller |
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![]() Babylon Enginehouse 05/16/1918 Official LIRR valuation photo Collection: Dave Morrison ![]() Station 1914 view east from south side platform
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![]() 1925 First MU electric train arrival view east towards depot from signal bridge. James V. Osborne photo, Dave Keller archive
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A electric train at left on Track 2, in
the middle is the RDC |
![]() In this westward view, Fairbanks-Morse H16-44 #1507 is pulling a train eastbound through the temporary station at Babylon on June 23, 1963. The temporary pedestrian crossover looms above the train and the temporary ticket office is just visible at the far left at the base of the stairs. At the far right construction is underway for the grade crossing elimination project. (Dave Keller archive) |
![]() Babylon Station View E c. Winter 1960 Archive: Jim Gillin |
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![]() FM CPA-20-5 #2004 westbound Deer Park Ave., Babylon MP36 Photo/Archive: Art Huneke |
![]() LIRR #1347 E-6s eastbound Depot Place 1945 Photo: Frank Zahn |
![]() Babylon new station Souvenir Pass 9/09/1964 Archive: Brad Phillips |
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![]() RDC1 #3101 "East Ender" - Crossing Deer Park Ave., Babylon eastbound in Winter of 1955 |
![]() Freight House - View W at Depot St. 1947 Photo: Unknown Archive: Jim Gillin |
![]() Dependable Fuel Co. Coal silos View E 1952 (Emery-SUNY) |
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![]() FM #2403 eastbound at Deer Park Ave 1955 Archive: William Gilligan |
![]() Babylon view E Depot Place 9/09/1956 Photo: Frank Pfuhler |
![]() Babylon view E 1963 Archive: William Gilligan |
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![]() Babylon temporary tracks torn up. View E Carll's River 9/1964 ERA Headlights magazine Archive: William Gilligan |
![]() MU train leaving Babylon crossing Little East Neck Rd. temporary tracks at left. Signal bridge #358 - View W 2/27/1963 |
![]() LIRR #220 train Great East Neck Rd. view W c.9/1964 Photo/Archive: Art Huneke |
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![]() Belmont Jct. at Montauk and Central Branches west of Babylon - View W 5/15/1974 (Madden-Keller) |
![]() Babylon MU train at semaphore signal #S376 Higbie Lane View NW 1952 Archive: Dave Keller |
![]() Budd RDCs eastbound crossing Deer Park Ave., Babylon View SW 1957 Photo: J.P. Krzenski Archive: Dave Keller |
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![]() Babylon Higbie Lane View W 11/22/1975 Archive: William Gilligan |
![]() LIRR #2003 Train no.9 westbound Babylon 1962 Photo: Jim Gillin |
![]() LIRR #2002 eastbound c.1963 Photo: LIRR, Archive: Jim Gillin |
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![]() New MP-75 MUs crossing Carll's Creek on the temporary trackage during the grade crossing elimination. Fill for new embankment can be seen in background. 9/1963 Photo/Archive: Jim Gillin |
![]() Babylon Station - View W c. 1960 |
![]() Babylon Station demolition - View NE 9/09/1964 |
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![]() First train No.66 into new Babylon Station view W from rear car platform 8/26/1964 Photo: Brad Phillips |
![]() Babylon RS-3 #1560 at Carl Ave. View N 8/1964 Archive: William Gilligan |
![]() Babylon Yard M1s view E 4/29/1972 (Votava-Boland) |
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![]() Scoot at Babylon temporary station view W 4/06/1963 Photo: Brad Phillips |
The temporary station, which is visible to the right of this image and at which platform the RDC s are stopped, was placed in service on 4/6/63. It was taken out of service on 9/9/64 and razed thereafter, with the new, elevated structure being placed in service that day (9/9/64). This image shows not only the old tracks and station platforms at the left but the temporary facilities at the right. The old stuff is still there, so construction has not yet begun, so this image would have to have been taken shortly after the temporary facilities opened. There are no leaves on the trees, but MAY have been photographed IN April of 1963 because we've had some pretty cold April's on LI that I can recall. Also, if this were shot during the winter of 1963-64, that means that the old station and tracks were STILL IN PLACE and not touched for demolition from April until year's end. That would be a VERY long time to do nothing to the area then completing everything in 8 months. I say 8 months because I have photos of the temporary station with the new, elevated station in place behind it, shot in August of 1964. (see below) Dave Keller |
![]() Babylon temporary station - View E Winter 1963 Photo/Archive: Brad Phillips ![]() Babylon first train arriving at the new temp station eastbound 4/06/1963 Photo/Archive: Brad Phillips |
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![]() This view is looking southeast from the north side of the tracks. 1963 Archive: Dave Keller What we have in the foreground is the old station high-level platforms with old pedestrian crossover in the background. The temporary station facilities are adjacent to this, just south, running right through where the old depot building was once located. In the middle-to-right background you will
see platform shelters. You will also see a second, independent,
pedestrian crossover. |
![]() The red platform shelters are the temporary station at Babylon in 8/1964. (New, elevated station partially visible in left background.) Those shelters on those platforms with
THAT pedestrian crossover are the temporary station facilities with a
temporary ticket office built on the south side of the tracks. Research: Dave Keller, LIRR Historian |
![]() Babylon First Day Grade Crossing Elimination Ceremony 9/09/1964 view E Photo: Brad Phillips
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![]() Babylon Tower interior 9/1987 Today, the interior of the tower looks totally different, with the 1964-era hi tech machinery now replaced with much more modern technology. The TIMACS system has been substantially upgraded, as well. Photo/Archive: Jay Bendersky |
![]() This is the 1964 version of the current Babylon Tower, view NE. The tower was "widened" in the late-80's for the eventual inclusion of PD and points east. Since it was built about the same time as the current Divide Tower, it looked like a mini version of it. Although Divide was also expanded in the mid-80's, it kept it's "airport control tower" windows, which it still has today. I took this photo while posting at Babylon in 9/1987. Photo/Archive: Jay Bendersky |
![]() General Notice 7-54 - Babylon Tower closing effective 3/26/2022 Archive: Jeff Erlitz |
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![]() Babylon/West Islip Coach Yard - view East c.1985 Photo: Steve Lynch
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![]() Babylon car wash Interior view west 11/1977 Archive: Mike Robbins |
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![]() Babylon (left to right): M7, M3, M7, MP15-AC, M7s, C3 cab car ,M9, C3, DM30AC 6/1/2/2021 Photo/Archive: Jason Baxter
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![]() Round Trip Ticket to Robert Moses State Park, NY - Form SX126 Archive: Kevin Fehn Sunset at Babylon - Telephoto view from station platforms c.2000 Archive: LIRR-MTA The signal bridge just west of Little East Neck Road (distant bridge in the sunset image), was constructed in 1924 and the signals mounted there were S357 (eastbound) and S358 (westbound) per Emery's 7/1958 map. Interlocking, 3 bridge. In the photo your looking at the back of 22 and 24 signal. The photo also shows the 21 switch crossover in the background; in the foreground you can see the switch points of 23 switch. The signal in the foreground is most likely 30 signal. |
![]() Town of Babylon Historic Markers - May 12, 2018 |