Bay Ridge Branch


Bay Ridge MP5-14 map dates from between 4/4/1966 and 4/15/1970

“BAY” BLOCK STATION (R.C.) NEW UTRECHT AVE., BAY RIDGE, BKLYN. (PREVIOUSLY “NU” BLOCK STATION.
REMOTE FROM “FREMONT.” IN SVC. 4/4/1966.  OUT OF SVC: 4/15/1970
“BEDFORD” BLOCK STA. (R.C.)  OCEAN AVE., BKLYN. (REMOTE FROM “FREMONT.” 
IN SVC: 4/4/1966.  OUT OF SVC.  4/15/1970.
Research: Dave Keller


Bay Ridge NYCTA Connection 1994 Track Profile Map

Bay Ridge Branch connection at Fresh Pond
1994 Track Profile Map

LIRR #117 3/20/1907 Bay Ridge Excavation (Ziel-Boland)

“Bay Ridge Improvement”: 1905-1918
per Robert Emery Branch Notes

Bay Ridge Branch - Robert Emery Maps 

Mileage from 1913 ETT Manhattan Beach branch and a 1938 ETT Bay Ridge branch. Mileage is indicated from L. I. City on BOTH timetables:

Fresh Pond Jct. ("POND" tower)              4.4
"FREMONT" tower                                     4.8
(This was "FN" cabin in 1918.  It did not yet exist in 1913 and therefore not indicated in that ETT.  It listed as "FREMONT" tower in 1938 ETT.
Myrtle Ave.                                                   5.1
Cypress Ave.                                                 5.5
Bushwick Ave.                                               6.5
East New York                                              7.0
Rugby                                                             9.2
Kouwenhoven                                               10.2
Vanderveer Park                                          11.4
"BEDFORD" tower (Man. Bch Jct.)          11.9 
(This was "MJ" tower in 1917-18.  It did not exist in 1913 and not indicated in that ETT.  Listed as "BEDFORD" tower in 1938 ETT.
Manhattan Bch Jct. (Ocean Ave.)              12.0 
(This is where the Manhattan Bch branch headed south and the Bay Ridge branch continued west to Bay Ridge ending at 16.3 miles.)
South Greenfield                                          12.8
King's Highway                                             13.5
"NU" Tower                                                   14.1 
(This was "NU" cabin in 1918.  It did not yet exist in 1913 and therefore not indicated in that ETT.  It listed as "NU" tower in 1938)
Neck Road                                                     14.5
Sheepshead Bay                                           15.1
Manhattan Beach                                         15.7 All stations on the Manhattan Beach branch closed with the end of passenger service in 1924.

The very few stations west of Manhattan Beach junction on the Bay Ridge branch (i.e. Parkville, etc.) were gone between 1897 and 1904.  Bay Ridge depot was closed in 1904 with the end of passenger service to that terminal. By the ETT of 1938, the Bay Ridge branch only indicated POND, FREMONT, BEDFORD and NU towers with an end-of-line mileage at Bay Ridge of 16.3  Research: Dave Keller
 


Montauk Branch east of POND Tower at MP4.4 to Myrtle Ave. MP5 NYCRR FREMONT Tower at MP4.8  Archive: Dave Keller


Fresh Pond N52 cabooses with wooden NYCTA cars
for museums c.1957 (Ziel-Boland)


Myrtle Ave. MP5 to Cooper Ave. - Cypress Ave Station at MP5.5 Archive: Dave Keller

 
Fremont Jct. ACF new R-12 subway cars delivery
c.1948 Archive: Bill Mangahas


Cooper Ave. to East NY Tunnel portal
Evergreen Branch connection at MP6
BMT Canarsie line running parallel
Archive: Dave Keller


Proceeding south for the 11.4 mile trip from Fresh Pond to Bay Ridge, NYA #261 "tunnels" under the Cemetery of the Evergreens and emerges, both into daylight and Brooklyn, under the Atlantic Ave 1914 Grade Crossing Elimination Project
6/17/2000 Photo: Steven Lynch

 
Central Ave to Conway St. - Bushwick Station at MP 6.5 1904 Archive: Dave Keller

 
MP 6.57 Conway Street c.1908 BRT Coaling Station
Archive: William J. Rugen - Queens Library


Original "KN" cabin location in service north of  Glenmore Ave. from 1918-1925. East NY Station at MP 7


Relocated south of Glenmore Ave. "KN" cabin in service from 1925 to 1927. Archive: Dave Keller

 

East New York tunnel portals on the Bay Ridge/Manhattan Beach branch were opened in 1914 with the Atlantic Ave Grade Crossing Elimination.


East NY Tunnel portal to Liberty Ave. 
Abandoned East NY passenger station at MP 7. 3/10/1958
LIRR Atlantic Ave. line crossing. Info/Archive: Dave Keller

 
Atlantic Ave 1914 Grade Crossing Elimination Project
Photo: 1924  James V. Osborne  Archive: Dave Keller

Note: There is no fence at the top of the stairs to keep people from accessing the station platform (which went partway under the tunnel). Therefore, the photo is prior to the station closing (last passenger train from Bay Ridge to Manhattan Beach: 5/13/24).  Info: Dave Keller


 

Although, East NY Tunnel to Liberty Ave. Emery map is dated 3/10/1958, it shows the earlier configuration of  tracks inside the tunnel. Info: Dave Keller

Ex-Track No.4 removed and tunnel sealed 1939 (eastern tunnel portal, far right in photo above)

Ex-Track No. 2 Electric High Platform: "ex-Fulton St. ( East New York ) passenger station at MP7 1”, not in use 10/1958

Track No. 1 in use Ex-Track No. 3 electric removed 1952 (far left tunnel portal, photo above left)  Info: Steve Lynch

Note 1: The stairs from the street to the high-level station platform were removed “c. 1924” according to the map.  No “circa” about it . . . . they WERE removed in 1924 (see below).  Therefore, the station was no longer in use as of that date.  No pedestrian access to the platform meant station out of service.  

AND . . . when in use, the station stop was called “ Fulton Street .” Prior to the 1914 elimination it was referred to on Bay Ridge/Manhattan Beach branch timetables as “Manhattan Crossing” and not “ East New York ,” probably to not be confused with the ENY station stop along the Atlantic branch.

1924 would be the proper closure date, because passenger service was to Manhattan Beach only (not Bay Ridge), utilizing what we know as the Bay Ridge branch to Manhattan Beach Junction (joint branch at the time) and “MJ” tower then heading south on its own trackage (Manhattan Beach branch ONLY) to Sheepshead Bay and Manhattan Beach.

Passenger service to Man. Bch. ended in 1924, although the tracks remained in for some years afterward for freight moves.  Therefore, the high-level station at Fulton Street (ENY) would have been abandoned at that time. Notes/Research: Dave Keller


Under the Evergreens Cemetery into daylight and Brooklyn, under the Atlantic Ave 1914
Grade Crossing Elimination Overpass. Under the signal, still evident, is the 1914 build date.
Photo: Steven Lynch  6/17/2000

NO Tower: 1 East New York on the Atlantic Branch controlling the at-grade crossing of the LIRR by the NY & Manhattan Beach Railway. Tracks (later the LIRR's Manhattan Beach/Bay Ridge Branch). Built on a signal bridge on the west side of the crossing. Formerly Tower 63.  Renamed in 1907 and out of service: 2/1916 with removal of the at-grade track crossing, and replaced by tunnels under the Atlantic Branch tracks.  Research: Dave Keller


East New York 1873-1886 map

 East New York 1905-1921 map

Brooklyn-Queens Atlantic Division map 1921
ERA "The Bulletin" Vol. 62 No. 12  12/ 2019 Author: George Chiasson


East New York Depot - Manhattan Beach Branch - View W from Van Sinderen Ave.1890's.

A rare shot, showing both "L.I.R.R. DEPOT" and "EAST NEW YORK" signs/stencils on the station building. I always found it interesting that this depot was constructed along the NY&MB tracks and not along the LIRR's Atlantic branch tracks. Dave Keller

 
East New York Tower #63 1903, later  renamed "NO" Tower, in 1907.  View west along Atlantic Branch.  Cross tracks are: Bay Ridge/ Manhattan Beach branch  Archive: Art Huneke Info: Dave Keller

East New York NY&MB depot valuation photo view N
11/10/1910 at Atlantic Ave/Van Sinderen Ave

East New York Station 1907  Archive: Dave Keller

The old NY&MB station photo above was at location #3 on the Emery map above.  The station was actually on the Manhattan Beach branch.  Atlantic branch trains initially stopped at Howard House for the East New York stop.  When the LIRR acquired the NY&MB, the stop at Howard House was no longer made.  The old 2-story wooden framed depot/hotel was used as the East New York station stop for both branches until the grade elimination, placing the Manhattan Beach/Bay Ridge Branch in tunnels below grade at East New York.


1912 postcard, note the NY&MB depot at the left, the LIRR's depot in the center and "NO" tower at the right. Track curving in the foreground provided an eastbound connection between the Manhattan Beach branch and the Atlantic branch.

 


Return Ticket/Ferry LI City - East New York 1894
Archive: Brad Phillips


NO Tower - Atlantic Branch East New York - BRT EL in background - View E 1913 Archive: Dave Keller

Although no longer used by the LIRR and demolished in November, 1915 due to the Bay Ridge grade elimination project, a small replacement depot/ticket office was constructed in 1906 alongside the Atlantic branch tracks and set back to clear the curved access tracks and later the eastbound segment of Atlantic Avenue (see photo below).  Some years later, the depot had an addition making it a much longer structure.


NO Tower grade crossing - Manhattan Beach Branch c.10/1913 as the 2-story East New York depot was demolished in January, 1913 (Newspaper provenance). Depot/ticket office at right, looking due east along the eastbound segment of Atlantic Avenue. The gates to the right of the tower's stair are for the Manhattan Beach branch tracks crossing at grade. Research: Dave Keller


Atlantic Ave Grade Crossing Elimination c.1915
Archive: Bob Diamond

Atlantic Ave Project and in the last days of new construction. Photo sometime between 1914, when the portals were poured and the lettering "engraved" and 4/21/1916 when Urquhart took his photo for the BRT's insurance department of the newly-installed EL structure The platform has not yet been extended beyond the portals and access stairs not yet installed. The tracks ramping up and curving to the right connected the Manhattan Beach/Bay Ridge branch with the Atlantic branch on the east side of the station. NO Tower in place, center rear, but was gone by 4/21/1916.  Research: Dave Keller


MP41 #1055 East New York passing NO Tower - View E c.1915


Express House - East New York view SW from
Fulton EL 4/21/1916 (Urquhart-Keller)

"NO" tower being placed out of service in February, 1916 per East New York 1907 Emery's map note (above left).  An official BRT photo shot of the BRT's newly-erected EL structure by their insurance photographer Urquhart showing the tower gone in an April 21, 1916.

"NO Tower's purpose was to control the NY&MB tracks (and later LIRR Manhattan Beach branch tracks) crossing the LIRR's Atlantic branch tracks when at grade.  Once in the tunnels, the tower no longer had any purpose and was removed.

This is the first EL structure at the left, hence an official BRT photo.  The later, 2nd EL structure was constructed between this structure and the Express House. Research: Dave Keller


 


East New York 1916 Hyde map zoom


East New York 1922 Hyde map zoom

The Atlantic Ave. grade elimination project began on November 1, 1939, with the closing, per General Order, of all the LIRR's rapid transit stations along the Atlantic branch.  Closing of stations and demolition probably began in November, 1939.  As additional demolition, temporary tracking and actual construction of the project ran between 1940-41. All the arched steel framing is in place over the tracks to support Atlantic Avenue and East New York Avenue is being graded/trenched with concrete side walls constructed to cross under the LIRR tracks. Research: Dave Keller


East New York aerial 1924


Eastern Pkwy to Pennsylvania Ave - Detail of Atlantic Ave. area pre-1939 Research/Archive: Dave Keller

The map shows the LIRR tracks at the station and across East New York Ave. as being at grade.  Also, the old station platforms are indicated as well as the old ticket office (#10)  and the pedestrian crossover (#2, #3). Atlantic Avenue is split on the north and south side of the tracks.   This arrangement all changed with the 1939 grade crossing elimination project.  After 1939, Atlantic Ave. ran ATOP the tracks and station.  The station was built partly below grade under the superstructure carrying Atlantic Avenue.

 


East New York Station c.1938 view SW
Archive: Dave Keller


East New York Station c.1938 view W
Archive: Dave Keller


East New York - Snediker Ave-Williams Place East New York Ave.
crossing Fulton-Canarsie ELs View N c.1938

This c. 1938 view is looking north at Snediker Avenue and Williams Place at the eastern end of the station platform at East New York, directly under the BRT's Fulton and Canarsie line EL structures. The Bay Ridge branch tracks are now underground at this location. What looks like a signal tower at the right is actually a crossing tower, where the crossing watchman would manually raise and lower the crossing gates at train time. (Dave Keller archive)


East New York Station - View E from just east of Sackman St.  1941
Archive: Riccardo Gomes

East New York - Snediker Ave-Williams Place East New York Ave. crossing Fulton-Canarsie ELs - View NE c.1938 (Dave Keller archive)


East New York - View W c.1941
Archive: David Pirrman nycsubway.org
 


East New York 1941

 

 

 

 

 
Liberty Ave. to Riverdale Ave. 
5/1908 Archive: Dave Keller

 
South end of Blake Ave. Yard at Riverdale Ave. to Rockaway Ave. Yard 1905 Archive: Dave Keller


Liberty Ave. to Sutter Ave. 10/1958
Archive: Dave Keller

Sutter Ave. to MP 8 10/1958
Archive: Dave Keller

MP 8 to Rockaway Ave. 10/1958 Archive: Dave Keller

Rockaway Ave. to E. 83rd St. - Former Fords Corners (later Rugby) at MP 9.2 passenger station. Archive: Dave Keller

E. 83rd St. to Kings Highway - Former Kouwenhoven passenger station at MP 10.2 10/1958 Archive: Dave Keller

Kings Highway to Albany Ave 10/1958 Archive: Dave Keller

Albany Ave. to Bedford Ave.  - Vanderveer Park Station at MP11.4  10/1958  Archive: Dave Keller


Bay Ridge Branch view E 300' west of Brooklyn Avenue Vanderveer Coal Co. at left. 1930 B.A.R.C. (Brooklyn Ash Removal Co.)  at right Archive: Mike Boland


MP11 to Manhattan Beach Jct. MP12 7/19/1906
Archive: Dave Keller

Bedford Ave to East 15th St. Footbridge Manhattan Beach Junction at MP12 - 1918-1927  Archive: Dave Keller

Vanderveer Park Station- Flatbush Ave and East 32nd St. 10/12/1916 Archive: Simon Borenstein

Bedford Ave to East 15th St. Footbridge - BEDFORD Tower (ex-MJ) at MP11.9  Manhattan Beach Junction at MP12 - 12/31/1949 Archive: Dave Keller

Bedford Ave to Coney Island Ave. - ex-site  (12/29/1949) BEDFORD Tower
at MP11.9 - 10/1958 Archive: Dave Keller

 


Ocean Ave Brooklyn - c.2018 Photo/Archive: Gregory Grice
 
Coney Island Ave. to Parkville Station MP13 at Gravesend Ave.
1905 Archive: Dave Keller

Parkville Station, Brooklyn - View SE 1906
Archive: Dave Keller


Parkville Jct. delivery new ACF R-12 subway cars c.1948
Archive: Bill Mangahas


Coney Island Ave. to 50th- St. - MP13 at McDonald Ave 4/1959 Archive: Dave Keller

 
G5s work train caboose N52 #34 at McDonald Ave 3/31/1949 (Ziel-Boland)

The BRT tracks crossed the LIRR tracks at grade at that time.   The tracks in the foreground were the BRT's with the LIRR tracks crossing the BRT's. View is SE.  The spur or "interchange" tracks from the LIRR to the BRT curved behind the depot which was located at the SE quadrant of the crossing.  Dave Keller

 

50th St. to 16th Ave. 4/1959 Archive: Dave Keller


NU Cabin MP14.1 Interlocking - 1919 to 9/30/1927
Archive: Dave Keller

NU Tower MP14.1 Interlocking - 9/30/1927 to 8/21/1932
Archive: Dave Keller


16th Ave to Fort Hamilton Parkway - ex-NU Tower  at MP14.1 4/1959 Archive: Dave Keller
 

Bay Ridge Branch view E near New Utrecht Ave. 
 4/28/1931 (Ziel-Boland)
 
Fort Hamilton Parkway to 5th Ave. 5/1959
Archive: Dave Keller

MP15AC #150 ERA Excursion Bay Ridge Branch
Sixth Avenue, Bay Ridge 10/18/1986 Photo/Archive: Jeff Erlitz
 

5th Ave. to 1st Ave. at MP 16 - 1959 Archive: Dave Keller

LIRR 4-4-2 passing under the BMT 3rd Ave
EL 65th Street Station

1st Ave. to Waterfront - MP 16.3 - 1959 Archive: Dave Keller
G&Rpackingturntable6-1932.jpg (74695 bytes)
The 7th -8th Ave engine yard area 0 5/14/1932. (Future site of G&R Packing) Note the catenary bridge numbers on the print. 
This print was dated only 10 weeks before NU Tower would be closed forever. Info: Richard F. Makse

LIRR Tri-State Map - 12/1918 revised 08/1920
  nyareamap1920info.jpg (56544 bytes)

Pennsylvania Tunnel and Terminal Railroad, P.T.&T.R.R. was an important part of the PRR  system, comprising the tunnels and approaches from NJ,  Long Island , into NY Penn Station.

The company was formed on June 26, 1907 as a consolidation of the Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York Railroad and the Pennsylvania, New York and Long Island Railroad, which were the New Jersey and New York parts, respectively. The PNJ&NY was incorporated February 13, 1902, and the PNY&LI was incorporated April 21, 1902.

The New Jersey side was opened on November 27, 1910, though it hadn't been completed yet. The Long Island side was opened several weeks earlier. It was always operated by the PRR.

East NY Industrial Park serviced by the Bay Ridge Line - 1966




New Lots Freight Yard, New Lots  7/26/1949 (Weber-Morrison)


MP 8 to Rockaway Ave. 10/1958 Archive: Dave Keller
Location of Fred Weber photo above via red arrow.

Covering the area south of the East New York station, and proceeding to where the Bay Ridge branch hooks a sharp turn to the west at New Lots, going as far south (west) as the east side of Rockaway Ave. we have the following industries as listed on the LIRR’s official sidings maps of 1966:  In no special order.

Brooklyn Terminal Market 
Western Woodworking 
Rosenberg & Son 
Simon Holland 
Picone Bros. 
Piel Bros. 
Brooklyn Tire 
Schoenberg Salt 
Lieberman & Koren
Photo: Doug Diamond 11/1999

Covering the same area from 1958 and earlier, back into the 1920s we have the following industries: (In no special order) 

Rubel Coal Co.(having moved from 2 prior locations in the same area) 
Lieberman-Koren Corp. (ex-T&A Coal, ex-Rubel Coal & Ice) 
Schoenberg Salt Co. 
Saltser & Weinsier Plumbing supply (ex-Simon Gasner & Son, ex-Simner Plumbing Co.) 
Thatford & Ackerman Coal 
Brooklyn Ash Removal Co. 
Piel Bros. 
Security Coal Co. 
Holland Steel Co. 
Borough Scrap Iron 
Burns Bros. Coal 
Western Woodworking 
Silver Lumber Co. 
Klein Metal 

Brooklyn Ash Removal Co.

 barctrackeny.gif (7885 bytes)
East New York: 5th Ave, Bay Ridge and Blake & Junius

barctrackbr.gif (29956 bytes)
Brooklyn Ash Removal Co.between Sixth and Seventh Avenues  (highlighted in red)

Maps above by Phil Goldstein visit his  Brooklyn Ash Removal Company site for greater detail.

Brooklyn Ash Removal Co. had a huge dump site in Flushing Meadows on the grounds of what would later become the 1939-40 NY World’s Fair. I’m sure they had LIRR access via a siding or two off the Port Washington branch, as they Ash had their own ash rails cars with their own markings. C.R.4 effective 9/1/1919, superseded the previous C.R. 4 effective 3/1/1913:

Car Markings: Bklyn Ash Removal Co. = B.A.R.Co.

Station/Siding  ID #, Branch or "Division",  Location,  Miles from L I City,  Handled by agent at: (F.B. Ave. for Atl. Br)

A Atlantic F.B.Ave. 0.32 miles (FBA) Flatbush Ave.
A 5 1/2 " Atkins Ave. 5.35 miles (FBA) East New York

B14 Bay Ridge Parkville 13.87 miles (LIC) Parkville
B16 " Bay Ridge 15.32 miles (LIC) Parkville

BU6 Bushwick Bushwick 5.94 miles (LIC) Bushwick

E7 Evergreen Evergreen 6.91 miles (LIC) Evergreen

M7 1/2 Bay Ridge East New York 7.60 miles (LIC) East New York
M11 Bay Ridge Vanderveer Pk 11.15 miles (LIC) Vanderveer Park 

M13 Manhattan Bch. S. Greenfield 13.11 miles (LIC) Parkville

N7 North Side Corona 6.29 miles (LIC) Corona
6.43 miles (LIC) Corona
6.61 miles (LIC) Corona

N7 along the North Side Division (later the Port Washington branch) had 3 sidings at Corona, because this was the location of the main dump at Flushing Meadows (not a station stop at the time). The Corona station was 5.50 miles from LIC so the first siding was .79 miles further east of the station, but not sufficiently east enough to be considered Flushing. I would assume the other sidings were "pick-up" points.

Also . . . a bit of trivia . . .the station / siding names of A 5 1/2 for example meant "A" = the Atlantic Branch and 5 1/2 = approximately 5 1/2 miles from the western terminal . .. either Flatbush Ave. or L. I. City. You'll see that A 5 1/2 was, in actuality, not 5 1/2 miles from FBA but 5.35 . . . .but close enough for record-keeping. Compiled and provided by: Dave Keller

Industries located in Bay Ridge

rbegrpackingschematic.jpg (113580 bytes)  G & R Packing
  
(7th-8th Ave) was two - three blocks
   east of  Bay Ridge Yard (1st - 5th Aves) 
   Map/Research: Phil Goldstein

   bayridgeGandRpacking5-26-74richmakse.jpg (59166 bytes)
             5/26/1974 Photo: Richard F. Makse

grpacking1.jpg (71677 bytes) grpacking5.jpg (81813 bytes) grpporter2.jpg (75957 bytes)
sw004.jpg (51111 bytes)
sw003.jpg (78767 bytes)

 


PC SW1500 coming up the hill from 6th Ave c.1973

Penn Central Engines and the Porter that replaced the Critter.  They  taken with an instamtic.  I grew up in that area and walked the tracks there plenty of times.  The Porter never ventured outside the company as it just shuttled cars back and forth and set them out on an empty track. The three top photos are 1970. Info/photos: Ben Fioriello
65th STREET - BAY RIDGE, BROOKLYN, NY - 1970-1999

bayridge2.jpg (81590 bytes)

Each apron has two tracks leading from it into two yards with several ladder tracks in each yard. This is so that cars can be unloaded from the three track car floats, trains made up from them and dispatched while other trains arrive bringing new cars to be loaded onto the car floats for dispatch to New Jersey. This arrangement supported 1,000 cars a day during the period 1920 thru 1950 with lower numbers of cars after 1950.

So how is a loaded car float unloaded and then reloaded? The following sequence of events occurrs. First of all, the car float is secured to the apron so that the tracks on the car float line up with those on the apron. Now if you're working with a three track car float only two outer tracks are connected to the tracks on the apron. The center track and the left track converge in a turnout, on the float, of which only the points are on the apron. So nothing can be removed from the center track until the points are clear.

Now a switcher on the left lead track usually using a flatcar or gondola or two as an idler to reach onto the car float across the apron and couples with the string of cars on the left track of the car float. This string is pulled halfway off the car float. That means if there are 6 cars in that string 3 are off the car float while the other 3 are still on it. The switcher then uncouples from these cars after their brakes are set. The switcher then goes onto the right track via a crossover and pushes the idler car onto the car float's right track and couples with cars on that track. 

These cars are now pulled off the car float and into the yard to clear a switch that allows that string of cars to be run back and coupled to the six car string of cars that was pulled half way off the float in the first operation. These cars are now pulled to clear the switch to the center track. Now with a string of (12) cars, they are coupled to the center track and (17) cars are pulled into the yard. All this is subject to change if the consist of the freight coming in is all heavy cars (100 ton) or more, long drawbar cars that wont couple up on the turnout to the center track. The idea is to get (1) intact string of cars into (1) track with the engine on the east end so it can couple up to the string that is going to be loaded.

I have pulled and loaded a float with only (1) other man, the yardmaster, after he mistakenly sent the crews home.

To load the car float one reverses the process with the center track loaded first.

My thanks to: Irvin Feldman and LIRR Engineer: Ed Schleyer

Circa 1970-1971, when the yard was abandoned, the four LI City style float bridges were torn down. The yard was abandoned for some time, with PC only playing host to interchange with the Bush Terminal RR/New York Dock Railway. In 1979 or 1981 (haven't got the exact year yet), New York Dock Railway installed a pontoon supported pony plate girder float bridge that original came from the Erie Railroad's  West 28th Street yard in Manhattan. This float bridge was installed at the northwestern tip of the 65th Street yard and was referred to as the BAT (Brooklyn Army Terminal) float bridge.

This float bridge installation was due to the reconstruction of First Avenue which isolated the 65th Street from the float bridges at Bush Terminal Yard. This float bridge was utilized until about 1990 or so, when it was no longer needed and abandoned in place.  It has since pulled away from it's bulkhead anchors, and sits partially submerged a few feet off the bulkhead, where it can still be seen there today.

Long Island RR purchased the Bay Ridge Branch back from Conrail in 1984, and started interchange with the New York Cross Harbor Railroad (NYCHRR), the successor to New York Dock. This is when the infamous "Intermodal Bogie" experiment took place.  

In 1999, the NYCEDC (New York City Economic Development Corp.) completely rebuilt the 65th Street railyard, with new track, ties, etc. This rebuild also included a pair of brand new cable suspension type float bridges. This was all due to NYCHRR planning on moving their base of operations out of the Bush Terminal Yard, as it was getting too old, and track was too light with restrictive turnouts (80-90lb rail and #4 turnouts).

The proposed relocation never came to fruition, and the two float bridges still sit idle, never used!

In 2006, the New York Cross Harbor would become a "fallen flag" and the new company operating the railroad would be New York New Jersey Rail. Today the yard is used strictly for storage and is the location of the interchange point NYNJ Rail and New York & Atlantic Railway (NYA),  which is the freight subsidiary of the Long Island Railroad) 

Just this past year and a half, NYA has done an EXTENSIVE track rehab program for the Bay Ridge Branch.  

Furthermore, there is now a repeated rumor circulating that the NYNJ is relocating their Bush Terminal base of operations to the 65th Street Yard (as NYCH had planned to in years prior) and an agreement to carfloat freight for NYA is being worked on. Research/Photo Collection: Phil Goldstein 07/2009

65th STREET - BAY RIDGE, BROOKLYN, NY
the Terminus of the current NYA Brooklyn freight operations


Brooklyn Army Terminal 1926
65st_9_68.jpg (109913 bytes)
Brooklyn Army Terminal c. 1980-1990

LIRR #444  Alco S2 with float reacher car 
Photo: Phil Goldstein 1968


1st Ave. to Waterfront 1959 Archive: Dave Keller
 

lirrS2-446andReachCar-BayRidge.jpg (47567 bytes)
LIRR Fireman at the throttle: Ed Schleyer, down by the Bay Ridge floats, LIRR Alco  S2 #446 works the float reach car. View NE.  

The overhead electric catenary system, installed in 1926, came out in 1952-53 when the LIRR got rid of the DD1 and B3 electric locomotives.

Gowanus Parkway Bridge (built 1941) crossing on a diagonal above the 2nd Avenue bridge (built 1912) crossing perpendicular (almost) above the Bay Ridge rail yard. Research: Dave Keller

Note the railings on the flat car are the same as those on LIRR  W80


  65th St. Yard Bay Ridge c. 1998


Bay Ridge Topographic


Derail to prevent "rollouts"


Double crossover, just before the aprons
 


LIRR Tug Meitowax
working the harbor
 
bayridge-452-flatcar-floatdocks.jpg (67820 bytes)
LIRR #452, Reacher flatcar
Archive: Henry Wagner

View looking west  6/1997 Photo: B. Ente


Switch leads into the Brooklyn Army Terminal Photo: B. Ente



 



The new car aprons Photo: B. Ente


Down to inspect the new car floats


Fresh wood, paint and ready for freight


NY City's World Trade Towers
dominate this hot, hazy harbor view 07/2000
Photo: Steven Lynch

CHRR 070.jpg (51841 bytes)
View looking west 
Photo: Paul Strubeck 2006
CHRR 071.jpg (75036 bytes)
View looking southwest
Photo: Paul Strubeck 2006

LIRR map page 79 - Parkville and Bay Ridge 9/1966
NYCHRR65yardmap.gif (159809 bytes)
NYCHRR 65th St. Facility c.2000
Source: Property Assessments & Feasibility Studies & Port Terminal Facility issued by the New York Cross Harbor Railroad Archive: Phil Goldstein


Bay Ridge Yard - 65th St. c.1920
Archive: Mike Boland

Bay Ridge Yard pre-catenary - double slip switch - Wall track to the right c.1920 Archive: Mike Boland

Bay Ridge float bridges c.1955 Photo: Ben Young Archive: Mike Boland

Bay Ridge BB3 reacher car freight switching the floats c.1950 Archive: Mike Boland

Bay Ridge Floatbridges c. 1950 (Ziel-Boland)

B3 #327 switching float reacher car 10/1952
(Zahn-Boland)

Bay Ridge -  LIRR S2 #446 switching float reacher car c.1952 Archive: Mike Boland

B3 #327, #336 switching float reacher car 3/1954
(Zahn-Boland)

Bay Ridge Yard - PRR X38 boxcars to Greenville, NJ mid-1950's  (Young-Boland)

Bay Ridge Yard freight for Greenville, NJ 1955
Photo: Ben Young  Archive: Mike Boland

Bay Ridge Yard-LIRR S2 #447-446 with off float car cuts post 1955 Wall Track at left Archive: Mike Boland

RDC ERA fan trip - Bay Ridge Yard - View E 6/23/1963 Photo:  George J. Abere
Archive: James Scullin

M7s Scrap Move to 65th Street, Bay Ridge Yard

M7 scrap move passing southbound at Liberty Ave.,
Consist: LI 163-7044-7553-7054- 7425-7034-7033-171

65th St., Bay Ridge Yard
Photos/Archive: Marc Glucksman
 
Returning north at Atlantic Ave., LIRR #163-#171

A crazy morning at the NYNJ Rail yard at 65th Street brings together LIRR MP15ACs and M7s, NYNJ KLW SE-10Bs, and MTA NYCT Subway R-32s.

On the early morning of  Friday, January 20, 2023, MTA Long Island Rail Road made some unusual moves as Bombardier M7s headed out to be scrapped. Bracketed by a pair of EMD built MP15ACs, first the cars were taken over the Lower Montauk Line, where LIRR does make occasional appearances along with tenant and freight operator New York & Atlantic Railway, but never with electric MU cars as the line is not third rail powered. After passing the through the Fresh Pond Yard, the cars headed into the East New York Tunnel and continued down the Bay Ridge Line to the New York New Jersey Rail 65th Street Yard where very few appearances by any LIRR operated power are known to have occurred since NYAR took over the operation in 1997. These cars have been deemed irreparably damaged in an accident and will be loaded to go by barge and then back to rail to their final resting place. 1/20/2023  Info: Marc Glucksman