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LIRR 180th
Anniversary of the first train to Greenport |
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 Railroad Museum of Long Island |
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Saturday, July
27, 1844 the Long Island Rail Road traveled its first trains to Greenport
Village to open a new transportation route from New York City to Boston.
180 years to the day, on Saturday, July 27, 2024 the Railroad Museum of Long
Island, Greenport Village and the entire North Fork will celebrate the
“First Train to Greenport!
LIRR Terminal Historic Marker - 1844 LIRR Terminus at Greenport - William G. Pomeroy Foundation
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The group tour ran from Jamaica
to Greenport with the excursionists’ changing trains at Ronkonkoma.
The trip was limited to ninety passengers to ensure comfortable seating in
the cars that the party rode in. For the day, an additional car was added to
the Ronkonkoma-Greenport ‘Scoot’ train. Both the locomotive of the ‘Scoot’
and the connecting train to Ronkonkoma carried drumhead signs announcing the
anniversary. |
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 Greenport 180th ticket - 7/27/2024  |
 180th Anniversary train to Greenport arrives at Jamaica 7/27/2024 Photo/Archive: Steve Quigley
Bob Barta and his Sunnyland Jazz Band
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 180th Anniversary Train #6904 arrival at Greenport 3:31pm 7/27/2024 - Photo/Archive: Steve Swirsky |
 Robert Reichel, "Wheeling" on a penny-farthing, also known as a High Wheeler 1880's bicycle. Photo: Neil Feldman, RMLI Archive: Don Fisher, RMLI Note: Robert just passed LIRR #14 wood caboose; class N52A built by ACF (American Car & Foundry) in February 1927. RMLI restored it to its 1940's livery and dedicated on 9/21/2002. |
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 The first speaker was the Mayor of Greenport, Kevin Stuessi, who welcomed the group to his community and then talked about the history. |
 Sitting on the right side of the dais was Rob Free, President of the Long Island Rail Road; Anthony H. Palumbo, New York State Senator from District 1; Dean Gandley, Chief Aide to Suffolk County 1st District Legislator, Catherine Stark; and Albert J. Krupski, Supervisor for the Town of Southold. Note that Mr. Krupski is Don Fisher’s brother-in-law. |
 On the left side of the dais was Kevin Stuessi, Mayor of Greenport; Ed Romaine, Suffolk County Executive; Fred W. Thiele, Jr, Assemblyman for New York State District 1, and Concetta Anne Bencivenga, Executive Director of the New York City Transit Museum |
 And then there was the lower left dais where Hector Garcia Jr., Long Island Rail Road; Steve Quigley, President of the Long Island Sunrise Trail Chapter, NRHS; the empty seat was for Don Fisher, President of the Railroad Museum of Long Island who was speaking at the time; were seated |
 The presentation of a New York State Senate Resolution celebrating the day. From left to right, Anthony H. Palumbo, New York State Senator; Steve Quigley, President of the Long Island Sunrise Trail Chapter, NRHS; Don Fisher, President of the Railroad Museum of Long Island, Fred W. Thiele, Jr, Assemblyman for New York State; and Rob Free, President of the Long Island Rail Road. Photo: Neil Feldman, RMLI Archive: Don Fisher, RMLI |
 LIRR President Rob Free speaking to the audience. - 7/27/2024 Photo: Neil Feldman, RMLI Archive: Don Fisher, RMLI |
 View W of the guests attending the dedication ceremony. - 7/27/2024 Photo: Neil Feldman, RMLI Archive: Don Fisher, RMLI |
 Before all of the festivities began, I had Luigi and Ron of the Long Island Rail Road Tour Department ,who were shepherding the group, to pose with the still veiled historical marker. |
 LIRR Terminal Historic Marker - 1844 LIRR Terminus at Greenport - William G. Pomeroy Foundation |
 Don Fisher, President of the Railroad Museum of Long Island (RMLI) speaking to the assembly. 19th Century dress was the order of the day! |
Photos/Text: Edward M. Koehler, Jr., LIST-NRHS |
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 LIRR Control Car 5023 had tailed the train out to Greenport, it’s the car that the tour party had rode in. Now it is leading Train 6905 back to Ronkonkoma. We will see this equipment again in Riverhead at 5:29 PM for our return west. |
 The conductor waves to me as he looks out the window by the door controls from restroom equipped coach 4060 which was the second car in the westbound train. |
 The third car in the train was coach 4085. Normally the Greenport – Ronkonkoma ‘Scoot’ is only a coach and a control car with the locomotive, but because we had the special party on board, an extra car was added to the consist. |
 The marker lights on Train 6905 as it departs Greenport are being carried by locomotive 411 which is working in a ‘push mode’, controlled by the engineer in the cab car. |
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 At 1:30 PM the group transferred by motor coach to the Greenport Express Miniature Railway, this trip was about a mile. And we had a ticket to ride!
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 The ‘blue train’ from Frank Field’s earlier layout was acquired for the Greenport Express. This sixteen inch gauge equipment (locomotive and three cars) were built in Rensselaer, IN by the Miniature Trains, Inc. The locomotive is seen here standing in the station while the passengers are boarding. |
 The locomotive is numbered 702, and is named “Miss Lisa B.” The train is seen here departing the station. |
 The first and second cars in the train are standard six seat coaches built by Miniature Trains, Incorporated. This is the second car. |
 The third and last car in the train seats five, although the last seat is reserved for the train’s conductor. Unlike the coaches, this car has a round end observation section on its rear end. |
 Greenport Express new Engine House 6/2023 Photo/Archive: Rotary Club of Greenport |
 Greenport Express - 6/02/2024 Photo/Archive: Joseph Hofer |
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“27 EAST” called Rodman Pell the “Grandpa Moses of Greenport!” He was a descendent of Thomas Pell who established Pelham, NY in 1654. Rodman created an art studio in Greenport on property where the Pell family operated a successful wholesale fish business. There, he expressed himself in primitive, “Naïve Art” of Greenport, the North Fork and of his early childhood memories. His methods and style are important attributes of “Historic Folklore Art.” With this featured painting, from
the collection of the Railroad Museum of Long Island, we see Rodman’s vision
and imagination of the “First Train to |
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08/12/2024