Degnon Terminal

LI City Degnon Terminal

Degnon lead 03/26/74
Photo: Richard F. Makse

Just south of Sunnyside Yards is Degnon Terminal, operated by the Degnon Realty & Terminal Improvement Company. A subsidiary, Degnon Terminal Railroad Corporation operated a switching terminal. It received and delivered cars from and to connections and switched them to the various industries, also the reverse operation. This carrier's only railroad connection was with the Montauk Cutoff of the Long Island Rail Road at Pearson Street [Hunterspoint Avenue], Long Island City. Degnon constructed its tracks about 1919, although land reclamation and grading began about 1907. The road consisted of two main tracks along Nelson Avenue, in addition to many warehouse and industry tracks. Structures include a one-stall engine house, (covered with corrugated iron), a one story frame office building and a water crane (attached to the city main. In the 1916-1927 era, the Degnon Terminal Railroad had a 0-6-0 locomotive with a slope-back tender.

In September 1928 management merged the rail property into the Long Island Rail Road and disposed of all Degnon equipment. After years of inactivity, workers removed Degnon's switch in 1989.

The Keystone, Spring 1996 - page 50 Author: Nick Kalis

Dutch Kills Creek Area, c.1946 LIRR #3121 Degnon RailFan Extra 03/23/1958 Photo/Archive: Art Huneke Gimbel Bros. building with an FMS class heavy duty Army flat and 2-axle (A-A) diesel truck on a dead siding. Archive: Henry Wagner Track into Degnon Terminal, view looking west towards Montauk Cutoff 1991 Archive: Henry Wagner	Degnon Terminal c.1966 Degnon Terminal Area c.1978 Queens Subway Loft Bldg. 10/15/1922 NY Times View toward Degnon , American Chicle Co. Photo: Steve Lynch c.1980	LIRR #103 110-47th Ave and 29th St 08/24/77 Archive: Henry Wagner LIRR #103 110-47th Ave and 30th Pl. 08/24/77 Archive: Henry Wagner LIRR #404 Alco S1 1946 Archive: Henry Wagner View east near the intersection of 47th Avenue and 29th Street from Prima Cement. The track curves off to the right to reach the industries along 29th St and Hunters Point Ave. Directly behind 404 is Concrete Steel Co. (the scene is partially visible). The taller buildings beyond that are the Macy's warehouse buildings (still there today). Info: Henry Wagner
View west Macy's 3/20/74 The boxcars are spotted on the Macy's sidetrack. Photo: Richard F. Makse	That's Philip A. Hunt to the right and Macy's on the right where the truck is blocking the view down the ROW. View east 30th St. 3/26/74 Photo: Richard F. Makse	Principe Dana, note that the Degnon Lead is essentially "double track" with two closely-spaced crossovers. Curving to the right, following the turning basin for Dutch Kills is the long lead to Viking Criterion Paper. The track going into the gated area is Concrete Steel Company (#20 on the 1966 maps). To the left is #11 (Sunshine Biscuit). 3/25/74 Photo: Richard F. Makse
James S. Rhodes Paper & Bag, Crane Plumbing Dutch Kills 3-26-74 Photo: Richard F. Makse	This is looking north from the Hunterspoint Avenue bridge to the Dutch Kills turning basin. Principe-Dana is straight ahead. The building to the right is Hunterspoint Steel; the one with the barge is James S. Rhodes Paper & Bag. Next is Crane Company Plumbing Supplies. I remember Principe-Dana would get barges of rock probably from Hudson River quarries. Never paid that much attention to the commodities on the barges but the bridges across Dutch Kills opened quite regularly.
Additional Degnon Links: Phil Goldstein's Degnon Link History, News Articles, Map, nice Loco Rosters Sam Berliner's Degnon Info History, Maps, nice 0-6-0 loco Photo Henry Wagner's Degnon Link Business Location photos, maps