VOLUME 5:
LONG ISLAND RAILROAD SERVICE TO EXTRIN AT 32-14 NORTHERN BOULEVARD

By Nicholas Kalis

Fifth in a series of glimpses into industries or warehouses that made for interesting freight operations on the Long Island. Information presented has included, where available, a brief history of the firm, how it was served by the LIRR, and what commodities were received or shipped from this facility.

In 1856, Edward Robinson Squibb founded a pharmaceutical company in Brooklyn. This firm came to be known as E. R. Squibb. By 1989 Bristol Myers merged with Squibb. Later known as Extrin, this building, located in Long Island City, was known as Spot 19b according to page 2 of Maps of Freight Stations and Private Sidings published in June 1966. This 1966 publication puts Extrin facing Yard A. According to Robert Emery's drawing dated 1959, this eight-story building was earlier known as E. R. Squibb Drug Factory. According to the Hyde Atlas, Queens Vol. 1, updated through 1955, this building was bounded by Honeywell Street to the west. According to photograph Digital ID gsc 5a14903 contained in the Library of Congress' American Memory web pages, Squibb fronted Northern Boulevard. This photo shows arches over the first floor windows. After reviewing this photograph, Bill Myers writes in 2001 "entire building facing Northern Boulevard is still red brick, back of row is part red and rest looks stucco-overed".

This was, in part, a white concrete building attached to the Center Building. According to Emery, it shared a wall with Roto-Broil Warehouse. If Hyde is correct, Extrin may have been occupied by Ford Motor Co.

I was unable to learn what commodities were shipped into this facility by rail but can only guess that they were carried in box cars. Nor could I learn where these commodities originated. Extrin likely produced pharmaceuticals of some kind or kinds but only empties may have left this facility by rail.

MODELING

For readers who would like to model this structure in HO scale, I would suggest Fox Chemicals ($60.00) by Jeff Springer's Custom Model Railroads of Baltimore, Maryland. I have built a foam core mock-up of this building.

CREDITS

Thanks to Carl Fabrizi and Bill Myers

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Author Unknown Maps of Freight Stations and Private Sidings (Reprint) June 1966

www.queenstribune.com

Please send photographs that show how Extrin appeared in the 1960s and direct any comments on or corrections to this manuscript to:

Nicholas Kalis
Suite 600, 1420 Spring Hill Road
McLean, Virginia 22102
Any illustrations or maps contributed will be gratefully acknowledged.

Mapdated 1966. Extrin is marked as Spot 19B