Long Island Rail Road Towers

Tower-PD-Patchogue-3-18-30.jpg (69387 bytes)
PD Tower Camelback Westbound 03/18/1930
 Archive: Dave Keller

babylon_joegregory.jpg (88646 bytes)
Babylon  Photo: Joe Gregory

BtowerTr4250_011979JimGillin.jpg (71364 bytes)
B tower TR #4250 eastbound 1/1979 Photo: Jim Gillin

 

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B Tower Bethpage 2007
Photo: Joe Gregory

Bliss-Tower-G5s-35-Final-Run-LIC-10-16-55.jpg (41828 bytes)
 LIRR Block operator Rosario Zambuto stands on the landing outside the old “BLISS” Tower at Blissville, L. I. City, NY as G5s #35, seen at the right, makes it last run as a railfan extra on October 16, 1955. Note the spiral staircase to access the upper portion of the tower! View is looking east. Art Huneke photo, Dave Keller archive 
DUNTON-4 sthurmovik 03-30-2000.jpg (125518 bytes)
Dunton  03-30-2000
Photo: S. Thurmovik

DUNTON+Duckunder sthurmovik 03-30-2000.jpg (115536 bytes)
Dunton Duckunder  03-30-2000
Photo: S. Thurmovik

 lirr101LICitynearFtower1978AJDaly.jpg (89512 bytes)
LIRR #101 at  LI City F Tower 1978 
Photo: A. J. Daly

pondtower05-68davekeller.jpg (69013 bytes)
Fresh Pond Tower May, 1968

That was the month/year that I photographed the tower and it had been newly renovated, removing most of the upper windows and adding a new roof and new siding. Archive: Dave Keller

 

pondtower.jpg (205786 bytes)
 Fresh Pond Tower c.June, 1968+

After the tower renovation of  05/1968, this photo was perhaps taken sometime between Summer/1968 and Spring/1970 or 1971, judging by the jackets worn and the trees appearing to begin showing leaves.  All the RS3 units were repainted by 1971, though.
Historical Info: Dave Keller

 

HAROLD-int+tower sthurmovik 2005 gone.jpg (200217 bytes)
Harold  Interlocking 2005 gone
Photo: S. Thurmovik 		dividebackside_joegregory.jpg (62990 bytes)
Hicksville Divide -backside view 
Photo: Joe Gregory
JTower-JamaicaValuationPhoto-04021921.jpg (117406 bytes)
LIRR valuation photo “J” (later “JAY”) tower west of new Jamaica station. View looking west. Appears windows are being washed . . . perhaps for the first and last time! 4/2/21
Archive: Dave Keller 		ROW-Jay Tower.jpg (115034 bytes)
Jay Tower view W c. 1963 		jaytowerjamaica1974davekeller.jpg (55894 bytes)
Jay Tower - Jamaica 1975
Photo: Dave Keller

JAY-7 sthurmovik 03-30-2000.jpg (137245 bytes)
Jay  03-30-2000
Photo: S. Thurmovik

Tower-Locust-LocustValley-1966.jpg (64394 bytes)
Locust Tower 1966 		locusttower2-88johnfusto.jpg (248862 bytes)
Locust Tower 02/1988 
Photo: John Fusto 		locust tower 2005.jpg (153528 bytes)
Locust Tower 2005
olivet.jpg (143623 bytes)
H10s (2-8-0) #113 pulling eastbound freight upgrade past "OLIVET" Tower, Flushing Ave, Maspeth, NY 8/30/46
Collection: Dave Keller 		Tower-FW-Far Rockaway-6-6-33.jpg (62979 bytes)
“FW” tower at the east end of Far Rockaway station (Mott Ave). View is looking east.  “FW” call letters in Keystone.  6/6/33. 
Collection: Dave Keller

When service was ended over Jamaica Bay , and Far Rockaway was turned over to the NYCTA and the tracks severed, this was torn up and end of track relocated east to Nameoke Ave. where the depot and end of track is today.  The tower was no longer needed so was demolished along with the very large depot building and trackage which was elevated through there in the early 1940s.

 

Tower-MP-West-Morris Park Shops - 11-9-1911.jpg (87561 bytes)
The 1st “MP” tower – Morris Park Shops - looking west towards the shops. The original Dunton station was a distance behind the photographer.  Date is 11/9/1911
Photographer unknown, Dave Keller archive

Tower-MP-Dunton-1925.jpg (34770 bytes)
The second “MP” tower (later “DUNTON”) looking west towards the shops from the western-most end of Dunton station platform.  Dunton station was moved further west over the years. James V. Osborne 1925  photo, Dave Keller archive  
Tower-Valley-ValleyStream-1967.jpg (21572 bytes)
Tower "VALLEY" Valley Stream 1967
Archive: Dave Keller 		Valley.jpg (91250 bytes)
Valley 2007 		pdtower.jpg (45445 bytes)
PD View E  2001 Photo: Steve Lynch
PD 2006.jpg (54716 bytes)
PD View E  2006 		QUEENS-4 09-May-2003 sthurmovik.jpg (136275 bytes)
Queens  05-09-2003
Photo: S. Thurmovik 		queenstower_joegregory.jpg (85867 bytes)
Queens   Photo: Joe Gregory
win8-65.jpg (62778 bytes)
Win 8/65

LIRR active towers 2008:

Jay
Hall
Dunton
Queens
Brook
Divide
Nassau
Babylon
Valley
Lead

(not counting PSCC and West Side Yard)

Harold is only opened in the event that PSCC goes down. Right now it's a lounge for signalmen and trackworkers.

CTC is in the inevitable future, but not all towers have computer controls yet. Jay, Hall and Dunton still have their Model 14s. Up until recently, Queens did too, but with the interlocking work, they've switched over to computers. Haven't been up in Valley for some time. They may have a few levers left, don't know. PD tower is gone - it's now 261, automatic block from PD to SK controlled by Babylon Tower. 

What I've heard is that they would like to centralize the operation, much like Metro North has done, with one control center in Jamaica (Air Train bldg). How long this takes, who knows. Get your pictures and visit the towers while they're still around. Passed Hall tower today in the wee hours of the morning with the whole interlocking aglow from switch heaters. What a sight 

Jay is located at the west end of Jamaica station
Hall is at the east end
Queens is just north of the Belmont wye (near Belmont racetrack)
Nassau is at the east end of Mineola station
Divide is at the east end of Hicksville station, where the Mainline and Port Jeff branches split
Valley is at the east end of Valley Stream station
Lead is atop a drawbridge which connects Island Park and Long Beach
Brook is at the east end of Flatbush Avenue station, south of track two
Dunton is at the throat of the yard to Morris Park

Port Washington yard and Wood, Shea, Bay and Neck Interlockings are all controlled by Section A

Author: RogerOverOutRR