LIRR Veteran and Future Veteran Employees

 Long Island Express Co., created by the LIRR, 1882 - 1913,  handled local baggage and express shipments.
Adams Express Co., a nation-wide concern, 1913- July 1, 1918, took  over L. I. Express and allowed through-express service to the nation. Research: Dave Keller

LIRR #55 D53bWhite Hats  crew  - Long Beach c.1890 Archive: Art Huneke

The White cap was worn by all train crew members (conductor, trainman, brakeman, collector, guard) from c. 1908 to c. 1915.  It was the summer issue cap used by both the LIRR and the parent PRR. 
Info: Dave Keller  

Gas Car  #1134 Crew Sag Harbor 4/1939
Archive: Dave Keller

Clearing the turnouts 1948 
Photo: LIFE  George Silk

LIRR #35 G5s Engine Wipers at 
Morris Park Shops10/1942+ 
Archive: Ron Zinn

LIRR #49 G5s  Engine Wipers at 
Morris Park Shops 10/1942+  Archive: Ron Zinn

World War II Women workers -  Morris Park 9/1942
Archive: Paul Pappas

PRR #5387 leased K4s 4-6-2   Engine Wipers at 
Morris Park Shops 1943
Archive: Ron Zinn

Morris Park Shops 10/1942
Photo: Roy Pinney  Archive: Ron Zinn

Watchman  lowering gates at Broadway, Hicksville 1959 Archive: MTA

FM CPA 20-5 #2006 at Montauk

FM #2403 Hicksville- Engineer Cecil "Crafty" Craft  zoom (Votava-Boland)

Engineer Cecil Craft leaning out the fireman's window chatting up photographer George Votava on the platform. He's also wearing the same bow-tie that he always wore with his engineer's overalls. Craft was the last of the old-time engineers who took pride in wearing traditional railroad attire, while all the younger engineers around him began wearing T-shirts and jeans and going hatless. Craft entered the roster in 1918. Info: Dave Keller

Track Crew at PD 1968
Archive: Dave Keller

The LIRR Mini-Maid program was alive and well for several years. Women in the employ of the railroad could volunteer to be fitted with a yellow mini-dress and work at public affair functions from time to time. Hank and Lou (Big Dumb Lou; see photo above) along with Don Malone of the Public Affairs department, all great enthusiasts of both trains, women and mini-skirts in general came up with the idea in 1968. Since most women on the railroad at the time were in the clerical ranks, most of the Mini-Maids were clerks in their 20's.

In later years, long after the program ended some of the women moved on to management jobs. One became the Secretary to the President, another a planner, while yet another became a Trainmaster. At least one supervisor recalled the Mini-Maid roster and would tease the women from time to time about that rung in their ladder of success.

From the late 1940's through the early 1970's. the LIRR supported an award-winning Public Affairs department which was quite the envy of corporations across the country which would send their publicists to the Railroad for ideas and training. 

 Steve Anglin of Babylon, dressed as Santa Claus, boards a Babylon-bound LIRR train on Dec. 16, 1965. Anglin was director of special services for the railroad and welcomed commuters to a Christmas party aboard the train.  (Newsday-Don Jacobsen)

LIRR C420 #229 Conrail GE B23-7 #2805 Fresh Pond Interchange c.1985 Archive: Frank Fiore

South of Fresh Pond Junction where the NYCRR used to run near the abandoned Fremont Tower: 12/1970

Junction of Montauk Branch and Conrail. Previously "FN" Tower. CR makes the set outs for the LIRR to pick up. View N. The crews are discussing the upcoming freight moves. 

HALL Tower, Jamaica Operator Arthur Huneke 9/1971

Block Operator Art Huneke works at his desk at "HALL" tower, Jamaica, on a hot afternoon in September, 1971.  Art held the 2nd trick (2nd shift) at "HALL" tower for many years until his retirement in the mid-1980s.  (Dave Keller photo and archive)

Employee G. DePiazzy at SG 1972
Archive: Dave Keller

LIRR  SW1001 #100  Fresh Pond c.1980

"Givin' the Highball" Overhead structure is walkway from Metropolitan Ave. Likely, this is 4:52 from LIC, that did local stops on lower Montauk. 6/89  Photo: A. J. Daly

Babylon Station crews 3/05/2015

Mr. Met 4/13/2015

MOW vegetation control wood chipping 2016 MTA

MOW vegetation control 2016 MTA

Per a review of the LIRR's Fireman and Engineer Seniority Roster of 1944, J. A. Robelen became a fireman on 11/20/1910 and was promoted to engineer on 6/18/1919. (info: Dave Keller)
As of April 1, 1948, J. A. Robelen was #55 on the Seniority roster and by April 1, 1957, he'd advanced to the #6 position. (info: Don Fisher)

John A. Robelen (center) c.1923 Archive: Richard M. Pope

According to my 1926 rosters, Matty became a trainman on 9/7/1910 and was promoted to conductor on 2/20/1924. My father, who was a regular commuter out of Patchogue in the early-to-mid 1950s, rode the same train with Matty who worked as trainman or conductor. Matty retired in 1956 and, on his last run, gave to my father to give to me, at age 4+ his blue serge LIRR vest and uniform cap with Trainman badge and side buttons affixed, all of which I still have. That event as well as awaiting daily with my mother at Patchogue station for my father to arrive home from work via train sparked in me (no pun intended) the love for trains, especially the LIRR, and has fired me up (ok, maybe an intended pun) to become the rail archivist and enthusiast that I am today. (Dave Keller)