Mineola
 

Mineola View E. 10-21-08 Photo: Mark Edelman

Tower #45: 2 c.1905 Brick tower in service 1890, south of mainline east end of wooden station platform; E of Mineola Blvd.  Renamed "MT" 1907 Archive/Info: Dave Keller

Mineola Station Cutoff to Hempstead Branch c.1885 There is no covered platform on the east side of the depot building as Tower #45:2 does not exist. Info: Dave Keller

H8sb Extra #693 plowing snow past  “Nassau" 12/48 
(elevated view from overpass)
Photo: Ed Hermann Collection: Dave Keller 

LIRR CP-20-5 #2006 westbound at Mineola 5/03/1953
Photo:  Jim Gillin

Emery MP18-MP19  05/1958

Emery MP19-MP20 05/1958

Passing Nassau Tower 1950 view west
Photo: J.P. Sommer  Collection: Dave Keller 

Nassau Tower 04/12/01
Photo: Brian Weinberg

LIRR Alco  FA # 616 at Nassau /06/16/92 Train 4555
Photo: Kevin Gulau from top of the municipal parking garage

LIRR #618  07-11-1983
Photo: Robert Streich  Archive: R. McEnery

The engineer on LIRR 2703 dumps 30 pounds of pressure onto the pads to
 make his usual high speed stop. Brake dust is seen shooting in a cloud higher 
then the locomotive. c.2007 Photo: Mark Edelman

Approaching Nassau Tower from Oyster Bay Branch Cab of F7 #621
05-14-1988  Photo: John Fusto 

LIRR  MP15-AC #165 at Nassau 02/26/84 Train 4553  Photo: Kevin Gulau from the Mineola Blvd. overpass

LIRR # 171 approaching Nassau Tower from Oyster Bay Branch 10/08/2008
Photo: Mark Edelman

Nassau Tower

May 17, 1979  Photos/Archive: Steve Rothaug

Emery Mineola 10/15/1969
Archive: SUNY Stony Brook

NE side of tower

Mineola to Hempstead Branch 

Country Life Press was a station stop opened in Garden City for the employees of the magazine by that name.  It was a Doubleday publication.  The station was located east of the Garden City station and east of Franklin Ave. and was the very next stop on the run to Hempstead .  As soon as you crossed over Franklin Ave. , the tracks curved to the right (south) and CLP station was there on your left.  Not only was it a station stop on the Hempstead branch, but it was also a station stop and terminus for the Mitchel Field shuttle along the Central branch.  

Here’s Garden City at Franklin Ave. looking east.  The Central branch goes straight, the 1st track to the left is the northwest leg of the wye to Mineola , the 2nd track to the left enters the temporary sub station building and the track to the right is the same as today . . . . heading to Hempstead with next stop:  CLP!  The shanty in the center is the crossing watchman’s. 

The cabin at Franklin Ave. was “B” cabin and not only was it for the crossing watchman to protect the crossing, he also operated a dwarf signal and derails for the trolley line that crossed the tracks.

When the trolley line was discontinued along Franklin Ave. , and when “HC” tower (later “GARDEN” tower) was closed and “GARDEN” cabin opened in  January, 1939 at Franklin Ave. , there was no longer any need for the old “B” cabin as the crossing was NOW protected by “GARDEN” cabin.

Switches and signals were handled by “HC” tower at Hempstead Crossing.  Tower is visible in the center background and beyond it, with pointed, octagonal roof, is the old brick Stewart-era water tower at the crossing of the LIRR’s tracks and the CRR of LI’s tracks.
Info: Dave Keller