Photo: Steven Lynch c.1985

                                              MORRIS PARK STATION

Morris Park Station c.1910 view East
Archive: Dave Keller

It was called Morris “Park” because there was a beautiful park built at the rear of the depot.  Research: Dave Keller

** Morris Park Station 10/18/1910
Archive: McEnery

** Morris Park Shops in distant left background. Elevated crossing shanty and shelter shed at left.  1886-era depot at right.  High–level, wooden platforms not yet installed.  Station stop out of service 11/1/39 and razed for grade elimination of Atlantic branch along Atlantic Avenue. This was one of the LIRR’s “rapid transit” stops which was discontinued as a result of the grade elimination project of 1939-1940. Info: Dave Keller

Richmond Hill Station c.1905

S.S.R.R. Depot built: 0405/1869 as “Clarenceville” used as a chapel on Sundays beginning 7/25/1869

Renamed Richmond Hill 10/11/1871

Razed due to elimination grade crossing at Jamaica Ave: 1923-24

2nd elevated depot built: 1923-24
In service: 6/18/24 Closed: ?

Discontinued as station stop: 3/16/98

Research:  Dave Keller

130th St., looking NW
Richmond Hill Storage Yard
1950

While not exactly in the venue of Morris Park or its shops, this turntable was located directly across from Morris Park Shops and the Montauk branch embankment (see map on this page).  It was considered part of the Richmond Hill Storage Yard (visible in the background) and was located east of the yard and just west of the trainmen’s building / yardmaster’s office, north of the tracks.  It was used to turn  observation cars for the parlor car trains or inspection trains, so the observation end could face the rear at all times. Research:  Dave Keller

LIRR C420 #227, #227 at View W, Richmond Hill 10/31/87 Photo: Kevin Gulau

Richmond Hill passenger yard view NE of  Photo: Bill Rugen 
Archive: Art Huneke

E51sa #3 Morris Park Turntable c.1925 Archive: Dave Keller

(1) This photo shows the Semaphore signal bridge in the background which  displays the westward home signal for “R” and the eastward distant signal for “J” , the tower that was located across from the Richmond Hill Storage Yard and which was taken out of service in 1928.  Info: Dave Keller

MORRIS PARK SHOPS

 
Morris Park Shops 1889 

Morris Park Yard c.1906 postcard
Collection: Dave Morrision

Morris Park Loco shop left - Steam shop right view E 1977 Photo/archive: Art Huneke

LIRR G5s (4-6-0) #21 at Morris Park Shops Coaling Tower 10/26/1935 Front pilot stenciled: NL thus labeled for New York, LIRR service as the  engines were built by the Pennsy for LIRR service. The Pennsy at the time owned the LIRR and the LIRR, as with ALL the lines the Pennsy owned, got their equipment stenciled accordingly along with every other locomotive in the entire PRR system. Research/Archive: Dave Keller 

Notice the "NO SMOKE" sign on the left posted for the benefit of the hostlers as heavy smoke under that structure would cause it to billow all over and choke everyone around. There may have also been concern about the corrosive effects of constant engine exhaust on the wooden coal structure. Info: Ron Zinn  

Morris Park Shops - 1952

Emery map Morris Park - 10/1958

Morris Park Shops - May, 1946
Photo: Ewing Galloway
Research: John Scala

Emery Map MP9 to Sutphin Blvd, Jamaica  04/1959

LIRR Glendale to Richmond Hill track profile map Collection: John Fusto

G5s entering roundhouse at Morris Park Summer c.1940 Archive: Dave Keller

LIRR A-1 #320  Built by Baldwin Westinghouse 12/26 Photo: 06/29/49
Archive: Jim Gillin

LIRR G53c #139 Morris Park Turntable 1929

Morris Park turntable, roundhouse and shops 1950 view NW Photo: Bill Rugen Archive: Art Huneke

Morris Park turntable view NE 1950 Photo/Archive: Art Huneke

Morris Park Shops 3/31/1940 Conveyor to wooden coaling tower in background
Collection: Dave Keller

LIRR #312 H-6sb View NE
c. 1946 Archive: Jim Gillin

LIRR S1-2 Units #455-439
Morris Park Shops 
01/19/76 Archive: Dave Keller

G53 (4-6-0) #144 lays up at Morris Park Shops alongside the fence separating the shops from the tracks of the Atlantic branch, visible in the foreground in this c. 1938 view. Behind the #144 is C51 (0-8-0) #251 and at the right is a freshly-painted G5s and tender.  To the left over the tracks is the smoke washer bridge. In the center background is the water tower for the shops and in the right background is the conveyor taking the coal to the old wooden coaling facility.    Dave Keller archive

The Fairbanks-Morse units are still in service.  They were pulled in 1964 and replaced by the C420 units.  Not a C420 in sight in this view so they probably hadn’t yet arrived on the property; thus 1962-63.
Archive: Jim Gillin,  Photo: LIRR,  Research: Dave Keller

Air Compressors for Switch Motors Photo: Steve Rothaug 10/87

B&O Wagon Top Boxcar
Photo: Steve Rothaug 10/87

Yard Goat #397
Photo: Steve Rothaug 10/87

LIRR  #397  10/31/87
Photo: Kevin Gulau

GE 25 tonner  #398 c. 1970's
Photo: Steve Hoskins

LIRR C420 #225 Morris Park 10/31/87 
Photo: Kevin Gulau

LIRR #399 Yard Goat working the transfer table, prior MTA scheme

LIRR  #399  
Photo: Steve Rothaug 10/87

LIRR  #399 10/31/87 Repaint
Photo: Kevin Gulau

East from Main Gate, right of the tank is the steam plant.
Photo: Steve Rothaug 10/87

West towards Blacksmith Shop
Photo: Steve Rothaug 10/87

09/1930 tank car near Blacksmith Shop
Photo: Steve Rothaug 10/87

Big Hook
Photo: Steve Rothaug 10/87

Supporting Loco Shop Walls
Photo: Steve Rothaug 10/87

West toward Main Gate
Photo: Steve Rothaug 10/87

The building on the left is the blacksmith shop and on the right is the locomotive shop followed by the end of the first transfer table.

Turntable drive mechanism
Photo: Steve Rothaug

Photo: Steve Rothaug

Photo: Steve Rothaug 10/87
 

Parts storage
Photo: Steve Rothaug 10/87

Original manhole cover
Photo: Steve Rothaug

Transfer Table
Photo: Steve Rothaug 10/87

Wheel grinding shop
Photo: Steve Rothaug

Interior wheel grinding shop
Photo: Steve Rothaug 10/87 

Location #5: Leased PRR K4s #5387 lays up at the east end of Morris Park Shops yard in the Dunton/Jamaica area along with several other of her contemporaries. The view is looking east towards "DUNTON" tower (renamed on 4/23/37) roof of which is just visible in the center background and Sheffield Farms, the huge milk plant located between the LIRR's Atlantic branch tracks and Atlantic Avenue. 
Archive: RMLI  Info: Dave Keller

LIRR G5s #26 Dunton Tower c.1938
Archive: Dave Keller

Morris Park east to Dunton Tower - View North 2008, lower right corner former location of Sheffield Farms Dairy

The Sheffield Farms cars are a publicity photo of cars built for Sheffield by General American Refrigerator Car Company in 1928 Source:  Carstens Publications

DD1 #352 Sheffield Farms Milk Cars Receiving Yd Jamaica c.1937 Archive: Dave Keller

Receiving-Advance yards under Construction View E. from 130th St. Morris Park Shops/Jamaica 08/16/1911 Archive: Art Huneke

M1 at abandoned USPS mail platform, Advance Yard view W 09/02/78 
Photo: Madden Archive: Keller

Sheffield Farms opened a plant adjoining its company's headquarters at 524 W. 57th St. in 1938. Here is a quote from the article on the new plant in the June 22, 1938 The American Produce Review.

"The new plant, adjoining the company's headquarters at 524 West 57th St., spans the tracks of the New York Central which run below street level from the 60th St. yards to 35th St. between Tenth and Eleventh Aves. The tracks were laid in a cut a year ago, removing the railroad from Eleventh Ave."

"Relocation of the railroad enabled the company to build on this site and obtain the long sought rail terminal within the plant. First, however, the dairy and the railroad made an unusual real estate deal by which the railroad maintains a right of way through the plant and the dairy owns the air rights above the tracks."

"The new plant is the only milk plant in Manhattan and the second in New York City to have a railroad siding on plant property. The other plant, also built by Sheffield Farms, is in Jamaica. It was opened a year ago. The rail head in the plant saves the time and expense involved in hauling milk from railroad yards in tank trucks."