Port Washington Branch

The "North Side Division" is the original name of the Port Washington branch.  The branch started east of Woodside at Winfield Jct.  It continued on and stopped at Great Neck until 1898 when it was extended to Port Washington.  The Whitestone branch started east of Corona station, on the west side of the Flushing River (Creek).  In 1887, Malba wasn't yet a station stop on the Whitestone branch.  The lines on the timetable between Corona and Flushing, Main Street designate the Whitestone branch.  This was common on timetables that had other branches leading off the timetable's main branch. Research: Dave Keller
 

   Rail & Railroad Magazine - April 2023
  with permission of Frank Garon and Steve Barry

Book Review:  LIRR: Port Washington Branch
by David D. Morrison

 

Timetable - North Side Division  - 5/08/1887 
Archive: Jeff  Erlitz

“WJ” TOWER: WINFIELD JUNCTION., QUEENS - JCT. OF MAIN LINE AND PORT WASHINGTON BRANCH (NORTH SIDE DIVISION).  NORTH SIDE OF PORT WASHINGTON BRANCH TRACKS, EAST OF JUNCTION. FORMERLY TOWER #35. S&F MECHANICAL MACHINE IN SVC: 1884.  REBUILT: 3/1/1898 [?] MOVED: 12/1915, SOUTH SIDE OF TRACKS, .7 MILES EAST OF WOODSIDE. 40-LEVER GRS MODEL 2 UNIT LEVER TYPE ELECTRO-MECHANICAL MACHINE IN SVC:  1908.  
RENAMED  “WIN”: 4/16/37 DESTROYED BY FIRE AND PLACED OUT OF SVC: 3/28/77.    (per N. Y. Times: 3/29/77) 

     
             Winfield Jct., Queens map c.1895 Archive: Art Huneke

WIN after the fire, 3/28/77.  The normal-direction home signals were modified to automatically fleet, as automatic block signals.  Plans were drawn up effective 05/02/77 to rebuild the interlocking and move the table-top machine into the old sub-station building, but this was never accomplished. Archive/Info: Jeff Erlitz

WINFIELD: BUILT: JULY/1854, MOVED TO WINFIELD JCT: 8/1876 2nd DEPOT BUILT: ?, RAZED: 1915 3RD DEPOT BUILT: 1915, DISCONTINUED AS STATION STOP AND RAZED: 1929  Research: Dave Keller

Winfield Station c.1910 Archive: Art Huneke

Winfield substation 4/08/1919 
(LIRR valuation-Morrison)
 

Winfield Station c.1918 Source: eBay

Winfield Station c. January 1st, 1925 view SW 
Archive: Dave Morrison

Winfield was situated roughly in the area within the following borders: Hurl Gate Road (Woodside Avenue) to the north, Mount Zion Cemetery, Calamus Road (Avenue, today) and Maurice Avenue to the south, the New York Connecting Railroad to the east, and New Calvary Cemetery to the west. Its major intersection was where North Shell Road (45th Avenue), Thomson Avenue (Queens Blvd) and Fisk Avenue (69th Street) converged. This was an excellent place for a settlement, as it was located in close proximity to Newtown, and along the road that connected Long Island City and Jamaica. The adjacent town of Woodside was called so because the area sat beside what was then the Winfield Woods – a.k.a. “Suicide’s Paradise” – where, legend has it, despondent early colonists went to commit suicide.

Though you won’t find Winfield listed on modern maps, the village was, at one time, a major center of industry and railroad. The largest employer in the area was a foundry located at the crossroads mentioned above. (W. M. Raymond & Co. Metallic Burial Case Manufacture & Foundry)  The factory manufactured metal coffins – a good trade to be in with so many cemeteries in the area. Business later expanded when major rail lines converged at Winfield. During WWI, the factory was converted into an aircraft-making center. The same factory, at another time, also made Singer sewing machines. Alas, the entire complex is now gone.

In 1854, the Flushing and North Side Railroad (now the Port Washington LIRR line) was extended to the area. The FNSRR ran at-grade down present-day Garfield Avenue. The FNS Winfield stop was located near Madison Avenue (70th Street) and Monroe Street (50th Avenue). The Winfield LIRR stop opened in 1865 less than a half mile away. Finding itself redundant, the LIRR stop closed in 1876, and patrons used the FNS stop, renamed “Winfield Junction,” in its place. Both lines were moved about one block north of their former locations and elevated for safety between 1912-1915, which is when the Winfield Junction station closed. There are no traces of either stop remaining, however, the present-day point in Woodside where the LIRR splits is still referred to as Winfield Junction. Another rail line called the New York Connecting Railroad, built around 1915, runs along what was the eastern border of Winfield. The handsome arches carrying the NYCRR over Queens Boulevard can be viewed on the Forgotten page entitled Got Connections. Research: Christina Wilkinson

Originally  NEWTOWN   OPENED: 1855, RAZED: 1888 2^ND DEPOT OPENED: DEC/1888, HIGH PLATFORMS: 1912, RAZED: 1927
3^RD, ELEVATED DEPOT IN SVC:  1927 OUT OF SVC: 1/22/85 PER GN3-43 RAZED.

Elmhurst Station - View W at grade c. 1905 Archive: Dave Keller

ORIGINALLY: FASHION RACE COURSE   BUILT: 3/1853 AS FASHION RACE COURSE, RENAMED WEST FLUSHING,  RENAMED CORONA
2^ND DEPOT BUILT: SEPT-OCT/1872, BURNED: 12/9/1880 WHITE LINE DEPOT MOVED TO SITE: 1890, RAZED: 9/1894
4^TH DEPOT BUILT: 9/1894, RAZED: 1930 ACCOUNT GRADE CROSSING ELIMINATION. TEMPORARY STATION SOUTH OF FORMER 
LOCATION IN SVC: 5/8/30 ELEVATED STRUCTURE NORTH OF FORMER LOCATION IN SVC: 10/13/30 (WESTWARD) 
AND 10/17/30 (EASTWARD) DISCONTINUED AS STATION STOP: 4/8/64

A Long Island Rail Road valuation image (above center) from November 24, 1930 showing the newly-elevated ROW and tracks at 111th St. east of Corona Station. The view is looking east towards Flushing Creek with the Brooklyn Ash Removal Company's Corona Ash Dump at the right which, 4 years later, would be ordered cleared by Robert Moses to be leveled out and become the site of the 1939-40 N. Y. World's Fair. The tracks dip down in the distance, cross over the Creek then rise again on the other side of the waterway. Yes, folks . . . It's hard to imagine, but Queens DID once look like this! (Dave Keller info and archive)

Corona Station newly opened view NW 12/1930 Photo: LIRR valuation Archive: Dave Keller  

This station opened in 10/13/1930.  Note how white the concrete stanchions are under the platform, and it appears some construction debris is still on the platform. Research: Dave Keller

Corona Meadows Team Yard - View NE
10/18/1936 (Sperr-Keller)

Looking North across the marshland from the Roosevelt Avenue bridge on September 30, 1935, we see the Corona Meadows team yard which opened in 1926.  Prior to that date, all freight was handled at the Flushing, Bridge Street freight facilities on the Whitestone branch.  A pair of DD1 electrics with headlights lit are working some freight cars and the freight station is just beyond.  At the far right, the former electrified tracks of the Whitestone branch are visible, paralleling the Flushing River.  After the Whitestone branch was abandoned in February, 1932, this portion of the branch tracks was left intact to access the team yard from the Port Washington branch.  The marshland in the foreground became the site of the large passenger yard constructed in 1938 to handle the layup of passenger trains in service to and from the 1939-40 N. Y. World's Fair trains.  It was torn up in 1954, leaving the team yard in place.  (Percy Loomis Sperr photo, Dave Keller archive)
This is a close-up view of the Corona Meadows team yard.  The former Whitestone branch track at the far right curves in the distance, where it once went across the Flushing River over a swing bridge.

Emery Whitestone MP6-MP7 10/1958
Archive: Dave Keller

Corona Meadows Yard - J. J. Burke Coal Co. 10/18/1936 (Sperr-Huneke) Location #8 Emery map above. View NE

Corona 'New Freight Yard - LIRR Information Bulletin 1/1926 Archive: Art Huneke

After that date, the yard was considered part of the Port Washington branch as it was accessed via the former tracks of the Whitestone branch running parallel to the Flushing River and connecting with the Port Washington branch at the former location of "JC" tower at Whitestone Jct.  The short stretch of track between the Port Washington branch and the west bank of the Flushing River at the out-of-service swing bridge was all that remained in service of the former Whitestone branch.  In 1929, the LIRR stated that this stretch of track would remain in service to access the yard and the freight sidings should the branch be abandoned (plans for which were already in the works at that time). Info: Dave Keller

Of course, this last part never happened. On February 19, 1932, the branch was abandoned, no LCL freight provisions were made at the two named stations and the short stretch of track alongside the Flushing River was left in service. Info: Dave Keller

Corona Yard, and what is left of the Whitestone Branch, once went to Whitestone Landing in Queens. Incidentally, the LIRR offered the Whitestone Branch to the City of New York for sale and maybe even for free, but the city turned it down; they hoped the city would incorporate into their Flushing IRT branch. 

There are various classes of cars that are being scrapped, while a train of new M1's is in the background on the Port Washington Branch. Many cars of the MP54 fleet and others were scrapped here; they were dropped off, cut up and carted off. (above right). The Corona Yard is no more; all of this within the shadows of Shea Stadium and now CitiField. It was once a very active yard but business slowly dried up and it became the last stop for many cars replaced by the new M1 fleet.  Info: Mike Boland

Corona Meadow Team Yard - View S 10/25/1947 (Weber-Morrison)

T54 and parlor cars scrapped at Corona Yard
 1969 Photo/Archive: Mike Boland

Shea Stadium is to the left, just across the street. To the right is where the scrap cars were kept. I've heard they cut up cars here, and shipped the pieces in gondolas to Naporano.  5/1976 Photo/Archive: Tim Darnell 

Corona Yard - LIRR S1 #416 - Shea stadium is to the left and to the right is the former Whitestone branch.
Photo from the Roosevelt Ave. bridge. 5/1976
Photo/Archive: Tim Darnell 

Roosevelt Ave bridge under the #7 line, facing S-SW Photo: Tim Darnell

 
Across the street, facing northeast.
Photo/Archive: Tim Darnell

Looking north from just north of the Port Wash Branch.  Shea Stadium to your left, Roosevelt Ave and IRT ahead. Taken I believe in 1978. 
Info/Photo/Collection: Art Huneke

The cut-up car is in the lower end of Corona Yard, where a LOT of scrapping went on: regular passenger cars, parlors and diesels. This track accessed the yard. The work train is eastbound on the Port Washington branch. Info: Dave .Keller

TEMPORARY STATION IN SERVICE PER ETT #9, EFF. 6/19/38 DURING CONSTRUCTION OF MAIN STATION AND FAIR COMPLEX.
2^ND STATION IN SVC:  1939-40, RAZED AFTER FAIR CLOSED IN OCT, 1940.
3^RD STATION IN SVC: 1/11/61.  AGENCY OPENED:  __?  LAST DAY OF AGENCY FOR 1964:  10/18/64.  AGENCY REOPENED AGAIN FOR AIR SERVICE IN 1965. LAST DAY OF AGENCY: 10/17/65 (Brad Phillips data) AT CLOSING OF FAIR.  STATION RENAMED “SHEA STADIUM”: 4/15/66. 

Emery World's Fair temporary only MP6-MP7 1937-1940 Archive: Dave Keller

DD1-344, 351 Double headed passenger train - Flushing Meadows Layup Yard for NY World's Fair - Flushing Meadows 1939 Archive: Dave Keller

UNITED NATIONS   EAST OF CORONA STATION.  IN SVC: 9/15/46,  OUT OF SVC: c. 1952  (FLUSHING MEADOWS - SITE OF 1939 WORLD’S FAIR STATION)

SHEA STADIUM: PREVIOUSLY “WORLD’S FAIR” STATION OF 1964-65 NY WORLD’S FAIR - FLUSHING MEADOWS - 1964. RENAMED “SHEA STADIUM”: 4/15/66. NO FULL-TIME AGENCY. AGENCY ONLY OPEN DURING EVENTS PER LIRR "TICKET OFFICE HOURS" LISTING OF 5/31/66 (Brad Phillips data). FLASHING YELLOW LIGHT MOUNTED ON SIGNAL MASTS TO INDICATE STOP TO BE MADE, IN SVC: 3/21/88. OUT OF SERVICE: END OF BASEBALL SEASON: 9/29/2008. SHEA STADIUM TORN DOWN AND REPLACED WITH NEW “CITI FIELD” STADIUM AND STATION STOP RENAMED “METS-WILLETS POINT.” IN SERVICE:  TIMETABLE EFFECTIVE 4/3/2009. 
Research: Dave Keller

Ticket between NY Penn and Shea Stadium - Form 1-B H
Archive: Brad Phillips

WILLETS POINT: FORMERLY SHEA STADIUM STATION. RENAMED WITH CONSTRUCTION AND OPENING OF NEW “CITI FIELD” STADIUM. IN SERVICE: TIMETABLE EFFECTIVE 4/03/2009.

M1s passing Willets Point Station under construction
9/02/2004 Photo/Archive: Kevin Wong

FLUSHING RIVER DRAW (SWING) BRIDGE

Located on the north side of the tracks and the east end of the Flushing River swing bridge (see map notation below), east of Flushing Meadows/Corona during the N. Y. World's Fair sewer line construction adjacent to the Flushing River. US&S 6-lever style TC table machine in service: 7/13/38. Out of service 9/19/38. Note the effort to construct the PRR-style keystone call letters sign, rather than just a square of wood with the name "CANAL" painted on it, which you'd expect for a temporary structure! Also note the screens on all the windows: lots of mosquitoes!

7/17/1938 Photos: Win S. Boerckel Archive: Dave Morrison
 

BUILT: 12/1853. BURNED: 10/13/1864 
2ND DEPOT BUILT: JAN-FEB/1865, RAZED: 1870
3RD DEPOT BUILT: OCT-NOV/1870, ABANDONED: 11/11/1912
ELEVATED STRUCTURE OPENED: 10/4/1913, 2-STORY, ELEVATED TRACK LEVEL BLDG. RAZED: EARLY 1963. 
STREET LEVEL TICKET OFFICE OPENED AND DEDICATED: MARCH, 1963. (per L. I. Railroader employee magazine).
TICKET OFFICE REBUILT: JAN 21ST-MAR 21ST, 2005.
NEW FACILITIES OPENED AND DEDICATED 10/19/2018 (Per MTA's website)

Flushing Main Street 1/27/2023 – New fully accessible ADA station built 2017-2018, completed August 2018, in service 8/31/2018. Dedication by local officials 10/18/2018, per MTA.  New station house is on the
westbound side with one story station building at street level. Station house is a single story grey brick structure with ticket office (open Fridays only) and glass canopy (no waiting room) and electrical rooms.  Info: Kevin Wong

MURRAY HILL

ROW from 18th Street (158th St.)  Murray Hill View E 12/29/11 (LIRR valuation-Keller)

OPENED: 10/27/1866 AS " EAST FLUSHING ."  RENAMED "BROADWAY" BY TIMETABLE OF MAY/1872, CLOSED: 1906.
2^ND DEPOT OPENED: 9/1/1906, ELEVATED: 1912 WITH GRADE CROSSING ELIMINATION OF BROADWAY. AGENCY CLOSED:  8/19/2009.

BUILT: 5/1901, CLOSED: 1929 ACCOUNT GRADE CROSSING ELIMINATION, SOLD AND MOVED TO PRIVATE LOCATION FOR USE AS A CHURCH: 1930. (CHURCH CLOSED:1973.) TEMPORARY TRACKS RELOCATED ON SHOO-FLY 42’ NORTH OF ORIGINAL LOCATION: 6/18/29 DUE TO GRADE CROSSING ELIMINATION. HIGH LEVEL PLATFORM IN SVC: 12/5/29 AND WESTBOUND STATION FACILITIES
RELOCATED ON ELEVATION 42’ SOUTH OF FORMER LOCATION AND CONVERTED FROM OUTSIDE LOW LEVEL PLATFORM TO ISLAND HIGH LEVEL PLATFORM. AGENCY STILL LISTED IN "L.I.R.R. TICKET OFFICES OPEN FOR SALE OF TICKETS" OF 9/12/55.  AGENCY CLOSED: ?    Research: Dave Keller

Originally "BAY SIDE"  BUILT: c.1866 WITH OPENING OF STATION STOP ON 10/27/1866  2^ND DEPOT BUILT: 1886, RAZED: 1924  3RD DEPOT BUILT: 1924. TEMPORARY  TRACKS RELOCATED TO SHOO-FLY  SOUTH OF ORIGINAL LOCATION:  6/18/29 DUE TO GRADE CROSSING ELIMINATION.  TRACKS DEPRESSED AND HIGH LEVEL PLATFORMS IN SVC:  9/25/29  (WESTBOUND) AND 12/5/29 (EAST BOUND) AT 1924 DEPOT BUILDING    

Bayside  freight house View W  8/17/1929 
(LIRR Valuation-Huneke)

The electrified siding going into the coal yard provided  DD1 electric locomotives to pull freight in third rail territory, freeing up locomotives to operate in steam territory.  The "run around" to the right of freight house removed 1938.   

Bayside freight house view W 1/25/30
Archive: Dave Keller

LIRR valuation photo shot after the grade elimination was completed at Bayside.  You can see the concrete retaining walls as the two tracks dip into the cut, and all the  embankments finished off. 

“B2” Cabin: A temporary block station 1,500’ east of Bayside Station on east side of freight house, north side of tracks on account of grade crossing elimination at Auburndale and Bayside. US&S 4 lever style TC table machine in service: 6/18/29 Out of service: 12/5/29

Bayside Freight House 4/14/34 
Archive: Dave Keller

Bayside Freight House - Team Yard view E from
Bell Blvd. Hawley Coal Co. at right. 11/27/35 (LIRR Valuation-Keller)

Ticket Form 2-H  Round Trip World's Fair to Bayside 10/19/1940 Archive: Brad Phillips
 

Looking east at the Bayside freight house on April 12, 1927 we see a steel boxcar spotted on the house track at the left, a wooden boxcar spotted on the Queensborough Lumber Company's siding at the right, and, in the center distance is seen the 1924 joint pedestrian footbridge/signal bridge with semaphore block signals #N112 mounted. Within 2 years, the main eastbound and westbound tracks visible in this image would be depressed in a deep cut to eliminate the grade crossings in Bayside. (Percy Loomis Sperr photo, Dave Keller archive and data)

Close-up Queensborough Lumber Co. Pedestrian walkover at rear with mounted semaphore signal. View E - 11/27/1935  (LIRR valuation-Keller)

Bayside Station view W c. late 1940's 
Photo: LIRR Archive: Jim Gillin

MP54 train eastbound at Bayside 3/1947
Photo: James G. La Vake

Bayside Freight House -View W  4/12/1978 (Madden-Keller)

The old freight house was torched by vandals and, as a result, demolished shortly after this photo was taken. What appears to be a bridge in the distance over the tracks (causing the shadow) is the road bridge and beyond, the covered pedestrian crossover at the Bayside station. The westbound concrete platform is visible to the right of the tracks.

Ticket 1/2 fare World's Fair and Bayside
Opening Day: April 22, 1964

Archive: Brad Phillips

BAY  BLOCK STATION

LOCATED EAST OF BAYSIDE - TEMPORARY BLOCK  STATION FOR SINGLE TRACKING DURING TRACK REHABILITATION BETWEEN BAYSIDE AND SHEA STADIUM AND BAYSIDE AND GREAT NECK, BOUNCING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE 1ST  AND 2ND CROSSOVER SWITCHES EAST OF BAYSIDE.  SEE SERVICE HISTORY INDICATED BELOW.  Info: Dave Keller

IN SVC: 4/05/78    O.O.S:    5/07/78
RELOCATED AND IN SVC:    5/08/78
RELOCATED AND IN SVC:    6/07/78
RELOCATED AND IN SVC:    8/09/78  
O.O.S:  10/14/78
IN SVC:  11/01/78  O.O.S:  12/13/78
IN SVC:   2/05/79   O.O.S :    4/23/79
IN SVC:  10/02/82 FOR ONE DAY ONLY
RELOCATED AND IN SVC:    3/14/83
RELOCATED AND IN SVC:    4/04/83
RELOCATED AND IN SVC:    5/09/83
IN SVC:   7/12/86 FOR ONE D AY ONLY
IN SVC:   7/19/86 FOR ONE DAY ONLY
IN SVC:   9/27/86 FOR ONE DAY ONLY
IN SVC:   3/28/87 FOR ONE DAY ONLY
IN SVC:   8/15/87 FOR ONE DAY ONLY
IN SVC:   8/22/87 FOR ONE DAY ONLY
IN SVC:   3/12/88.  O.O.S:  3/13/88

BUILT: APR-MAY/1867, MOVED TO PRIVATE LOCATION: ? 2^ND DEPOT BUILT: 6/1887, REBUILT: 1898, RAZED: 3/62
NEWER DEPOT BUILT: 1962. AGENCY  CLOSED:  8/19/2009.

Douglaston Station 1916 View W 
Archive: Dave Morrison

Douglaston Station - View W from the  235th St. crossing. 1930
Archive: Jeff Erlitz

The addition of the below-track pedestrian tunnel accesses were constructed the same year as this photo. Info: Dave Keller

Also, visible in the 1930 image, but not in the earlier 1918 photo, is the crossing of 235th St.  At some later date, the crossing was eliminated in an early grade crossing elimination project and the road truncated at either side of the tracks and Douglaston Parkway bridged the tracks a short distance east of the station as is seen here in this view towards the parkway overpass. Info: Dave Keller

Douglaston Station - View SE Photo: forgotten-ny.com

The former site of the 235th St. crossing, looking SE towards the Douglaston Parkway overpass. Note the replacement stair shelters for the below-grade pedestrian crossing.  These were constructed along with the replacement
depot in 1962. Info: Dave Keller

Douglaston Station - View NW c.2020 Photo: Google

The photographer is standing on the former site of the 235th St. crossing, looking NW. Info: Dave Keller

“D” CABIN: 1. DOUGLASTON DRAWBRIDGE (SWING BRIDGE), S. SIDE OF TRACKS BUILT ON RECLAIMED W. EDGE OF ALLEY CREEK. IN SERVICE: 9/1911 – 1924
“D” CABIN: 2. DOUGLASTON DRAWBRIDGE (SWING BRIDGE) (N. SIDE OF TRACKS, ON E. SIDE OF ALLEY CREEK. IN SERVICE: 1924-1926. SAXBY & FARMER 4 LEVER MECHANICAL MACHINE. AFTER 1926 BECAME BRIDGE TENDER’S CABIN. RENAMED “DOUGLASTON DRAW BRIDGE.” Research: Dave Keller

APPEARS ON TIMETABLE OF 1866. DEPOT OPENED: JULY/1870 2^ND DEPOT OPENED: 12/1890. AGENCY CLOSED:  8/19/2009  Research: Dave Keller

Little Neck substation 10/25/18 
(LIRR valuation-Morrison)

On June 30, 1984, an eastbound MU passenger train departed Little Neck Station and encountered a portion of the right-of-way that had just been washed out by water from a major rainstorm. The engineer could not stop in time, which allowed most of the train to cross over the washed out area. The rear car hung in midair on the totally unsupported track, as seen in this photo taken by Win A. Boerckel.  Information/Archive: Dave Morrison 

Little Neck Station view NE c.1968

Little Neck washout 6/30/1984
Photo/Archive: John Krattinger

Little Neck SB signal view E towards Bayview Ave 6/30/1984 Photo/Archive: John Krattinger

BUILT: 1866. ON NY & FLUSHING TIMETABLE 12/31/1866 AS "GREAT NECK" AND ON FLUSHING & NORTH SIDE TIMETABLE OF 05/06/1872 AS "BROOKDALE"  RAZED: 1883 
2ND DEPOT OPENED: 10/1883, REMODELED: 1893, RAZED: 1924 
3RD DEPOT IN SVC: 2/26/25. RELOCATED SOUTH OF FORMER LOCATION ON 
ACCOUNT GRADE CROSSING ELIMINATION: 6/8/34. STATION FACILITIES RELOCATED IN CUT 120' W. OF FORMER LOCATION AND CONVERTED FROM LOW LEVEL TO HIGH LEVEL PLATFORMS: 01/19/35 (1925 DEPOT BUILDING REMAINED AT GRADE).  Research: Dave Keller

 
Great Neck Station c.1898

 
Emery map Great Neck MP13-MP14
1906 and 1929 Archive: Dave Keller

Camelback at Great Neck Station colorized 
post card View E c.1905

Great Neck Station - View NW 1912
Collection: Great Neck Library

Two more, kind of "before and after" shots only from opposite directions:

1.  Ping-Pong locomotive pulling train westbound under the Grace Ave. iron bridge E. of Great Neck - c. 1905 (View East:  Third rail not yet installed)
2.  MU train eastbound under the Colonial Road (formerly Grace Ave.) iron bridge E. of Great Neck - c. 1940 (View West)
This iron bridge is designated #N145 and was built in 1897. From a Google Maps view, it appears this bridge is still in place minus the ornamental,
wrought-iron handrails and road grating installed in lieu of the original wooden planks (like Ronkonkoma Ave. iron bridge).   Info: Dave Keller
 

Great Neck station and "G" block office employees - Agent J. Ellenberger is at the left, seated at the desk, an unidentified block operator is standing in front of the model board, with the office ticket clerks to the right.  The ticket clerk with the eyeglasses is Tina Wieckhorst
(Dave Morrison archive)

Note the timetable rack in the background, as well as the counter at the right upon which the man is leaning his arm.  Also note the dater die (white top) and the bars of the ticket window at the far right.

"G" tower was taken out of service on June 8, 1934, due to the pending grade elimination and the block office relocated inside the

Great Neck ticket office effective January 19, 1935 with a table machine (seen behind the agent's head) to operate the block signals.

Between the OOS date of 6/8/34 and the IS date of 1/19/35, "G" cabin temporary block office was in operation.  Research: Dave Keller

G Tower Great Neck View E c.1931
Archive: Dave Morrison

Great Neck Station LIRR valuation photo 6/09/1934
View NE

Great Neck Lumber LIRR valuation photo 
View W 5/05/1934

Gregory Coal & Lumber Co., Great Neck  view E
LIRR valuation photo 4/15/1934

Great Neck Station  - View NE 2/19/2020
Photo/Archive: Dave Morrison

Great Neck Station plaque - Grade Crossing Elimination 1935   2/19/2020 Photo/Archive: Dave Morrison

Great Neck Station  - Welcome Sign
2/19/2020 Photo/Archive: Dave Morrison

Great Neck Station 11/02/2022 Photo/Archive: Jeff Erlitz

Great Neck Station - NECK Interlocking Home signals 1E-2E 11/02/2022 Photo/Archive: Jeff Erlitz

BUILT: 1899. PARTIALLY RAZED: LATE 1924. MAIN DEPOT PORTION MOVED ADJACENT TO TOWN HALL FOR USE AS BICYCLE SHOP.
2ND DEPOT OPENED: 3/23/25. BUILDING RESTORED: 2001

Port Washington Branch - Manhasset to
Port Washington Track profile map 1994

Manhasset Trestle Construction

Photos Archive: Probably 1897, as the railroad opened at Port Washington in June 1898.
 Dave Morrison

Manhasset Trestle Construction

Soon after the end of the Civil War and the assassination of President Lincoln, the LIRR reached Great Neck, on the North Shore of Long Island. It would be more than 30 years before the Long Island Railroad could secure the political will and economic backing to extend the line further to its logical terminus, in scenic Port Washington. One million, one hundred and eighty five thousand dollars had been expended to purchase the right of way from local landowners between Great Neck and Port Washington. A bridge over the Manhasset Valley was constructed at an additional cost of $60,000, built by Kings Bridge Iron Company, a subsidiary of Carnegie Steel. At 678 feet long and 81 feet high, the bridge was to remain the highest bridge that the Long Island Railroad would ever construct. The line was fully electrified by October 21st, 1913. Research: the Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society

USGS Topo Oyster Bay-NY-CONN Edition Oct, 1900 zoom

Cow Bay was the former name of Manhasset Bay, which is the body of water seen in the map.  Due to the presence of cattle raising, it came to be called Cow Bay, and the local neck, to the northeast, "Cow Neck". It finally became Manhasset Bay in 1907. Source: Wikipedia

P.F. Collier & Son - Map of New York City in The New Encyclopedic Atlas and Gazetteer of the World. New York: P.F. Collier & Son, 1917

Manhasset trestle 6/01/950 Photo: Bill Slade 
Archive: Art Huneke

Manhasset Viaduct 08/31/1982 
Photo: Paul De Luca

Manhasset Viaduct - View SW 5/021 Photo/Archive: Joe Stroppel

Manhasset Station view E c.1900 
Archive: Dave Morrison

MP54 at Manhasset Station c.1954
W. J Edwards photo - Dave Keller archive

LIRR #260 Manhasset Viaduct 1999 view N 
Photo: Mario Craig

Manhasset Station c.1900 Archive: Dave Morrison

Manhasset  Station Opening Day 3/13/25
Long Island METRO LINES June 1970


Inspection train with Alco RS-1 #463, a former Lackawanna Phoebe Snow lightweight observation car (either #2081 AQUEBOGUE or #2082 ASHAROKEN), and heavyweight business car #99 JAMAICA (former #2038 SETAUKET) crossing the viaduct at Manhasset, 10/73 (Huneke-Keller) Info: John Deasy

BUILT: 1909, BURNED: 1987 2^ND DEPOT BUILT: 1987.  AGENCY CLOSED:  ?  

Plandome was elevated from the get-go and a bridge over the main road thru there on the west side of the station parking lot has been in place since 1898 when the tracks were extended to Port Washington.  Plandome station itself was opened in 1909 at the elevated tracks which were laid atop a dirt embankment. You can see the tracks descending from the embankment as it curves to head towards Port Washington.  Also visible is the station in an elevated position with the parking area at ground level to the right of the depot building.

The 1909 Plandome depot was burned by vandals and replaced by a station that was very reminiscent of the original structure.  What was sad was that the female station agent had antique LIRR memorabilia hanging on display in the ticket office to bring a little history into the venue. Info: Dave Keller

PORT WASHINGTON
OPENED: 06/23/1898 AS WOOD-FRAMED BLDG WITH WOOD SIDING.  REMODELED WITH BRICK FACING: 1930.  BRICK FACING REMOVED AND DEPOT RESTORED TO CLOSE-TO-ORIGINAL CONDITION FOR 100^TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION: 1998

Inauguration of June 23, 1898 Port Washington train service plaque. 6/2/2021 by Cow Neck Historical Society Pres. Chris Bain

Emery map Port Washington MP17 8/31/1958
         Archive: Dave Keller

Pre-1962 MP54 Track Capacities

Photo: Harold Fullerton  Archive/Info: Dave Keller

Port Washington station – opening day – June 23, 1898 with Superintendent W. S. Potter’s business car #200. Check out the wooden building and wooden low-level platform around the depot.  This is the SAME depot there today.  Over the years they bricked the structure and added covered platforms and then covered hi-level platforms.  

Port Washington Station View NE Opening Day 6/23/1898 (Fullerton-Keller)

View SE colorized photo c.1905

First train Port Washington Branch 6/23/1898

On June 23rd, 1898, the first steam locomotive set out towards the small hamlet of Port Washington, which then had a population of just 1800 farmers, shell fisherman, shopkeepers, sand miners and families. Of course, the locomotive and her two passenger cars hadn’t come from Manhattan. In 1898 it would have come from the western terminus at Hunter’s Point, in Long Island City. Travel to and from Manhattan still required a ferry ride (left) across the East River to the 34th street ferry dock. It wasn’t until early in the 1910’s that a tunnel under the river and the streets of Manhattan, allowed the rail line to reach all the way to Pennsylvania Station.  Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society

The yard switch indicators were installed maybe 20 years ago. This yard has US&S/Ansaldo/Hitachi YM-2000 switch machines, but they are not the trailable type.  The Section A dispatcher in Jamaica controls these yard switches, as well as the rest of the branch.  Jeff Erlitz

LIRR 1919 CR4:

Elmhurst:
Elmhurst Coal Co.
E. R. Durkee & Co.

Great Neck Junction:
Queensboro Lumber Co.
Heinrich Francke Sohne & Co.
H. K. Lines
Concrete Products Co.
Nathan Manufacturing Co.

Broadway:
F. Storm

Great Neck:
Bayside Coal & Supply Co.
Gregory Coal and Lumber Co.

Port Washington:
C.W. Copp
Munson Brothers

1958 Emery maps:

Elmhurst:
Knickerbocker Ice Co.
E. R. Durkee Co.

Corona:
Corona Fuel Co.

Flushing:
Con Edison Co. Warehouses and Pole Yard

Auburndale:
American Hospital supply Co.
County Fuel Co.

Bayside:
Marben Lumber & Flooring Co.
C. H. Hawley Coal Co.
Queensborough Lumber Co.

Great Neck:
Gregory Coal & Lumber Co.
Great Neck Lumber Co.
North Shore Mason’s Supply Co.

Port Washington:
Port Fuel Co.
Port Washington Lumber Co.
Donald D. Wyeing Inc. (Bldg Materials)

Research: Dave Keller

LIRR Maps -1966:

Corona:
Queens Scrap
Willets Point Scrap
Team Yard
Empire Millwork
Con Edison
A&P Tea Company
Emenee Industries
Daitch Shopwell
Niemand Bros.
J.R. Kramer
Prudential Paper

Bayside:
Team Track
Marben Lumber & Flooring

Great Neck:
North Shore Mason Supply

Port Washington:
Donald D. Wyeing Inc. (Bldg Materials)
Port Washington Lumber Co.

LIRR Maps -1986:

Corona:
Fodera
Bono Sawdust
J.J.T. Trucking
Team Tracks
American Bakeries
Niemand Brothers
Dynamic Plastics

Great Neck:
North Shore Mason Supply
Mohawk Blacktop