March 13, 1888 - Trains snowed in at Rockaway Junction. The Springfield Branch (N.Y. & Rockaway Railroad) lies under the snowbank at right. Note the two-arm semaphore home signal protecting the switches.  Archive: Art Huneke


LIRR #109 Class G51a (4-6-0) Archive: Richard Eikov

A class G51a (4-6-0) built by Cooke in May, 1891.  I'd say the photo was taken shortly after it was renumbered in 1898.  Note the old extended cab and the square kerosene headlight!

This is definitely a snow work train . . . 2 locomotives (a smaller and much older one behind the #109) and one old clerestory ex-center-door baggage car in use to carry the crew and any needed tools. Withdrawn from service by January, 1912.
Dave Keller


D52 #29 (4-4-0) one car train westbound at New Hyde Park c.1898 Archive: Dave Keller

Mineola Depot MOW workers clearing the tracks for LIRR #53 4-4-0 , the first train through after the blizzard of January, 1899 Photo: Hal B. Fullerton Archive: Queens Public Library

Two D52 class locomotives are pushing the rotary snow blower westbound, approaching the joint Depot/Tower 47 at Floral Park on a cold winter’s day in 1899. (Dave Keller archive)

   LIRR Winter Action  

Gentleman walking out front of Long Island Rail Road MOW steam rotary snowplow no. 193 that's clearing the track in front of the rail yard near the Bridgehampton station after a heavy snowfall on November 28, 1898.
Photo: Hal Fullerton Collection: Queens Public Library Digital Archive; Restored photo: Chris Klug Collection

The LIRR Russell Snowplow works its way through Wantagh during the Blizzard of 1934.  The blizzard of February 19, 1934 was reported, at the time, to be Long Island's worst snow storm since the famous blizzard of 1888.
Archive: Richard Eikov

G5s #24 East of Smithtown -  DSI semaphore View W 2/1955 (Emery-Boland)

"Steam was still King on the LIRR until October 1955. This classic shot shows G5s No. 24 passing a Distant Switch Indicator [DSI] and semaphore east of Smithtown in February 1955. The DSI alerted the engineer if a switch to a siding is in the open position. The train is headed eastbound."  LIST Calendar 2019 December page

"Rotary Plowing on the LIRR" The Running Light
January 2022, Vol. 63 No. 1 pages 2-4
Archive: Tommy Meehan Chairman, NY Chapter Railway & Locomotive Historical Society

MOW #193 Rotary Plow clearing yard tracks south of main across from Bailey's Mill, Patchogue c.1920

Rotary snow plow #193 Mattituck 2/20/1934
Archive: Dave Morrison

LIRR G5s #29 eastbound Mineola c.1940
Photo/Archive: Art Huneke

LIRR #27 G5s Train #616 accelerating eastbound Union Hall Street 2/21/1946 Photo: F. R. (Rod) Dirkes 
Archive: Art Huneke

1930's plow in action


W83 Working
Mattituck 2/1975

MP54 Woodside Station 1965 Photo: Bill Myer

W83 2/1975 Pushed by 
2 leased GP7 B&A units


Jordan Spreader
Watermill 2/1978

LIRR G5s westbound at Central Islip c.1930
Photo: George G. Ayling Archive: Dave Keller

Express House East of Carlton Ave
 1916 Photo: Geo. G. Ayling
Collection: Dave Keller

Central Islip New Express house
Photo: Geo. G. Ayling  c.1935
Collection: Dave Keller

LIRR C420 #218 Train #257 matched consist west of Wyandanch at MP34 01/1970 Photo:  Jim Gillin

PD Tower LIRR RS-3 #1559 
westbound Photo: Dave Keller

Photo taken above left on the evening of 02/07/1978. Long Island  had from 20 inches to over 2 feet of snow. Two weeks before this, we had a storm that dumped up to 18 inches. Now THAT was a winter to remember! The train was used as a shuttle/snow patrol train, shuttling people to Woodside. Train is going east on Number 1 track, 2 had not been used yet. Info: Bob Anderson

Westbound train with lead parlor car (maybe more?? can’t tell) approaching the LIC passenger yard. View NE. Photo: McEnery

Under the overpass in the distance, the line branches off to the left to access Hunterspoint Ave. station.  The Montauk Branch continues straight (from whence this train is coming). Info: Dave Keller

Pinelawn 1993

FA 617 westbound   Albertson, NY 12/1995

Jamaica - Hall Tower LIRR RS1 #462 view E

 LIRR #262 - Train #4054 - Bethpage 3/10/1984
Photo/Archive: Kevin Gulau

LIRR MP15ACs #172 - FA #604 Oyster Bay 2/1984 Photo/Archive: Bill Mangahas

RBBX 63005 Blue Unit - Garden City 2/04/2016 Photo/Archive: Ed Frye

LIRR #617 westbound past Pinelawn 1/1985
Photo/Archive: Bill Mangahas

LIRR #170, W-86, LIRR #164 "Alcohol 6" passes VALLEY Tower in Valley Stream, after having sprayed alcohol on the third rail of No. 1 Track on the Long Beach Branch. Taken after the blizzard of February, 1983 as the railroad was just starting to resume limited service after having been shut down due to the effects of the storm. Photo/Archive: Jay Bendersky

LIRR #156 MOW - Farmingdale  3/02/2019
Photo/Archive: Bill Mangahas

LIRR #604 - Roslyn  View N c.1978
Photo/Archive: Paul De Luca

On Friday January 21, 1978, a winter storm with 15" of snow had disrupted operations on a large portion of the Long Island Railroad. Here on (left) Saturday MP15AC #155 is dragging the Budd MU consist around in the hopes of clearing the buried third rail. In the meantime, a push-pull consist behind FA1 #611 (ex SP&S) is running limited service between Port Washington and Woodside.  Kudos to the track foreman standing here, who's name I have long forgot, for letting me walk down from the platform and between the rails to get the shot, as the 3rd rail next to the FA is still entirely covered in the white stuff. His crew is behind me sweeping out the switches as best they can. 1/21/1978    Info/Photos/Archive: Paul De Luca
 

        
Photo taken about an hour later when the broom was finally under way. The location is west of Patchogue station, between the West Avenue and River Avenue grade crossings. View east (right) and view west (left)

LIRR MOW double-ended snow broom near Patchogue station in the aftermath of the Christmas Blizzard of 2010, specifically 12/27/2010. Info/photos: Neal Kassner