L.I.R.R. TELEGRAPHIC CALL LETTERS,
NUMBERS AND NAMES
FOR STATIONS, BLOCK STATIONS, BLOCK LIMIT STATIONS,
MANUAL & REMOTE CONTROL (R.C.) INTERLOCKINGS
(Compiled from employee timetables,
Robert M. Emery’s hand-drawn maps
and the knowledge, experience and kind
assistance of Art Huneke, Jeff Erlitz
and other helpful railfans)
Note: Numbered cabins
and towers also used call letters concurrently due to telegraphic
transmission. In 1907, the tower numbers
were dropped per various General Orders and renamed to match their previously
identifying calls. (per
past interview between Art Huneke and
an old, retired LIRR tower operator.)
Note: It is very possible that the 1880 towers did
not have numbers. Numbers
may have first been used when the
block system was installed on the Montauk branch west of Jamaica in 1892. (per
Art Huneke)
CABIN
1 BELMONT
PARK (JOB ADVERTISED:
5/16/19.
MAY HAVE BEEN PLACED IN
SERVICE
SOME YEARS EARLIER)
CABIN
7 JAMAICA
–WEST OF WASHINGTON ST.
(IN
SVC: 1913 WITH JAMAICA GRADE
ELIMINATION. BLOCK STATION OUT OF
SVC: 12/8/29
ACCOUNT JAMAICA
EAST
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AND
OPENING
OF CABINS “J1,” “J2,” “J3.”)
CABIN
10 TEMPORARY
CABIN WEST OF HILLSIDE
STATION
AT SUBSTATION #4. (IN SVC:
1913
DURING JAMAICA GRADE ELIM-
INATION
TO CONTROL CROSSOVER OF
MONTAUK
BRANCH TRACK #1 AND
MAIN
LINE TRACK #2 AND RELATED
HOME
SIGNALS. OUT OF SVC: 1929-30
WITH
JAMAICA EAST IMPROVEMENT
AND
CONTROL PASSED TO “RJ” TOWER
FURTHER
EAST)
CABIN
#11½ JAMAICA
AVE. TROLLEY CROSSING W. OF
LEFFERTS
AVE., RICHMOND HILL
(BUILT:
1900 ON S. SIDE OF TRACKS
AND
W. OF JAMAICA AVE. RENAMED
“L”
CABIN IN 1907. REBUILT 1909.)
CABIN
#? CHESTNUT
ST. JCT., (BRT & LIRR) EAST
NEW YORK, ON
ATLANTIC BRANCH. (RE-
PLACED IN 1905 BY
TOWER #65 BUILT
ON SIGNAL BRIDGE WITH ELECTRIFICA-
TION AND ADDITION OF 2 LOCAL
TRACKS.)
TOWER
#1: 1 DUTCH
KILLS STREET – L. I. CITY (MAIN
LINE)
IN SVC: 7/3/1879 PER G.O. #47,
EFF.
7/2/1879.
TOWER
#1: 2 MONTAUK
JUNCTION, L. I. CITY (NORTH
OF
MAIN TRACKS AND EAST OF EAST
AVE. 48 LEVER SAXBY & FARMER
MECHANICAL
MACHINE IN SVC:
6/1884.)
TOWER
#2: 1 WEST
OF WOODSIDE STATION (IN SVC:
7/3/1879
PER G.O. #47, EFF. 7/2/1879)
TOWER
#2: 2 DUTCH
KILLS CREEK (S. SIDE OF MON-
TAUK
BRANCH TRACKS AND W. OF THE
CREEK.
? LEVER SAXBY & FARMER
MECHANICAL
MACH INE IN SVC: 1892.
MOVED
TO N. SIDE OF TRACKS WITH
ENLARGEMENT
OF NORTH YARD AND
INSTALLATION
OF CONNECTION TO
DOCK
YARD: 1903-04. 29 LEVER
UNION
S & S MODEL 14 ELECTRIC
MACHINE
IN SVC: 10/12/1905. RE-
NAMED
“DB” IN 1907. OUT OF SVC:
10/1915
[per Bob Emery’s maps] GONE
FROM
ETT OF 5/1916.)
TOWER
#3: 1 BETWEEN
WOODSIDE AND WINFIELD
(IN SVC: 7/3/1879 PER G.O. #47, EFF.
7/2/1879)
TOWER
#3: 2 BLISSVILLE,
L. I. CITY (NORTH SIDE OF
TRACKS
AND WEST SIDE OF GREEN-
POINT
AVE. 16 LEVER SAXBY &
FARMER
MECHANICAL MACHINE. IN
SVC:
1894. RENAMED “BX” IN 1907.)
TOWER
#4: 1 WINFIELD
DEPOT (IN SVC: 7/3/1879 PER
G.O.
#47, EFF. 7/2/1879)
TOWER
#4: 2 PENNY
BRIDGE (c. 1903 ON S. SIDE OF
TRACKS
AND E. OF LAUREL HILL BLVD.
CROSSING.
RENAMED “PY” IN 1907.)
TOWER
#5: 1 HABERMAN
(N. SIDE OF TRACKS AND E.
OF
46TH ST./CLIFTON AVE. ADJACENT
TO
LAUREL HILL STATION. OUT OF SVC:
? .
RELOCATED FURTHER EAST.)
TOWER
#5: 2 HABERMAN
(S. SIDE OF TRACKS, E. OF
FORMER
LOCATION AND E. OF HABER-
MAN
STATION. RENAMED “LH” c. 1907.)
TOWER #6 FLUSHING AVE., MASPETH (MT.OLIVET)
(N. SIDE OF MONTAUK BRANCH TRACKS
AND E.
OF FLUSHING AVE. JOHNSON 8
LEVER STYLE A MECHANICAL MACH-
INE. IN SERVICE: 8/1/1895, OR 10/1895
OR 11/20/95 (?) RENAMED “MV”: 1907.
RENAMED “OLIVET”: 4/22/37)
TOWER
#6½ METROPOLITAN
AVE. – FRESH POND
(S.
SIDE OF TRACKS AND E. OF MET-
ROPOLITAN
AVE. IN SVC: 6/24/1896
OR
10/14/1896 (?). 16 LEVER MECH-
ANICAL
MACHINE. RENAMED “MX” IN
1907.)
TOWER
#7 BUSHWICK
JCT. - FRESH POND (N. SIDE
OF
TRACKS AND E. OF STATION. RE-
NAMED
“BJ” IN 1907.)
TOWER
#8 FRESH
POND JCT. (S. SIDE OF TRACKS
AND
E. OF JUNCTION. IN SERVICE:
1883
– 1918, RENAMED “DF” IN 1907.
12
LEVER MECH. MACHINE, INCREASED
TO
20 LEVER MACHINE BY 1912.)
TOWER
#9 GLENDALE
(c. 1903: S. SIDE OF TRACKS
AND
E. OF COOPER AVE. RENAMED
“GW”.
CLOSED: 1908)
TOWER
#10 GLENDALE
JUNCTION – JUNCTION OF
MONTAUK
AND ROCKAWAY BEACH
BRANCHES
(LOCATED ON MONTAUK
BRANCH:
S. SIDE OF TRACKS AND
E.
OF JUNCTION. IN SVC: 8/26/1880.
RENAMED
“JD” IN 1907. OUT OF SVC:
1910)
TOWER
#11 W.
RICHMOND HILL (FOREST PARK) ON
MONTAUK
BRANCH (S. SIDE OF TRACKS
AND
W. OF FOREST PARK ROAD. IN
SERVICE:
1892. RENAMED “RM” IN 1907)
TOWER
#12 RICHMOND
HILL ON MONTAUK BRANCH
(N.
SIDE OF TRACKS AND W. OF RIDGE-
WOOD
AVE. AND MORRIS PARK SHOPS
STATION. IN SVC. ?. RENAMED “RC” IN
1907)
TOWER
#14 JAMAICA
CROSS SWITCHES (DUNTON) ON
ATLANTIC
BRANCH AT WEST END OF
JAMAICA
YARD (S. SIDE OF TRACKS AND
E.
OF OLD DUNTON STA. AT VAN WYCK
AVENUE.
RENAMED “AC” IN 1907)
TOWER
#15 “JAMAICA
AIR TOWER” ON ATLANTIC BR.
AT
EAST END OF JAMAICA YARD (S.
SIDE
OF TRACKS, WEST OF DEPOT
AND
W. OF ROCKAWAY ROAD. IN SVC:
1899.
RENAMED “JT” IN 1907. 1ST COM-
PLETELY
PNEUMATIC INTERLOCKING
ON
THE LIRR)
TOWER
#17 SOUTH
STREET, JAMAICA (RENAMED “SJ”:
1907.)
TOWER #18 (?) NEW
YORK AVENUE, CEDAR MANOR. IN
SVC: ? TO PROTECT AGAINST TROLLEY
CROSSING. RENAMED: ? OUT
OF SVC:
?
.
TOWER
#19 EAST
OF SPRINGFIELD JCT. ON OLD
SOUTHERN ROAD (S. SIDE OF TRACKS
AND E. OF
SPRINGFIELD JCT. IN SVC:
1880. OUT OF SVC:
5/11/1906.)
TOWER
#20 VALLEY
STREAM (IN SVC: 1886. OUT OF
SVC: 4/24/07 WHEN REPLACED BY
“VA”:1)
TOWER
#21 LYNBROOK
(S. SIDE OF TRACKS AND E. OF
ATLANTIC
AVE. AT STATION PLATFORM.
IN
SERVICE: 1884 (?) – 1910. SAXBY &
FARMER
MECHANICAL MACHINE IN SVC:
BY
1884. RENAMED “PT” IN 1907)
TOWER
#30 NORTH
SHORE JCT. (L. I. CROSSOVERS)
BETWEEN
5TH AND 6TH STREETS, L. I.
CITY.
(16 LEVER SAXBY & FARMER
MECHANICAL
MACHINE IN SVC: 7/1884.
RENAMED
“YD” IN 1907.)
TOWER
#31 QUEEN
STREET - L. I. CITY. (RENAMED
“QS”
IN 1907)
TOWER
#32 SKILLMAN
AVENUE, L. I. CITY (RE-
NAMED
“SX” IN 1907)
TOWER
#33 WEST
WOODSIDE (RENAMED “DW” IN
1907)
TOWER
#34 WOODSIDE
JUNCTION
TOWER
#35 WINFIELD
JUNCTION - SOUTHEAST OF
INTERSECTION
OF THOMPSON AND
GREENPOINT
AVENUES AND S. SIDE
OF
TRACKS – L. I. CITY (SAXBY &
FARMER
MECHANICAL MACHINE IN
SVC: 1884. RENAMED “WJ” IN 1907.)
TOWER
#36: 1 “JAMAICA
BLOCK” (DUNTON) ON MAIN
LINE
BETWEEN MONROE AND WALNUT
STREETS.
(JUNCTION OF “BERLIN SID-
ING”
WITH MAIN LINE. W. SIDE OF
JUNCTION.
ORIGINALLY TOWER #40:1.
RENUMBERED
TO #36 IN 1903. RE-
NAMED
“JA” IN 1907)
TOWER
#36: 2 WHITEPOT
TOWER
#40: 1 SEE
“TOWER #36: 1” ABOVE
TOWER
#40: 2 “OLD”
JAMAICA (N. SIDE OF TRACKS
AT
W. END OF STATION PLATFORM,
EAST
SIDE OF DIVISION ST. ORIGINAL-
LY
A GATE TOWER. SIGNAL LEVER ADD-
ED
AND TOWER NUMBERED #40:2 IN
1903
WHEN TOWER NUMBER WAS
TRANSFERRED
FROM NEWLY-NUM-
BERED
#36: 1. RENAMED “JS” IN 1907.
REVERTED
TO GATE TOWER BY DECEM-
BER,
1908 AND CALL LETTERS RE-
MOVED.)
TOWER #41: 1 NEW YORK AVENUE – JAMAICA (“EAST
END OF JAMAICA”) (SOUTH SIDE OF
TRACKS AND EAST
OF NEW YORK AVE-
NUE CROSSING. IN
SVC: 1890. OUT OF
SVC: ? .)
TOWER #41: 2 “OLD” JAMAICA (SOUTH SIDE OF
TRACKS
AND EAST SIDE OF JAMAICA STATION.
RENAMED “JE” IN 1907.)
TOWER
#42 ROCKAWAY
JCT. – HILLSIDE – JCT. OF
MAIN LINE AND
MONTAUK BR. (NORTH
SIDE OF MAIN LINE
TRACKS AT HILL-
SIDE STATION AND
EAST OF JUNCTION,
REPLACING “RJ”
TOWER: 1. ? LEVER
MECHANICAL
MACHINE. IN SVC: 1895.
REPLACED WITH
US&S 23 LEVER STYLE
“F” ALL-ELECTRIC
MACHINE IN SVC:
1906. TOWER RENAMED: 1907.)
TOWER #43 : 1 E.
HINSDALE – JCT.OF EX-CRR OF L.I.
CREEDMOOR AND
CENTRAL BRANCHES
WITH L.I.R.R.
MAIN LINE (OPENED
OCT/1887 NORTH
SIDE OF TRACKS AND
EAST OF TULIP
AVE., ABOVE 1878 EX-
STEWART JUNCTION.
DEPOT. 24 LEVER
MECHANICAL
MACHINE. STATION RE-
NAMED FLORAL PARK
IN 1890. SHARED
CALLS OF “JN”
WITH 1ST FLOOR DEPOT.
TOWER RE-NUMBERED
#47: 1894.)
TOWER #43: 2 HOLLIS (N. SIDE OF TRACKS AND E.
OF
FARMER’S AVE. AND
W. OF HOLLIS
DEPOT. IN SVC: c. 1902. OUT OF SVC:
1905. REPLACED WITH TOWER EAST
OF HOLLIS DEPOT.)
TOWER #43: 3 (?) HOLLIS (N. SIDE OF
TRACKS AND E. OF
HOLLIS DEPOT. IN SVC:
1905. RE-
NAMED “IS” IN 1907.
TOWER #44 INTERSTATE PARK (BRUSHVILLE)
ON MAIN
LINE (S. SIDE OF TRACKS AT E. END OF
STATION PLATFORM AND W. SIDE OF
BENNETT [BAYLIS] AVE. IN SERVICE: c.
1904.
RENAMED “VI” IN 1907. ALSO
KNOWN AS “BRUSHVILLE TOWER.”)
TOWER #44½ HEMPSTEAD TURNPIKE AND TROLLEY
CROSSING OF MAIN LINE WEST OF
QUEENS (QUEENS VILLAGE). (N. SIDE
OF TRACKS AND E.
OF CROSSING.
STEVENS 8 LEVER MECHANICAL
MA-
CHINE IN SVC:
7/1905. RENAMED “HQ”:
1907.)
TOWER #45 : 1 QUEENS
(QUEENS VILLAGE) (N. SIDE
OF TRACKS AND
EAST OF CREED AVE.
[SPRINGFIELD
BLVD.] AND STATION. IN
SVC: 1895. JOHNSON 16 LEVER MECH-
ANICAL
MACHINE. RENAMED “QU” 1907.
OUT OF SVC: ? .
REPLACED BY BRICK
TOWER.)
TOWER #45: 2 MINEOLA
(BRICK TOWER IN SVC: 1890,
CONTROL JCT. OF MINEOLA-HEMP-
STEAD AND OYSTER BAY
BRANCHES
WITH MAIN LINE.
SAXBY & FARMER
52 LEVER MECHANICAL MACHINE. RE-
NAMED “MT”: 1907.)
TOWER #46 BELLEROSE (S. SIDE OF TRACKS
AND E.
OF STATION. IN SERVICE: 10/1/05. RE-
NAMED “WA” [WEST FLORAL PARK] IN
1907.
OUT OF SVC: 6/3/12.)
TOWER #47 FLORAL PARK (EX-STEWART JUNCTION.
PREVIOUSLY TOWER #43: 1. RENUM-
BERED IN 1894. ORIGINALLY SHARED
CALLS OF “JN” WITH 1ST FLOOR DEPOT.
RENAMED “FP”: 1907. THESE CALLS
ARE INDICATED IN THE LIRR JOB
POSTINGS LIST OF 9/20/1907. TOWER
RAZED WITH OLD STATION BLDG.
WHEN NEW, RELOCATED STATION AND
NEW, FREE-STANDING “FP” TOWER
PLACED IN SVC: 1909.)
TOWER
#49 BETHPAGE
JCT. – JCT. OF CENTRAL R.R.
OF L.I. AND L.I.R.R.(OPENED AUG/1885,
EAST SIDE OF TRACKS AND NORTH OF
CENTRAL R.R. SPUR TO BETHPAGE
BRICK WORKS
CROSSING L.I.R.R.
TRACKS. GONE BY 1897-98)
TOWER
#51 ELMHURST
(N. SIDE OF TRACKS AND E.
OF BROADWAY CROSSING. BUILT: ?
OUT OF SERVICE: 1902-03)
TOWER
#52 CORONA
(N. SIDE OF TRACKS AND W. OF
ALBURTIS AVE. OUT OF SERVICE: 1902-
1903)
TOWER
#53 WHITESTONE
JUNCTION (1878 BOOK OF
RULES AND 1903 CR4) JCT. OF PORT
WASHINGTON AND WHITESTONE
BRANCHES.
RENAMED “JC” IN 1907.)
TOWER
#63 MANHATTAN
CROSSING (EAST NEW YORK)
ON ATLANTIC BRANCH (BUILT ON SIGNAL
BRIDGE WEST OF BAY RIDGE BRANCH
CROSSING. IN SVC: PRIOR TO 1907. RE-
NAMED “NO” TOWER IN 1907)
TOWER
#64 NORWOOD
AVENUE (EAST NEW YORK) ON
ATLANTIC BRANCH. (LAST LISTED IN
ETT OF SEPTEMBER,
1905. GONE BY
NOVEMBER, 1905.)
TOWER
#65 CHESTNUT
ST. JCT., EAST NEW YORK, ON ATLANTIC BRANCH. (BUILT ON SIGNAL
BRIDGE: 1905. REPLACED EARLIER
CABIN AT GRADE. CONTROLLED CONN-
ECTION BETWEEN L.I.R.R. AND B.R.T.
SYSTEMS DURING PERIOD OF JOINT
OPERATION. RENAMED “CN” IN 1907.)
TOWER
#66 WOODHAVEN
JCT (1903 CR4). – JCT. OF
ATLANTIC AND ROCKAWAY BEACH
BRANCHES. (ON ATLANTIC BRANCH,
SOUTH SIDE OF TRACKS, WEST OF STA-
TION AND EAST OF JCT. FORMERLY
TOWER #66. SAXBY & FARMER MECHAN-
ICAL MACHINE IN SVC: BY 1884. RE-
NAMED “WT” IN 1907.)
TOWER
#67 MAURE
AVE., MORRIS PARK ON ATLANTIC
BRANCH (S. SIDE OF TRACKS AND E. OF
MAURE AVE. RENAMED “MP” IN 1907.)
TOWER
#70 MYRTLE
AVE. TROLLEY CROSSING ON BAY
RIDGE/MANHATTAN BEACH BRANCH (12
LEVER MECHANICAL MACHINE. IN SVC:
6/1892 ON S. SIDE OF TRACKS AND W.
OF FRESH POND ROAD AND MYRTLE
AVE. RENAMED “MY”: 1907.