LIRR Holbrook

HOLBROOK Holbrook is believed to have gotten its name from a stream which was called in various telling's as either "Old Brook" or "Hollow Brook."
HOLBROOK: STATION STOP OPENED: __?__. STOP APPEARS ON TIMETABLES OF 6/06/1861 AND 11/01/1862. IT’S POSSIBLE THE STOP CONSISTED OF A LOW PLATFORM ONLY UNTIL JUNE-JULY, 1875 WHEN A COMBINATION CIGAR FACTORY AND DEPOT WAS BUILT BY A LARGE LANDOWNER NAMED McCOTTER. THE BLDG WAS 40' x 40', TWO STORIES, WITH CUPOLA ATOP. HALF THE GROUND FLOOR WAS USED AS A TICKET OFFICE, EXPRESS OFFICE AND WAITING ROOM AND THE OTHER HALF USED AS A SHIPPING ROOM BY THE FACTORY WHICH OCCUPIED THE 2ND FLOOR (Vincent Seyfried data). PER "Babylon Signal" NEWSPAPER ARTICLE OF 03/25/1882, THIS STATION ALONG WITH LAKELAND WAS TO BE CONSOLIDATED AND REPLACED WITH A NEW STATION NAMED "RONKONKOMA" (Art Huneke data). NO INFO AS TO THE FATE OF THE FORMER DEPOT/CIGAR FACTORY. BECAME STATION STOP ONCE AGAIN (1907). TINY WOODEN DEPOT CONSTRUCTED NORTH OF THE TRACKS ON THE WEST SIDE OF COATES AVE. RELOCATED TO THE SOUTH SIDE OF MAIN TRACK: 4/24/1939. RAZED: 6/1962. REPLACED WITH METAL SHELTER SHED. DROPPED AS STATION STOP FROM ETT #3, EFF: 5/20/1968. Research: Dave Keller

Benedict’s Time LIRR Timetable segment of Nov. 4, 1867 from LI City, Hunters Point Archive: Art Huneke	Mileage map of LIRR main line stations 1867 - Google maps by Steven Lynch
Newspaper articles appearing in "Babylon Signal" 1882-1883 stating abandonment of Bartlett and Waverly stations and the abandonment and consolidation of the Lakeland, and Holbrook Stations with the opening of the new Ronkonkoma Station at its new location at Ronkonkoma Avenue. Bartlett station was east of Medford and was originally known as Bellport, being the station stop for Bellport village on the south shore and connected via stagecoach. When LIRR service reached Bellport village (Winter timetable effective 1881-1882), the stop was renamed Bartlett but no longer being needed it was discontinued. Waverly station was reopened in 1884 and later became "Holtsville." (news articles courtesy of Art Huneke archive)	An extremely rare c. 1910 NW view of the depot as originally constructed in 1907 on the north side of the tracks. An unpaved Coates Avenue crossing is in the foreground and someone's bicycle (possibly the photographer's) is leaning against the building. For some reason, this tiny structure was moved to the south side of the tracks in April, 1939. (Dave Keller archive) Holbrook Depot - View E c.1947 Photo: Harold Smith Archive: Dave Morrison	This view, looking due west, was taken by LIRR Insurance Department photographer Fred Weber on January 11, 1943. It shows the relocated depot building on the south side of the tracks with a now-paved Coates Ave. crossing in the foreground. Two posts for Dietz kerosene platform lamps are in place but only one lamp is still in evidence to illuminate the crushed cinder platform. The sign to the right of the diamond crossing warning sign indicates the border of Islip and Brookhaven towns running right down the station platform. (Fred Weber photo, Dave Keller archive) In this SW view of the relocated depot building from April 19, 1953 notice the Dietz kerosene platform lamp has been replaced with an electric platform lamp, switch for which is visible on the trackside wall of the depot. In instances such as this one, the first train crew operating past the station in the evening was responsible for turning on the lights and the first train crew operating past the station in the morning was responsible for turning off the lights. (Richard Wetterau photo, Dave Morrison archive, Dave Keller data)
Holbrook - Mail Crane View NE c. 1940 close-up Half fare ticket - Holbrook-Holtsville Archive: Brad Phillips	Looking due east c. 1940 at Holbrook Ave, MP 50, second crossing east of Holbrook station, the Holbrook Post Office is at the right and the mail crane is at the left, across from the P.O. building on the north side of the tracks. While no longer in use as a post office facility, after being replaced by a newer structure elsewhere in town, this old building stood at that spot trackside for many years afterward until finally being torn down sometime in the early 1970s. (Fred Weber photo, Dave Morrison archive, Dave Keller data)	Holbrook Post Office c.1940 close-up
After the little wooden depot was razed in June, 1962, it was replaced by a metal shelter-shed. This view, taken in 1969, the year after the station stop was discontinued, is looking due east with the Coates Avenue crossing visible just beyond the station platform. (Dave Keller photo and archive) Half fare ticket - Ronkonkoma-Holbrook Archive: Brad Phillips	Emery map: Holbrook MP49-5010/1957 Archive: Dave Keller
	Metro North SPV2000 Railcar #291 is operating eastbound at the former Holbrook station location as it traversed the system, videotaping the ROW. This March, 1986 image is looking NW. The depot and crushed cinder platform had been located at the left. No trace of either are in evidence at the time of this photo (Photo/Archive: Art Huneke)	LIRR C420 #202 Train #211 Holbrook 8/29/1969 Photo/Archive: Brad Phillips The view is looking SE. The train is blocking the view of the metal shelter shed which was on the south side of the tracks and on the west side of Coates Ave. seen in the distance. What's interesting is that the tiny Holbrook depot was originally constructed near the photographer's location about in line with the first car behind the locomotive. It was later moved to the south side of the tracks! Info: Dave Keller
View W	View SW	View E
Unidentified construction along both sides of the tracks near signals #505 / #506 midway between MP50 and MP51 east of Holbrook Avenue, as photographed on April 28, 1948. The signals were installed the previous year. (Fred Weber photos, Dave Keller archive)