LIRR/PRR TrucTrain Service 1960's 
Archive: Brad Phillips

Imagine it"s windy with a light rain and starting to freeze while the boxcar is in motion and has some rocking over the trackwork, dangerous work.
 

Some staffed freight stations with agents did not have separate facilities and the freight agent was based in the passenger station.
 

Engine #403 working the LI City car floats

LIRR - Dashing Dan Freight Train Special Equipment flyer map Archive: Mike Boland

LIRR - Dashing Dan Freight Train Special Equipment flyer Archive: Mike Boland

 
"Main Line to the Mainland" LIRR freight brochure cover - 1 955

LIRR #450 Caboose #34 at Washington St., Garden City 7/09/1953 
Photo:  George E. Votava Archive: Dave Keller

 May 2, 1974. Mid morning. The Empire State Building just to the right of center and the fabled Kosciusko Bridge. You're at the private grade crossing into the Phelps Dodge copper refinery. Nichols Siding, named after the Nichols Copper Co In the 50's and 60's, you could go to Nichols Siding at virtually any time and find a train in motion.

The lead to Phelps-Dodge is the track to the left of the train. This landmark industrial site on Newtown Creek, was long the LIRR's best freight customer and was so important as to justify its own private manned crossing, freight clerk, and station designation ("Laurel Hill"), a job that worked in one of the myriad ancient brick buildings of the complex until the early 60's. Phelps-Dodge, a company with ancient roots in NYC and a supply link to copper mines off the SP and the Tucson, Cornelia and Gila Bend in far away Arizona, signaled to the world why the ancient and fragrant colonial waterway of Newtown Creek represented the greatness of New York at the inland port of Maspeth.   If you went to Nichols on a weekday afternoon at 4 PM, it was like going to heaven and dying; deadhead passenger, light engines, local and through freights, and scheduled passenger trains.  Info: Dick Makse
 

Caboose #56 on stone train westbound at Eastport, NY - c.1989 (Tom Collins photo, Dave Keller archive)

Revenue Freight Equipment Statement June, 1914 
Archive: Art Huneke

LIRR H10s #108 westbound at Southold c.1950
Photo: John Krause Archive: George H. Lightfoot III

G53 (4-6-0) #143 flying white "extra" flags is pulling an eastbound freight out of Holban Yard between Hillside and Hollis stations c. 1922. 
(Patsy DiMasi photo, Dave Keller archive)

LIRR G53sd #146 with hack coupled to tender and freight car coupled
to locomotive at section shanty  unidentified location c.1936 
Archive: Dave Keller

LIRR #253 C-51s 0-8-0 Mineola 1948 Archive: R. Ziel

 Honeywell St., Yard A Track 1 view W 9/14/1938
Archive: Ron Ziel

LIRR H6sb #301 pulling freight eastbound on #6 freight track, passing DD1 electric locomotive on #5 freight track, approaching station platform - Union Hall Street - Jamaica, NY - c. 1936  (View looking west from west end of eastbound station platform.  Jamaica station general offices visible in background.)  Research/Archive: Dave Keller

*Note: Prior to the United States entry into WW II: 12/07/1941

LIRR #2 on eastbound freight crossing Laurel Hill Blvd., Penny Bridge 8/13/1938 Photo: Percy Loomis Sperr Archive: eBay

DD1 #? pulling freight off the Corona Yard lead (former Whitestone branch) at Flushing Meadows, NY - c. 1949 view NE  (William V. Faxon, Jr. photo, Dave Keller archive)

ALCO S2 #455 switching freight at Whitestone Jct. Flushing Meadows view SE 06/02/51 (Faxon-Keller)

ALCO S2 #455, in original "as-delivered" black livery, gold letters, small road numbers, and white pilot is switching a boxcar and a pole car at the old Whitestone Junction, on the Port Washington branch just east of the former 1939 NY World's Fair grounds on June 2, 1951.  This view is looking SE from the old pedestrian overpass which was constructed for the fair, so visitors arriving by IRT trains could cross the LIRR tracks and access the entrance.  Directly behind the photographer was the site of the old United Nations station, which was in service at the time this photo was taken.  "JC" tower was once located inside the switch to the former Whitestone branch in the left background.  By 1952, both the overpass and the United Nations station were history. (Will V. Faxon, Jr. photo, Dave Keller archive)  

H10s #104 pulls a westbound freight past the old Pinelawn station in this October, 1939 view looking southeast.  Note the brakeman riding the top of the first boxcar 10 cars back.  Also note the old pole and wire fence separating the right-of-way from the dirt road on the Pinelawn Cemetery grounds.  The pole on the station platform previously held a Dietz kerosene platform lamp.  The lamp has been removed but the pole still stands in this vintage view.  (Dave Keller archive and data) 

H10s #103 westbound local freight fresh off the Oyster Bay Branch at Mineola c.1939  Archive: Dave Keller

It's Summer of 1939 and the LIRR's 1927 terminal facilities and yard at Montauk still have about 2-1/2 years before being relocated a short distance south by the U. S. Navy after the LIRR's property was transferred to them for their use on Fort Pond Bay (February, 1942).  Just-arrived on the LIRR and laying up at the end of one of the two engine layup tracks is PRR-leased E6s #1600.  Designed to be used as a passenger engine, it appears that this locomotive has been pressed into freight service.  This view is looking east towards Montauk Manor which sits atop the bluff.  (Dave Keller archive and data)

LIRR #467-468 and two additional RS-1 units at Weitzner Brothers & Papper 77th Ave Ridgewood view W of Glendale Station at the 80th St. overpass Archive: Gary Everhart

Two lashed Alco RS1 units are pulling a freight train eastbound along the Springfield branch at Laurelton, NY on August 31, 1957. This view is looking NE from the LIRR's Atlantic branch Laurelton station platform towards Springfield Junction.  At the left is LIRR electric sub-station #10.  The Springfield branch was the old name for that portion of the Montauk branch where it left the Main Line at Hillside and curved southeastward to Springfield Junction, located west of Rosedale, and which included station  stops at St. Albans and Springfield Gardens.  (Will V. Faxon, Jr. photo, Dave Keller archive and data)  

Smithtown - H10s #107 leading freight L-57 westbound onto the passing siding 2/1953 Photo: John Krause

Bellaire - H10s eastbound freight 1954

PRIOR Beer  (both a light and dark beer) began as Czech recipes brewed in the US for the beer importer, Atlantis Imports, by Adam Scheidt Brewing Co., Norristown, PA during WWII (when European beer exports weren't possible). Philadelphia's C. Schmidt's & Sons bought Scheidt in the 1950's and continued to brew the super-premium Prior beers into the 1970's.  It was a nice, dark beer! Info: Dave Keller

LIRR #119 H10 near Glen Head 12/26/1939 Photo/Archive: Jim Gillin

Nassau Tower - Baldwin freight on Hempstead Spur at Mineola view W 3/20/1954 Archive: Dave Keller

H6sb  (2-8-0) #313 c.1935
Collection: Dave Keller

H10s #109 pulling a long string of freight cars on the newly-constructed embankment between Laurelton and Rosedale in 1936.  
Collection: Dave Keller  

C51sa 262 Glendale 3/1937
Collection: Dave Keller

H10s #113 Backing onto Hospital Siding behind Kings Park Station 08/25/1955 Collection: Dave Keller

DS4-4-1000 #450 Passing through Merillon Ave Station, New Hyde Park c.1953  Collection: Dave Keller

ex-PRR DD1 works Rockville Centre 
c. mid-1950's. Flatcar  has 3rd rail pick-up shoes to prevent stalls in 3rd rail gaps during switching
Photo: John Krause Collection: Dave Keller

LIRR #1520 (ex-D&H) Jamaica view W 7/1964

RS3 #1552 eastbound freight passing Ronkonkoma Station
5/24/1972 Archive: Dave Keller

Iced reefers (with bunkers) were phased out in 1957 with the advent of mechanical reefer introduction. The plug door car types (c.1955) reefer with the 'insulation’ was an innovation for a non-mechanical (less expensive 3-7 day transport version). Thus, it is a boxcar, but used in a reefer capacity. (above left) This car was used to ship product from the main Wilson Co. plant in New Jersey.

In the mid-1950’s, the flush "plug" style sliding door was introduced as an option that provides a larger door to ease loading and unloading of certain commodities. The tight-fitting doors are better insulated and allow a car's interior to be maintained at a more even temperature.

Plug door box cars and plug door 'bunkerless' reefers look very similar. The difference is the 'insulation' in the walls/roof. The reefer version (RBL type) provide 3-7 days of constant temp storage while in transit. These cars many times are 'pre-cooled' before loading, and canned goods or even flash-frozen foods are loaded.

Plug door boxcars provide a smooth wall surface (when the door is closed) for stacking the load against. There are many example of combination plug/sliding door cars that are dual service, in that they have a large opening (forklift accessible), and the plug doors can be closed to provide more 'cubes' of 'load' area. The area across from the sliding door usually does not have any cargo placed there. 'Dunnage' keeps the load from shifting. The exceptions to no cargo by the sliding doors are items like grain or lumber.

Alco S2 #439 eastbound freight Haberman 5/29/1973
Photo: Richard Maske Archive: Dave Keller

The road is 49th Street (in the old days it was referred to
as Haberman's Factory Crossing). 

Before the holding yard at Maspeth was built in 1942, Haberman had a low level platform east of 49th Street on #2 (eastbound) track. With the reconfiguration of the area with the construction of the new yard, passenger trains stopped WEST of the crossing even though there was no “official” platform.  The area there was paved over the sidetrack and Haberman passengers knew to board west of the crossing. It was sort of oral tradition. That’s where the train stopped. Info: Richard Maske

LIRR #1520 working the Pinelawn Wye in 1976
Photo/Archive: Dan Marra

YFD #301 RBOX, SCL, CNW and SOO Line
northbound to Fresh Pond   3/14/1978.
Photo: Fred Wilczewski  Archive: Dietrich Ryan

EL boxcar Port Jefferson Photo: Steven Lynch  1978

North siding 84 Lumber bulkhead flatcar  
Photo: Steven Lynch  3/1980

BAR #74 and PN #1506, double heading a westbound LIRR freight at Holban Yard Hollis , NY 10/16/1976  Photo: George E. Votava  Archive: Dave Keller

MP15ac #153 pulling freight RF-69 with 
Hack C54 westbound at "DIVIDE" tower - Hicksville - 2/20/1978 (Madden-Keller)

Medford  08/18/1985

Sea Cliff c.1978

LIRR #159, #155 MOW welded rail  at Wellwood, North Lindenhurst
8/1987 Photo/Archive: Jay Bendersky

n the Central Branch, the 159 and 155 are tied down for the weekend with an Amtrak welded rail train. Seen on the east end of Wellwood Double-End Freight siding in North Lindenhurst, the train will go to work following Monday morning's commission hour.

Note the 138kv oil circuit breaker load on the depressed center flatcar. (above left)  LILCO  is the only plausible customer for this item at the southwest corner of Islip Ave/Suffolk Ave (Five Corners) intersection in Brentwood.  See map location #6: http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/lirrtrackmaps/lirrmaps1966/Brentwood67.jpg

It appears to be an Allis-Chalmers type BZO HV Oil Circuit Breaker

1. The tank is divided into three sections. You wouldn't see that on a 3 phase transformer.
2. Too small to be a transformer of any real capacity.
3.  No cooling fins. Transformers of that size have them due to heat.
4. The fourth clue is that transformers change voltage so the insulating bushings on each side are different  lengths, circuit breakers have the same size on each side.

The depressed flat is to allow enough height to ship the breaker fully assembled from Milwaukee. Installing bushings later is not a big deal on transformers but on circuit breakers the contacts and their linkages are hung from the bushings so field assembly would be excessive. Thus overheight shipping methods are preferred. The weight would not be an issue as it would be shipped empty of insulating oil to simplify the crane requirements during installation (in older days something like this would be skidded into place on rollers over a timber path). Info: Bill West

MP15ac  #163 Ronkonkoma westbound 
View NE 11/1984 Photo: Art Huneke

LIRR S2 #452 West Hempstead  - View NE c.1975
Photo/Archive: Tim Darnell

LIRR #160 Train RF-61 Hicksville 4/08/1978

Pulver Siding view E  from Bridgehampton Platform
3/21/2008 Photo: Mike McDermet

Kasgro Rail Lines Depressed Deck Car KRL # 25960 Fresh Pond 
c. 1995 for Freeport Electric 

 
QUEENS Tower  MP15AC #163 YFD #203 eastbound  3/01/1978 
Photo/Archive: Jeff Erlitz

PC #229255 - Maspeth 1988
 

MP15AC #158 (#163 below)  LI City Wheelspur Yard

8/06/2018 Photos/Archive: Greg Grice

CR #229273 - Fresh Pond 1988

LIRR #172-165 westbound stone train on the Lower Montauk
at Morris Park - 8/24/2022  Photo/Archive: Joe Vila

Main St., Holbrook  - View W 4/08/2023 Photo/Archive: Evan Gerace

Note: S2 Distant Switch Signal for Prima.
These protect facing point switches only.

PC #281585 - Queens Village yard  5/1974
Photo/Archive: John Ciesla

ALCO S2 #457 Train RF13 - Corona Lead Team Yard Whitestone Branch
6/18/1975 Photo/Archive: Jeff  Erlitz

NHP Oil Terminal Fuel Oil Trucks

NHP Oil Terminal Siding  view SW 
eastbound M7

NHP Oil Terminal Switch #2

        The location of New Hyde Park Oil Terminal (prior Plaza Coal & Oil)  is about 200 yards east of the New Hyde Park LIRR station and the New Hyde Park Rd. crossing on the north side of the LIRR Main Line. 

        It is served every 2 to 3 days by westbound NY&A local freights. The cars are picked up in Brooklyn, hauled up the Bay Ridge Branch, then out the main line to Hicksville, where they are picked up by the westbound local.

        New Hyde Park Oil Terminal, opened in 1998, supplies heating oil to several local oil companies in Nassau, Suffolk, and Queens Counties. In early 2008, Ray Hart began his venture into Biofuel for a cleaner burning oil with minimal omissions. 

        The type of rail cars used to deliver Soy Bean Oil are 50 ft Tank Cars. Loads in, empties out. Prior to Hart's new rail siding, Ray Hart, a former tank truck owner/driver was himself an oil delivery and repair man. His trucking company, Hart Transportation picked up daily loads of oil from the refineries in NJ.   Info: Daniel Marra, Sr.

* Plaza Fuel Co. 1420 Plaza Ave. New Hyde Park. PI 6-6272 and FL 4-7911 Source: NY Telephone Nassau County white pages 1961-1962

LI City Yard A c.1946 view east

LIRR's Class GR (PRR) gondola # 494908 1947 Archive: Ted Culotta

LI City "Stink Track" West Chemical 01/08/1974 Photo: Richard F. Makse

LI City LIRR C60 4/20/77 
Archive: Dave Keller

LI City 08/17/1971 view east

LI City 08/17/1971 view east

LIRR C67 Crew LI City 5/1981