Re: (rshsdepot) Question about L.I. Depot in Long Island City

["Jim Guthrie" <jguthrie_@_pipeline.com>]

The LIRR LIC Terminal had an extensive terminal at Long Island City -- and
one of the busiest and most efficient as well. It burned around the turn of
the century, and then was rebuilt, and then demolished after the end of the
34th St ferry.

For most years after that, the station was an asphalt platform on the north
side of the yard -- two tracks for the two remaining Montauk Branch trains.
Electrification was removed in 1951 (and replaced in the 1980s when
Ronkonkoma riders protested the loss of Hunterspoint Avenue service in favor
of Penn Station).

The yard was and is used by Hunterspoint Avenue trains; before 1951, DD-1
hauled steam trains from the non-electrified portions of the railroad used
it as well. The trains would run to Penn Station, then back out with a
brakeman on the rear end with a brakehandle and peanut whistle. They'd be
run around the Sunnyside Loop tracks and into LIC  for cleaning and layover.
The process was reversed at night, without the  loop movement.

In the 1960s, afternoon commuters often headed to the LIC yards to board
their Hunterspoint trains -- mainly to start an early "Happy Hour" in the
popular Bar Cars. Most all diesel trains offered them -- one Port Jeff train
had two barcars. Bartenders opened up as early as 2 PM on Fridays -- but
more often between 3:30-4 PM (on trains departing as late as 6:24!!) so
riders could get a good start.

Hunterspoint Avenue was built to take advantage of the Steinway tunnel (Now
#7 line). At one point in the 1920s, the NH seriously considered running
NYW&B across Hell Gate and into Hunterspoint, but there seemed to be no real
advantage, timewise, for passengers over catching the El at 133rd.

When the LIRR bought the new double-deckers, a two-car platform was built on
the south side of the yard -- making it further away from both subway and
ferry connections. Typical of the modern LIRR. If they really wanted east
side ferry service to succeed, the platform would be built at the crossing
with a ramp to a dock on Newtown Creek, making it a short jaunt.

The LIC-Hunterspoint timetable calls for 7-8 minutes to cover the 0.6 miles
between stations westbound, and 16 minutes eastbound. This is probably the
slowest-carded schedule in the world, especially since the actual distance
is somewhat less.

One other note -- one writer suggested Steel Rails to the Sunrise as a
source. Beware that it is sometimes fanciful in its descriptions and
accounts; the serious LIRR fan needs Seyfried's 7-volume history on the
shelf.

Jim Guthrie

> Hi Jim,
> Could you, Paul or anyone else on this list tell me about the Long Island
> depot at Long Island City? I know that the L.I. had a station building at
> Flatbush Ave. in Brooklyn (I've seen pictures of that), but have wondered
> for some time what kind of station once stood at the L.I.C. terminal, and
> what is there now. Thanks in advance for any information!



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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org

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