A Ride on the Lower Montauk Branch (with abandoned stations noted)
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- Опубліковано 8 гру 2010
- A view out the south window between Jamaica and Long Island City. The LIRR only makes this trip once a day on week days, and I have to say, if you're used to the usual view from the train on the way from Nassau to Penn, the view is pretty amazing.
The abandoned stations on this route (Richmond Hill, Glendale, Fresh Pond, Haberman, and Penny Bridge) that were closed in 1998 are clearly visible, and I tried to point them out where possible.
This map traces the route with the stations:
maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF...
You can make out the abandoned stations at the following time signatures:
0:00:50 - 0:01:03 Richmond Hill station
0:04:40 - 0:04:45 Glendale station
0:06:38 - 0:06:43 Fresh Pond station
0:08:28 - 0:08:33 Haberman station
0:10:20 - 0:10:25 Penny Bridge station
The album this inspired (written on the LIRR no less):
/ branch
Just wanted to note it's no longer possible to see this route as the LIRR has abandoned the whole line as of November 2012, just before Sandy.
Such a great ride. I did it once in 1995 when the stations were still open. Train was empty, but the ride was far more peaceful than the main line through Woodside.
I saw this line's stations (Richmond Hill, Glendale, Fresh Pond, Haberman, Penny Bridge) on a timetable and, in 1960s Suffolk County, pictured their locales as fairly rural. Long ago, perhaps, but the industrial locale that I found in the mid 1970s (when I first rode the line) surprised me. And the stations. Except for Richmond Hill, nothing but dirt platforms and signs. I hiked the route, took photos in 1977 and at abandonment in 1997, and got an abandonment brochure off the LIRR. I also attended the abandonment hearings. I paid more attention to this line than the LIRR ever did!
This is amazing footage! Thank you letting me get a glimpse of what it was like! Now their is talks about making the bay ridge branch into a subway line.
This is amazing footage!!! You are documenting history!!! Note, the train passing under the Kosciusko Bridge which was recently torn down and replaced!!!
The Line that crosses over @
It would be cool if there was some type of passenger service on this line again, but I'm glad they're still using it for freight.
I think the MTA should buy back the Lower Montauk Branch, and convert it into a subway line. The same should go for the Rockaway Beach Branch.
The LIRR cancelled passenger service to the branch due to low ridership not making the mandatory station upgrades to be accessible to all under the Americans with disabilities act.
I work as security in the Fresh Pond Rail yard.
WOW! I never knew there were grade crossings outside of Long Island City!
If you notice the torn wooden bridge slightly after the 3:00 mark, that's the remnant of the wooden tressel from the LIRR Rockaway Beach Branch, and the baseball fields after that is where the connecting crossover track from the Rockaway Beach to the Lower Montauk Branch used to be... and sad to say I never rode on the Lower Montauk Branch
In typical pack rat style, I have everything (including handouts from the abandonment hearing at Glendale). The brochure shows by very simple maps the stations to be abandoned and gives alternative bus/subway routes. Handouts I think stated hearing locations, stations listed for abandonment, etc. The photos (b/w in 1977, color in 1997) show how stations went downhill (Richmond Hill losing scant station lighting, Penny Bridge its old shed) or even improved slightly (Glendale went from nothing in 1977 to at least a sign in 1997).
The stations on the branch were abandoned because of low ridership. Most of the stations are now better served by the subway. The one train that rides on the branch now probably only has about 30 people total on the whole train. These commuters are mostly transferring to the 7 train to get to the east side and will probably be better served by the new tunnel to Grand Central. Other than that one LIRR train, the line is used for freight.
Wow...I was sad to hear when they closed the stops to this line but after viewing your video, this was the right move. With the exception of the Richmond Hill station, all are in locations I wouldn't travel in. And if you were closing down those stops, might as well the Richmond Hill station, although as a residential area, perhaps something could have been done. Its a shame given the history of the Long Island City station.
Fantastic look back on history
They're there, trust me. They may not be there on all platforms since they're UA-cam's built-in comment system. I can see it on all my PC's though.
So fascinating 👍🏽👍🏽
and at
It is not abandoned, but the lower Montauk was turned over to the New York and Atlantic Railroad. It is now freight only.