Terrific post. I remember those diesels. They were loud and I loved them. When they revved up they sounded like an old Sikorsky helicopter. Back when transportation sounds had character. Ahh, the memories.
I spent all of my summers in Montauk about a block from the train station. I spent all of my free time over at the tracks. When I was 7 an engineer named Frank who obviously saw me there all the time, invited me in for a ride every evening as he switched the engine from front to rear. Such great memories. Thanks for helping to bring back the good Ole days.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR POSTING THIS. I have been a railfan since about 9 years of age. Yet, when I used to see those beautiful - LOUD - massive engines I fell in love fast. From LI originally so I have a strong liking to the EMDs. Loved the "blue wave" paint job, yet, it was more the ROAR and the SHEER POWER that shook the ground I stood on as a boy. Still love the same sounds and dislike the new LIRR diesel/elecs - Great to hear about NY & Atlantic running freight into LI. A longggg time and coming. Yet, I have been searching for such a video for about 8 years now. To capture the past and you have done so!!! So I thank you. Sincerely, XT
I first experienced Mineola station in October 1966. Loved it then. Still great now, though it has lost a few of its charms over the years. The best train watching spot on the LIRR, though there are honorable mentions.
Man... the GP38's and MP15's were the warriors on the rails back in the day on the LIRR.... All of that earth shaking rumbling created by their prime movers is nothing short of awesome power.
Great memories and sounds from a place I no longer inhabit. Remember going to Willis Hobbies and feeding my model railroad addiction and then hoping to see the real deal blow by on the nearby trackage.
It's so weird seeing cars go across the tracks West of Mineola again now that Herricks Road was eliminated. I remember seeing cars doing going across Herricks and me going over that crossing when I was a kid. 4 cars at the same time! Same thing with Roslyn Road.
Thanks for this video. i live 5 miles south of mineola and on quiet nights you could hear those diesel engines and that loud horn love the sound again thanks for the vid.
I really do miss those days of the ALCO switchers and 2000 series coaches. The fact they ran the line like they did is a testament to railroading in the USA!!! And this NYC-LI-CT area too. I think the GPs SWs freight engines helped since the maintenance performance was not too high. The M1s had a profile and character that the M7s could only wish for!!!
Great quality. Every car had the blue stripe, the diesel coaches looked good even though they were like 30 years old at the time. See my channel for how this location looked in the late 1990s.
Only bad thing about the old diesel trains were they weren't wheelchair accessible. Heck in Patchogue there was no platform and you had to climb up the steps to board lol. Ah the good old days
The coaches were handicapped accessible. They had the panel that flipped down when at regular station platforms. And flipped up and snapped onto the wall when they needed the steps. It was the particular station that wasn't accessible !
As a lifelong Long Islander, I truly miss the old rolling stock. They made for a much more comfortable commute to and from the city. The new rolling stock I'm not too fond of. The seats are smaller. And let's face it. These new trains are just plain ugly.
Jack D. Ripper That's why whenever I wait for the trains on the Long Island Railroad and Metro North Railroad, I always wait for a vintage model such as an M3/P32, if their no old models and whenever I'm on a latest model, you can never see me sitting in it's seats, I feel disgusted just sitting on those fake trains of a m7, m8,m9 and c3's lol.
It's amazing what has happened to the station in the past 30 years along with it's surroundings. M1's have been retired, M7's are in service, diesel service is now provided by the DC/DM30's, Herricks Road (1998) and Roslyn Road (2008) grade crossings have been eliminated, Nassau Interlocking has been reconfigured, a pedestrian crossing has been added to get rid of the old one that used the, a new pedestrian bridge was installed to get rid of the one that was using the Mineola Blvd. bridge, the intermodel center/parking garage was constructed with an ADA accessible bridge with two elevators, Main Street now has new cantilever lights, new ticket offices, the Eastbound platform was lengthened, Mineola Blvd. bridge rebuilt, new mushroom lights, LED flashing lights, new power lines, tracks are now askew, and the substation was replaced. By the way the train at 6:02 with the horn and flying at 70-80 MPH is the best railfan capture one can get.
My favorites were always the M1's ( the original Metropolitans )....I was 5 when they came out in 68' and always rode with my aunt. who lived in New York to Valley Stream......We lived in Franklin Square at that time......When they retired them, I actually got a number board ( 9293 ) which now hangs in my kitchen ... I have my Aunt to thank for turning me into a train fan ! And I passed that onto my son who is now 27 and also loves trains !
Yeah, but they were on the tracks for 40 years! December 30th,1968, the first revenue M1 departs Babylon at 5:45 AM making all stops, announced their retirement in late 2006, and the last revenue service M1 was in late 2008. Now two are preserved in Riverhead at the station.
Especially when it went through the dreaded "Bellerose Bump" before they finally smoothed that out. Eh, what do you expect when your riding an electric at 80 MPH?
Matthew Kobel The Budd M-1s were great at peak speed......You also knew when you were doing 80 because they made a high pitched humming sound.......I could also swear in the early 70's, those trains used to fly through the east river tunnels, doing more than 80mph ....I could be wrong, but am very detailed oriented when it comes to these types of things ! I've been living down in Florida over the past 10 years.....When I visit, I hate those M7's......No more conductor announcements, no more blast before the train goes, no blinking lights, and air vents going off and on, especially at Jamaica ! Old is better!
Everything the LIRR did was backwards. However... you cannot dispute the fact They got their money's worth with the GP38-2 and the MP15AC diesel engines.
I knew that, now New Hyde Park Road is a big problem. For years Herricks Road was labeled by the NTSB as the most hazardous grade crossing in the United States!
From another LIRR fan and after they were retired ... I bought something and he sent it to me as a bonus.... I cleaned it up and it looks just as good as it did back in 68'.... Even the rubber all around it is in perfect condition
Great classic LIRR trains!!! Now it’s 3 track station.
I keep coming back to this one, probably the best video on youtube of the LIRR in the 1980s
Thank you....Glad you're enjoying it ........I just recently transferred these from VHS to DVD....Figured, I better before I loose them !
Terrific post. I remember those diesels. They were loud and I loved them. When they revved up they sounded like an old Sikorsky helicopter. Back when transportation sounds had character. Ahh, the memories.
I spent all of my summers in Montauk about a block from the train station. I spent all of my free time over at the tracks. When I was 7 an engineer named Frank who obviously saw me there all the time, invited me in for a ride every evening as he switched the engine from front to rear. Such great memories. Thanks for helping to bring back the good Ole days.
That sweeping view at 4:47 is amazing. It's so built up now and growing as I type this. Thanks for the memories, great vid!
Holy crud man, those do be some beautiful trains. Thank you for posting. 😃😃😃
This is fantastic, absolutely awesome...
+Mike D : glad you enjoyed !
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR POSTING THIS.
I have been a railfan since about 9 years of age. Yet, when I used to see those beautiful - LOUD - massive engines I fell in love fast. From LI originally so I have a strong liking to the EMDs. Loved the "blue wave" paint job, yet, it was more the ROAR and the SHEER POWER that shook the ground I stood on as a boy. Still love the same sounds and dislike the new LIRR diesel/elecs - Great to hear about NY & Atlantic running freight into LI. A longggg time and coming.
Yet, I have been searching for such a video for about 8 years now. To capture the past and you have done so!!!
So I thank you.
Sincerely,
XT
Really brings me back... I have custom HO scale LIRR. The blue and white engine and the blue and yellow
I first experienced Mineola station in October 1966. Loved it then. Still great now, though it has lost a few of its charms over the years. The best train watching spot on the LIRR, though there are honorable mentions.
Man... the GP38's and MP15's were the warriors on the rails back in the day on the LIRR.... All of that earth shaking rumbling created by their prime movers is nothing short of awesome power.
Remember these old diesel locomotives. Thanks for this video. These locomotives for Long Island Rail Road were as great as the FL 9 on Metro North.
I was on one of those E-15's recently...still kicking.
Man Oh Man, the footage you captured here !!! This is beautiful & REAL railroading here, 10 STARS !!!!
Thanks, glad you like it !
NO THANK U 4 POSTIN IT !!! ALOTTA YOUNG RAILROADERS NEED 2 SEE WHAT REAL RAILROADING IS ABOUT !!!!!
Yep . the good old days.....
Glad you like ....I miss these days !
Great memories and sounds from a place I no longer inhabit. Remember going to Willis Hobbies and feeding my model railroad addiction and then hoping to see the real deal blow by on the nearby trackage.
I jump for joy when I see an old M-3 come to bring me to work
I can smell the LIRR when I watch this, great video, I was about 9 at the time I remember all the old Diesels
It's so weird seeing cars go across the tracks West of Mineola again now that Herricks Road was eliminated. I remember seeing cars doing going across Herricks and me going over that crossing when I was a kid. 4 cars at the same time! Same thing with Roslyn Road.
Many have died at those 2 crossings before this station. Was always on the 8 o'clock news. Nice video!!
People will never learn that you won't win when you challenge a speeding train.......
great video man, i live in walking distance of this station but wasnt even born when these existed. Thanks for the share!
This video is amazing! So much great equipment, and so busy!
I remember standing between cars , on the old diesels, smoking cigarettes. Lol
Thanks for this video. i live 5 miles south of mineola and on quiet nights you could hear those diesel engines and that loud horn love the sound again thanks for the vid.
I know the feeling--I grew up about 5 miles north of the old Deer Park station and on a quiet night could hear the horns from these old diesels.
Dang my first year in college at nyctc in 1984, used to ride these trains every day until I moved from.long island to.the city
I really do miss those days of the ALCO switchers and 2000 series coaches. The fact they ran the line like they did is a testament to railroading in the USA!!! And this NYC-LI-CT area too. I think the GPs SWs freight engines helped since the maintenance performance was not too high. The M1s had a profile and character that the M7s could only wish for!!!
I miss those old diesel trains! 🚂
Great quality. Every car had the blue stripe, the diesel coaches looked good even though they were like 30 years old at the time. See my channel for how this location looked in the late 1990s.
The Mineola Ave bridge. I keep thinking that it looks relatively new, but there it is in a video that is 37 years old.
Were they washing cars and engines that day? Everything looks shiny and clean!😮
Fantastic footage would you happen to have any more LIRR footage from the 1980s?
Those diesels look like something out of Jeepers Creepers lol
Surprised the diesel equipment looked so clean then.
Only bad thing about the old diesel trains were they weren't wheelchair accessible. Heck in Patchogue there was no platform and you had to climb up the steps to board lol. Ah the good old days
The coaches were handicapped accessible. They had the panel that flipped down when at regular station platforms. And flipped up and snapped onto the wall when they needed the steps. It was the particular station that wasn't accessible !
No platform at Port Jeff back then too. Had to use the steps.
Awsome.
Great vid.
As a lifelong Long Islander, I truly miss the old rolling stock. They made for a much more comfortable commute to and from the city. The new rolling stock I'm not too fond of. The seats are smaller. And let's face it. These new trains are just plain ugly.
Jack D. Ripper That's why whenever I wait for the trains on the Long Island Railroad and Metro North Railroad, I always wait for a vintage model such as an M3/P32, if their no old models and whenever I'm on a latest model, you can never see me sitting in it's seats, I feel disgusted just sitting on those fake trains of a m7, m8,m9 and c3's lol.
I was soo upset when the lovely old M2's were retired from the Stamford/New Cannan and New Haven lines on the Metro North Railroad lol.
I wish Budd company was still in business
Those were seriously bumpy tracks.
The diesel trains here look way more interesting than the generic and bland looking double decker trains that run nowadays.
Nice video
wish i lived in their time... : (
Mineola L.I 1984
It's amazing what has happened to the station in the past 30 years along with it's surroundings. M1's have been retired, M7's are in service, diesel service is now provided by the DC/DM30's, Herricks Road (1998) and Roslyn Road (2008) grade crossings have been eliminated, Nassau Interlocking has been reconfigured, a pedestrian crossing has been added to get rid of the old one that used the, a new pedestrian bridge was installed to get rid of the one that was using the Mineola Blvd. bridge, the intermodel center/parking garage was constructed with an ADA accessible bridge with two elevators, Main Street now has new cantilever lights, new ticket offices, the Eastbound platform was lengthened, Mineola Blvd. bridge rebuilt, new mushroom lights, LED flashing lights, new power lines, tracks are now askew, and the substation was replaced. By the way the train at 6:02 with the horn and flying at 70-80 MPH is the best railfan capture one can get.
My favorites were always the M1's ( the original Metropolitans )....I was 5 when they came out in 68' and always rode with my aunt. who lived in New York to Valley Stream......We lived in Franklin Square at that time......When they retired them, I actually got a number board ( 9293 ) which now hangs in my kitchen ... I have my Aunt to thank for turning me into a train fan ! And I passed that onto my son who is now 27 and also loves trains !
Yeah, but they were on the tracks for 40 years! December 30th,1968, the first revenue M1 departs Babylon at 5:45 AM making all stops, announced their retirement in late 2006, and the last revenue service M1 was in late 2008. Now two are preserved in Riverhead at the station.
Never liked the M3's......Completely different ride than the M1.......Kind of bouncy !
Especially when it went through the dreaded "Bellerose Bump" before they finally smoothed that out. Eh, what do you expect when your riding an electric at 80 MPH?
Matthew Kobel
The Budd M-1s were great at peak speed......You also knew when you were doing 80 because they made a high pitched humming sound.......I could also swear in the early 70's, those trains used to fly through the east river tunnels, doing more than 80mph ....I could be wrong, but am very detailed oriented when it comes to these types of things ! I've been living down in Florida over the past 10 years.....When I visit, I hate those M7's......No more conductor announcements, no more blast before the train goes, no blinking lights, and air vents going off and on, especially at Jamaica ! Old is better!
Never understood why the LIRR bought freight locomotives to haul passenger trains.
Everything the LIRR did was backwards. However... you cannot dispute the fact They got their money's worth with the GP38-2 and the MP15AC diesel engines.
It's hard to go wring with EMDs of that ERA, but the LIRR was still forced to rely on power packs and other jury rigged systems.
Awesome Video Man.
I knew that, now New Hyde Park Road is a big problem. For years Herricks Road was labeled by the NTSB as the most hazardous grade crossing in the United States!
The Oyster bay line turn out has changed….. OB bound trains must wrong rail into Mineola to get to that branch
Third M1 with tons of horn
M-1's....My favorites ! Hi pitched Leslie !
M3's started service in '84
Actually that was for Metro-North in 84 (M3A). The LIRR got their M3 trains in service in 85.
ahhh mineola
woah
Fantastic video!!! BTW what GP38 was that in the beginning road # wise?
Where are the parking garages that are located on east side of the track?
Like lirr train
Milonia tower is gone now
0:03
M7 AS M3 CHANGED TO.........THIS
The new diesels are so boring, they have no character
No ped crossing, no overpasses, 3 road crossings to the east, a crossing to the west, and no M7s. I cannot relate.
M1's were the best...It's too bad you missed all this . This is when the LIRR was happenin…. The Good days ! Today it sucks !
I want the M1s back.
M1's, the original Metropolitans... They came out in 68' and were the bomb ! I have an original number board hanging on my kitchen wall.... #9293
How did you get it?
From another LIRR fan and after they were retired ... I bought something and he sent it to me as a bonus.... I cleaned it up and it looks just as good as it did back in 68'.... Even the rubber all around it is in perfect condition