General Chronology of the PRR by Christopher T. Baer

This source has items of interest concerning the LIRR, as for example this: "Oct. 16, 1955 G5s No. 35 heads Branford Electric Railway Association fan trip to Woodside, Maspeth, Fresh Pond, Bay Ridge, Jamaica, Babylon, Hicksville, Port Jefferson, and back to Jamaica; last run of an LIRR steam locomotive."

Or this: "Mar. 30, 1955 First LIRR RDC begins operating four round trips between Babylon and Southampton in experimental East Ender service; first three round trips carry total of only 37 people; BRT local threatens a strike over operation without a brakeman"
http://www.prrths.com/newprr_files/Hagley/PRR1955.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Photos from http://www.arrts-arrchives.com/photo3.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Oct. 2, 1955 LIRR discontinues passenger service between Ozone Park and Hamilton
Beach and between Far Rockway and Rockaway Park on the Rockaway
Branch, prior to conversion to part of city subway system; stations at
Hamilton Beach, Goose Creek and The Raunt are eliminated. (George,
Feinman)

OK, where the heck is "The Raunt" ???

Rockaway Beach Branch
http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/far%20 ... branch.htm

RAUNT 50% down the page... for example

"The Raunt" 1933 view N Archive: Brad Phillips

The PRR Chronology at http://www.prrths.com/newprr_files/Hagl ... _intro.htm A great resource. It can be searched further from Google as: "site:www.prrths.com/newprr_files/Hagley/ LIRR" and click on the year specific to your needs. Note: multiple search terms can be used as in "LIRR baggage etc."

I've collected the LIRR references from these files for the decade 1924-1934 for example on:
http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/lirrhi ... aldata.htm

nyandw wrote:Rockaway Beach Branch
http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/far%20 ... branch.htm

RAUNT 50% down the page... for example

"The Raunt" 1933 view N Archive: Brad Phillips

I'm a railfan, so I think it's a lovely photo. I go for things in the 1930s. Here's a Wiki history of The Raunt. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Raunt_(LIRR_station" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

nyandw wrote: It can be searched further from Google as: "site:www.prrths.com/newprr_files/Hagley/ LIRR" and click on the year specific to your needs. Note: multiple search terms can be used as in "LIRR baggage etc."

I appreciate your suggesting how to develop that source.

Thanks for the info on The Raunt. Definitely an indicator of a different time.. just a stop for fisherman.. wow!

There was another stop just for fisherman on a different branch. Does anyone know what it was?

Actually there were 2 unique fisherman's stops: (1) Montauk Fisherman's Pier about a half mile west of the Montauk station at the northwest corner of the yard; and (2) Canoe Place at the Shinnecock Canal bridge!

Fisherman's Special - (1932–1973) which ran from Long Island City to Canoe Place Station and Montauk via Jamaica. April through October train with service terminating at Canoe Place station in April, and then extended on to Montauk in May. Served Long Island fishing trade.


LIRR #1611 E-6s 4-4-2 "Fish Train" westbound at Shinnecock Canal 1940

Canoe Place was a low cinder platform station stop, in service: 1935 –1953 for the “FISHERMAN’S SPECIAL” trains, along the Montauk Branch on the southeast side of the Shinnecock Canal. While the station was located between Hampton Bays and Suffolk Downs, to be more specific, it was located a short hop, skip and jump east of the "K4 Bridge" over the Shinnecock Canal, south side of the tracks, east of the bridge. Info: Dave Keller



I was selling Fisherman's Specials at Jamaica as late as 1973, but they went to Captree, via Babylon. I don't recall the last time these specials went far east. Info: Brad Phillips

The other interesting thing that they had over the years were the fishermen’s trains. This gained renown very early because of the idea of being able to go out all day on a fishing journey and this was particularly true for Southampton where you had a special fishermen’s train leaving New York and Jamaica very early in the morning—6:30 in the morning—and getting out here very quickly and, of course, you would change to the boat very quickly and spend the rest of the day fishing. It became very popular. It lasted until very, very recently. They would also take care of your catch by icing it for you and having all kinds of large containers to bring back your catch if you had been successful. So, the railroad over the years has tried to accommodate that type of service as far as possible. Research: Vincent Seyfried


Penn Station to Montauk "Going Fishing" print c.1930 Rudolph Hoffman

Canoe Place 1953