LIRR facilities decorated for Christmas

[nyandw]

It had heard the LIRR had a kind of friendly competition among stations & towers as to who could come up with the most elaborate designs.

Is this true? Do any photographs still exist of some of these decorations?
Additionally, when did this neat practice come to an end? Thanks.

[scopelliti]

I rode the Hempstead branch from 1963 to 1966 and remember a Christmas decoration competition between the stations along the way.

I also remember a nativity scene at Hall Tower that apparently lasted one day. I know I've seen a photo.. perhaps in one of the LIRR books? Discussion elsewhere on this forum.

[RGlueck]

During the 60's, railroad employees constructed a plywood nativity scene at Hall tower. Passengers who viewed it included people who objected on religious or atheistic grounds -objected loudly- and the track department was ordered to take it down or risk involving the LIRR in legal action.

[hotbike]

Nassau Tower used to have a light-up plastic Santa Claus face visible from the platforms. I know I have (or had) a picture of it, but I'm not digging for it now.

[nyandw]

I rode the Hempstead branch from 1963 to 1966 and remember a Christmas decoration competition between the stations along the way.I also remember a nativity scene at Hall Tower that apparently lasted one day. I know I've seen a photo.. perhaps in one of the LIRR books? Discussion elsewhere on this forum.

Anyone with this photo?

[fender52]

In the 70's and maybe the early 80's, the Agent or Clerk was allowed to spend $5 or $10 for Christmas decorations. The money was taken from the Agent's petty cash fund. (Each agency had a fund for making keys, postage, etc.)

Some of the Agents/Clerks were very creative in what they did and some bought decorations on their own.

I don't remember the contest. It may have stopped before I came on.

[LB]

Steve, here's an E-Bay photo of Stewart Manor 26 DEC 63 (for educational purposes)
https://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s4 ... tibkrb.jpg

A few other's:
Hicksville 1961
http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s48 ... ed6c71.jpg

Malverne 2003
https://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s4 ... ppgwni.jpg
https://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s4 ... hvtrkp.jpg

Inwood 2004
https://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s4 ... aizsib.jpg

[nyandw]

Thank you, LB...

[scopelliti]

I found it! Went through all my LIRR books (and there are a lot of them!) and found the nativity scene photo in Steel Rails to the Sunrise by Ron Zeil and George Foster. Hope I'm not violating any copyrights... This was Christmas 1963 at Hall Tower.

Christmas 1963 at Hall Tower.jpg (48.75 KiB) Viewed 2406 times

[Kelly&Kelly]

The Christmas Nativity appeared at Hall for over fifteen years. It was displayed by the signal maintainers, with the blessing and support of management.

[nyandw]

The Christmas Nativity appeared at Hall for over fifteen years. It was displayed by the signal maintainers, with the blessing and support of management.

Thank you...

[fender52]

It occurs to me after reading these and jogging my memory that the cause of Plandome burning down, Jan.1?, forget the year, was the kids setting fire to the Christmas decorations in the waiting room. I was there that day with another manager and when everything was done, B&B just pushed the ticket office safe off the waiting room area down to the parking lot. Believe it or not, we were able to open it and just about everything was in good shape.

After that, there was a ban on natural decorations in the waiting rooms and offices.

[MACTRAXX]

F52: I found some information about Plandome Station - the fire occurred in January 1987.
The building was rebuilt by 1990. What made Plandome significant at the time of the replacement is that
Plandome was the fifth station (after the four Hicksville-Ronkonkoma Electrification stations: Wyandanch,
Deer Park, Brentwood and Central Islip) where a staffed ticket office was replaced by two ticket machines.
The Plandome waiting room was opened and closed with automatic locks along with alarm protection.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plandome_station

What I never knew was that the Plandome waiting room Christmas decorations are what fueled the 1987
station fire and that it led to a ban on "real" decorations such as trees and wreaths. The trouble with real
trees and decorations is that they have a short time period for use before they dry out becoming a fire
hazard. With artificial decorations they can be left on display for as long as one would like...MACTRAXX