ACTIVITY on GC-Mitchell Field Secondary

On my way home through Garden City last night, I stumbled upon a train laid up on the GC-Mitchell Field Secondary (which is also used for the Circus Train now). My first thought (and hope) was that they might be doing some testing in consideration of re-opening the line at some time in the future. However, as I continued through Garden City, I noticed that the crossing on Franklin was blocked off, which leads me to believe that is was probably some kind of signal failure. Either way, it was a cool sight to see, and I have some pictures below. Did anyone hear anything about this?

Here are a few more pictures

Trackwork Garden to Hempstead, trains terminated/originated at Garden City and spun on short electrified portion of the secondary.

They were doing trackwork on the single track between Garden and Hempstead

It also looked like the signal department was replacing a gate at Franklin Ave.

Lots of work going on around the RR.

Wonder when the last time there was an MU on the secondary besides the track work time now? Mitchell Field shuttle time?

BobLI wrote:Wonder when the last time there was an MU on the secondary besides the track work time now? Mitchell Field shuttle time?

Bob: The Farewell to the M1 fantrip used that rare stretch of track a few years back...
The electrified section of the G-M secondary was one of the stops we had on that trip.

MACTRAXX

If I remember correctly, during the Queens Interlocking project about 10 years ago they had one of the PM rush hour trains turn on the Secondary during the summer.

MACTRAXX wrote:

BobLI wrote:Wonder when the last time there was an MU on the secondary besides the track work time now? Mitchell Field shuttle time?

Bob: The Farewell to the M1 fantrip used that rare stretch of track a few years back...
The electrified section of the G-M secondary was one of the stops we had on that trip.MACTRAXX

http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/lirrfa ... ntrips.htm
Farewell trip 80% down the page.


M1-farewell logo LIST 11-04-06 Courtesy: Robert Andersen

I could have sworn that I remember seeing an M1 or M3 turning on that stretch about 8 years ago during the day, but that could also just be my imagination working very vividly...

I seem to remember the secondary being used too and I grew up in the 90's....probably just my imagination as well