Atlantic Avenue Brooklyn Terminal

FBA trackside didn't look like that when I worked there in 1972!

DK

Hi Robertwa,

Thanks for the info. Looks like if I wanted to ride the NYC subways today I would definitely need a station map. Lots of changes since I left Far Rockaway, and Brooklyn (Brownsville).

Hey, pennsy! I believe the numbers were flipped about a dozen or so years ago, whereby the New Lots Ave Line is the #3 and the #2 and #5 (rush hours only) are the Flatbush Avenue trains. Also, you would be immpressed by the automated announcements made on the new hi-tech trains in use on the #2 and #4 lines (#4 being the Lex Ave Exp that terminates at Utica Avenue).

BTW, the privately-owned subway car that was switched onto the LIRR tracks at Atlantic Avenue was most likely "The Mineola" the car owned by IRT founder August Belmont (and the guy with the racetrack named after him). Belmont was also one of the principals behind the LIRR, hence the track connection.

This is one guy who should know!

So Doug, what's the verdict? Did that connection between the LIRR and IRT ever have any tracks on it?


Art Huneke's site has this picture from 1908, which shows the connection - but no tracks.

when I first hired on, there was a track leading from the north end of the subway platform, into the LIRR area.That would be what the LIRR considers the west end of the platform. The switch and track were still in place, but after a few feet were covered by a newstand. You could see where it hooked up to the LIRR on what was then track 1 in Brooklyn. Since then, the tracks were re-numbered, and track 1 is now on the opposite side of the station. The switch and track have since been taken out, but it was still in place in 1973.

I was under the impression that the RR had plans of running into lower Manhattan via the subway at Flatbush. That is why the early LIRR MUs were similar to the subway cars so they would fit in the tunnels. I’m sure I read it in a book on either the subway or the RR.

Crabman1130 you deserve a Seegar!

That is indeed correct. The MP-41 was a Gibbs car which was similar to the IRT cars at that time...with one odd exception: the couplers that the MP-41 used was a Van Dorn and the IRT used a different coupler altogehter (name escapes me at the moment). The Van Dorn was still used at that time on the old El cars of the BRT/BMT system, which probably explains why the LIRR was able to couple up to and venture over the Brooklyn system via the Williamsburg Bridge into Manhattan (prior to Penn Station service).

So Doug, what's the verdict? Did that connection between the LIRR and IRT ever have any tracks on it?

Bob, as you know there is no "smoking gun" to give 100% proof on the existance and/or use of the connecting track. Sure the switch and connecting track was most likely there but was it ever USED??? That's the real question we all want answered.

Steve K (aka TunnelRat) claims that years ago the original LIRR tower at Flatbush had the control over the interlocking of the IRT at Atlantic Avenue, which would make sense (Class One RR having precedence over a rapid transit line).

Your guess is as good as mine, or anyone else, in this area, but I lean in the camp of those who believe it was used if only by the Mineola and no other equipment. That's a more plausible scenario.

Next time I am in brooklyn, I will take a photo or 2 of where the switch was, and where the track went in. I go down there once in awhile to go to guitar center, I am trying to learn how to play. It also gives me an excuse to stop in and say hello.

-there are lots of "connection" stories. The first LIRR mu cars were made subway-size, so they could transfer to the IRT at Atlantic Ave terminal and go into lower Manhattan. But did they ever go? Probably not.
-another story -- August Belmont, President of the Interborough, had his own private car "Mineola" (preserved, sort of, at Branford Trolley Museum) Did he ever take it out for a spin to the races at Belmont Park, via the IRT and LIRR through Atlantic Ave. Probably not.
-for the history of the terminal and the connecting track, consult the invaluable collection of LIRR lore on Arrt's Arrchives http://arrts-arrchives
It's a marvellous read.

Roger

Ok, in the picture below, which i copied from arrts-arrchives, there is a blue transit signal, or storage box. Beyond the blue box, there is a yellow railing on the west, or north end of the subway platform, depending on your perspective. Beyond that yellow railing was a switch, which led into flatbush ave station. the track followed to the right of the picture, along the tile wall, then went behind the wood wall on the right. All that was visible in 1973. Last time I looked, in october, it was gone. As I said, next time I am down there, i will show you by pictures where it was.

Due to the renovation to the station in the last few years, the whole ROW of the connection has been sealed off and tiled over. You can't really see anything anymore.

RetiredLIRRConductor wrote:FBA Brooklyn

Hey, that's my photo. In the future, could you please link to my photos on my site and not upload them to your personal photobucket account, thereby implying that you were the photographer (since you did not give me any credit)? That way people will know the appropriate source of the shot (me). You can also hotlink from my gallery, I don't mind.

LIengineerBob wrote:It's nothing fancy at all, and looks just like any other underground New York City railroad/subway terminal. You'll definatly be underwhelmed by what you see at the LIRR portion of the Atlantic complex.

I disagree. Since the terminal has been refurbished in the last couple years, it looks completely different and much nicer, as you can see in my photo in this thread. It no longer looks like "any underground terminal", it now looks pretty nice. It lost that "no one cares" look.

yeah usually I do that, as with the arts-archives photo, will do