by BMT
Some of you guys were probably not aware that the Transit Museum co-sponsored a special IND R-9 excursion train trip to Rockaway Park with Gateway National Park (Dept of Interior) last Sunday. The R-9 cars date back to the 1930's.
The consist picked up passengers at 59th Street & 8th Ave ('A' line) and took them down to the Transit Museum at Court & Schermerhorn Streets. More riders boarded there, after which the train made a terrific run over the Raunt and out to Rockaway park where buses took some of the riders to Riis Park's main visitor center (old bath house). There a Park RAnger gave the visitors a projected digital slideshow on the history of rail transportation in the Rockaways. Many of the slides were from lirrhistory.com, but others I did not recognize. The Ranger was familiar with the topic, but not on the specifics such as the MP-41 or things involving joint LIRR-BRT services out to the Rockaways after the arrival of electric traction.
Afterwards, the group got a general tour of the beach and a lecture about the larger strucutures that were made to mimic Jones Beach (on a smaller scale). The topic of Robert Moses obviously dominated the tour, and the group was quite lively.
All in all, a good lecture and tour, with enough local history to please even the non-railfans in the group.
If this becomes an annual event, it will get posted in the Events section.
BTW, the R-9 cars ran like NEW! The restoration crew at 207th Street Yards should be commended for a job well done!
The consist picked up passengers at 59th Street & 8th Ave ('A' line) and took them down to the Transit Museum at Court & Schermerhorn Streets. More riders boarded there, after which the train made a terrific run over the Raunt and out to Rockaway park where buses took some of the riders to Riis Park's main visitor center (old bath house). There a Park RAnger gave the visitors a projected digital slideshow on the history of rail transportation in the Rockaways. Many of the slides were from lirrhistory.com, but others I did not recognize. The Ranger was familiar with the topic, but not on the specifics such as the MP-41 or things involving joint LIRR-BRT services out to the Rockaways after the arrival of electric traction.
Afterwards, the group got a general tour of the beach and a lecture about the larger strucutures that were made to mimic Jones Beach (on a smaller scale). The topic of Robert Moses obviously dominated the tour, and the group was quite lively.
All in all, a good lecture and tour, with enough local history to please even the non-railfans in the group.
If this becomes an annual event, it will get posted in the Events section.
BTW, the R-9 cars ran like NEW! The restoration crew at 207th Street Yards should be commended for a job well done!
