Manual switch on the Long Beach?

Over on the LI Oddities board, some one mentioned that they remember the conductor(probably really some other train crew member) getting off the train to throw a switch to get over the draw bridge in the late 90's. Now, obviously these guys aint RR experts, but what else could the train crew be getting off the train for all the time?

Can anyone else back this up?

Definitely true as of a few years back. When arriving at Long Beach, someone would need to jump out of the train and throw as many as three manual switches in order to get the train onto certain tracks.

When commuting every day back in 1988-89 this could feel like it was adding an eternity onto the trip. I eventually bailed on the LIRR and started taking the N33 to the A train. Cost less, and was faster to my office downtown. Plus, no manual switches!

I don't know if this is still done or if the switches are now done remotely. When I rode to Long Beach a few weeks ago, nobody had to jump out and throw the switches. I was disappointed.

The Long Beach yard is still non-interlocked, however it contains turnouts outfitted with power operated US&S EY-2000 trailable switch machines. I do not know who controls these switches but I would guess the operator at LEAD.

The switches that lead to the station tracks are controlled by the tower so passengers don't have to wait while the crew lines the yard. The switches to the lay up tracks still have to be lined by a crew member.

Thanks Bluebelly and Jersey Mike.

Circa 1989, even the passenger tracks had manual switches.

Does anyone know about when the electronic switches (and tower control) were installed?

Port Washington was all manual till the mid to late 90's. The conductor would throw the switch(es) as needed... I remember standing on the southern end of the platform watching this.

-Barry

Thanks for all the info guys!

Barry, I never had any idea that PW used to be manual switches in the 90's. That's pretty cool. I'll have to ask my mom if she remembers that.
Oh, and BTW, I had pusher 81 today on the afternoon run today. I don't know if it did the morning run too, b/c I got driven in. I was hopping it'd be you in 81, but obviously it wasn't.

That's something I didn't know about the Long Beach Branch. I had assumed (wrongly) that all switches were automate. Ah, the good ol' hand throw to see how strong your arm (or back) is!

Ungggghhhhhhhh!



Dave Keller

Great shot, Dave! I couldn't have illustrated it better myself!

NIMBY-
I'll look and see if I have a photo of a conductor throwing a switch in PW. I might, but I might not because they always did it that way...

Also, they let someone else drive my bus??? I'm sick, the flu... thats what I get for filling up vending machines in a doctors office... Did he use the airhorn? Thats my signature, everyone knows that, lol.

-Barry

The switches on the secondary are pretty easy to do....I mean...I never switched the tracks....uh, uh......


Barry- He didn't use the horn. The ride was really fun, especially down Campus cuz of the speed bumps.

A shot from SG cabin in Brentwood. See I have good memories from your book Dave. Thanks for posting for all of us.

You're quite welcome, Neil!

Dave

I've been unable to substantiate local rumors, either at the NYAR Forum or Fresh Pond, but more than a couple of Oceanside/E. Rock residents I spoke to expect Lowe's Hardware to be moving onto the old Gulf Oil property in Island Park.

Although everyone is aware of the lack of major road access or a decent number of retail outlets, they insist that one of the major sales points for Lowe's was rail access......

I recently walked the property (w/o trespassing....Emfinite), the gate was monitored by a C.C. camera and they seem to be in the process of removing contaminated soil by barge, but I didn't see any evidence of the old spur.

Has anyone heard anything about this????