Pictures from Riverhead (4-06-06)

I took these pictures earlier today.

Hope you enjoy

Part 1
Part 2


I do have a few questions:

What's a keying device used for?



What is this and what does LD stand for? What's the W?

The "W" is the venerable and universal signal to the engineer to "blow the Whistle" (or horn) as a grade crossing is approaching. I'll leave it to the LIRR guys to explain "keying device" and "LD".

The keying device is for use with a high security key which "keys up" the crossing gates when trains turn (change direction) on the mainline at this location. The LD sign stands for LD Block Limit, a location on the railroad where trains can be controlled from traffic wise. Exactly what the LD stands for, I'm not sure, but historically the initials of block limits stand for local town names or people's initials. They usually date all the way back to the bginning of the railroad in the 1800's.

from Dave Keller's website

“LD” BLOCK LIMIT STATION RIVERHEAD (NEW c. 1987)

LD = Larry Dixon. Riverhead's block-limit was once RH.

Joe

emfinite wrote:LD = Larry Dixon. Riverhead's block-limit was once RH.

Joe

Any backround info on Larry Dixon?

Looking at the photos under the "part 2" link I noticed that the "scoot" only had one passenger car. Is this a regular occurance? Last time Was out that way the scoot had a cab car and a trailer car. If this set up of just a cab car and locomotive is a regular thing now, when did they start doing this?

Been like that for about 2-3 weeks now. When i rode 3 weeks ago it was the single car and a cab car, altho almost always only one car is open for riding.

I believe Larry Dixon was a former employee of the signal department.

Jay

Larry Dixon was Superintendant-Transportation. When I hired on in 1973, it was a person named J.C. Valder. Larry Dixon took over in the mid to late 70's and retired sometime in the 80's. The Block limit was renamed in his honor. Mr. Dixon was well liked by the Conductors, a man that actually came up through the ranks. Mr. Dixon was known as a fair man. That is he was fair and just in handing out disipline.

The scoot will probably go back to two cars during the warmer months. Did you know that all the stations east of Ronkonkoma only hold 1 car?

Larry Dixon was the ruff and gruff Supt. that lived and breathed the LIRR. His office was right next to the Movement Bureau (when it was on the third floor).

From his window he had a birds eye view of all of "D" yard and station tracks 1 and 2. I was a brand new clerk and had to bring him in the daily log (everything that had transpired on the RR) every morning.

He found out I was selling some LIRR art for an artist friend of mine and called me into his office. I figured I was gonna get in trouble. "Whatya got kid?" he asked me. I figured I was doomed. Instead, he bought one of everything and insisted that I take the money.

And he was never prouder than when they named "LD" after him. One of the last oldtimer RR guys, talk to anybody that dealt with him during his tenure and they'll keep you entertained for hours.

Nice story

The Key device is also used by the midday scoot that only runs to and from Riverhead. The crossing gates just past the station would stay down
for the entire time the scoot dwells at Riverhead (about 45 minutes), unless turned off. Granted if service east of KO had more than 1 trainset, this scoot could serve the entire line.

As for the single car, it has been that way for about a month. The Sunday evening run out of Greenport (6:17 PM) already needs the 2nd car, this is a designated "bike train", and this past Sunday it was SRO after leaving Mattituck.

The platforms out here can handle the 2nd car, BUT only 1 door on the 2nd car can be used.

As for buisness out here, Hampton Jitney would not have paid $15 millon for the Sunrise Bus Company, if there was no demand.

The LIRR remains clueless when it comes to the needs of the East End.

Ken

Kuzzel: Good pictures! Did you go to the RMLI site and was there anyone working on any equipment? Their newest acquisition the 399 is clearly visible in one shot. The LIRR has done a good job on renovating the Riverhead depot. Does anyone remember when Railroad Street used to be Riverhead's "skid row?" There used to be a liquor store-now gone,I believe-across from the RR station where the winos would get their liquor-they would hang around the rail and nearby and drink-I recall a nearby empty lot was strewn with bottles and cans. It looks so much more pleasant now and with RMLI it has improved. Peconic-I totally agree-the LIRR needs to address EE service in some way. I think the GPT scoot as run now is such a waste-some kind of DMU technology should have been used for just the GPT line alone. As for high level platforms whenever I ride the GPT line and see stations like Southold I realize how unnecessary they were. As you said about the bus companies just look at ST route S92-sometime running like sardine cans as an example. Just utilizing maybe two sets of equipment and crews can sharply increase the amount of trains run-and hopefully patronage will respond. ..Just my opinions and comments...MACTRAXX

MACTRAXX wrote:Kuzzel: Good pictures! Did you go to the RMLI site and was there anyone working on any equipment? Their newest acquisition the 399 is clearly visible in one shot.

There were some people working over there. They were lifting something. I didn't get a good look though.


These were the first railfan photos I've taken.