The remains of the connection can be seen in the right side (eastbound) tunnel between Flatbush Terminal and Nostrand just before it goes above ground to the viaduct at Nostrand.
Here is a clip from one of the Viddler Cab Ride videos a few years back. Yeah I know, i'ts a lousy clip but the branch off can be clearly? (yeah right!) seen at the right with the Nostrand portal about 1/2 to maybe 1/3? mile ahead. It opens up more ahead.
ConnectionAtNostrand.jpg
I was riding in the cab (heh) of a MP54 in the 50's through here and asked the engineer where that went. His answer was "It used to go to the beach near Coney Island 20 or so years ago. No More," he said as he added a notch of power for the climb out of the tunnel. This trains is a pig, 6 cars but only 4 powered."
Great guy he was, always full of LIRR history. Only name I ever heard was Jim. May he Rest in Peace.
The Videos:
These Viddler Videos were made by a retired LIRR Engineer or Conductor and I have copies of all 5 of them, cab rides in an M1 to/from various locations.
As I and several others on this discussion board are dedicated to preserving LIRR history I'd like to hand these videos over to a place of safekeeping but I'm not sure of the legal status. Of course they part of the historic record AND released as freeware on the public net. I have not been able to locate any copies on the net.
Advice please? They run from 200 to 400 or so megabytes each.
Babylon - Jamaica - 409mb
Hempstead - Brooklyn 203mb
Brooklyn - Babylon 223mb - this one shows the tunnel connection to Manhattan Beach.
Jamaica - Ronkonkoma 254mb
Ronkonkoma - Jamaica.240mb
The videos run real time station to station.
regards,
vince