Question about an old Track I've noticed at St Albans stop

HI All,

I recently started working in NYC and I have been taking the LIRR to work everyday. I find trains very interesting and I love their history. My question though revolves around what appears to be an abandoned track that extends off of the St Albans LIRR station. The track is clearly not used since it is fenced off and leads to nowhere. I was curious as to the history of that track? Was that an LIRR track at one point? Where did it lead? Is anyone familiar with this?

Thanks,
Avidprime

I don't know if it's too far south to be a part of the Hillside Maintanence Facility. According to my hagstrom, there IS a connection from that line just north of St. Albans into the yard. The fact that there is a fence there makes it seem all the more so.

Are talking about the elevated freight track on the south side right at the station? There is a VA hospital at St Albans, that track is were coal used to be delivered for the hospital's power plant.

NIMBYkiller wrote:I don't know if it's too far south to be a part of the Hillside Maintanence Facility. According to my hagstrom, there IS a connection from that line just north of St. Albans into the yard. The fact that there is a fence there makes it seem all the more so.

Theres a connection north of st albans on montauk #1 in to holban yard... I don't know if it goes in to HMC as well.

I'll go along with Bluebelly and cast my vote for the old VA hospital coal siding.

Dave Keller

I think that's what he means, also. I've wondered about that track myself.

Off of #1 track? Must be referring to the St. Albans lead, which still gets lots of use. And yes, it does to to HSF. The yard beyond the lead at ground level is a MofW yard known as Dunkirk. Continuing down the lead is what is known today as Holban, which is now mostly paved over, but you can see where there used to be lots of tracks, including ones that lead to the paint factory, the post office and others along side #1 track south of Liberty Ave. This is the only siding left between Valley and Hall, Montauk Branch.

VA hospital and what used to be Brooklyn Waterworks is off of #2 track. There are other remnants of sidings visible this time of year, but those just mentioned were the biggies...