Twelve coaches plus two DM's

Yesterday, Thursday, June 30, 2005, I caught Train 1052 the 4:12, Penn Station express to Merrick, terminating at Massapequa Park. While we stopped a minute at no-stop Jamaica, I saw a diesel train pull out. We used the Atlantic Branch to Valley and let perhaps the same diesel train fly past. Maybe I erred, but I counted a DM, twelve coaches, and a DM. Presumably that was train 2710, Hunterspoint to Montauk (first stop, Westhampton). Could I have been right, twelve cars?
We continued to wait at Valley, and hot on the tail of the Montauk train were twelve M-1s, M-3s, presumably train 140, which left Penn at 4:04, making all stops to Jamaica, then racing behind the Montauk train to deliver passengers to Amityville thru Babylon. We crossed over behind 140 and did top speed to Merrick. I minded getting held at Valley, but I must admit it shows smart scheduling.

I'm pretty sure that was that train to Montauk, first stop Westhampton.

This afternoon, July 1, the 4:06 out of Hunterspoint, 4:25 out of Jamaica (Westhampton first stop) came through Massapequa at 4:53, with 522 leading, then 12 coaches, and 518 on the west end. Two minutes later, Train 140 sped by, but today it was ten-car, probably because equipment was moved to an earlier train.

Hi,
Nimby you are correct!!!!
Today(Friday) was Westhampton stacked up with cars waiting for people to detrain! couldn't catch the engine numbers but I counted 12 cars. Traffic was backed down Depot Road like anything!
*** Plus traffic on Montauk Hwy is not a bargain either***
Chris's low carb rail reports

All together ... say T H E C A N N O N B A L L

When the Cannonball has 12 cars which will be the norm on Friday's through Labor Day it has to "double stop" at it's stations, as the platforms can not line up with all 12 cars.

Westhampton Station is more of a bottleneck this year as the lot near the high level platforms was paved (LONG over-due), but the dirt road that many people used to get to Route 31 has been closed off forcing all traffic onto Depot Road. The traffic light at Montauk Highway and Depot Road way over favors Montauk Highway causing worse backups. Add to this that many North Fork people use the Westhampton Station owing to the very poor Greenport Service provided by the LIRR.

Funny thing is the LIRR adds all these extra cars to the Cannonball, runs 2 extra Friday Only trains to Montauk, extends the Speonk DM to Montauk on Fridays and yes they even give the Greenport Branch an extra Friday train (that gives us a whopping 3 trains to Greenport on Fridays, can you stand it!), and yet when we on the East End scream for more regular year round service one of the things we always hear is, "we don't have the equipment".

Ken

This Friday, Saturday Im going railfanning I want to know what time will the DE/DM's pass Lynbrook. I like to hear the horns on them . Last Saturday and Sunday I catch this DE30 train pass by lynbrook at 3:10 - 3:20. Last Saturday I caught 406 and last Sunday I caught 418. and I want to catch more.

Get to lynbrook no later then 4pm

this way you have time to spare.