MTA LIRR Double Track Project - Ronkonkoma to Farmingdale

[MattAmity90]

Let me know if anyone has pictures of the work they did at the crossings because I know they redid them, but I really want evidence that they laid the second track in between the Ocean and Pond.

[mwichten]

Matt, no second track yet at Pond Road or Ocean Avenue crossings.

[Train2009]

Matt, no second track yet at Pond Road or Ocean Avenue crossings.

As per Traintalk on LIRR's website: "Work related to the installation of a second track on the Ronkonkoma Branch will mean busing between Ronkonkoma and Central Islip for 24 hours on Saturday, November 7" which is in 6 days.

[mwichten]

With the time change I was able to take a better look in the daylight. New footing for the crossing signal poured on north side at Pond. The section of panel track used for the publicity photo is still there. New continuous rail laying on the north side as well. Let's see what this weekend and the work session bring.

[MattAmity90]

With the time change I was able to take a better look in the daylight. New footing for the crossing signal poured on north side at Pond. The section of panel track used for the publicity photo is still there. New continuous rail laying on the north side as well. Let's see what this weekend and the work session bring.

Surprised they didn't put a new concrete footing for a new signal at Ocean Avenue. I have a feeling that after that, they will lay down the new track in between the crossings and a good portion to the West of Ocean. According to their Facebook page, they did work at the Ocean and Pond crossings. Either way, I can't wait to hear what they did this weekend!

[MattAmity90]

Just saw pictures of work trains hauling stretches of new track with concrete ties in place. Looked like a magnet crane was on it.

[mwichten]

Matt,

I went over the Pond Road crossing today and the second track is in. Just he short section for the crossing, nothing else. It must have been put in within the last week because I last rode he train on the 16th and the new crossing signal was still being assembled. When I came home I went over the Ocean Ave crossing and still no sign of anything.

[mwichten]

Matt, there are prefabricated tie sections laid out on the north side of the tracks west of Ocean Ave that go for a good stretch of the way toward Connetquot state park. Once you get closer to the park there is still a lot of grading work to be done.

[keyboardkat]

Why do they keep calling it the Ronkonkoma Branch? It's not a branch, it' the Main Line, and a lot of trains happen to terminate at Ronkonkoma. Maybe all those folks who crawl out from under the porches periodically to ride the trains are incapable of grasping that simple concept, but there it is, just the same.

[Engine 277]

people who work for the Railroad call it the Ronkonkoma branch too. Because the Electrics terminate at Ronkonkoma. Same with the Babylon Branch because electric service ends there. Funny how very few Call it the huntington branch because electrics end there. They usually call it the Port Jeff Branch.

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[keyboardkat]

I know. And they didn't call the first mile or so of the Oyster Bay Branch the "East Williston Branch" because the electrification ended there, either.
Words have ceased to have any meaning. And suppose the electrification were extended on any of these lines, then what would they do? Metro North doesn't call the Harlem Division the "White Plains Branch" because much of the service terminates there. Nor does it call the New Haven Line "The Stamford Branch," even though in the old days most MU trains terminated there. You get the idea.
It's really, I think, for public consumption, to make it easier for people to identify their trains on the way home east.
After all, what did the "Lower Montauk" have to do with Montauk, either? It was served by two trains each way a day. They were Oyster Bay trains.

[Head-end View]

Keyboardkat, give it up dude! LOL The official public branch timetable published by the LIRR says Ronkonkoma Branch Timetable on it. Since that's the Railroad's offficial publication, you really can't argue with it...... even though it is actually the Main-Line.

[Crabman1130]

Most people think the Main Line is the Montauk branch.

[Head-end View]

And (LOL) the actual Montauk Branch is popularly known as the Babylon Branch, at least in the electrified section. And again the official LIRR public timetable does call it the Babylon Branch.

[MACTRAXX]

Everyone:

I noticed the recent argument over LIRR branch names and I will add this:

The LIRR has used the current branch names since at least May 1974 - when the current type branch timetables began to be issued.

In 1983 the Eastern Long Island timetable was split up creating the Montauk Branch timetable and adding Ronkonkoma-Greenport service
to the Ronkonkoma Branch timetable - which began to carry this added caption "INCLUDES SERVICE TO GREENPORT" in its title and the line
map was then changed to show all Main Line stations as part of this change.

Even though "Greenport Branch" would be accurate the LIRR has not used this title - and for that matter "Huntington Branch" for the PJ
electrified line segment even though I noticed it is referred to in this manner sometimes...

Getting back on topic track - I would like to see for myself how the progress of the second track is coming along between Ronkonkoma
and Central Islip and I will take note of anything of significance that stands out in the coming weeks...

MACTRAXX