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Copyright © 2001-2010 Arthur John Huneke
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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THE ORIGINAL MANHATTAN BEACH JUNCTION TOWER WAS BUILT CIRCA 1885 AND WAS LAST LISTED IN THE EMPLOYE TIME TABLE AND C. R. 4 OF 1903. go to ----> THE FIRST MANHATTAN BEACH JUNCTION TOWER A DECEMBER 1, 1906 GENERAL NOTICE LISTS TELEGRAPH OFFICES WHICH ARE TRAIN ORDER OFFICES AND TRAIN REPORTING OFFICES. MANHATTAN BEACH JUNCTION APPEARS ON BOTH LISTS. GENERAL ORDER NUMBER 31 DATED MAY 17, 1906 ESTABLISHED AN ABSOLUTE TELEGRAPHIC BLOCK BETWEEN MANHATTAN BEACH JUNCTION AND PARKVILLE ON THE BAY RIDGE DIVISION EFFECTIVE MAY 21 THROUGH 26 AND JUNE 7 THROUGH 20. ON THOSE DATES RACES WERE RUN AT CONEY ISLAND JOCKEY CLUB AND LONG ISLAND TRAINS RAN THERE VIA THE PROSPECT PARK & CONEY ISLAND RAIL ROAD FROM PARKVILLE. THESE BLUEPRINTS SHOW THE TRACK LAYOUT CIRCA 1915. NOTE THE 1885 BRICK TOWER - STILL THERE BUT OUT OF SERVICE. |
M J TOWER
MANHATTAN BEACH JUNCTION
THIS IS A GENERAL RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY (G. R. S.) TYPE B ELECTRO - MECHANICAL MACHINE
THE MODEL BOARD CALLS THE TOWER "MB"
1927 LOOKING TOWARD BAY RIDGE - CATENARY IS BEING STRUNG
THE BRIDGES ARE OCEAN AVENUE, THE STATION FOOTBRIDGE AND THE BRIGHTON LINE
1927 LOOKING TOWARD NO - CATENARY IS BEING STRUNG
A LONG ISLAND WORK TRAIN AND A NEW HAVEN FREIGHT
1927 LOOKING TOWARD NO - CATENARY HAS BEEN STRUNG
IN 1938 THE TOWER HAD A KEYSTONE "BEDFORD" SIGN
1938 OCEAN PARKWAY BRIDGE AND DISTANT SIGNAL "2D" - LATER COLOR LIGHT SIGNAL "B128"
SINCERE THANKS TO AL BRECKEN FOR THIS 1917 G. R. S. TRACK PLAN
IN 1927 THE INTERLOCKING WAS DRASTICALLY CHANGED
UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY DREW UP THIS PLAN
SINCERE THANKS TO AL BRECKEN FOR THIS PLAN.
TO ENTER THE MANHATTAN BEACH BRANCH A TRAIN HAD TO MAKE
A REVERSE MOVE (PASSENGER SERVICE HAD ENDED IN 1924)
A CLOSE UP VIEW OF SIGNALS AND SWITCHES
1945 INTERLOCKING PLAN
BEDFORD TOWER WAS CLOSED IN 1949 - IN 1985 THE FOUNDATION WAS STILL THERE
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ON MARCH 2, 1966 NUMBER TWO TRACK WAS REMOVED FOR THE INSTALLATION BY BUCKEYE OF A PIPELINE TO SUPPLY JET FUEL TO KENNEDY AIRPORT. A TEMPORARY BLOCK STATION, "BEDFORD" - WITHOUT FIXED SIGNALS - WAS ESTABLISHED AND MANNED FROM 7:00 A.M. UNTIL 11:00 P.M. NUMBER ONE TRACK BECAME A SECONDARY TRACK OF NO ASSIGNED DIRECTION WITH MANUAL BLOCK RULES IN EFFECT. |
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ON APRIL 4, 1966 BEDFORD TEMPORARY BLOCK STATION WAS REMOVED FROM SERVICE. REMOTE CONTROLLED (FROM FREMONT) BLOCK STATIONS BEDFORD AND BAY WERE CREATED WITH POSITION LIGHT SIGNALS AND SPRING SWITCHES. |
MANY THANKS TO DICK MAKSE FOR THESE SIX 1968 PHOTOS AND FOR CORRECTING SOME MISINFORMATION
SIGNAL "2L" AND BEDFORD TOWER'S FOUNDATION IN 1968
"BEDFORD" BLOCK STATION
SIGNAL NUMBER FOUR, OCEAN AVENUE BRIDGE AND SPRING SWITCH NUMBER "119 SS"
OCEAN AVENUE BRIDGE - THE TRACK AT LEFT ENTERS A HIGH TENSION
DEPARTMENT OFFICE AREA AND STOREROOM FOR THEIR LINE CAR/S
"BAY" - SIGNAL "2R" AND SPRING SWITCH NUMBER "141 SS" LOOKING EAST TOWARD NEW UTRECHT
AVENUE AND BOB EMERY. WE BELIEVE THE LOW HOME SIGNAL AT LEFT WAS PERMANENTLY AT "STOP".
AN "APPROACH" ON SIGNAL "2R" IS A "CLEAR BLOCK"
"BAY" - SIGNAL "2R" LOOKING WEST TOWARD BAY RIDGE
THE FORMER SIGNAL "2L" AND BEDFORD TOWER'S FOUNDATION IN 1985
go to ----> THE FIRST MANHATTAN BEACH JUNCTION TOWER
go to ----> THE NEW YORK AND MANHATTAN BEACH RAILWAY PART ONE
go to ----> THE NEW YORK AND MANHATTAN BEACH RAILWAY PART THREE
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