ARRT'S   ARRCHIVES




Copyright © 2001-2005 Arthur John Huneke
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED



ONE   HUNDRED   YEARS

THE LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD

1905   -   ELECTRIFICATION   -  2005



ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO THE LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD WAS IN THE FINAL STAGES OF ELECTRIFICATION:

        THIRD RAIL WAS BEING INSTALLED

        THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD'S LONG ISLAND CITY POWER HOUSE WAS IN SERVICE

        SUBSTATIONS WERE BEING COMPLETED

        NEW MP41'S AND SIX YEAR OLD WOODEN TRAILERS WERE BEING DELIVERED TO THE
        SPRINGFIELD SHEDS FOR INSTALLATION OF ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

        CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW FLATBUSH AVENUE TERMINAL HAD PROGRESSED FAR
        ENOUGH TO PROVIDE FOUR SHORT TRACKS FOR THE FIRST ELECTRIC TRAINS.


FOUR "SPRINGFIELD SHEDS" WERE BUILT IN 1898 ON THE "OLD SOUTHERN ROAD"
BETWEEN BAISLEY BLVD. AND FARMERS BLVD.


MP41 NUMBER 1001 NEW - THE KNUCKLE COUPLERS WERE FOR DELIVERY BEHIND LOCOMOTIVES AND WERE REPLACED BY LINK-AND-PIN AND LATER BY I.R.T. TYPE COUPLERS.


MP41's NEAR THE END OF THEIR SERVICE SEPTEMBER 1, 1947.   NUMBERS 1110 AND
1012 WERE ON AN AQUEDUCT RACE TRACK SPECIAL LAID UP AT HAMILTON BEACH.

BILL RUGEN PHOTO



TEST   RUNS   BEGAN   MAY   13,   1905


FIVE WOODEN BODIED BAGGAGE MOTORS WERE DELIVERED IN 1905 - NUMBERS 1200 - 1204.
THESE CARS - CLASS MB45 - HAD STANDARD COUPLERS AND WERE USED TO HAUL STEAM BAGGAGE, MAIL AND EXPRESS CARS.


AN ELECTRIC ROTARY SNOW PLOW ARRIVED IN 1905



THESE WOODEN CENTER-DOOR ELEVATED CARS WERE BUILT IN 1898
FOR SERVICE TO BROOKLYN BRIDGE VIA THE FLATBUSH AVENUE EL.
THEY WERE WIRED FOR OPERATION WITH MP41'S.


MAY 1913 JAMAICA - IN 1915 THE OPERATION OF THESE CARS BETWEEN
STEEL CARS WAS OUTLAWED BY THE STATE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION.



THE   MP54   OF   1908


BILL RUGEN PHOTO


THIS ONE - THE 1406 BUILT IN 1908 OR 1909 - WAS STILL IN SERVICE IN 1968


PENNSYLVANIA   RAILROAD   POWER   HOUSE

THREE OF OUR MANY PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE STRUCTURE







SUB - STATIONS

SUB-STATIONS CONVERT HIGH VOLTAGE ALTERNATING CURRENT TO LOWER VOLTAGE DIRECT CURRENT AND CONTROL ITS DISTRIBUTION TO THE THIRD RAIL.   TRANSFORMERS LOWER THE VOLTAGE FROM 11,000 VAC TO 650 VAC WHICH IS THEN CONVERTED TO DIRECT CURRENT.   THE EARLY SUB-STATIONS ACCOMPLISHED THIS WITH ROTARY CONVERTERS   -   MOTOR GENERATORS   -   LATER SUBS WITH RECTIFIERS.
THE 1927 A.C. ELECTRIFICATION OF THE BAY RIDGE BRANCH REQUIRED PHASE CONVERSION - THREE PHASE ALTERNATING CURRENT WAS CHANGED TO SINGLE PHASE FOR THE CATENARY.


SUB  -  STATION   ONE   AT   ATLANTIC   AVENUE   AND   GRAND



THINGS   WERE   DONE   WITH   CLASS   IN   1905





AT TIMES OF SEASONAL HEAVY TRAFFIC   -   RACING AT AQUEDUCT,   BELMONT PARK AND JAMAICA RACE TRACKS AND SUMMER SERVICE TO THE ROCKAWAYS AND LONG BEACH   -   IT WAS NECESSARY TO SUPPLY ADDITIONAL POWER FOR TRAINS.

FOUR PORTABLE SUB-STATIONS WERE ACQUIRED AND PORTABLE SUB-STATION BUILDINGS WERE CONSTRUCTED AT SPRINGFIELD JUNCTION,   FLORAL PARK AND HEMPSTEAD CROSSING.






WANTAGH   1957




WEST HEMPSTEAD   1973


THIS PORTABLE SUB-STATION BUILDING WAS WEST OF CARNATION AVENUE FLORAL PARK.


SPRINGFIELD   JUNCTION


HEMPSTEAD CROSSING - LOOKING EAST FROM FRANKLIN AVENUE