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Long Beach Branch
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Long Beach Branch train #853 departs Lynbrook, en route to New York Penn Station. |
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| Overview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Commuter rail | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| System | Long Island Rail Road | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Operational | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locale | Nassau County, New York, USA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Termini | Valley Stream Long Beach |
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| Stations | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Services |
Long Beach Branch
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| Operation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 1880 (as New York and Long Beach Railroad) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | Long Island Rail Road | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator(s) | Metropolitan Transportation Authority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electrification | 750V (DC) Third rail | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Long Beach Branch is an electrified rail line and service owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The branch begins at Valley Interlocking, at Valley Stream station, where the Atlantic Branch tracks from the west are redesignated Long Beach Branch and the Far Rockaway Branch curves south. East from there the Long Beach Branch parallels the Montauk Branch to Lynbrook, where it turns south toward Long Beach. [1][2]
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The Long Beach Branch began as the New York and Long Beach Railroad Company from Lynbrook to Long Beach in 1880. The original southern terminus was along the Atlantic Ocean. LIRR leased and operated the NY&LB RR from 1880 to 1904, at which time the NY&LB RR merged with the LIRR. Five years later, the station was moved from the ocean front to Reynolds Channel, where it remains today.
A five mile (8 km) extension to Point Lookout, New York owned by the Long Beach Marine Railway Company existed between 1881 and 1895. When the LIRR bought the line in 1886, they continued to operate passenger trains along the line until 1890.[3]
The branch was extended westward from Lynbrook to Valley Stream in 1910 as part of its integration into the Atlantic Branch. The line was double-tracked from Valley Stream to Lynbrook in late 1910, then from East Rockaway to Wreck Lead (“WL”) on January 15, 1927. Electrification of the main tracks from Valley Stream to Long Beach was finished in September 1910. Electrification came to freight sidings between 1928 and 1930. Color light signals were installed in January, 1927.
On weekdays, most Long Beach Branch trains serve Penn Station, with limited service to/from Atlantic Terminal, and run express between Jamaica and Valley Stream. On weekends, trains also stop at Locust Manor, Laurelton and Rosedale, and all trains serve Penn except for some post-midnight trains to/from Atlantic Terminal and one to Jamaica.
| Station/ location |
Station link |
Miles to Penn Station | Connections/notes |
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| For continuing service to Jamaica and points west, see Atlantic Branch | |||
| Lynbrook Sunrise Highway and Peninsula Boulevard, Lynbrook |
[1] | 19.2 | LIRR: Babylon Branch trains Nassau Inter-County Express: n25, n31, n32, n36 |
| Centre Avenue Forest Avenue between Rocklyn Avenue and Centre Avenue, East Rockaway |
[2] | 20.1 | Originally named South Lynbrook from 1898 to 1924. |
| East Rockaway Ocean Avenue and Davison Place, East Rockaway |
[3] | 20.6 | Nassau Inter-County Express: n36 |
| Atlantic Avenue East Rockaway |
[4] | Opened April 1898; Closed 1951 | |
| Oceanside Weidner Avenue and Lawson Boulevard, Oceanside |
[5] | 21.1 | |
| Barnum Island Channel Bridge | |||
| Jekyl Island Barnum Island |
Originally named Barnum Island from 1901-1903, then renamed Island Park in October 1921; closed July 1922 | ||
| Island Park Long Beach Road and Austin Boulevard, Island Park/Barnum Island |
[6] | 23.6 | Originally named The Dykes from 1898 to 1924. Nassau Inter-County Express: n15 |
| Reynolds Channel Bridge | |||
| Wreck Lead Long Beach |
Opened June 1888 to serve numerous fishing clubs and hotels; Closed December 31, 1927 | ||
| Queenswater Long Beach |
Originally opened in April 1898 as a signal stop named Inner Beach; Renamed "Queenswater" in May 1899; Closed June 1936 | ||
| Club House Long Beach |
Originally opened in April 1898 as a signal stop on the present Market Street west of National Avenue; Closed in 1909 when Long Beach Station was relocated. | ||
| Long Beach Park Place and Park Avenue, Long Beach |
[7] | 24.6 | Nassau Inter-County Express: n15, n33 City of Long Beach Bus: Long Beach shuttles, N69 |
| External videos | |
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| LIRR Time Lapse: Penn Station to Long Beach, MTA's LIRR; May 20, 2010; 2-minute YouTube video clip | |
| LIRR Time Lapse: Long Beach to Penn Station, MTA's LIRR; May 20, 2010; 2-minute YouTube video clip | |
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![[4]](http://www.lirrhistory.com/jan99/1948map.jpg){kind=link}