Oyster Bay Branch

The Oyster Bay Branch is a rail line and service owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The branch splits from the Main Line just east of Mineola station, and runs north and east to Oyster Bay.^[2]

History

The first phase of what is now known as the Oyster Bay Branch opened in 23 January 1865 as a branch of the Long Island Rail Road to Glen Head known as the Glen Cove Branch Rail Road.^[3] Two years later the railway was extended to Glen Cove^[4] and on 19 April 1869 the line was extended further to Locust Valley.^[5] The line ended at Locust Valley for two decades until a final extension added four miles to Oyster Bay. One of the reasons for building to Oyster Bay was to create a connection to New England. A large pier, now owned by the Flowers Oyster Company, was built to facilitate the loading of passenger cars onto a ferry. Service lasted only a few years as overland service from New York to Boston, once thought impossible, commenced.

Until 1928, a direct connection to the West Hempstead Branch existed just east of Mineola station. This spur crossed the Main Line, then terminated at the end of a wye at what was often called the Garden City Branch. Until passenger service was abandoned along this branch passengers would transfer between the two lines at Mineola Station itself.^[6][7]

Stations

References

External links

• Oyster Bay Branch Stations (Unofficial LIRR History web site)
• NYCSubways.org: Oyster Bay Branch