Nostalgia & History > Long Island RR, Jamaica Station, January 1977

In the 1970s Jamaica on the Long Island Rail Road was the best station in the country for a railfan to photograph trains. Why? Because there were more trains, all out in the open, than at any other station. The trains weren't hidden in a basement (Penn Station NYC, Back Bay), in different locations (30th Street, CUS, Grand Central NYC, Penn Station Newark, Secaucus Junction didn't exist), hidden by a jumble of overhead wires (the mainline of 30th Street), or spread out (Union Station, Washington, DC).

In Jamaica's league I would have placed North Philadelphia and 125th Street. What did these three have in common? You could photograph all the trains with good outdoor lighting. But still Jamaica, with the most trains, could burn up the most rolls of slide film.

Jamaica is the funnel of the Long Island RR. All but the Port Washington Branch trains are focused there. If you haven't looked at a LIRR map recently, this is one: http://web.mta.info/lirr/Timetable/lirrmap.htm

Here is a handful of photos taken from the platforms of Jamaica Station on the chilly morning of January 30, 1977.

1. and 2. A push-pull train with cabcar 612 a rebuilt/deengined by GE Alco F-unit pushed by GP38-2 258. The Alco is ex-BN 4100 and ex-ex-SPS 856-856A.

3. An MU train.


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Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 03/24/22 13:17 by MartyBernard.

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4. A LIRR Alco C420 227 brings a train to one of Jamaica's platforms on January 30, 1977.

5. This slide just resisted coming back. But it is of C420 223 approaching Jamaica with a short train that chilly January morning.

6. An older empty Alco body was ex-WM 302.


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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/09/14 08:44 by MartyBernard.

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7. GP38-2 #255 arriving.

8. And so is this MU.

There are far too many trains at Jamaica to keep track of train numbers. But when I post photos from farther out on the branches, you'll see I did do a reasonable job of noting train numbers.


Please enjoy my LIRR photos,
Marty Bernard



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/08/14 22:44 by MartyBernard.

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MartyBernard Wrote:
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> 4. A LIRR Alco C640 227 brings a train to one of
> Jamaica's platforms on January 30, 1977.
>
> 5. This slide just resisted coming back. But it
> is of C640 223 approaching Jamaica with a short
> train that chilly January morning.
>


Methinks, Marty, that these are C420's. LIRR didn't own any
six axle units.

Nice shots. While I've seen rosters of the cab car Alco's these
are among the rare action shots of these I ever seen. Good catches.

Thanks for posting.

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

Yes Nick. Of course you are right. Let's just call it a senior moment. I've fixed the test. Thanks for catching that.

Marty Bernard

rantoul Wrote:
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> See the last photo track work; looks like the
> switch photo left duplicates a switch at the
> diamond photo middle, sort of 'in case the
> engineer forgot to turn'. Signals are fascinating
> and all photos appreciated.

Once upon a time, long, long, ago, the Engineering, and
Operating Departments of railroads understood the concept
of moving multiple trains through interlockings at the same
time. The switch at "photo left" would allow a train to take
that route at the same time the train pictured was moving
through the interlocking.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/09/14 11:41 by Englewood.

It has been awhile since I have done a trip on the LIRR. For those out West who thinks the LIRR being a multi-track electric third rail operations should come and ride to the East end. I need another trip to Montauk.

nice ride , have you done the green port. I think they are down to 2 maybe 1 a day to GPt