Passenger Trains > Stalking The Ghost of Teenage Me at Mineola NY

When I was a teen with my first SLR my dad would pick out suburban stations he was comfortable with my going to myself to fan at. We'd always have to negotiate a bit as I'd try for locations with more lines all running together while my dad would look for places his naively idiotic 15-year-old would likely be safe with a $300 camera hanging off his neck. One easy agreement was Mineola and I went there a few times to catch GP38-2s, MP15ACs, and high-nose C420s with FA power cars on the other end. (And it was in Mineola that an elderly gentleman taught me the trick of sticking my foot through the strap of my camera bag if I ever take it off my neck.) Over the decades since, Mineola has been my easy go to location when back in New York to just go shoot some Long Island action quickly.

I headed out a couple weeks ago trying to catch the westbound freight, but also happy to get the Oyster Bay (and any other) DE30ACs and DM30ACs. I rode a M7 set for Ronkonkoma from Jamaica to Mineola and was surprised the moment I got off the train at how much the area has changed since even my last visit. The tracks are now in a canyon of parking garages and bridges, but the old platforms are still (for now) in place, as is the ancient grade crossing, interlocking tower, junction, and kitchen sink just east of the station. It's intense old fashion railroading right there.

I spent a few hours, shooting multiple multipe unit trains and quite a few Oyster Bay trains. As I assume the Port Jefferson service is shuttle at mid-day and there's nothing on the Central Branch or on the eastern end of the Ronkonkoma mid-day, I am not sure what the extra diesels I saw were. I only shot one of them, as they surprised me and I wasn't ready for them. Anyone familiar with ops there able to say what an eastbound at 2:08PM diesel, just before the Ronkonkoma train was due would be, I'd love to know.

Here are the highlights.

Image one is an inbound set of M7s coming through the interlocking and passing Nassau Tower.

Image two is an Oyster Bay train at the eastbound platform.

Image three is a Huntington train at the eastbound platform.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/07/19 08:18 by erielackawanna.

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Image four is a pair of trains, one heading east and one west at the platform.

Image five is a Jamaica bound train off the Oyster Bay Branch.

Image six is a side by side of two Oyster Bay Branch trains.

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/07/19 08:18 by erielackawanna.

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Image seven is an Oyster Bay Branch train coming in for a station stop.

Image eight is the unexplained diesel deadhead going east at 2:08PM (I say deadhead, I don't think it stopped, but I'm not 100% positive).

Image nine is also a Jamaica bound train.

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One last shot of the Jamaica bound train.

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I'm sorry, but I'm not familiar with those engines.  They match nicely with the coaches!

mp51w Wrote:
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> I'm sorry, but I'm not familiar with those
> engines.  They match nicely with the coaches!

Here's a link with some general information - although the FA1s, FA2s, F7s, and F9s, it speaks of were not powered anymore and were replaced with cab cars. The SW!001s did not pull passengers and were not replaced either.

https://www.classicstreamliners.com/lo-emd-de30ac-dm30ac.html

 

They look like K5LA horns, but they do not sound anything like them. They sound awful. 

Non rush hours, you would have seen diesel trains for Oyster Bay and perhaps a few to the South Shore. Port Jeff would be rare and no Greenport at all. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/07/19 08:40 by joemvcnj.

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> They look like K5LA horns, but they do not sound
> anything like them. They sound awful. 
>
> Non rush hours, you would have seen diesel trains
> for Oyster Bay and perhaps a few to the South
> Shore. Port Jeff would be rare and no Greenport
> at all. 

I figured it had to be a Central Branch train for the South Shore, but there was nothing in the timetable at that time.

I grew up on Long Island (Amityville) and rode the infamous LIRR into "The City" many, many times. Every time I see pictures of other electrified railroads with their caternarys and tangle of overhead wires I can't help but wonder why they all don't use the third-rail system that LIRR has been using successfully for more than 100 years.
Bill Pyper
Salem, Oregon
 

wjpyper Wrote:
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> I grew up on Long Island (Amityville) and rode the
> infamous LIRR into "The City" many, many times.
> Every time I see pictures of other electrified
> railroads with their caternarys and tangle of
> overhead wires I can't help but wonder why they
> all don't use the third-rail system that LIRR has
> been using successfully for more than 100 years.

It's very well established that for higher speeds and longer distances, overhead wire with AC traction is more efficient and effective than third rail with direct current. For high volume over shorter distances, DC is favored, which is why third rail is more common for urban transit systems like the subways in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Washington.

have you been taking pic of the 3rd track construction progress? like to see more of that cant find any.

Love the photos of big-time commuter rail.  What a contrast to your photos from the Atacama Desert.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/07/19 10:12 by utwazoo.

Did you take a walk to Willis Hobbies ? 

utwazoo Wrote:
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> Love the photos of big-time commuter rail.  What
> a contrast to your photos from the Atacama Desert.

Ha ha - yes a touch different.

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> Did you take a walk to Willis Hobbies ? 

No... next time.

I used to do the same things at Mineola and New Hyde Park 62 years ago. Imagine how it looked then. I went back to NHP recently and its barely recognizable. I live 50 miles east of these sattions now and even here its too dang crowded.

Charles, interesting photos and backstory from an area I've never visited.  (Glad you didn't encounter any "Gerald Stoneman" or "Frankie Barrow" types there ;))
GK

It's a great place to go for a few hours. Besides watching trains:

Eat here at the westbound station plaza: https://www.yelp.com/biz/station-plaza-coffee-shop-and-diner-mineola

Walk to Willis Hobbies, the best hobby shop for Long Island and New York City: http://www.willishobbies.com/

County Bus terminal on the eastbound side under the parking deck has frequent service to a large shopping mall. LIRR has package tickets making the round trip bus service essentially free: http://web.mta.info/lirr/getaways/longisland/rooseveltfield.htm

Ride a 500-series (Oyster Bay) train if you want to ride a diesel train. 

mp51w Wrote:
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> I'm sorry, but I'm not familiar with those
> engines.  They match nicely with the coaches!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_DE30AC_and_DM30AC

Spent many, many a Friday at Mineola with friends.  For about 3 hours on Friday in the summer there was endless action.  Highlight was seeing the all parlor, heavyweight Cannonball zip by with its open end obs.  That was 40+ years ago...still a pretty good place to train watch.