Oyster Bay Branch

Oyster Bay Branch
Train #6506 to Oyster Bay at Mineola
Overview
Type	Commuter rail
System	Long Island Rail Road
Status	Operational
Locale	Nassau County, New York, USA
Termini	Mineola Oyster Bay
Stations	10
Services	Oyster Bay Branch
Daily ridership	6,000[1]
Operation
Opened	1865-1889
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 (to East Williston)
Route map Legend Mineola on the Main Line Former spur to West Hempstead Branch East Williston Zone 4/Zone 7 Albertson Roslyn North Roslyn closed 1924 Greenvale Glen Head Sea Cliff Glen Street Glen Cove Locust Valley Mill Neck closed 1998 Oyster Bay Oyster Bay Turntable Oyster Bay Yard Distances shown in miles from Pennsylvania Station.

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

Station/ location	Station link	Miles to Penn Station	Connections/notes
For continuing service to Jamaica and points west, see Main Line
Mineola Front Street and Mineola Boulevard. Mineola	[1]	20.5 (33.0)	Transfer to Port Jefferson and Ronkonkoma Branch Line trains Bus (MTA Long Island Bus): N22, N23, N24, N40, N41, N78, N79
East Williston Hillside Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue, East Williston	[2]	21.8	Bus (MTA Long Island Bus): N22A, N27 Terminus of electrification. One electric train serves this station each weekday.
Albertson I.U. Willets Road and Albertson Avenue, Albertson	[3]	22.7	Bus (MTA Long Island Bus): N27
Roslyn Lincoln Avenue and Railroad Avenue, Roslyn	[4]	24.2	Bus (MTA Long Island Bus): N23, N27
North Roslyn East Hills			Originally named Wheatley Hills from 1898-1901. Closed 1924. Was located near where the current Pall Corp Headquarters is situated on Northern Boulevard (NY 25A)
Greenvale Off Helen Street, between Glen Cove Avenue and Glen Cove Road, Greenvale	[5]	26.2	Bus (MTA Long Island Bus): N27
Glen Head Glen Head Road and School Street, Glen Head	[6]	27.4	Bus (MTA Long Island Bus): N27
Sea Cliff Sea Cliff Avenue, east of Glen Cove Avenue, Glen Cove	[7]	28.7	Bus (MTA Long Island Bus): N27
Glen Street Cedar Swamp Road (Glen Street) and Elm Avenue, Glen Cove	[8]	29.3	Bus (MTA Long Island Bus): N21, N27 1.5 car platform
Glen Cove Duck Pond Road and Pearsall Avenue, Glen Cove	[9]	29.8
Locust Valley Birch Hill Road and Elm Street, Locust Valley	[10]	31.0	Line becomes single-tracked east of station
Mill Neck Mill Neck			Replaced 1889-1892 built Bayville Station. Opened November 1892; Closed March 16, 1998.
Oyster Bay Off Maxwell Avenue, between Shore and Larabee Avenues, Oyster Bay	[11]	35.0

References

1. ^ Ain, Stewart (2004-08-08). "M.T.A.'s Threat Drops Some Jaws". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/08/nyregion/mta-s-threat-drops-some-jaws.html. Retrieved 2009-07-12. 
2. ^ LIRR map MTA Retrieved 2009-07-12
3. ^ PRR chronology: 1865 Pennsylvania Railroad Technical and Historical Society Retrieved 2009-07-12
4. ^ PRR chronology: 1867 Pennsylvania Railroad Technical and Historical Society Retrieved 2009-07-12
5. ^ PRR chronology: 1869 Pennsylvania Railroad Technical and Historical Society Retrieved 2009-07-12
6. ^ Former Mineola to West Hempstead Branch (Unofficial LIRR History Web Site)
7. ^ Mineola Station History (Steve Lynch's LIRR Maps, Photos, Charts, etc.) (TrainsAreFun.com)

External links

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