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Copyright   ©   2001   -   2023   Arthur   John   Huneke
ALL   RIGHTS   RESERVED


BETHPAGE    JUNCTION


BETHPAGE JUNCTION WAS CREATED IN 1873 WHEN THE CENTRAL RAIL ROAD OF LONG ISLAND
BETHPAGE BRANCH CROSSED THE LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD'S MAIN LINE.   A STATION WAS
OPENED TO ALLOW PASSENGERS TO CHANGE TO L.I.R.R. TRAINS.   ONCE THE CENTRAL
EXTENSION RAIL ROAD OPENED TO BABYLON VERY FEW C.R.R.L.I. TRAINS STOPPED HERE.


THIS BRICK ARCH CULVERT ON THE CENTRAL EXTENSION JUST WEST OF
BETHPAGE JUNCTION WAS PARTIALLY FILLED BUT STILL VISIBLE IN 1985.




1877   LONG   ISLAND   RAIL   ROAD   PUBLIC   TIMETABLE

TRAINS RUNNING VIA STEWART LINE TO LONG ISLAND CITY
AND   CONNECTING   AT   BETHPAGE   JUNCTION
WITH GREENPORT TO EAST NEW YORK TRAINS VIA MAIN LINE.

ONE DAILY ROUND TRIP TO BETHPAGE






MARCH 1879 PUBLIC TIMETABLE SHOWS TRAINS TERMINATING AT BETHPAGE
WHERE THERE WERE AN ENGINEHOUSE AND TURNTABLE,   AND STOPPING AT
FARMINGDALE,   WHICH REQUIRED A REVERSE MOVE AT BETHPAGE JUNCTION.



1900 FULLERTON PHOTO OF EASTWARD MAIN LINE TRAIN AT SWITCH TO CENTRAL EXTENSION.
SWITCHES ARE HAND OPERATED BUT SIGNAL MASTS AND PIPELINE TRUNKING ARE INTACT


1892 BLUEPRINT OF BETHPAGE JUNCTION INTERLOCKING - TOWER NUMBER 49 INSTALLED AUGUST, 1885.


THE 1885 INTERLOCKING WAS REMOVED FROM SERVICE IN 1897 or 1898 AND THE CENTRAL EXTENSION,   GARDEN CITY TO BELMONT JUNCTION,   NO LONGER USED FOR REGULAR TRAINS.   IN 1925 THE CENTRAL BRANCH WAS REBUILT BETHPAGE JUNCTION TO BELMONT JUNCTION AND THE SWITCHES WERE MOVED TO WEST OF THE CURVE AND OPERATED BY "BE" CABIN UNTIL "B" TOWER WAS COMPLETED.   MANUAL BLOCK SIGNAL STATIONS WERE "HX" TOWER HICKSVILLE,   "PK" AT CENTRAL PARK STATION,   "BE",   AND "A" CABIN WEST OF FARMINGDALE STATION.



PK BLOCK STATION WAS IN CENTRAL PARK STATION




"B" TOWER NEARING COMPLETION IN 1925 - "BE" CABIN WEST OF TOWER.




"A" CABIN, JUST WEST OF FARMINGDALE CONTROLLED
BLOCK SIGNALS AND CROSSING GATES AT MAIN STREET


















"PW" INTERLOCKING AT THE END OF DOUBLE TRACK EAST OF FARMINGDALE




IN 1930 "PW" WAS MADE REMOTE CONTROLLED FROM "B".
PHOTO SHOWS MACHINE IN "B" TOWER FOR OPERATING "PW".


IN MAY 1936 THE MECHANICAL INTERLOCKING WAS REPLACED BY AN ALL ELECTRIC
INTERLOCKING AND THE FRAME TOWER WAS REPLACED BY A NEW BRICK TOWER.
EXTERIOR ARE MAY 1963,   INTERIOR JUNE 1987.
 



THIS IS THE WESTERN LIMIT OF "B" INTERLOCKING UNTIL JUNE 1965.


APRIL 29, 1985 - EASTWARD RONKONKOMA TRAIN CROSSING FROM WESTBOUND
TRACK TO EASTBOUND TRACK - WESTWARD TRAIN WAITS AT STOP SIGNAL.




ON  JUNE  1,  1965  A  SIDING  WAS  INSTALLED  FOR  THE  NEW  GENERAL  MOTORS  PARTS
DISTRIBUTION   WAREHOUSE.  
THE SWITCH WAS INTERLOCKED,   BECOMING "B" TOWER'S
NUMBER  11,   THE   EASTBOUND HOME SIGNAL,   NUMBER 8L,  WAS MOVED WEST 385 FEET.
LOW HOME SIGNAL NUMBER 8R WAS INSTALLED GOVERNING MOVEMENTS FROM THE SIDING.



IN   THE   DISTANCE   IS   SEEN   THE   MOTOR   PARKWAY   OVERHEAD   BRIDGE






 


THE SIDE-TRACK ENTERED THE BUILDING AND A DERAIL WAS ELECTRICALLY
INTERLOCKED WITH THE DOOR AND OPERATED BY G. M.  EMPLOYES.






THIS AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH SHOWING THE AREA IN 1966 WAS PURCHASED FROM HISTORIC AERIALS:

GO   TO   HISTORIC   AERIALS






IN 1994 G. M. SOLD THE 13 ACRE PROPERTY AND 135,000
SQUARE FOOT BUILDING TO SLEEPY'S.   WE BELIEVE THAT
THE SIDING WAS NOT USED BY SLEEPY'S AND WAS REMOVED.



Ben Jankowski informs us:
"Regarding GM at Bethpage: Sleepys never used the siding,
"and the siding switch is now gone. The facility moved to the Philadelphia area.
"GM used to take three to four cars a day, usually off the RF-11 in the wee hours."



THANKS     BEN!!!



APRIL 25, 1987 - THIRD RAIL HAS BEEN INSTALLED,   ELECTRIFICATION HAS BEEN EXTENDED THROUGH
THE INTERLOCKING AND BY JUNE MOST OF THE INTERLOCKING WILL BE CONTROLLED FROM DIVIDE.
THE SWITCH TO THE CENTRAL BRANCH AND THE CROSSOVERS ARE NOW HIGH SPEED TURNOUTS.


A FACING POINT CROSSOVER HAS BEEN INSTALLED AND THE HOME SIGNALS ARE NOW ON A NEW BRIDGE.






JUNE 16, 1987 - BETHPAGE TRAIN ON CENTRAL BRANCH CHANGING ENDS.