Long Island Rail Road Company (LI) 229 - Alco C420

Actual date not known

Actual date not known

Actual date not known, Afga film

Special bicycle train for eastern LI, coaches & B60 baggage cars on the rear.

Actual date not known. 126 Instamatic photo.

Actual date not known. 126 Instamatic photo.

126 Instamatic photo

Long Island Alco C420 223 with a short off-peak consist westbound between Cold Spring Harbor and Syosset. View is from the South Woods Road overpass. Date of photo approximate.

Actual day not recorded.

Actual day not recorded.

Actual day not recorded.

Day not known.

One of the two Yaphank trains sits on the siding there, having completed its trip, the power now on the west end for tomorrows inbound trip. This was the longest Main Line commuter run at the time.

A set of C 420s is on the ready track at Holban Yard, ready to move out with whatever the yardmaster has put together for them. Theyll go east later in the day. Holban, a combination of HOLlis and st alBANs, sat between the two sections of Queens, in a triangle shape, bounded by the Main Line on the north, and the Montauk Branch on the south. The Montauk Branch is seen behind the power, its viaduct crossing over the eastbound Main Line and yard lead just west of the yard at a place called Hillside, where there was an abandoned station. It is used by trains going to Babylon, as well as a few diesel trains going farther east.

FRESH paint!

The trip packet for the Kabin Kar Trek promised a surprise, and this was it. They had repainted two of the C 420s in the original MTA blue/yellow scheme, though the blue was a bit darker than as delivered. Still, they looked good. This is the nose of 229 as it sits at Clinton Rd while riders reboard after a runby.

The Kabin Kar Trek is on its last leg as it rolls through Floral Park on its way to drop the tired but happy riders at Jamaica.

The trip has passed Clinton Rd station, and is now backing up for another go. This time we look from the street side of the station.

The one remaining station on the Mitchell Field Secondary is at Clinton Rd in Garden City. The Kabin Kar Trek ran out as far as they could go, then stopped here for photos. This is the train behind a pair of MTA painted C 420s smoking past the old station.

The Kabin Kar Trek has gone as far out on the Mitchell Field line as it can, and changed ends. It now approaches the old Clinton Rd station in Garden City in a display only an Alco can provide.

The LIRR ran a Kabin Kar Trek on this Sunday, covering some of the freight only areas on the west end, including Bushwick Terminal and the Bay Ridge Branch. After swapping power at Jamaica, it ran out the Mitchell Field Secondary behind a set of Alcos. Here is is passing the Queens Village team yard with FA 609 leading a pair of C 420s repainted in the MTA scheme from the 1960s. The Centuries still have their 251 engines, but the FA has had its 244 removed and a Caterpillar engine/generator set installed. It's just along for the ride, but an Alco cab leading a pair of Centuries is still a good looking consist.

The LIRR Kabin Kar Trek-a fantrip where passengers could ride in one of eight cabooses on the train-is overtaken by a Port Jeff train as they pass the team tracks.

Or maybe there will be. A pair of C 420s rendered surplus sit behind the shop at Morris Park. At this point, their future looks dim, but the Centuries will rise again, and have an indian summer for a few years before finally going to scrap. Note the other equipment stashed with the Alcos-a cupola caboose, a box car, and a retire B 60 baggage car. I can recall seeing these on some east end trains in the 1960's.

In the midst of all the hoopla surrounding the opening of the Ronkonkoma electrification, the freight work went on. RF 62 rolls east past the station behind the usual C 420s.

RF 57s caboose is tucked in behind the power as it passes the station.

A short RF 57 works past Bellerose as it makes its way from Hicksville into Fresh Pond on a Sunday afternoon.

RF 7 was a catch all train that worked whatever needed to be done on the west end, and could be found anywhere. Today its headed east past Bellerose on the main line with a C420 and MP15, probably to handle a customer switch somewhere fairly close.

RF 63 rolls under the old bridge at Ronkonkoma as it hustles home to Pine Aire.

The east end of Riverhead station as RF 62s power passes

No, not the Alcos, though they are getting close. The RR Museum of Long Island is adjacent to the Riverhead station. The power from RF 62 passes while working the team tracks there, in view of one of LIRRs unique double deckers.

There was a spot near Yaphank station where you could get an across the field shot of the LIRR. It is here that we see RF 62s power, the usual pair of C 420s. I caught up to him here after chasing some commuter trains and RF 65 near Farmingdale.

RF 62 roll through the pine barrens west of Riverhead as it approaches its days objective. Fall color is starting to show on this late Octover day.

RF 62 is almost to where it will do most of its work today, passing Calverton, one of the more unremarked points on the LIRR. There is not much here at this time, just some relay rail. There was once a station, now long gone. Trains quit stopping here in the 70s.

RF 63 is tied up at Pine Aire. The same power will run west later this evening as RF 91 to Fresh Pond. The electrification project is making its mark here, as the third rail has been installed.

RF 63 passes through Ronkonkoma as it hustles to Pine Aire to get out of the way of the evening rush. The electrification project is progressing. The ties have been replaced, and third rail ties-note every fifth tie is extended-are now installed.

RF 63 has returned to Pine Aire and tied up. A new crew will come on after the evening rush and take the train to Fresh Pond as RF 91.

RF 63 has closed up the siding after picking up, and is now getting a move on toward Ronkonkoma from YA-note the block limit sign at right.

RF 91 pulls up into New Hyde Park station to make the cut for the customer siding just to the east.

The Project 39 fantrip meets the Greenport scoot with LIRR 267 pushing toward Jamaica, at Riverhead.

The Project 39 group ran a fantrip to benefit their restoration og LIRR 4-6-0 39, selecting a June Saturday for the trip. It poured, all day. No one will be getting off to see the 39 at Riverhead. The train has arrived, and will walt to meet the westbound scoot from Greenport, then roll on to the end of the line itself.

The Project 39%fantrip behind C 420s made a run up the Oyster Bay Branch before returning to Mineola and heading for Greenport. Here it is as seen from the yard side of the main.