4K: LIRR M3 Front Window Atlantic Terminal to Jamaica (Express Run)

[@mitchellpak2795]

I used to take the LIRR from Flatbush Avenue to the Far Rockaway line all the time when I worked in Brooklyn. I loved the RFW - there’s a lot to see. The yard turnouts east of Atlantic Terminal, the very cool elevated run over Atlantic Avenue, the straight, fast run in the tunnel between East New York and Jamaica, the old tunnel portals that once connected to the Rockaway Beach line and the closed Woodhaven station. I once rode a train that hit 75 mph in that tunnel. Very cool.

[@US_Joe]

As an electrician, I had to notice the conduit, caballing, and lighting work. Nice craftsmanship especially in a non public setting !

[@geraldgreen5371]

To someone who hasn't seen these images, and been hearing the trains for years, these images look great....

[@jonathanng2390]

My observations. Correct me where I am wrong as I am doing this off the top of my head. At 1:18 you see the new portal into the Vanderbilt yard. This portal allows trains to enter the yard from the west. At 3:22 you see what is left of the old westbound portal into the Carlton Ave yard. The old yard for LIRR commuter trains. I believe this portal was discontinued in the late '60s. At 3:55 on the right, you see the west bound portal to the Vanderbilt yard. My understanding is the LIRR started using this portal for their commuter trains cutting through the Vanderbilt yard on its way to the Carlton Ave yard. I believe this started after freight service ended on the Atlantic branch in the 60's. At 5:00 you see a connecting tunnel on the right. This tunnel was meant to connect the LIRR to the BMT. It was never used. It dead ends about 30 feet in. At 5:47 the train climbs up onto the Atlantic Ave. viaduct. The viaduct was originally built in 1903. It was refurbished in 1993. I remember reading an MTA sign saying that this capital improvement would give 50 more years life to this structure. However, at sometime in the 2000's/2010's, it was totally rebuilt. Why? At 12:49 you see a tunnel on the right that took trains to and from the now abandoned Rockaway Beach Branch. East bound trains would be turned right and climb up above the street level to Ozone Park Station. This was abandoned in 1962 At 12:59 you see Woodhaven Station. I believe this was abandoned sometime in the 70's.

[@tricky_724]

Glenn Tec Woodhaven Junction was closed in 1962 when the LIRR no longer provided service down the Rockaway Beach Branch.

[@jonathanng2390]

@@tricky_724 The station above the street closed in '62. The Woodhaven station in the tunnel closed in the '70s

[@aydenamaya7951]

Not a correction but a fact. The lirr owned that part of the BMT line that was seen at 5:00, while the Manhattan Beach branch, Evergreen Branch, and Bay ridge branch were still kind of new. Some time between 1900 and 1920 the lirr sold it after most Coney Island and Brighton Beach stations were being operated by subway trains

[@nyrmetros]

Very helpful thank you!

[@musicforaarre]

This is the first cab video of LIRR that I've seen out of Brooklyn. So well done. Bravo !! Aarre Peltomaa

[@jokerinthebronx]

I remember reading that there was once a connection from the IRT subway adjacent to Atlantic Terminal where August Belmont would switch his private train car from the LIRR to the IRT, and vice versa. The track is long gone, but the trackway was supposedly still there.

[@charlesgreene9467]

At 5:00, on right is the roughed in link with what is now called the Franklin Ave Shuttle. When this was built in 1904/5, the LIRR still had hopes of running trains to Coney island via this route in the pre BRT days, alas, rail link was never installed. This route was once the steam powered Prospect Park and Coney Island RR, owned by the LIRR in the 19th Century, later became the BMT. At 12:50 is another cut out in the wall. This one was actually used between 1941 and 1955. It connected these underground tracks with the LIRR Rockaway Beach division. Scheduled service on this link ended after the Jamaica Bay trestle fire in 1950, only Aqueduct Race Specials used it during racing season until 1955.

[@lonsworth]

As I remember from Jamaica...it was East New York, Nostrand Avenue...FLATBUSH AVENUE..BROOKLYN!!!

[@georgemurphy2579]

Remember living in Brooklyn and visiting folks in Huntington. Took gray owl-eye MUs from Atlantic to Jamaica transferred to the Pingpong coaches with diesel locos .... 1950s The real LIRR

[@musicforaarre]

15:47 What's with the gravel and bridge to the right ?? New access to storage yard ? Aarre Peltomaa

[@cats0182]

At 1:28. Where do the tracks that veer off to the right go? At 12:50, most likely where the Rockaway Beach Branch trains left the Atlantic Branch. At 12:58 the eastbound platform of the abandoned Woodhaven Station. As I remember reading, Rockaway Beach Trains left the Atlantic Branch BEFORE the Woodhaven station. Oh man, what a trip. Been looking for an eastbound trip like this for ages. I plan to view this again. Thanks for the ride.

[@cats0182]

And at 12:49, the open space where the Brooklyn-bound Rockaway Beach tracks merged with the westbound tracks coming from Jamaica. Just an absolutely fantastic trip for me. Thanks again.

[@cats0182]

@Craig F. Thompson I saw the spot. Had no idea what it was. I was really paying attention to try to find the Rockawat Beach Branch connection and the eastbound Woodhaven station; I was familiar with the westbound configuration. Thanks for the info..

[@tonynelson2443]

1:28 are the tracks that lead to “VD” Yard, it’s about 6 tracks if I’m not mistaken, it’s currently going through upgrades and renovations. Rumor has it that it’s gonna turn into a facility outside of Atlantic Terminal

[@MTAProdigy]

Nice video!! Showing some love to the Atlantic Branch at last 👍 That RFW of the M3 is stunning, but what’s even better is the camera !

[@MrMaster767]

Glad you liked it! I'm using my phone for this.

[@jp2nyy]

Cool. Can you do a 2019 version of the JFK airtrain?

[@antoniogoode4407]

I still miss the M1 and M3 long Island railroad Trains

[@williamrubinstein3442]

This part of Brooklyn sure looks better than it did 30 years ago!

[@patrickculhane1269]

All these videos are gold for PCing Ty

[@Olizimm]

Another great video!! Thank you MrMaster!!

[@slyzr84]

Who's seen these images in TSW 12:11

[@georgemurphy2579]

Trips to Huntington...on old gray MU owl eyes! Change st Jamica for Ping Pong coaches with Alco diesels. The real LIRR.

[@_extra9126]

12:57, is that Woodhaven station? I’ve always wanted to railfan there, it’d be so cool! If it wasn’t closed...

[@MrMaster767]

Most likely, but closed now.

[@cats0182]

@@MrMaster767 I'm sure it is.

[@cats0182]

According to the"Forgotten NY" website, the underground station was built in 1942 and had a stairway connection to the Woodhaven Junction Station on the Rockaway Beach Branch. After the 1950 trestle fire, the underground station was little used and was closed in 1976.

[@WakkoKakko]

If the line to Brooklyn/Atlantic was to become a separate scoot shuttle service, then Woodhaven should be considered for reopening.

[@WestAirAviation]

There's really not much to see. The bathrooms (Cool that they're labeled "Ladies and Gentlemen" unlike today's Women and Men) have collapsed inwards and there's about 4 feet of space between the floor and ceiling. The stairs going down to the subway lead to rubble and junk. The ticket office is just an empty room with a wooden chair or two and graffiti as far as the eye can see. There are no lights except for the actual platform.

[@nygrasshole]

Awesome video! As a commuter I don’t mind getting a rare M3 so I can see out front. One thing I’ve always wondered and never asked is what is that phone bell ringing sound on those particular train models

[@MrMaster767]

Short bell is the Alerter. Long Bell means the speed code is dropping.

[@nygrasshole]

MrMaster767 wow thanks!! I always had a hunch about the speed thing because I hear a beeping on the M7s and we slow down immediately after hearing it. But I wasn’t sure because that bell rings so often on the old trains lol

[@WestAirAviation]

Every 24 seconds without moving the master controller to a position of power, there will be a ringing bell sound. After 24 of those bells, the train will enter a penalty max brake application. The very rapid succession of bells is a speed code down change. The brakes apply right away if the train is above the new speed change. There's also a new bell or beep for positive train control, but I've never heard it so I don't know what it sounds like yet. As an aside, on the M7's the beeping / whaling / chirping is completely f***** random. One train will have a beep for the alerter. Another will have a chirp. One will have a whaling sound for the speed downcode, another will have a beep. No consistency whatsoever.

[@kevinhoward9593]

im curious to how the tunnel was built. seems rather modern for being built in the 1860s. it doesnt have the whole "Cut and Cover" feel to it.

[@BigsGaming]

Whats with those two mad max looking M3s near jamaica station?

[@cats0182]

At 3:56 there is a track entering the Branch from the right. It appears to be no longer in use. Any idea what that's about? Thank you.

[@harrisonbalduf3290]

At 3:56 is the middle yard entrance, which I think was part of the freight operations in the upper terminal. Check out this link for maps & historic photos, though it's hard to interpret the spaghetti-bowl of the track arrangements: www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/flatbush/flatbush.htm

[@charlesgreene9467]

There was once extensive freight service on the line, this ramp was used for that. There was also once tracks 8 thru 14 at the terminal which was also used for freight and express.

[@RedArrow73]

Does the Rule Book give a speed limit for bypassing stations?

[@RedArrow73]

6:02 - Nossshhhhtint.

[@_extra9126]

The switch at 17:58, how is there enough clearance for that?

[@augsnow2067]

L I double R does normal speeds. PTC indicates track clearence.

[@brianmohammed1790]

Cool video blog post and do a video blog post on the m9 lir train cars

[@victorsforza5578]

How many branches of the LIRR go into Atlantic terminal??

[@MrMaster767]

They can all go into Brooklyn except Diesel branches

[@ned272]

lmfao yall noticed the horns on that work train M3 at 14:24 ?

[@E-man5375]

What’s that small station right after the train exits out of the tunnel right before Jamaica

[@MrMaster767]

Bolands Landing. Allows you to access Richmond Hill and Morris Park. Employee's only stop. Same with Hillside Facility about 3/4 of a mile West of Hollis.

[@trainrover]

Appalling state of tunnelled tracking at the beginning here.

[@alonzochism4890]

I have tsw 2020 it looks just like the real stations

[@MrMaster767]

It looks nearly perfectly created to real world specifications.

[@alonzochism4890]

MrMaster767 yes I play it everyday! I think they need to focus on the us more they need to make the northeast corridor from dc to Boston with the Acela as an option! That’s the only thing I don’t like.

[@thisismyname007]

How fast are they going at the 11:30 mark?

[@nygrasshole]

Even Dwarfs Started Small If I had to guess, 75-80mph

[@huncho1057]

Even Dwarfs Started Small speed limit is 70 mph between east New York and Jamaica

[@cats0182]

I saw a 5mph sign leaving Atlantic Terminal, a 30mph sign farther along and a 45mph sign on the viaduct. Beyond those, I have no idea.

[@rasperblue2571]

like train

[@paulbryan6716]

RFW? Huh?

[@AquarianNomadic]

I'm the 420th like 😁😁😁😑😑😑😑