A Short History of the Sunnyside Yards

When it opened in 1910, Long Island City's Sunnyside Yards was the largest rail yard on Earth at 200 acres. This video is a short history of the role of the Sunnyside Yards, who built them, and why, and how they ended up being the property of Amtrak and the Federal Government.

[@scottroland6577]

As a lifetime PRR fan, your video show is wonderful. I can't thank you enough. Please continue your PRR montage of historical events.

[@Astepatatimekvarn]

I use to run around in those yards early 80s. Take a ride through the train wash. Get chased out many times. Its changed a lot

[@alanrichtmyer2309]

Fantastic video ... thanks for the history. (I happen to live in LIC)But ... one correction, As original name of what eventually became Amtrak was "RailPax,"

[@alecfarber5778]

I go to school right below the yard on Thomson Ave. Thanks for posting this!

[@upperkeeldrum]

Saw this view starting in 1976 all the way till 2007. Saw all the changes in the neighborhoods os L.I.C. A very fast timeframe after Citibank was built , explosive growth.

[@lesliegevirtz8469]

Amazing. Thank you very much.

[@stevenbiffoni9766]

You hit the nail right on the head. I don't live in Queens but decking it over would be nothing but a BIG waste of money. DeBlasio's decking over the Hudson Yards was another big money waster,oh and let's not forget the extension of the 7 line to the Hudson Yards. Is it just me or does anyone else notice that after the housing goes up that even the affordable housing very few people can afford? Clean up Sunnyside Yard, add stations but don't deck it over.

[@Amidat]

Great history... Thanks for posting. To answer - NO - Deblasio doesn't know what he's talking about. It's too expensive to build over the yards unless you put very expensive housing.

[@MrLuvOldies]

Thanks. Great Information.Mmmmmmmm

[@StevenTorrey]

Fascinating....

[@johnschwerdt6129]

Decking the Hudson and Sunnyside yards would make life miserable for railroad workers!

[@jackd.ripper9951]

I just can't wait for the East Side Access tunnels to be finished. I'm sick of having to get off at Penn Station . And have to take two separate subway trains (each for one stop only!) just to get to Grand Central Terminal.

[@jaymorgenthal9479]

I grew up in LIC/Astoria and remember how large the freight yard was in the 1960’s.

[@MarkInLA]

Funny how the NYC subway system is not mentioned: the E & F trains. Haven't lived there since 1978, so not sure if E & F are even designated that way today....But Sunnyside sure is associated with subway car storage. I do remember seeing the '50s LIRR commuter cars in Sunnyside with their round portholes on the ends for motorman cab on one side of car...And boy do I remember riding ALL the subway lines back then as a child and up through my late 30s, leaving/returning to NY as a working musician and sometimes college student/ girlfriended /Beatles days !! I've lived in various areas of Los Angeles since 1978, Ret, now from music but solid into model railroading ! M

[@gonebamboo4116]

What a shame somebody chose not to speak into a microphone and leave the pics unobscured. Many have only a phone screen to watch this and trying to read fine print is not enjoyable

[@MrPedroramos8911]

Keep it the way it is they just want to cover it to build more expensive housing

[@andrenewcomb3708]

In the tunnel boring machines . . . are/is the cabin(s) for operators air-tight with stored air for in the event of an emergency they can survive while the outside crews rescue them? The engineering! Bring-your-daughters to work so that she can know why Papa is sometimes distracted (thinking about work).

[@kozmickarmakoala3526]

Audio would have been good.

[@irasilverman6834]

It's a good overview but...........The pictures are almost all contemporary reflecting construction. There are 100's of historical pictures which could have been used to provide historical context.

[@silverskyscraper1179]

Lol, next thing you know they'll want to deck over the large Coney Island yard in Brooklyn. 😄😂😂😂