4K/60p: LIRR M3 Front Window Ronkonkoma to Penn Station (Featuring the FULL 3rd Track)

[@JoeyLovesTrains]

it makes my brain happy to see concrete ties and moveable point switches. Makes for a very comfortable ride!

[@MrMaster767]

Indeed!

[@sm1tty031]

I enjoy these as a transplanted NYer now living in Texas. I commuted on the LIRR and then Metro North for years into Manhattan and boy do I have stories. One of the best was years ago I took the LIRR from Flatbush Avenue to Hicksville on the morning a blizzard was ramping up. Stupid decision but I had an appt and needed to keep it. By the time I got back to the Hicksville station a foot of snow had fallen and we were trapped at a little bar under the station where a stranger kept buying rounds for anyone stuck there. It was such an amazing moment. Finally had to go to my parents house in Queens by way of LIRR diesel! Couldnt get back to Brooklyn for 2 days! but what a memory

[@wickedpawn5437]

My LIRR line for two years! Used to take the 7:21 am express into Penn and 5:55 pm return. All my LIRR rides were full of excitement: Heading for work in the morning, fresh new day, sometimes trying to nap my ride away. I always took the same seat at Ronkonkoma. Same neighbors in front, back and side seats. Sitting dead on the afternoon train, but happy to be heading home back after a great day at work in Manhattan.

[@MrMaster767]

Nice!

[@PatricioGarcia1973]

I like this with the rain. Not always have great weather, plus who doesn’t like a train ride with the sound of rain? Greetings from way down south in Argentina 🇦🇷

[@starztrukk]

Love this. I always figured the LIRR doesn't use Line 2 into Penn Station often and now I finally see why - would only give them access to Tracks 15 & 16. Wasn't certain how Amtrak & NJT were getting from Sunnyside to Penn until now either. Thanks for this.

[@stuartaaron613]

Actually Tunnel 2 gives LIRR access to tracks 13-17.

[@suzannadannaTARDIS]

I moved off LI in 1988 and remember the steam trains of the Ronkonkoma line coming through Merrick a few times a day. Even living a few miles from the station, you could hear them come through. How cool to see the line electrified.

[@Italman45]

1:11:30 ..... Love it, this is the way the M-1's used to go into the tunnels back in the late 60's & 70's when I was a kid.....You got knocked around a bit .... FAST ! FANTASTIC FOOTAGE !

[@obscurelyvague]

This is now a historic record of this train route. Wish there was some film of the first train to travel along the newly-built railroads of the earlier 1800s.

[@Redstonesoldier]

Very enjoyable trip. It's great that while M3's have been pressed back into temporary service because of M9 delivery delays you are still documenting front end rail fan window views. Once M3's ultimately disappear from the scene, your M3 videos will become classics for the ages. Keep up the great work. Unfortunately, M3's will not see any temporary Grand Central East Side Access service. A Road Foreman told me last summer this is because M3's cannot handle the 3% grades associated with East Side Access tunnel use.

[@MrMaster767]

Babylon will be live in a few hours! I got a BUNCH to show!

[@3985uprr]

The Ronkonkoma line is going to become what the Babylon Line used to be. Ground level railroading with grade crossings and a half hourly service

[@MrMaster767]

We'll effectively get 50% more service on Ronkonkoma, Babylon and Port Jeff so these stations will be busy even during off peak hours.

[@sweetmyth2537]

@@MrMaster767 nah

[@F40PH-2CAT]

Even without ESA that fully double tracked Ronkonkoma branch was badly needed. Should have been installed during electrification. Next up....electrifying to Yaphank and Northport.

[@brianreed31]

@F40PH-2CAT hell don't forget electrifying Port Jefferson branch fully

[@giuseppenaylor]

Shocking that there are still wooden ties just outside of Hicksville…

[@johnv339]

Love the rain with NO sun! 🌧

[@3985uprr]

Looks similar to my Metra ride Aurora to Chicago last summer. It was rainy but didn’t look too bad. As long as you are up against glass you can move camera around rain smudges

[@MrMaster767]

Yeah, it's easy to find a clear spot.

[@stuartatkins5425]

Having not been back to the east coast since leaving in 1965 (now live in Nevada) this is very interesting because it lets me see that everything is very much the same as it was all those years ago. Out here in the west everything is so much more wide open. Thanks for sharing.

[@hoonami139]

Great video, reminds me of doing this same ride back in 2005 on M1s, same rainy kind of day.

[@albieh2563]

I believe the "little house" between D.P. and Wyandanch, referred to earlier, is the old Deer Park RR Station , not Republic. It is just before Deer Park Avenue. There was one in Wyandance which looked similar, when Wyandanch was called West Deer Park.

[@Oliver61500]

MrMaster, your video are always beautiful. Congrat !!!

[@MrMaster767]

Thanks! Really means a lot!

[@BURRITO44]

Enjoyed much

[@Tom_239]

An adjacent train fades in at 1:10:05 -- nice editing detail. Thanks for all these videos.

[@MrMaster767]

You bet!

[@ntrainr160]

I notice most of the LIRR expansion projects are meant to benefit the Ronkonkoma Branch. I could see the ridership of this Branch matching the levels as those on the Babylon Branch the upcoming years.

[@mattkowal90]

Except the Ronkonkoma Branch has NUMEROUS grade crossings. The Babylon Branch was grade separated from Babylon to Lynbrook from 1938-1980. Lynbrook in 1938, Rockville Centre in 1950, Massapequa in 1953, Baldwin in 1957, Freeport in 1960, Babylon in 1964, Seaford-Wantagh in 1968, Lindenhurst-Copiague-Amityville in 1973, Bellmore-Merrick in 1975, and Massapequa Park in 1980. Unfortunately, there is no room for shoo-fly tracks if they want to elevate.

[@F40PH-2CAT]

Due to ridership. Now they have to improve the north shore. I know full electrification to PJ is a bit much....but Northport is doable.

[@jutah]

great video! that weather is perfect. skipped ahead towards the part going into the city 1:11:38 nice scene there .// enjoyed it!

[@MrMaster767]

Thanks a lot!

[@debrafoy-re3gu]

I lived in Wyandanch in 1966,67. The station was much so much smaller. They made some big improvement over the years.

[@gmackrails1839]

You made a truly great video. I really enjoyed this. Keep up the good work.

[@MrMaster767]

Thanks

[@hope8612]

It's crazy how slowly the trains have to travel in and out of Jamaica every time

[@kaitoukiddo87]

hell yeah brother 👍🏼

[@justSTUMBLEDupon]

If you hit pause and click on this timeline number 41:04 you will see the new type of frogs they use on commuter rail lines. I’m curious as to when they started using them versus what has been used for centuries. Anyone know?

[@USArailfan2000]

[1:11:28] Nice 'M3 vs. M7 Race' through "Harold" Interlocking!

[@jamallhayden2512]

Thanks for the video!

[@MrMaster767]

Anytime!

[@denisryan8757]

Nice ride! enjoyed it. Good views of the new 3rd track!

[@MrMaster767]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@denisryan8757]

@@MrMaster767 Thank you!

[@robertbeck168]

At 49.34 you can spot the spaceship between Floral Park and New Hyde Park on the north side of the ROW. It's been there for years. An old amusement park ride, I guess.

[@Blippity_Bloop64]

Although I've only visited the NYC area a few times, I've always been fascinated with the mass transit system. I even bought a pretty cool book of all the track maps. I wondered what purpose the abandoned lines around 1:13:00 previously served. Google maps shows an overgrown path heading south and gradually disappearing into what looks like regular freight lines. Did the LIRR have a branch down there? Thanks!

[@danloeser]

That line is called the Montauk Cutoff. It was used to move freight trains between Jamaica and the car float docks and other freight facilities in Long Island City, without jamming up the approaches to the Penn Station tunnels. They were cut off.. so to speak.. when they replaced the former freight yard with a storage yard for trains going to Grand Central.

[@egbutler114]

Great video ‼️

[@MrMaster767]

Thanks!

[@mattkowal90]

Ride occurred on my birthday, and if I still lived in Amityville or Wantagh, it would have been dreary.

[@philipnasadowski1060]

Hey! Western Nassau water plant 57/57A at 50 minutes ! I did the controls design for that place

[@MrMaster767]

Nice!

[@wurm90125]

Curious as to why we hear the door bell going on LIRR trips at random on the M3's. I never hear this on MNR trains.

[@queens.dee.223]

What a neat video! At 40:05, do you know what the story is with the roof of that caboose? Thanks!

[@ilovelevators3699]

Amazing!

[@MrMaster767]

Thanks!

[@ryanveyr9195]

@ 45:38 if this video was recorded a couple hours later I would have been seen in this video trainspotting. my car would have appeared where that last silver car was parked on the left. i was on lunch break from jury duty lol

[@MrMaster767]

Well that ship has sailed lol.

[@ryanveyr9195]

@@MrMaster767 will there be a recording of the return trip from penn to ronk? is it from 10/24 as well?

[@MrMaster767]

Working on it. Need to find a day and get to Jamaica or Penn early.

[@mateuszmattias]

Is Ronkonkoma the far east end of 3rd rail electrification?

[@charlottewhyte9804]

why are they not using windscreen wipers?

[@DJSI3434]

What lies beyond the end of the journey? I thought Penn (and GC) were terminals, so what continues beyond? Is it just storage/parking?

[@b3j8]

Do the bells in the background let you know you can leave a station?

[@joelk4751]

Is the little house on the north side of the tracks between Deer Park & Wyandanch an abandoned station?

[@MrMaster767]

Republic Station yes

[@joelk4751]

@@MrMaster767 Cool. My older brother worked at Republic after getting out of the Navy, when we lived in Levittown back in the 1960's. I remember the mess of tracks running thru Hicksville before they were elevated. One year in high school, I took the train to the city every Saturday for a computer science class at NYU.

[@walkaboutboy72]

hi from the UK. awesome video - ill be coming over soon - how do you find out which trains are running as an m3 ? cheers !

[@phsycopiano]

Ok I’m finally going to ask, What’s with that alarm ringing?

[@MrMaster767]

Short bells are the Alerter. Long bells are the speed code dropping.

[@TrainsPT]

They using a new signalling system?

[@MrMaster767]

Yes, Reduced Aspect. You follow cab signal indications.

[@toosmart4you999]

Wow it is raining hard I have been in front of the driver before also you are near my house at 13:19

[@MrMaster767]

Sweet!

[@timcoyle50]

I notice a lot of overhead catenary, how often is it used?

[@MrMaster767]

Every day. It's Amtrak territory.

[@railfanningisthebest]

what do you use to get the perfect shot of this without the camera moving

[@MrMaster767]

I have my phone resting on the flat surface of the window tilted very slightly and I'm using just 2 fingers to hold it against the glass. But now I have an item that can keep it anchored it to the window for me and I don't have to even touch it.

[@steel8675]

I appreciate the video, the rain effect is really soothing and its good to see the perspective of the rail engineer! Do you work multiple lines?

[@MrMaster767]

It's an amazing view of what's in front of you since not many people know about this and even observe for themselves. If you're referring to if I'm an Engineer? No. I'm not Engineer qualified. I'm happy where I am right now.

[@steel8675]

@@MrMaster767 Gotcha, I also appreciate the old Positional style signals still up in service too!

[@legendary39500]

Obviously Penn Station is the last stop, but I was always curious about the tracks that go beyond that, what does it look like there?

[@MrMaster767]

Beyond Penn Station is West Side Yard. 30 storage tracks.

[@legendary39500]

@@MrMaster767, that’s really interesting, thank you for answering! Do you happen to have footage of you bringing the train into the yard?

[@MrMaster767]

@@legendary39500 I'm not Engineer qualified nor have any interest in applying. Even if I was, can't use phones or electronics in the operating cab while keyed into the console. All I'm doing is recording from a publicly accessible part of the Train, NOT in the Cab. The design of the M3's let's us do that.

[@legendary39500]

@@MrMaster767 ah, gotcha. Thank you for answering though.

[@utahrailfan1946]

The tracks beyond Penn Station are the Northeast Corridor tracks to DC. Amtrak to DC, NJ transit to points west, and Trenton, NJ, south of New York.

[@qcdmc2000photos]

Why did this LIRR train use Line 2 of East River Tunnel? Most LIRR trains use Line 4 of East River Tunnel to access Penn Station.

[@MrMaster767]

Line 2 is shared with Amtrak and NJT. Plus if Line 4 is occupied or shut down Trains can use Line 2.

[@chrishowell4845]

Just curious, will you be able to do any videos on the Easr Side Access when it opens ( front window, of course )?

[@MrMaster767]

I'll see what I can arrange. Only M7s and M9s will be allowed into Grand Central.

[@chrishowell4845]

@@MrMaster767 , I saw a story a while back about the possibility of a rail line being built that would connect Queens and Brooklyn, completely bypassing Manhattan.....any truth to that?

[@MrMaster767]

@@chrishowell4845 Not that I know of.

[@charlottewhyte9804]

cool jouney

[@hornshowrailfan2554]

What kind of horn is that? Sounds similar to what we have on SEPTA.

[@MrMaster767]

Leslie S2M

[@atheman90]

It sounds similar because they have the same exact horn.

[@hornshowrailfan2554]

@@atheman90 LOL

[@Anthony-tb5vg]

Thank you friend for the enjoyable video. Just curious in your username with the numbers 767, is this because you are a fan of Boeing 767 aircraft?

[@MrMaster767]

Kind of. I've flown Airbus more though lol.

[@LIMowersAndMore]

One day we can possibly see Amtrak trains running up and down the main!

[@MrMaster767]

We'll see.

[@harvey2465]

I was wondering about a through express from Long Island to Albany?

[@frankswecker8230]

Why don't the platforms have protection from the weather? The poor passengers waiting in the rain.

[@alkh3myst]

They'd rather spend the money on overtime for their workers. The LIRR is close to 200 years old, and still can't fix many of its most basic problems.

[@CanalJasonJo27823]

50:02

[@tomoconnell2320]

47:00 you have 2 guys working and 5 guys watching. That’s why this project cost 10 billion dollars. Keep padding those unions ugh

[@_mynewcareer]

LIRR has much better infrastructure than NJT

[@NYRangers520]

What a disgusting, rainy day it was on this day!! Yuck!☁️🌧️☔ It ruined a nice video that's for sure. It would've been amazing if it was a beautiful sunny day.

[@MrMaster767]

Yeah, but I didn't want to miss the opportunity.

[@Bivolari]

Disabled train at 1:08:16?? The rescue train at 1:08:40??

[@MrMaster767]

Probably testing.