Creedmore Branch

I drove down Commonwealth Blvd today on my way to the Cross Island Parkway looking to see if I could spot the crossing. I found it and quite easily. There are 2 signs one on either side of the street. They are For Sale signs which list the MTA property division as the contact to inquire about the property. Didn't have a camera but I'll go back this weekend with one.

There is a trestle on the Main Line shortly before Floral Park Station that has an abandonded trackway which branches off the Main Line.

That was the Creedmoor branch, connecting into the LIRR's Main Line.

The trestle was built with the grade elimination of the tracks through Floral Park in 1962.

In this elimination, "PARK" tower on the south side of the tracks was also eliminated.

Freight service was still provided on the Creedmoor branch at that time, so the connection to the branch had to be elevated as well as the Main Line tracks. Hence the trestle of which you speak.

Dave Keller

Dave Keller wrote:That was the Creedmoor branch, connecting into the LIRR's Main Line.

The trestle was built with the grade elimination of the tracks through Floral Park in 1962.

In this elimination, "PARK" tower on the south side of the tracks was also eliminated.

Freight service was still provided on the Creedmoor branch at that time, so the connection to the branch had to be elevated as well as the Main Line tracks. Hence the trestle of which you speak.

Dave Keller

That's what I'm talking about.

Dave Keller wrote:Bob:

Your projected maps look pretty much dead-on!

The only thing is at the lower end where it connected into the Stewart line south east of Floral Park, it connected just EAST of Covert Avenue and 1/4 mile west of Stewart Manor station from maps I've seen.

Dave Keller

Thanks Dave. One of these days I'll get around to changing it.

Something still tells me that if this branch were still around today, the LIRR would have had an even larger number of commuters riding the rails, especially when you take into consideration that the Creedmoor line crossed the many portions of Queens that are not very near to subway lines. This branch would have also saved time for commuters riding on express trains that skip Jamaica all together by simply by-passing Jamaica by traveling up to the PT. Wash branch instead.

I totally agree. today that branch would bring in money.

It is a great shortcut and would probably shave about 5-10 minutes off trip times. They really should just rebuild the entire central(minus Bethpage and Babylon spurs). Run trains from Babylon or maybe even Patchogue, up to a new Bethpage Jct station at B tower, then across through Levittown and East Meadow, making stops until Garden City. From there, on to Floral Park, then stops up to Shea, then Sunnyside, and NYP or just to GCT. Expresses could run NYP-Sunnyside/GCT-Floral Park-East Meadow, Bethpage Jct-Babylon-then maybe Bay Shore, Sayville, Patchogue