Montauk Cut-off abandoned

http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/cabsho ... rdHand.jpg

Effective: 8/19/2017 RIP


Any photos of the raze? Thanks.

Start here https://www.flickr.com/photos/mtacc-esa ... 737138865/. There are a few more pictures in the same album.

The next NYC rail trail...

More like a working garden than trail. The garden only has a lease for the first parcel btw hunterspoint ave and skillman, MTA's not selling any of it.

Are they ripping out rails on the whole route or just the overpass approach that they're supposed to demo?

As my LIRR train headed for the East River tunnels this morning, I noticed a large excavator at the base of the Cutoff where it used to connect into Sunnyside. Rails and ties were already removed from the north Cutoff and it looks as though the ground was being regraded. I will look on my way home at the other track and their progress. Where the Cutoff crosses over the LIRR tracks, plywood had been placed across the track.

Dogbert: You can start your garden trail.

It seems like there will be a need for this trackage at some point. Yet another example of the LIRR's short-sightedness.

It's not going to be on that structure. Right now it is just a liability and serves no purpose, nor does it fit into future ESA picture. They will likely need the added space for the new lay-up yard, however.

What was the approaches to the bridge(the cutoff) on the former Yard A side were removed to build new lead tracks to Arch St Shop.
The new shop leads will also get 3rd rail.

AlKaLI wrote: Dogbert: You can start your garden trail.

It's not mine. As I've said numerous times before - the cutoff btw skillman & M cabin is being LEASED to a community group that will opening it to the public and using it for a variety of ecological purposes. the MTA is NOT selling the property. IF (and that's a huge IF) the MTA ever needs it again for rail use, they will terminate the lease. From having sat in on some of the meetings for it, I can assure you there's no confusion about any of this for everyone involved. The arrangement actually maintains the property by preventing it from becoming a lawless dumping ground (which was becoming a problem with the concrete plant down at M cabin).

The MTA views the currently crumbling cutoff structure that passes over the tunnel portals as a huge liability. It is now over 100 years old and hasn't been properly maintained in decades. It has to go. Think of the hell to pay if all LIRR, Amtrak and NJT service was suspended because of debris falling off this thing, or heaven forbid it actually collapsed during a severe storm.

If any of it were to be reused for rail ever again, everything but the embankment would need replacing anyway. Old rail, rotted ties, overpasses of questionable structural integrity.

Dogbert: Sorry if you took my sarcasm the wrong way about the "garden trail". I know it's not yours and thanks for your posts. I always enjoy them.

As an update, the excavator this morning was near the top of north Cutoff. Rails and ties have been removed to where it is sitting.
No work has been done on the other cutoff. Rails and ties are still there. Two ties placed like an "X" across the rails are at the bottom.

AlKaLI wrote:Dogbert: Sorry if you took my sarcasm the wrong way about the "garden trail". I know it's not yours and thanks for your posts. I always enjoy them.

As an update, the excavator this morning was near the top of north Cutoff. Rails and ties have been removed to where it is sitting.
No work has been done on the other cutoff. Rails and ties are still there. Two ties placed like an "X" across the rails are at the bottom.

Sorry I always assume everyone is being snippy on the internet

That excavator must be moving around a bit - I didn't see it there at all Wednesday. Basically the concrete ramp behind the courthouse has no track, and they haven't touched the metal over the active tracks yet, or the 'mainline cutoff' as they call it.

If you're ever in LIC on foot, the parking garage behind the courthouse is a great spot to view the whole thing.

With the Montauk Cutoff permanently out of service, how exactly does equipment access Yard A (for Arch Street Shops for example)? I know of a single track connecting Yard A with the Sunnyside tracks, if that is it (seen it from the 7 Train). But I can't seem to find where it connects with other tracks.

Believe the former Yard A was connected to one of the Sunnyside loop tracks for now,the entire yard A is in flux due to ESA construction staging.
Access from the GCT "bunker level" will be a tunnel under the loop tracks into the yard.
With the removal of the Cutoff tracks from the bridge approach grade, will allow the tracks to Arch st Shop to be finally built.
Current access is on a track that might have been the team track yard lead in the past,and in poor shape as well.

On my LIRR travel into the city this morning, I noticed an excavator perhaps with a pneumatic jackhammer had started demolishing the Cut-off near the Shop tracks.
It was about in the center of the attached Google link just above the entrance to one of the East River tunnels.
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7439767 ... !1e3?hl=en" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So,
While heading past Harold interlocking, I actually looked out the window and saw some machinery grinding away at the cutoff ramp. The concrete was really flying.
It looks like the viaduct is coming down or at least the ramp is being removed o prevent it from being reactivated.
Maddog