MTA LIRR Double Track Project - Ronkonkoma to Farmingdale

NYAR brought out the NTC machine this morning on the RS-50, as well as 10 concrete tie cars and other assorted cars for the upcoming projects.

MattAmity90 wrote:

Amtrak7 wrote:Buses replace trains east of Farmingdale for all weekends in January to advance this project.

That's fantastic to know, hope they break out the NTC (New Track Construction) behemoth!

It is official that all 12 grade crossings that had to be converted from one to track crossings are rehabilitated. Plus I did find a photo and it does show the Eastern half of Wyandanch has been razed with temporary 8-10-12 MU signs on the South side of the ROW.

I reread the blurb; it appears that Bethpage and Farmingdale passengers will also be bused for these weekends with KO trains cancelled in their entirety, unclear as to outage limits.

Good to hear re: the crossings!

Passed over the Carll's Path crossing yesterday am. Could see the end of a Astro stone car sticking up at what I'm guessing is going to be the new entrance(?) to the Astro stone yard.

Where is the NTC currently located right now because it's obvious they wouldn't dare work on the weekends of December 16-17, December 23-24, and December 30-31?!

We all know that all the January weekends there will be no service: January 6-7, January 13-14, January 20-21, and January 27-28.

Is there any other kind of work they will be doing on those weekends aside from the NTC laying down miles of the new track? Switch work East of Central Islip, electrifying the remainder of the second track laid from West of Ronkonkoma to East of Central Islip?

Little bit of a milestone: On December 28th we will be celebrating the 30th Anniversary of electric service from Ronkonkoma to Penn Station with the completion of the Ronkonkoma to Hicksville electrification project. The milestone for the M1 will not be until December 30th, 2018 for the 50th Anniversary of the first revenue M1 from Babylon to Penn Station.

Perhaps relevant to both the NYA forum and this one. I saw on Edward Hand's excellent Flickr site that the switch to PC Richard's in Deer Park has been removed due to the new track. Will they reinstall the switch?
-Lee

I don't think they are going to replace the switch, but aside from Pinelawn being razed along with the boring of holes and concrete piers being put into place for their new platform, Wyandanch is actually being rehabilitated (hence the East half of the station is gone) and right next to where it existed they are now boring holes and placing concrete piers on both sides. One problem though is that power pole to the South of the ROW is in the way of where the second platform will be placed. Coming along smoothly for those busy January weekend outages to start off 2018. Ties are being laid all along the South of the ROW. Edward Hand I just can't thank enough for the updated pictures.

Edward Hand uploaded more photos from the weekend, and concrete pillars are getting installed along with more bored holes. Work has also begun at the pedestrian bridge West of Wyandanch in between Little East Neck Road and 18th Street as two crossover switches are being put in place for installation. Most likely those switches will not be connected to the existing track until January 6th-7th. They are really coming along nicely seeing that service is not being affected, but I'm wondering where they will start the NTC. (My guess is West of Deer Park).

The now-unused spur for the propane company in Wyandanch going to be kept in case of future need, or has it been removed as part of the double-tracking project?

Teutobergerwald wrote:The now-unused spur for the propane company in Wyandanch going to be kept in case of future need, or has it been removed as part of the double-tracking project?

The rear buildings are being torn down. The front building and the spur at least to the gate still exist. Whether the spur is still attached to the ROW I don't know.

New Track Construction machine working right now between Deer Park station and Commack Road crossing. Pretty fascinating piece of machinery.

So it looks like the NTC right now is going to be used to lay the track in between Deer Park and Wyandanch especially when it goes over Deer Park Avenue.

New photos were taken by good ole' Edward Hand after some snow was cleared in the project areas. Dwarf signals have been installed right next to the Peter's Blvd. crossing, a surprise at Pinelawn because where the new platform is now is covered by a white tarp, and the NTC is still sitting East of Commack Road.

Why would they put dwarf signals there instead of full-size ones?

Head-end View wrote:Why would they put dwarf signals there instead of full-size ones?

I can think of two possible reasons:

1.) Dwarfs are usually put in as temporary signals so that they can put up signal gantries, and have the new interlocking in service. They did that when they modernized the interlockings at Amityville and Wantagh.
2.) Maybe there isn't room for gantries, I mean the interlocking begins just West of Peters Blvd.

Neither, look to Metro North for the answer.