Port Jefferson and Central Branch Electrification

Former LIRR pres Phile Eng was a daily commuter on the PJ line - usually on the train (that if he stayed on past Jamaica) would have gotten him in to NYP at (give or take) 7:20AM. If nothing else he knew the line needs a lot of help. Now that he's gone, I'm guessing at least 20 or 30 years before any improvement east of Huntington.

Crabman1130 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 16, 2022 8:47 pm Why would they need another yard? They have an eight track yard east of the station now, and another four west of the station.

Exactly. Reminds me of the last 70+ years of the tunnel to Greenville, NJ-Bayridge, NY nonsense...

nyandw wrote: ↑Sun Jun 19, 2022 12:06 am

Crabman1130 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 16, 2022 8:47 pm Why would they need another yard? They have an eight track yard east of the station now, and another four west of the station.

Exactly. Reminds me of the last 70+ years of the tunnel to Greenville, NJ-Bayridge, NY nonsense...

As someone already noted, the PJ yard has mainly short tracks that only hold short trains. One thing if you are running a one loco plus 3 car junker between PJ and HPA or Jamaica. But they won't do much good for 12 car MU's.

Having said that, I don't believe that MTA will invest a penny more than it's forced to in diesel country (except maybe for the summer weekend drunk tank specials). They still act like it's all farm country with a few commuters, certainly no major university or anyone who matters. With an average speed of what, 30mph east of Huntington, diesel locos that were junk from day 1, and unlike for MNCR, nothing new on order, they've long made it clear that the PJ line should never expect any upgrades of any sort.

With that being said, they could at least modernize the Port Jefferson Branch by rehabilitating stations to match their neighbors.

-St. James, Smithtown, and Greenlawn.
-Add a second track/platform at Northport (there's room)
-Bring double-track service to Greenlawn if they enhance the station. There is a Platform B.

As far as the Central Branch, I would say just electrify it simply. Make it an express track/route with no stations from Belmont Junction at Babylon to Bethpage.

That all makes sense. CB electrification would add flexibility. It would take little to use the south track at Greenlawn, and a bit more through East Northport (reminder to all that there is no LIRR service to Northport, NY), though I'd like to see 2 new foot bridges just high enough, fully covered against snow, rain and ice, and with up escalators at a minimum. I've no problem with improvement at all these stations, including platforms that are not crumbling or sagging, with at least partial canopies. BUT, without searchlights embedded in the cement around the station building, pointing up into the eyes of those people walking by (whose idiotic idea were these lights at East Northport)? And with seats in and out that are not painful to sit on. And with LIRR maintenance teams who don't lock out passengers during official open hours.

Even some double tracking could help improve performance east of Huntington. Which is why I don't think LIRR will ever do so.

Unfortunately- electrification of either Port Jeff or The Central branch will probably never happen. Central Branch third rail was supposed to get done in the late 80s when the Mainline was done. Money was there, and third rail ties were laid on a good portion of the branch. It was never finished and those ties are now rotted and replaced. Having third rail on both branches would solve a lot of problems. MTA is not into solving problems. Problems need lots of money thrown at them. Running M7s down from Beth to Babylon makes all the sense in the world. Hence- it will never be done.

Map of the electrified sections of the greater New York commuter rail network : nycrail
Long Island Rail Road - Wikipedia
The diesel parts:

• Oyster Bay Branch: East Williston - Oyster Bay
• Port Jefferson Branch: Huntington - Port Jefferson
• Ronkonkoma Branch: Ronkonkoma - Greenport
• Central Branch: Bethpage - Babylon
• Montauk Branch: Babylon - Montauk

Sen. Gaughran pushing for more trains for LIRR commuters | Herald Community Newspapers | www.liherald.com - including electrification of the Oyster Bay branch.

Not much discussion of electrification of any of Ronkonkoma - Greenport or Babylon - Montauk, however.