Nicholls Siding - Maspeth, Queens

I've seen Nicholls Siding mentioned, but not much in the way of particulars, such as it's location, length, uses, etc. Can anyone fill-in the blanks? Thanks.

Nichols Siding refers to sidings in the Maspeth Area of Queens.

http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/lirrtr ... speth8.jpg

Look at points 4 & 5 on the map. At one time there were more spots for this company and they were a large shipper on the western part of the LIRR.

http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/freightsidings.htm

That's a great map. Of all those spurs and sidings, which are still active with NYA service? Thanks.

Well, north of Rust St. I don't think any is still active, and here's the live local to back me up.
However, into the 1990s, I do remember seeing boxcars on Siding 1 - it was (and still is) a beverage distributor, I think the boxcars carried wine but I am not certain. What is more interesting is Siding 6, which I distinctly remember was active into the 1990s - a number of times I passed by and saw a boxcar parked East of 58th St. However, that area now is some sort of NYC EMT/Fire repair/storage area.
From LiveLocal (which is usually a few years behind), looks like the funky siding tree by 49th/47st (siding 19-28) still exists in some fashion, but only one siding seems to be in service (however, Live Local caught some NY&A activity on that branch, right where it leaves the yard heading south past the curved-sided building - North orientation only.

The 56th Road crossing has been paved over for a couple of years.

NYA, with community support, made an effort to convince Coke to accept sugar tankers. Coke said no and that was it.

NYA, with community support, made an effort to convince Coke to accept sugar tankers. Coke said no and that was it.

Coca Cola is one of those companies that were really burned badly during the days of LIRR Freight. It left such a bad taste in their mouth, they would never return to rail freight on Long Island, no matter which company is flying the flag.

Jay

That's too bad about Coke being resolved to never use rail freight service in Queens again. I'm sure NYA would do a much better job for them.

That siding was Metropolitan Industries I believe, I think Coors was the last active costumer.

An old freight engineer now deceased told our class a funny story about Coors. In the good ole days the LIRR separated road and freight service. Coors was begging for a switch before a holiday weekend. He was working the RF 30 which was a road train which didn't have to that in Maspeth. The crew alerted the shipping foreman at Coors that the crew was "thirsty." Not only did the crew receive a penalty claim for doing yard work each member got 4 cases of Coors Light as it was explained to me. The good ole days indeed ,prob mid-nineties or so.

Coors (Midway Beverage)was on the north side and received insulated boxcars of Coors in cans and Kegs(every other day, four to five cars at a time). Midway began service in 1985.Farther north was Manufactuers, north side. This was the last consignee in this area.

Boening Bros. in Farmingdale also had weekly shipments of Miller beer from a facility in the Buffalo area that is now closed.

I'm surprised nobody has asked about the concrete chute that is being built in Maspeth yard.

It's a shame that a large operation like Coca-Cola won't ship by rail - there's too many trucks on the road.

Does anyone have photos of the stone unloading infrastructure that's being built? Where is the stone that's bound for Maspeth coming from?

rb wrote:Does anyone have photos of the stone unloading infrastructure that's being built? Where is the stone that's bound for Maspeth coming from?

Is this why there's a splice in one or two of the yard tracks now? If so I have a shot of that, but that's from maybe 2 or 3 weeks back. Haven't been by in awhile. I assume more work has been done?

Did Nicholls siding have any wying capability or other turnarund provision? Based on the map in this thread, I didn't see any. Meanwhile, it seems that not all sidings pointed in the same direction.

No Wying options I'm aware of. One day back in 2002 (or so), a boxcar of rice came in on the local and the crew was PO'd they had to go back to Fresh Pond to wye the car so the doors faced the correct side for unloading.

The track map labled "Maspeth" is just that. Maspeth yard and not Nichols siding.
Tracks and customers (Coors) across Rust Street were called North Side sidings.
During the 70s or early 80s, a cross-over was removed from west of Haberman Sta. and eventually the facing point switch was removed.
Nichols siding was never called that by the crews. It was called Laurel Hill with a facing point switch and cross over at Laurel Hill Boulavard. The main customer was Phelps-Dodge who would take and ship ten to fifteen carloads daily. The copper smelters were always running and when we were switching in PD we always had security following us around to make sure we didn't bend over and pick up any copper and stuff it into our pockets. PD had four tracks that would hold about ten cars each and they were all on a downhill grade.
Toward the west end of the siding was Davis and Warishaw(sp) plumbing supplies. Behind that spot and down a steep grade was a dog food processor who took covered hoppers filled with dog food fixins.
Two miles an hr. was considered speeding when we shoved down with those loads but more than once one got away and pulled engine and all down past the block and almost into the street.
A styrofoam processor and a warehouse were other cutomers in "Nichols siding"
This was yard territory and the crew would go there light to round up the westbounds, take them to Yard "A" and then go back to Bliss yard, where the yard job there had made up thier train in spot order.
They shoved the mile or so to Laurel Hill Boulavard switch with the conductor riding the top of the rear (leading) car. This was an afternoon job so by fall and winter, this was done in the dark with signs being passed along with electric lanterns. Just to be on the safe side, the conductor had a back-up hose attached to the air hose on the car that he was riding so that he could stop the move in an emergency. Nichols Siding?? Thats what it was called on the block operators model board.