LIRR Tower Interlockings

What about the interlocking at Mastic Shirley that was remoted during PD-SK signalization? Is that named after a former RR official?

RestrictOnTheHanger wrote:What about the interlocking at Mastic Shirley that was remoted during PD-SK signalization? Is that named after a former RR official?

Isn't that one just MS 2 and MS 1? For Mastic-Shirley, mabye?

There's MO siding near the former Center Moriches siding or PT siding near the former Eastport station, but those are just named after their location as well.

MS was the only one remoted during that time,

So they didn't construct temporary interlocking crossover switches on the temporary tracks at any of the Babylon Branch stations during the elimination, because I saw crossovers at Babylon during the elimination, but then again that's the termination for electrics.

MS1 and MS 2 were REnamed JJD1 and JJD2 for retired LIRR CTO Dermody some time ago.
It's remoted to Babylon(was PD till it was shut down),east of the Mastic-Shirley station(MS BLS)
Its the last remote controled siding heading east to Montauk.

Sorry to repeat myself, did they construct temporary crossover switch interlockings on any of the temporary tracks whether it was at an end point of any segment of the Babylon Branch during elimination, or were the only things signal-wise on any of the temps were Wayside Signals? (I know they didn't have them on the ACL segment, but had them at the Seaford/Wantagh, and the Bellmore/Merrick).

When was the Eastport siding torn up, and why?

The temporary trackage was built like "Shoofly" tracks to slightly better "standards" due to the lenght of the trackage,
and lenght of time they were used.
If there were any crossovers put in,most likely "trailing point" crossovers,hand thrown along with any needed freight spurs.
As the tempory tracks were "cut in",MW just swung the rails from the main line over to temp trackage,
As the elavated sections were finished and ready for use,MW then swung the rails back to the mainline,
"cutting out" the temp trackage.

Teutobergerwald wrote:When was the Eastport siding torn up, and why?

The Eastport Siding is still there, sorry I mistyped above. I meant to say the former Eastport Station before. (I've edited my post above changing it to the correct idea)

Backshophoss wrote:The temporary trackage was built like "Shoofly" tracks to slightly better "standards" due to the lenght of the trackage,
and lenght of time they were used.
If there were any crossovers put in,most likely "trailing point" crossovers,hand thrown along with any needed freight spurs.
As the tempory tracks were "cut in",MW just swung the rails from the main line over to temp trackage,
As the elavated sections were finished and ready for use,MW then swung the rails back to the mainline,
"cutting out" the temp trackage.

So needless to say, what your saying is the Babylon Branch did not have any temporary crossover switches on the temporary tracks at Merrick, Bellmore, Massapequa Park, Amityville, Copiague, and Lindenhurst during the elevation of those stations, or did they have crossover switches at the transition of the main ROW to the temporary tracks at any of those stations or just the Waysides except at the ACL segment?

They moved the rails over,NO switches at each end of the temp tracks(Shooflys).

Backshophoss wrote:They moved the rails over,NO switches at each end of the temp tracks(Shooflys).

And not in the middle either? The only signals were wayside and no crossovers? But then again I don't think they had the room on the Babylon Branch, and I didn't see anything along the temporary ROW. I do know they had to run Eastbound trains on the Westbound temp through Merrick and Bellmore one time because LB gave me photos of a grade crossing accident between an Eastbound and a car at Newbridge Road in Bellmore, and 2 photos on the same day they were cutting the temps out at Merrick and Bellmore, one had a Westbound bypassing on the Eastbound temp track, than like 20 minutes later there was a Westbound on the already connected elevated track.

MS 1 and MS 2 are the only remoted calls that I am aware of at that location and yes, whether when becoming remote or when the block office was manned, MS stood for Mastic-Shirley.

MO siding was probably so named as MO were the call letters for the block office in the Centre Moriches station building and later were the calls for the block limit signal which was controlled by PD for many years.

Ditto for PT at Eastport . . . only that block office was moved from the ticket office to a cabin of its own at the junction of the Manorville and Montauk branches around WWI. The PT block limit signal was located there for many years after the branch to Manorville was torn up and the manned cabin removed.


And Mastic-Shirley was so named because the station stop was originally further east at Mastic and when a land developer named Shirley (last name) developed the area and gave it his name, it was thought to be more convenient to riders to relocate the station stop to this new, booming community. The Mastic stop was abandoned, depot was razed and new, rick structure opened further west where Shirley is today and given the combined named of Mastic-Shirley.

The ticket agency and block office were manned for many years. Once closed, the block was handled by the operator at PD.


Data courtesy of Dave Keller

MattAmity90 wrote:

Backshophoss wrote:They moved the rails over,NO switches at each end of the temp tracks(Shooflys).

And not in the middle either? The only signals were wayside and no crossovers? But then again I don't think they had the room on the Babylon Branch, and I didn't see anything along the temporary ROW. I do know they had to run Eastbound trains on the Westbound temp through Merrick and Bellmore one time because LB gave me photos of a grade crossing accident between an Eastbound and a car at Newbridge Road in Bellmore, and 2 photos on the same day they were cutting the temps out at Merrick and Bellmore, one had a Westbound bypassing on the Eastbound temp track, than like 20 minutes later there was a Westbound on the already connected elevated track.

This thread is bouncing back and forth like a ping-pong ball. When the shoofly's are connected, freight sidings get snipped and there are typically no crossover switches installed. I can only vouch for Merrick/Bellmore & Wantagh/Seaford projects, but I doubt very much if any switches were installed on the A/C/L shoofly tracks. It's usually straight rails the whole run. Hicksville and Babylon were completely different animals, since they were major interlockings. Later in the projects they may put a switch in to conduct test runs on the elevated track before service is cut-in (as shown in Mass Park photo below).

Massapequa Park OCT 79 (14 months before project completion)
http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s48 ... g60_57.jpg

Babylon Deer Park Ave 1955
http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s48 ... Q60_57.jpg

Babylon NOV 1963
http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s48 ... vkRg_3.jpg

Babylon AUG 1964
http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s48 ... Ov3fBN.jpg

LB: You're correct it is bouncing... I originally started this to look at the towers, interiors, levers and rods. Perhaps the telegraphic names, switches, etc. should move to a new topic?

Ok, I'm sorry about the whole ping-pong ball effect, my fault and I feel bad about. Just had to make sure because my Autism causes me to repeat things in my head that are not true. LB, everyone, thank you for giving me all the helpful information and photos, I hope I didn't make you mad. I know there were no switches at shoo-fly track entry/exit points on the Babylon Branch during elimination West of Babylon now. I just wanted to be sure that my vision was true. Likewise I'm over it, I know everything, let's put it behind us and talk about other LIRR topics or new ones, LB did see my model station. But that's not important right now. Let's talk about the interlocking towers and switches.