Old Bridge in East Yaphank

Anyone have any pictures and info about that old bridge that used to run parallel with William Floyd Pkwy in East Yaphank? I remember as you head north on WFP and you go over the RR bridge, you looked to the right and there was an old rickety bridge. What was this bridge used for? Was it a road that led into Camp Upton? When was it torn down?

Dave Keller provides this data: Hay Road crossed the LIRR's Main Line tracks at grade on the east side of where that bridge was later constructed. When Camp Upton was under construction in 1917, the Hay Road crossing was closed, the bridge in question built over the LIRR's Main Line tracks, the main avenue into the camp greatly improved and renamed Upton Road. On 5/24/1918, the Upton Road station was built on the north side of the tracks, on the east side of that bridge. Part of the station platform extended across the former grade crossing
of Hay Road. This Main Line station was IN ADDITION to the station in the camp. The stations closed in 1922 when the camp closed and LIRR service to the camp ceased in April of that year.

Upton Road remained the main north-south avenue, following the path of the former Hay Road and, during WWII, became, once again, the main avenue into Camp Upton when it was rebuilt and reactivated. This trestle and road was later made obsolete with the construction of the Wm. Floyd Parkway in 1959 and access into the former camp, now Brookhaven National Laboratory, made from the parkway. Dave photographed this bridge in 1968. It was torn down shortly after. He suggests you contact him directly at [email protected] should you wish to purchase images.

This is the bridge in question. You can see the remains of Upton Road on the north and south of it. And I'll bet that the abutments are still there. http://www.openstreetmap.org/browse/way/244498230" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Awesome info! Thanks fellas!

Here's the original alignment of Upton Rd. I remember seeing the bridge when we travelled to and from Smith's Point Park via Wm Floyd Pkwy back in the 1970's. I don't think cars were using it at that point.

Map: Upton Rd 1976 (close-up)
http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s48 ... 3667c8.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Map: Upton Rd 1976 (wide-view)
http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s48 ... e43722.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The old abutments are still there

And on the larger map, did you notice the spur going into Brookhaven Labs?

Unless I'm seeing thing (aka makin' shit up), the western leg of the wye heading out to the main is still there. It's disconnected on both ends (neither switch is apparent), but the tracks themselves remain in-between.
At least, that's what it looks like on the aerial photo.

Russ,
I walked that section of whats left of track at BNL back in 2003 looking for open track to store decommissioned M-1 cars. The west leg of the former wye is gone, but some ties remain in the woods. No rail. The metal frame for the water tower was still there, tipped over on its side next to the cut in the ground for what was the west leg. The east leg of the wye is the current track leading to the main track switch off the Main Line (NOT the Greenport Branch). The track extends for about a mile and a half up into the Lab, ending at what was the former station area, with three tracks left. The westernmost one has a short concrete ramp at its end instead of a bumper block. NYAR still uses this track to access BNL, and there is a locked gate across it at the BNL border. NYAR also reconditioned the track from the LIRR border to Princeton Avenue in the BNL. I presume the gate is a result of post 9/11 security, which I had to comply with to gain entrance to do the track audit.

I think it's been cut back because of new construction going on recently

Anyone know the status of the old spur to Grumman Calverton...anything left of it?

Grumman Calverton Map
http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s48 ... 725ad1.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

LB wrote:Anyone know the status of the old spur to Grumman Calverton...anything left of it?

Grumman Calverton Map
http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s48 ... 725ad1.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Seriously? You missed the whole spur rebuild? Was a few years back, search this forum, lots of posts & pics of the rebuild.

"....Seriously? You missed the whole spur rebuild? Was a few years back, search this forum, lots of posts & pics of the rebuild.[/quote]

There are folks here that post quite a bit of information, photos and links to help others; many for years on end. At times much of this information is at Google/Bing/Yahoo/etc. with web searches in less than a minute. And on many other occasions the info requires time/work/dedication to provide the data/link/answer.

Not everyone has been here for years (military duty, marriage, relocation, etc.), in fact perhaps some are new/recent and many come and go. Frankly, I can't remember posts from years back and I have made a few.

Helping LB would benefit us all. I couldn't find the info easily posted years back, perhaps you might assist us. Thanks.

Last I checked the Brookhaven site out is when I worked the freight out there. Some of the track for the west leg was still there, but the rail may have been pulled up since then. The water tower is in the woods, and I remember reading somewhere that the foundation was intentionally tipped over by the railroad for safety reasons.

Most of the track extending back to the lab was removed a few years back, and a new "yard" was constructed closer to the main line to facilitate moving out the contaminated soil, once the soil in the back had already been removed.

I'm confused with regards to the Grumman Calverton spur. Since Grumman Calverton closed in the early 1990's, why would they have rebuilt the spur recently....unless a new industry went in at the existing site or this is the site of the new rail yard that was installed a few years ago.

LB wrote:I'm confused with regards to the Grumman Calverton spur. Since Grumman Calverton closed in the early 1990's, why would they have rebuilt the spur recently....unless a new industry went in at the existing site or this is the site of the new rail yard that was installed a few years ago.

I'll concur with the question as to "Why the rebuild"? The Grumman spur was located between Manorville and Calverton; east of exit 70 North off the LIE.

LB: If you refer to the new rail yard perhaps: The Brookhaven Rail Terminal - Yaphank http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/brookh ... rminal.htm Exit 66 LIE - south