Sunnyside Yard Circa 1910

At the time, the PRR mainline was steam, with electrification occurring after the photo, with the only section electrified being Third Rail between Manhattan Transfer and, presumably Sunnyside. In addition, there's a lack of P54 coaches in the photo, indicating that the yard belonged to PRR, as they had more heavyweights at the time.

Has the LIRR ever used Sunnyside to yard its trains?

Nice photo. " In 1910 the Pennsylvania Railroad had completed its terminal in New York City, which was connected by tunnels to New Jersey, and under the East River to Long Island. At Sunnyside the large yard of the Pennsylvania Railroad was constructed. An agreement was made with that Railroad and the Pennsylvania Tunnel and Terminal Railroad Company whereby the cars of the Long Island Railroad would be carried through the tunnels under the East River into the Terminal at Seventh Avenue and Thirty-second Street, New York. Thus the Long Island Railroad acquired what successive administrations had striven for in vain, a terminal on Manhattan Island. In order to reach this terminal it was necessary to electrify from Jamaica to New York, which was accomplished in 1910, and the first train run into the Pennsylvania Station on September 10th of that year. Felix E. Reifschneider's 1925 Long Island Rail Road History"

http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/licity ... c.1910.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Pennsylvania Tunnel and Terminal Railroad , East River Division, Sunnyside Yard map from "Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers", hardcover edition 1910. Info: John Fusto

More info here: http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/licity/licity.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
LIRR Yard A was north and adjacent to the massive PRR Coach Yard and service facilities.

Extensive documentation by George Chiasson, Jr.:
http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/East%2 ... Issues.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Best I know LIRR never had trains in Sunnyside... PRR only.

I like the yard light stantion poles with the incandescent light fixture on top! Any of these survive? The nights must've been a lot darker, and the light that did shine a lot softer, back before the invention of sodium lighting and now LEDs.

nyandw wrote:Best I know LIRR never had trains in Sunnyside... PRR only.

Well, Yard A is part of the massive Sunnyside complex and has always been LIRR only (and will be in the future, being an ESA storage facility for electric MUs). Around 2002 a new connector track was built between Yard A and the Sunnyside loop, to allow access to the new Arch Street Shop.

Yard A was the main freight yard on LIRR,was a hump yard as well.
Sunnyside was always a PRR yard,LIRR was a ward of the PRR for a time,any supplies for Sunnyside were delivered to LIRR yard A.

Backshophoss wrote:Any supplies for Sunnyside were delivered to LIRR yard A.

Were there connections between Sunnyside main yard and Yard A prior to 2002?

R36 Combine Coach wrote:

Backshophoss wrote:Any supplies for Sunnyside were delivered to LIRR yard A.

Were there connections between Sunnyside main yard and Yard A prior to 2002?

In looking at this diagram, it would APPEAR so, but better to hear from some LIRR veterans.
http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/licity ... rd1956.jpg

Upon further digging, here's what I have: c.1909 No covered platforms for the commissary tracks and the boiler house has yet to be erected. Also note: All the multi-storied buildings bordering Northern Blvd. in the Yard A background yet to be erected. The 1910 view does not have the small building just east of Q Tower, but is in the 1920 view.

Anyone know the purpose of this smaller structure?

Can only add three pics (Duh) Wish they would fix the picture problem. Here's Q tower from the other direction and that small building (far left), although appears different than NewKirk's opening picture which I feel is c.1920 based on the other photos.

LIRR did have access to Sunnyside Yard from Line Four, and from Yard A to serve the Railway Express Building on the east end of Sunnyside. Arrts Arrchives details the Sheffield Farms milk train runs from Sunnyside to Jamaica.

The Yard A end had a connecting track to the Sunnyside loop track. Uncertain when it was removed.

That 1909 photo of Sunnyside Yard under construction is incredible. Just to think that the track layout through there has hardly changed in close to 110 years is simply amazing.

The main storage yard has barely changed. The old enginehouse is gone though, and the tracks near there are entirely different now to accommodate a newer facility.

Where in the yard were pullmans, obs cars and diners stored and serviced?