LIRR Mainline Third Track Project

Let's remember that the track numbers designated by LIRR do not include a direction. A track may usually run east or west but in fact any track can be used in any direction. So with regard to the above post, yes the two tracks may be designated H1 or M2, and H2 but that does not imply a direction of train movement.

Also, for all we know the track now being labeled H1 at Floral Park Station may continue to carry that designation even when the project is completed. Track M2 may not officially begin 'til East of Fl. Pk. Station. Stay tuned!

Apparently something didn't want to come down easily at Mineola that disrupted Main Line service. The old Mineola substation was demolished with three walls going inwards, BUT the Northern wall decided to fall outward onto the tracks. NASSAU Tower was not compromised but bricks remained intact to the South of the pedestrian crossing.

As far as the Main Street grade crossing goes, the jersey barriers have been placed to make both sides dead ends. The signals are still standing, but the gates have been removed. Also being removed as well are the rubber road pads of the crossing so they can get to work on NASSAU 2.

One question I have though: I know Platform A at Merillon Avenue is now open to revenue service, but can Platform A platform a whole 12-car train or do they still have work to do to the North?

Everyone: Signal Modernization Project track work is scheduled for three consecutive Saturdays:
March 13, 20 and 27. The Main Line is shut down between Floral Park and Hicksville.
http://web.mta.info/supplemental/lirr/s ... -20-27.htm
Alternate service is being provided basically the same as previous Third Track weekend work programs.

March 15: New Hyde Park Station reopens. Platform A is the new permanent platform serving Track 3.
Platform B is a temporary platform constructed in front of the permanent platform over Track 1.
http://web.mta.info/supplemental/lirr/n ... h-2021.htm
Both of these platforms accommodate 10 car trains - two car platform extensions are to be built on the west end
of NHP Station after the pedestrian underpass construction work is finished. The station building is undergoing
renovation work and should re-open sometime during this year.
The temporary station and platforms are to be removed...MACTRAXX

Photos: Bill Mangahas
March 13, 2021


July 5, 2020

Between the third rail substation collapse and today(3/13/2021) a female ironworker being electrocuted both in Mineola, the third rail project may come under scrutiny. They lowered the train frequency(new reduced schedule) to get more work accomplished, maybe it's not worth it to push the work through with 2 incidents in less than a week.

Power lines
https://www.newsday.com/long-island/nas ... 1.50181888

Norton wrote: ↑Sun Mar 14, 2021 11:36 am Power line incident at Mineola
https://www.newsday.com/long-island/nas ... 1.50181888

Norton: Good find - remember that Newsday has a paywall...MACTRAXX

OK, how about this?
https://patch.com/new-york/mineola/elec ... ion-report

Thank you MACTRAXX

Some comparison shots in Mineola - All photos Bill Mangahas

March 14, 2021


February 1980


March 14, 2021


July 1989


March 14, 2021


July 1989


July 25, 2020


March 14, 2021


Honorable Mention - March 1982

BM: Good group of Mineola pictures showing the changing scenes from the 80s to present...
The "honorable mention" 1982 picture was taken from the Winthrop Hospital parking garage I presume?
This picture shows how large the sub-station building once was - and the old Mineola Boulevard bridge
before the parking garage next to Nassau Tower and the sub-station was built in the mid to late 80s.

Norton: The Patch link worked fine...I tried reading Newsday incognito and still got the paywall anyway.
Some publications I read have a free article limit (example: 5/month) with the problem being that any
further scrolling (for example) can add up to your total. Incognito tabs do not always work...MACTRAXX

MACTRAXX wrote: The "honorable mention" 1982 picture was taken from the Winthrop Hospital parking garage I presume?

Yes, Winthop University Hospital's parking garage roof. At that time it also doubled as a helipad, I'm sure it hasn't changed. I think I stopped using it for photos when they charged for parking there.

I can't believe what I'm seeing, all the spots that I was photographed at are now gone! Looking through old photos I was standing on one side of the pedestrian crossing WITH the substation behind me, that is gone. That photo you saw me with the Yoo-Hoo bottle on Platform B with the pedestal signal/ramp behind me, that's gone. Finally there's a photo of me hanging around next to a Mineola platform sign (station name signs) on Platform B, and that is now gone.

That honorable March 1982 picture is a little spooky knowing what happened behind Bill's back that month about half a mile away, which happened 39 years ago back on Sunday.

Roslyn Road's four-lane grade crossing was eliminated, Main Street closed down, the pedestrian crossing soon to be closed down, Carle Place's water tower scheme being reversed, and now the double crossing elimination of Willis Avenue. Hard to believe what has happened in the last 41 years, but the last 23 have been a real eye-opener.

All work has been shut down on the Third Track Project while a private consultant conducts a safety investigation.

In the past week, the mechanical demolition of the brick substation building in Mineola sent bricks onto the right of way trapping four railroaders in Nassau Tower.

A contractor, after removing overpass steel decided to do some extra work without the proper safety preparations electrocuted Kelly Gluchowski, a steel worker when the crane contacted overhead wires. She is hospitalized in critical condition.

Labor organizations have long criticized the MTA's use of outside contractors and accused them of shoddy safety protocols.

All work has been shut down???!!!????

Well that's just great! I wonder how long that will last before work is resumed and what kind of delays this will cause for the project as a whole.

Was the same contractor involved in both recent incidents?