SPEAKING OF WEST HEMPSTEAD...

...a couple of us USTATERS plan on riding to Hempstead and from West Hempstead next Fri. How to get from H'std sta. to W.H'std sta. is the question. It appears to be less than a mile, so is it walkable? Or is there a bus we should take? Appreciate it guys.

It's actually a hair over a mile from HM to WM. The N15 bus runs fairly frequently from the Hempstead Transit Terminal and down Fulton Street past the West Hempstead station. You can see the timetable at:
http://www.mta.info/libus/routes/n15/we ... _beach.pdf

I used to work by the Hempstead train station and I wouldn't walk from there to West Hempstead due to the proximity of "The Terrace." However as previously stated the N15 from the Hempstead Terminal is a good option, so is the N31/32 to Far Rockaway as they would make the same stop. You could also take the N6 which runs down Fulton Ave/Hempstead Turnpike and would require a one block walk across the parking lot behind whatever Shopper's Village is now.

Starting this spring, I plan to start mileage on the LIRR. Yes, I will knock out both Hempstead branches in the same day. I have a feeling you could take a bus between the two places. How is the neighborhood. Hempstead, I know some parts can be hairy.

Between Hempstead and West Hempstead? Yeah, like someone just said, there are 3 buses, 4 if you include the N6 about a block away. N6, N15, N31, N32. The Hempstead Transit Center is across the street from Hempstead LIRR station.

I've been to Hempstead a few times and walked around the area near the train/bus station. It's not great, but it's not horrible.

As I previously mentioned I used to work in Hempstead by the train station (5 years). Terrace Avenue which is known as Nassau County's version of crack central is 3 blocks due west and is definitely a place you do not want to be daytime or nighttime. Your route would probably take you west on Columbia St then south on N. Franklin St and west on Fulton St. This area is generally commercial and you should be fine walking during daylight if you use common sense. The areas immediately north of and on both the immediate east and west side of the tracks should be avoided there is known gang activity in the area.

To keep this post short if you have any additional questions feel free to PM me.

...a lot guys, you've answered my question and it looks like the N15 bus it is. With this trip I two of us will have done all LIRR except Long Island City branch in less than 5 years...we also have completed all trips out of GCT except New Haven (I've done all in the past 15 years, others are missing the NH and GCT to Southeast), and all of NJT except for Pascack Valley. By summer we shall hopefully moved on to Philadelphia and SEPTA.
Incidently, I was born in NYC and my grandparents lived in Jamaica and Hollis duiring my growing up years of the 40's thru early 60's so am familiar and have affection for LIRR. Weekends area great for Montauk and Greenport with tissues still being forked up at Patchouge(?) the best sight in eastern railroading !!!!

Yep . . .

Train orders still being handed up at "PD" tower in Patchogue, however for how much longer is unsure.

I've heard talk that the tower is slated for demolition some time this year.

Any truth to that talk, LIRR men and women?

Dave Keller

P.S. If the structure keeps listing towards the Great South Bay, nature may perform the feat by itself. DK

P.P.S. Here's the place you remember, Henry:

PD doesn't need to be demo'd. That thing is leaning so far that I doubt it'll make in another few years on its own.

Hey Chris, better start watching your back in that thing.

The removal of the strongarm machine and the addition of the toilet gave it that distinctive tilt. But on days like this I'm glad it's not a trip out to the outhouse (used to be in the parking lot in the rear) anymore, it's too cold to be taking a dump outside. I always enjoyed leaning back in the chair at the desk, lifting my feet up and rolling back to the toilet door. It should be going soon, but I wouldn't put a time frame on it yet...

Hey FEC, ya still having the posters prop up the tower with their hands?

Dave Keller wrote:Yep . . .

Train orders still being handed up at "PD" tower in Patchogue, however for how much longer is unsure.

I've heard talk that the tower is slated for demolition some time this year.

Any truth to that talk, LIRR men and women?

Dave Keller

I was told that the new signals and switches being installed between PD and SK are supposed to be cut in late this year, so if the tower is going to be demo'd it will have to be sometime after that`. Of course if the RR uses the ...ahem "West Hempstead Model" then it will be there about 4 more years. So who knows.
BTW nice pic Dave. I have to get your book.

As I previously mentioned I used to work in Hempstead by the train station (5 years). Terrace Avenue which is known as Nassau County's version of crack central is 3 blocks due west and is definitely a place you do not want to be daytime or nighttime. Your route would probably take you west on Columbia St then south on N. Franklin St and west on Fulton St. This area is generally commercial and you should be fine walking during daylight if you use common sense. The areas immediately north of and on both the immediate east and west side of the tracks should be avoided there is known gang activity in the area.

And that is a shame. My parents and I moved to Hempstead in 1963 and the downtown area was pretty nice and pretty safe. Pity it has become a war zone.

On a side note, I got to ride the LIRR Nov 1963 through June 1966, Hempstead to Penn. Probably why I'm hooked on that era including the World's Fair paint scheme and cars. I remember the diversity of diesels with the Alco 420s as well as the RS-x and S-x units, the Baldwins, the Fairbanks-Morse units, etc. Probably should be a separate topic...

Thanx Bluebelly!

Contact me off-forum for details on getting an autographed copy of my book:

[email protected]

Dave

...Dave. A big THANK YOU for posting it. As a kid most of my railroading was done in North Jersey with a few infrequent visits to my gradparaents in Jamaica or Hollis. We would either be at Jamaica station after dinner to watch trains, or, later, at Holban (?) Yard to climb on parked snow plows. Only got "out" on the Island first in '78 when I was 35 but didn't really do the milage thing until the past 4 or 5 years. Great memories as a kid though: the 1948 Freedom Train at Jamaica; riding the Owl Eyes to Far Rockaway and Penn Station; watching the eastbound freight at dusk go "around" Jamaica station on the far south track with steam; the C liners zipping through Union Hall Street. So your picture, my recent trips, and Ron Ziel's book, have helped keep the memories alive!!

Thanx Henry!

Glad you liked the shot.

If you're interested in more memories, and you have a copy of Ziel's book, you may want to pick up a copy of my recently issued book.

Click on my website link below for a sample.

You can order it directly from me, autographed, at [email protected]

Dave