Finally got a chance to dig out the only two B & O/SIRT timetables for this
line from my collection.
Basically, I wanted to check out two particular things, top speed to
Tottenville was 45 MPH in 1949 but by 1957, the top speed for passenger
trains had been reduced to 40 MPH.
Secondly, the distance between most stations is less than a mile and in
some cases less than half a mile so operation above 40 MPH is probably
out of the question anyway.
The only exception is between Clifton and Grasmere where they run a
mile and a half without stopping.
This line was never exactly a high speed operation and in 1957, it took
close to 40 minutes to go a little bit over 14 miles. I would imagine that
the running time is probably about the same today as it was in 1957.
In 1957, basic service was every 15 minutes with every other train
turning back at Great Kills instead of running through to Tottenville.
There was hourly service during the midnight hours except for a one hour
gap in each direction in the wee hours.
In 1949 when there were three different lines, there was 30 minute
service all the way from St. George to Tottenville but there was also 30
minute service to South Beach and Wentworth Avenue.
the line out of St. George to Arlington also had service every 30 minutes
for the most part with a couple of rush hour trains extended another
8/10 mile to Port Ivory for workers there I suppose.
Speeds were a little lower on the two branches and both of them lost the
passenger trains in the early 1950's. The South Beach branch was
actually abandoned sometime after 1957.
Although this line was run as a railroad, it was more or less a transit type
operation with stops close together and frequent service.
I guess that even in the B & O days of tickets etc, the line could be
considered a cross between a full railroad line, which legally it was, and a
rapid transit line which it resembled.
I don't see how this line could reasonably be operated by either the LIRR
or Metro-North as it does not even have a track connection with either of
them and its operation is far different from either of them.
Noel Weaver
line from my collection.
Basically, I wanted to check out two particular things, top speed to
Tottenville was 45 MPH in 1949 but by 1957, the top speed for passenger
trains had been reduced to 40 MPH.
Secondly, the distance between most stations is less than a mile and in
some cases less than half a mile so operation above 40 MPH is probably
out of the question anyway.
The only exception is between Clifton and Grasmere where they run a
mile and a half without stopping.
This line was never exactly a high speed operation and in 1957, it took
close to 40 minutes to go a little bit over 14 miles. I would imagine that
the running time is probably about the same today as it was in 1957.
In 1957, basic service was every 15 minutes with every other train
turning back at Great Kills instead of running through to Tottenville.
There was hourly service during the midnight hours except for a one hour
gap in each direction in the wee hours.
In 1949 when there were three different lines, there was 30 minute
service all the way from St. George to Tottenville but there was also 30
minute service to South Beach and Wentworth Avenue.
the line out of St. George to Arlington also had service every 30 minutes
for the most part with a couple of rush hour trains extended another
8/10 mile to Port Ivory for workers there I suppose.
Speeds were a little lower on the two branches and both of them lost the
passenger trains in the early 1950's. The South Beach branch was
actually abandoned sometime after 1957.
Although this line was run as a railroad, it was more or less a transit type
operation with stops close together and frequent service.
I guess that even in the B & O days of tickets etc, the line could be
considered a cross between a full railroad line, which legally it was, and a
rapid transit line which it resembled.
I don't see how this line could reasonably be operated by either the LIRR
or Metro-North as it does not even have a track connection with either of
them and its operation is far different from either of them.
Noel Weaver
