Yard A: then and now

Here's some photos of how dramatically Yard A had changed in only 5 years:

May 8, 1999:


Yard A is an active LIRR/NYA switching yard and NYA engine shop. Look at how terrible condition the tracks are.

September 2, 2004:




The tracks in Yard A are all but gone. Remnants of track are visible. The engine shop (blue building) and office are still standing. Yard A will soon be the future main storage for the LIRR East Side Access trains.

All photos taken from a northbound 7 Train.

Questions:

Why are the former NYA engine shop and yard office still standing? Will they be eventually demolished?

What is the single track running through Yard A in the 2004 photos? It appears to be electrified.

What was yaed A will be the storage yard for GCT when East Side Access is done,

7 train,

What is the single track running through Yard A in the 2004 photos? It appears to be electrified

I'm not totally familiar with the Yard A area, but the track probably leads to the new LIRR Arch Street Shop.

Tom

Here are 2 photos of LIRR Sunnyside / Long Island City "Yard A" area in 1975-1976 era.





The 2 lighweight passenger cars in the photos are LIRR 2064 APAQUOGUE (x-FEC tavern lounge observation) and LIRR 8564 (x-KCS chair car).

The buildings have been left in place for storage when ESA contracts evntually start up again. They will be demolished when the yard is redeveloped. Some tracks were left in place as possible haul tracks, although they are in terrible condition. The new track with the concrete barrier and fence along side of it is for NYAR access (again for ESA work, if required) and eventually, M7 delivery to Arch Street off of Amtrak's North Runner.

Even in 1999 (as seen in my first photo), Yard A's tracks were in terrible condition, with plant material, litter, debris and worn rails. It appears it was never cared for in the last 15-20 years.

The freight you see in the old photos went to Fresh Pond, although until recently NY & Atl had an engine out side the building.

I like the first shot. Shows so many interesting things including what I would think was a reacher car for the LIRR float bridges. But I'm guessing the car was no longer being used as I thought the floats were done before 1975. Can anyone answer that?

7 Train,

The single, electrified track from Yard A west will provide access to the new Arch Street Shop.

Lupo 10,

Yes, that's a float reach-in car in the old photo of Yard A. The Long Island City floats operated until the day before Conrail, March 31, 1976.

I would rather think that that was NOT a reacher car for the floats.
The float flats, as we called them, had a little shanty on them that had a pot belly stove and benches for the crew to get out of the cold.
This one without the shanty would have been used on the east end ladder job as a car to improve vision for the engine crew while rolling the hump.
That job continued for some time after the floats stopped operating.
Freight came in from Fremont that needed classifying.
The car in question, however, WAS referred to as a float flat.
JJ Earl

JJ,

Yeah, you got me on a technicality. That particlular flat car was a "hump visibility" car but was listed on the M. of W. roster as a float reach.

http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/licity/licity2.htm

Steve