GENERAL CHAPTER INFORMATION

The Long Island - Sunrise Trail Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society is a group of dedicated railroad enthusiasts who gather regularly for companionship and fun to preserve and enjoy Long Island's significant contribution to railroad history, as well as all other aspects of railroading. The Chapter has monthly meetings at which slides and movies of the Long Island Rail Road and many other railroads are shown and news of local railroad groups and items related to railroading are discussed.

N.R.H.S. membership information and forms can be found here:
Join the N.R.H.S. !

It's a lot easier to join if you come down to our Chapter meeting. You can fill out an application and submit it there.
Many of the rail trips put together by the officers of the Chapter are for its members only.
Join now so you don't miss out on future events.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

We publish a monthly newsletter, the SEMAPHORE, with meeting notices, previews, and recapitulations, historical vignettes and feature articles, reminiscences by old-time railroad employees, and railroad modeling information.

The Chapter also was instrumental in preserving Long Island Rail Road steam locomotive #35, built in 1928 by the Pennsylvania Rail Road's Juniata Shops in Altoona, Pennsylvania as a Class G5 "Ten Wheeler" 4-6-0, and moved to Oyster Bay on Aug 01, 2002. It was one of the two last steam engines to run in regular revenue service on the LIRR, and the LIST Chapter supports continuing efforts to restore the engine and return it to active service for tourist use. Chapter members are also involved in the restoration of the business car "Jamaica", on display at the Wantagh Historical Society's preserved LIRR station on Wantagh Avenue in Wantagh.

CHAPTER STORE

The new 2008 Long Island RR and NY & Atlantic Railway calendars have arrived and is still available at the February Chapter meeting or by mail.
They can be purchased at the meeting for $5.00.

The two 2008 calendars are available to members and non-members by mail-order.

Calendar Order Forms

The Chapter also has its new book for sale at the meetings and by mail order.
The N.Y. Connecting Railroad

-and-
Railworks-produced factory-painted brass LIRR cabooses (hacks?) N22 and N22A versions.

These beautiful brass models are prototypically accurate cabooses and are available to members and non-members for $150 (+NYS sales tax).
(NYS residents please add $10 shipping + 8.625% sales tax to total).
The only style available is the N22 in LIRR-MTA colors- factory painted in the blue and yellow colors. The N22 and N22A styles in LIRR orange are sold out!
There is only one left of the N22 in MTA yellow/blue, so order now before it's gone.
(order form link is below). Once they are sold out no more will be available. Click below for order form.

The L.I.S.T. Chapter is proud to announce that we have a new book about the
New York Connecting Railroad. This long-awaited book is now available for sale. The retail price is $35.95 + tax and shipping for non-members.
It will be available at the chapter meetings and directly by mail-order.
Click below for a printable mail-order form.

BOOK ORDER FORM

L.I.S.T. Chapter members can still get their copy for $27 only at the monthly meetings.

Congratulations to authors Bill Thom and Bob Sturm for putting together this fantastic new book. The descriptive content is fascinating, and the quality of the photos is supurb. This is a must-get book if you haven't already done so especially if you are a fan of NY City's railroad history and it's development. Living in Brooklyn for 27 years basically always near the Bay Ridge branch I am particularly fond of this stretch of track from Bay Ridge Yard up and over the Hell Gate Bridge into the Bronx. Too bad I'm too young to remember any of the NH or PRR equipment which pounded the rails there. This book however, provides a fascinating look back into the activity on the branch. This book has it all- it covers the development, building and operation of the NYCRR with plenty of detailed maps and diagrams also. (webmaster-Kevin Katta)

The Chapter president, Steve Quigley, is currently organizing a trip on the LIRR for the members in 2009.

Some events will be open to the public--the following will be open to all.

PAST CHAPTER RAILFAN TRIPS:

SIRT FANTRIP held Sat. June 28, 2008

Staten Island Rapid Transit - Staten Island Railway - Soon to Retire its ALCO S-1's (including ex-LIRR #407)

Consist: R-44s pulled by SIRT ALCO S-1's 821 and 407

Round trip excursion ran from St. George Terminal to Tottenville, Staten Island. A tour of Clifton Yard Shops was included. Two SIRT cabooses were used for the trip back to the terminal.

Click here for: SIRT: Staten Island Rapid Transit photos and information at NYC Subway.org
This is a great website for SIRT photos and description of the entire system.

________________________________________________________________

NY & ATLANTIC-BAY RIDGE BRANCH EXCURSION

__________________________________________________________________________________

Farewell to the LIRR M-1's

On Nov. 4th, 2006, the chapter sponsored the "Farewell to the LIRR M-1's" excursion from Jamaica station.
This rail trip was a final salute to the M-1 electric MU's and covered a portion of the Main Line, as well as the Far Rockaway, Long Beach, and Port Washington branches. The train stopped at Penn Station to allow riders to take a lunch break. the train then continued to the West Side Yard where riders detrained and photographed the yard and equipment. The excursion also ran out to Garden City and up to Clinton Av.

Here is LIRR M-1 # 9609 in the lead at West Side Yard.

The M-1 consist is on the ladder in VD yard with # 9609 in the lead. Photos by Chapter member Leigh Bedia.

At each meeting, we usually hold a raffle for railroad-related memorabilia.
Guests and potential members are welcomed at our monthly meetings.

_________________________________________

The Long Island Sunrise Trail Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society is incorporated as a non-profit 501(C)(3) educational organization. It was founded in 1966 to serve the Long Island area. Membership in the Chapter also provides the full benefits of membership in the national organization, including a splendid bi-monthly magazine, the National Railway Bulletin.

The Chapter meets at 8:00 p.m. on the third Friday of every month (except July and August) at the

Christ Episcopal Church, basement hall
S. Carll Avenue and Prospect Street, Babylon (Long Island), New York.

Please check this website for any changes to meeting dates due to dangerous weather conditions.

The Church is located one block south of the big brick village hall /firehouse/courthouse on West Main Street (a.k.a. State Route 27A, Montauk Highway, or Merrick Rd.), in Babylon Village off S. Carll Avenue, and only 3 blocks south of the west end of the Babylon station of the
Long Island Rail Road.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Long Island is 120 miles long; the west end (Brooklyn and Queens) is in New York City and is primarily served by the (Metro) New York Chapter (no Website). The far east end, eastern Suffolk, Riverhead and beyond, is primarily served by the
Twin Forks Chapter.

The Chapter's email address is: LISunriseTrail@yahoo.com

Our mailing address:

NRHS-LIST
P. O. Box 507
Babylon, New York 11702-0507

___________________________________________________________________________________________
LINKS SECTION

Special thanks to Sam Berliner III for previously hosting the chapter's site and for providing outstanding content.
Here is a link to his information packed website: Sam Berliner III's Railroad Website

N.H.R.S.- Twin Forks Chapter: www.twinforksnrhs.org

The West Island Model RR Club -Farmingdale, LI: www.trainweb.org/westisland/

Long Island Live Steamers: www.trainweb.org/lils

Railroad.net: Message Forums, Photos and News: www.railroad.net/

Long Island Railroad Discussion Board: http://lirr.thermomods.com/index.php

So, do you want to know more about the Long Island Railroad and its history?

The Oyster Bay Railroad Museum: www.lirr35.org

Steve Lynch's LIRR Sites: www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/lirrcontents.htm

Here's a website with in-depth information and photos about LIRR Parlor cars:
www.mindspring.com/~jhdeasy/lirr/page3.html

NY Connecting RR, LIRR, Dave Kellers Archives, Modeling LIRR: /www.trainsarefun.com

Art Huneke's LIRR History Site: www.arrts-arrchives.com/

Long Island RR History Site: www.lirrhistory.com/

LIRR Abandoned Spurs: www.trainweb.org/AbandonedLIRR

___________________________________________________________________________________________

This site is still under development. Suggestions are encouraged and welcomed.
Check back weekly. Thank you for visiting.

Webmaster- Kevin Katta -email me-