Long Island Rail Road construction photographs
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
Photographs in the collection document the construction of grade-separated LIRR tracks from Brooklyn into Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island.
Historical note
The Long Island Rail Road ("LIRR") was incorporated in 1834 and began offering passenger service in 1836. Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, LIRR absorbed and merged with dozens of railroads in Kings, Queens, Suffolk, and Nassau counties, also acquiring the tracks constructed for their individual branches. In response to public outcry over pollution produced by steam engines, LIRR began the process of electrifying its system in 1905. In preparation, grade separation projects moved lines underground and to elevated tracks throughout Brooklyn.
The Long Island Rail Road ("LIRR") was incorporated in 1834 and began offering passenger service in 1836. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, LIRR expanded while absorbing and merging with dozens of railroads in Kings, Queens, Suffolk, and Nassau counties. In response to public outcry over pollution produced by steam engines, LIRR began electrification of its system in 1905. In preparation, grade separation projects on what is now the LIRR's Atlantic Branch replaced street-level tracks in Brooklyn with elevated and underground lines. As of 2011, LIRR remains one of the oldest railroads in the country, and the busiest commuter rail system in the United States.
Sources
- Fink, John. "Railroads." In Encyclopedia of New York City, ed. Kenneth T. Jackson, 977-984. New Haven: Yale University Press; New York: New-York Historical Society, 1995.
- Seyfried, Vincent. "Long Island Rail Road." In Encyclopedia of New York City, ed. Kenneth T. Jackson, 691-693. New Haven: Yale University Press; New York: New-York Historical Society, 1995.
Scope and Contents
The Long Island Rail Road construction photographs date from 1903 to 1910 and consist of 157 items. Photographs in the collection document the construction of grade-separated LIRR tracks from Brooklyn into Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island. Items in the collection are arranged geographically, starting at the Atlantic Avenue terminal in Downtown Brooklyn, moving through Queens and along the North Shore of Long Island as far east as Rocky Point, N.Y. Photographs are taken at track level and depict cleared land, underground infrastructure such as pipes and tunnels, laying of railroad ties, completed tracks, stations, crossing towers, and laborers at work during the various stages of construction. Most images are identified by date, location (including street and city in urban areas, or nearby city and property owner in suburban areas), cardinal direction of view, and the photographer's initials.
Subjects
Organizations
Genres
Topics
Conditions Governing Access
Open to users without restriction.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright will remain in effect for 120 years following the date of creation. All items in this collection will enter the public domain by 2030. For information on securing rights to publish or reproduce, please see the Brooklyn Historical Society Reproduction Rights Policy.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date (if known); Long Island Rail Road construction photographs, V1984.1463, Box number, Object ID number; Brooklyn Public Library, Center for Brooklyn History.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Arthur Winnett, 1965.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
If digital surrogates exist, they should be used in place of the originals whenever possible.
Other Finding Aids
Item-level description and digital versions of images from the collection are available for searching via the image database in the library.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Fully processed to the item level.
