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189 Years — Same Charter — Remarkable Results Getting Better Article Six of an Eight-article series.

Introduction

This is article six of an eight-article series. In this article, we will look at train crew responsibilities, control towers and centers, signals and safety systems, power transmission, electric fleet, diesel and dual-mode fleets, named trains, current named trains, and former named trains of LIRR. We hope you enjoy reading and learning some new information in this article.

Train Crew Responsibilities

All LIRR trains have an engineer (also known as a driver) who operates the train and a conductor who is responsible for the safe movement of the train, fare collection, and on-board customer service. In addition, trains may have one or more assistant conductors to assist with fare collection and other duties.

Control Towers and Centers

The LIRR is one of the last railroads in the United States to use mechanical interlocking control towers to regulate rail traffic. As of 2016, the LIRR has eight active control towers. The Movement Bureau in Jamaica, New York, controls all movements on the LIRR. The Bureau gives orders to the towers that govern a specific portion of the railroad.

The Penn Station Central Center (PSCC) controls all movements in Amtrak territory. The LIRR and Amtrak run the PSCC. The PSCC heads as far east as Harold Interlocking in Sunnyside, Queens. The PSCC replaced several towers.

The Jamaica Control Center, operational since the third quarter of 2010, controls the area around the Jamaica terminal by directly controlling interlockings. The interlockings replaced several towers in Jamaica, including Jay and Hall towers at the west and east ends of Jamaica Station. At additional locations, line side towers control the various switches and signals following the timetable and under the direction of the Movement Bureau in Jamaica.

Signals and Safety Systems

LIRR began operations with the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) based signal system. Today, LIRR uses various wayside railroad signals, including position light, color light, and dwarf signals.

Much of LIRR has its locomotives equipped with a bi-directional Pulse Code Cab signaling called Automatic Speed Control (ASC). However, portions of the railway still retain single-direction, wayside-signaling. Unlike other railroads, which began using color-light signals in the 20th century, the LIRR did not start using signals with color lights on its above-ground sections until 2006.

Even today, portions of the railroad lack automatic signals and cab signals. In those areas, train and track car movements are governed by timetables and verbal/written train orders. These areas are receiving modern signals.

Many other signals and switching systems on the LIRR are being modernized and upgraded as part of the Main Line’s Third Track Project. In Mineola, the system is being redone and updated.

On portions of the railroad equipped with Automatic Speed Control (ASC), Engineers consult the speed display unit, which can display 7-speed indications. A train derailment in 2013 in the Bronx on the Metro-North Railroad led to mandatory systems modifications to enforce specific speed limit changes. It resulted in lower average speeds and actual speed limits across the LIRR.

Power transmission

LIRR uses electrical lines powered by a third rail at 750 volts DC with the contact shoe running along the top of the rail, like the New York City Subway and PATH systems. This system is incompatible with Metro-North’s third rail, which is under-running, though the M8 and M9 fleets are using both types of third rails because they have their locomotives equipped with both types of contact shoes.

Electric fleet

The LIRR’s electric fleet consists of 836 M7 and 170 M3 electric multiple-unit cars in married pairs, meaning each car needs the other one to operate, each containing its own engineer’s cab. The trainsets range from 6 to 12 cars long.

LIRR bought new M9 railcars from Kawasaki in 2013. A 2014 MTA forecast indicated that the LIRR would need 416 M9 railcars, 180 to replace the outdated M3 railcars, and 236 railcars for the additional passengers expected once the East Side Access project is complete. The first M9s entered revenue service on September 11, 2019.

Diesel and Dual-Mode Fleets

The LIRR uses 134 C3 bilevel coaches powered by 24 DE30AC diesel-electric and 20 DM30AC dual-mode locomotives. Most are used on non-electrified branches, including the Port Jefferson, Oyster Bay, Montauk, Central, and Greenport Branches. There are also 23 MP15AC locomotives, such as work trains and yard switchers.

Named Trains.

LIRR has served commuters for most of its existence. It has had numerous named trains. Some of its trains had seating that was all first-class seating.

They also have had parlor cars and full bar service. After World War II, there were few of those trains that existed. LIRR reused some of the train names during the 1950s and 1960s because the railroad expanded its east-end parlor car service with luxury coaches and Pullman cars from railroads that were discontinuing their passenger trains.

Current Named Train

• Cannonball is a Friday-12-car train to Montauk running May through October, with two all-reserved parlor cars with full bar service. Since May 24, 2013, it has originated at Penn Station with a Sunday evening return from Montauk; the westward train stops at Jamaica. The two rear cars (“Hamptons Reserve Service”) have reserved seating and exclusive bar service.
• The name is a nod to the Cannon Ball, the all-year train to Montauk from the 1890s until the 1970s. It carried parlor cars and standard-fare coaches and ran weekday afternoons from Long Island City, then from Penn Station until 1951, when DD1 (boxcab electric locomotive) operation and changing engines at Jamaica ceased.

Former Named Trains of LIRR

• Fisherman’s Special (1932–1950s) from Long Island City to Canoe Place Station and Montauk via Jamaica, April through October, terminating at Canoe Place in April, extended to Montauk in May. She has served the Long Island fishing trade.
• Peconic Bay Express/ Shinnecock Bay Express (1926–1950) from Long Island City to Greenport and Montauk, Saturday express to Greenport and Montauk. It was discontinued during World War II, though revived for a few seasons afterward.
• Shelter Island Express (1901–1903, 1923–1942) from Long Island City to Greenport, a Friday-summer express connected to Shelter Island ferries.
• Sunrise Special (1922–1942) ran during the summer, NY Penn to Montauk on Fridays and westbound Mondays. In the summer of 1926, it ran day-to-day — all parlor cars (no coaches) from 1932 to 1937.

This is the end of article six of an eight-article series on Long Island Rail Road. In this article, we looked at train crew responsibilities, control towers and centers, signals and safety systems, power transmission, electric fleet, diesel and dual-mode fleets, named trains, current named trains, and former named trains of LIRR.

All articles in the series will have the same title. The subtitles will also be similar, except each article will be numbered in its unique number. For example, this article is article six of an eight-article series; you will find the article number at the end of the subtitle. We hope that you enjoy reading this series of articles.

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