The Long Island Railroad: 190 Years of Service!

Many of those who have lived in, or traveled to New York City, know the important role that commuter rail plays in the transportation system.  From  the 19th century to present, Many different railroads provided service to New York City from the surrounding states and suburban areas.

One of these railroads provides service from Long Island to Manhattan and surrounding locations for over 190 years.  The Long Island Railroad was originally part of the network of railroads which carried passengers from New York City to Boston.  The Long Island was purchased by the Pennsylvania Railroad and would take passengers from New York   to Greenport, on the eastern tip of Long Island.  Passengers would transfer to ferries to New London, Connecticut, and board connecting trains to Boston. When a rail route from New York to Boston through Connecticut was completed, the Long Island RR became a route isolated from New England and became dedicated to transporting commuters to and from the New York metropolitan area.

When the Long Island was purchased by the Pennsylvania RR, it gained access to Pennsylvania Station in Manhattan.  The Pennsy also provided technology and equipment to operate electric trains through the tunnels leading to Pennsylvania Station.  Ridership increased, and the Long Island Railroad became the busiest commuter railroad in the United States andcarries over 300.000 passengers daily.

New York State created the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, took control of the Long Island and along with buses and subways operates all of these systems.

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​Check out this interesting video produced by the MTA, for additional information on the Long Island Railroad.  Enjoy!  Tom Gallagher