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Copyright © 2001-2021 Arthur John Huneke
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

THE   L. I.  R.  R. 'S   FOUR   BATTERY   CARS

Revised   JANUARY   31   2021

BATTERY   CAR   NUMBER   ONE   WAS   BUILT   BY   THE   FEDERAL   STORAGE   BATTERY   COMPANY   IN   1911   AND
REPLACED   STEAM   ON   THE   SHUTTLE   BETWEEN   FRESH   POND   (BUSHWICK   JUNCTION)   AND   BUSHWICK.

ANNUAL REPORTS FOR 1912 AND 1913 SHOW ONLY ONE BATTERY CAR.
A JULY 1, 1914 ROSTER SHOWS TWO, NUMBERS 1 AND 1A.





BATTERY   CAR   1   HAD   HAND   BRAKES   AND   A   COPPER   HOT   WATER   HEATER


BATTERY CAR 1A IS A MYSTERY - IT MAY HAVE BEEN AN OLDER CAR SENT HERE TO BE USED ON THE
VALLEY STREAM - MINEOLA LINE (NEW YORK BAY EXTENSION) UNTIL COMPLETION OF NUMBERS 2 AND 4.

THE BATTERIES OF CARS 1 AND 1A WERE CHARGED FROM A TRACKSIDE APPARATUS VIA JUMPER CABLES



1914 ANNUAL REPORT SHOWS TWO CARS ACQUIRED IN 1914 MAKING A TOTAL OF FOUR .


CARS 2 AND 4 WHICH RAN BETWEEN VALLEY STREAM AND MINEOLA WERE BUILT IN 1914 BY FEDERAL STORAGE BATTERY COMPANY.

THEIR BATTERIES WERE CHARGED VIA JUMPER CABLES AT VALLEY STREAM AND
POSSIBLY AT THE SUB-STATION IN MINEOLA - AND - AFTER 1922 - FROM THE THIRD RAIL.

THE CORRUGATED IRON BATTERY CAR HOUSE AT VALLEY STREAM. THE CARS' BATTERIES WERE RECHARGED INSIDE THIS BUILDING.


BATTERY   CAR   2,   A   COMBINE,   WHEN   NEW   COURTESY   DAVE   KELLER.


BATTERY   CAR   4,   IN   MORRIS   PARK.


BATTERY  CARS   2,   AND   4  ON  THE  NEW  YORK  BAY  EXTENSION  CIRCA   1920   -   FELIX   REIFSCHNEIDER   PHOTO


CARS   2   AND   4   AT   MINEOLA


THE 7.3 MILE RUN TOOK 23 MINUTES WITH SEVEN INTERMEDIATE STOPS.
ACCORDING TO FELIX REIFSCHNEIDER PART OF THE ROUTE WAS EQUIPPED WITH THIRD
RAIL IN 1922 AND THE CARS WERE EQUIPPED WITH THIRD RAIL COLLECTION SHOES.


IN THIS PHOTO THE SOUTHBOUND CARS ARE CROSSING FRANKLIN AVENUE GARDEN CITY
AT ITS JUNCTION WITH MAIN AND SECOND STREETS.   THE THIRD RAIL SHOES AND THE
TROLLEY WIRE OF THE NEW YORK AND LONG ISLAND TRACTION COMPANY ARE VISIBLE




GARDEN CITY VILLAGE HISTORIAN BILL BELLMER SENDS THIS GREAT CIRCA 1922 PHOTO SHOWING BC
NUMBER FOUR LEAVING THE HEMPSTEAD CROSSING STEWART AVENUE STATION - THANKS BILL!


THIS PHOTOGRAPH WAS TAKEN IN 1922.   THIRD RAIL IS ON THE EAST (NORTH) SIDE OF TRACK.


SEPTEMBER 1926 - THIRD RAIL IS BEING INSTALLED ON THE WEST (SOUTH) SIDE OF TRACK.   PHOTO
COURTESY DAVE KELLER.   THE WOOD ENCLOSED FEEDER RAIL IS CLEARLY SEEN AT THE LEFT.


THE NEW YORK BAY EXTENSION WAS ELECTRIFIED IN 1926.   THIS PHOTO, COURTESY DAVE KELLER, WAS TAKEN LATER IN SEPTEMBER
1926.   THE NEW THIRD RAIL IS ON THE WEST (SOUTH) SIDE OF TRACK AND ON THE EAST LEG OF THE WYE (WE WONDER WHY?).






BATTERY CARS 2 AND 4 HAD COMPRESSORS AND AIR BRAKES AND WERE HEATED BY COAL STOVES





BATTERY CARS WERE REFERRED TO IN TRAIN ORDERS AS "MOTOR CAR".

















PARDON   ME   BOY,   IS   THAT   THE   BATT 'RY   POWERED   CHOO   CHOO?
YES   YES,   TRACK   NUMBER   SIXTEEN......























THE NEW YORK BAY EXTENSION WAS ELECTRIFIED AND A SPECIAL TRAIN RUN ON OCTOBER 19, 1926.
THE NEW THROUGH SERVICE WAS OPENED WITH EMPLOYE TIME TABLE NUMBER 105 ON OCTOBER 20.
MOST TRAINS BETWEEN VALLEY STREAM AND MINEOLA
TOOK   20   MINUTES,   SOME   21,   22   OR   23   MINUTES.






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