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.