Massapequa is a station on the

Babylon Branch The Babylon Branch is a rail service operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The term refers to the trains serving Montauk Branch stations from Valley Stream east to Babylon; in other words, the Babylon Branch is a ...

of the Long Island Rail Road in Massapequa, New York. It is officially located on

Sunrise Highway New York State Route 27 (NY 27) is a long state highway that runs east–west from Interstate 278 (I-278) in the New York City borough of Brooklyn to Montauk Point State Park on Long Island, New York. Its two most prominent com ...

east of Broadway and NY 107 and parking lots are located far beyond its given location. The station serves the

, which leads to the

Montauk Branch The Montauk Branch is a rail line owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The branch runs the length of Long Island, 115 miles (185 km) from Long Island City on the west to Montauk on the east. Howe ...

History

Early history

Massapequa station is typical of the elevated

stations that were rebuilt during the mid-to-late 20th century. It was originally built by the

South Side Railroad of Long Island The South Side Railroad of Long Island was a railroad company in the U.S. state of New York. Chartered in 1860 and first opened in 1867 as a competitor to the Long Island Rail Road, it was reorganized in 1874 as the Southern Railroad of Long Isl ...

on October 28, 1867 as South Oyster Bay station, until May 1889. The second relocated depot was built May–June 1891, and razed in January 1953 as part of the grade elimination project of the post-war era. A temporary station was relocated west of the former location on January 12, 1953, and the current elevated structure was in service between December 14–18, 1953.

Recent improvements

Platform rehabilitation project

In Spring 2013 the LIRR began work on the Massapequa Station Platform Rehabilitation Project, to replace the station's aging platform structure, platform canopy, elevator, escalator, platform waiting room, and the pedestrian bridge over Broadway. The project was estimated to cost the MTA $20 million, and was completed in the Summer of 2015.MTA Capital Program Dashboard

Pocket track

Massapequa Pocket Track (foreground), seen from eastbound train. Note incomplete installation of the third rail. The LIRR is installing a pocket track east of the Massapequa station. The pocket track, which will be used for turning trains that begin or end their trips at Massapequa Station, would be installed east of the station, in the middle of the two Babylon Branch tracks that are platform-width apart at this point.Massapequa Pocket Track (The LIRR Today)
/ref> The pocket track would be long, enough to fit a full 12-car train. The project is expected to cost $19.6 million. Construction of the pocket track began in 2014. As of September 2015, a signal gantry frame was erected at the East end of the newly completed platform, and the tracks and ties for the pocket track along with switches had been installed in the ballast. The project was originally projected to be completed by November 2015, but is currently planned for completion in April 2019.

Station layout

The station has one 12-car-long high-level

island platform An island platform (also center platform, centre platform) is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange. Island platforms are popular on ...

between the two tracks. It is the only Babylon Branch station that does not sit atop a concrete viaduct; instead it sits on top of a grassy embankment similar to Westbury.

References

External links

South Oyster Bay-Massapequa Station (Arrt's Arrchives)

Broadway entrance from Google Maps Street View

Station House from Google Maps Street View
{{LIRR stations navbox Oyster Bay (town), New York Long Island Rail Road stations in Nassau County, New York Railway stations in the United States opened in 1867 1867 establishments in New York (state)