Greenlawn is a station on the Port Jefferson Branch of the Long Island Rail Road near the intersection of Boulevard Avenue and Broadway (CR 86) in Greenlawn, New York, a few blocks north of Pulaski Road. It is the first station east of Huntington on the non-electrified section of the branch.

Greenlawn
Greenlawn's station house in 2022.
General information
LocationBroadway (CR 86) & Boulevard Avenue
Greenlawn, New York
Coordinates40°52′7.17″N 73°21′46.70″W / 40.8686583°N 73.3629722°W / 40.8686583; -73.3629722
Owned byLong Island Rail Road
Platforms2 side platforms
Tracks2
ConnectionsLocal Transit Huntington Area Rapid Transit: H30
Construction
ParkingYes; Free and Residential permits
Bicycle facilitiesYes
AccessibleYes
Other information
Fare zone9
History
Opened1868
Rebuilt1985
Previous namesCenterport, Greenlawn-Centerport
Passengers
20061,100[1]
Services
Preceding station Long Island Rail Road Following station
Huntington Port Jefferson Branch
diesel service
Northport
Former services
Preceding station Long Island
Rail Road
Following station
Huntington
toward Hicksville
Wading River Branch Northport
Terminus Northport Branch Northport Village
Terminus

History edit

 
Station platforms; all trains stop at platform A

Greenlawn was originally known as Old Fields, but the first railroad station was named Centreport as it was meant to serve the village of Centerport, located about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the north. In the span of a decade, it was changed to Greenlawn-Centerport and then finally Greenlawn to reflect the new community that had developed around the railroad station.[2][3]

The first depot was built in 1868 by the Hicksville and Cold Spring Branch Railroad, renamed "Greenlawn" in 1870, burned down on September 29, 1910, and was replaced by the current building in September 1911.[4] The station building was painted with green trim (reflecting the station locale) in the 1990s, after having been painted light blue for several decades. The station had a ticket agent until 1996. In 2017, the station building received a new asphalt roof.

The station is about 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the former junction of the Northport Branch, a freight-only railroad spur into Northport built in 1868: it was abandoned in 1978. A team track for off-line customers of the New York & Atlantic Railway exists just west of the station. It is sporadically used. The platform on the south side of the station is not used. The switches for the siding are hand-operated, not remotely controlled by DIVIDE Tower in Hicksville, thus making it impractical for everyday LIRR use. The siding is mostly used by work trains and, on rare occasions, by New York & Atlantic Railway freight trains.

High-level platforms and a pedestrian bridge were added at Greenlawn Station in 1985.[5] These renovations were made in anticipation of planned electrification of the branch from Huntington to Port Jefferson, which has yet to occur.[6]

Station layout edit

The station has two high-level side platforms. The north platform, next to the main track, is 12 cars long. The south platform, next to the siding, is eight cars long, and is not in regular use.[7] There is also a pedestrian bridge connecting the two platforms.[7] On either ends of the station, the two tracks merge into one.

M Mezzanine Crossover between platforms
P
Platform level
Platform A, side platform  
Track 1      Port Jefferson Branch toward Huntington, Hunterspoint Avenue, Jamaica, Long Island City, or Penn Station (Huntington)
     Port Jefferson Branch toward Port Jefferson (Northport)
Track 2 ← No regular service →
Platform B, side platform  
Ground level Exit/entrance and parking

References edit

  1. ^ Average weekday, 2006 LIRR Origin and Destination Study
  2. ^ Douger, Louise; Bloomgarden, Carol (November 18, 2000). Greenlawn: A Long Island Hamlet. Images of America. Charleston: Arcadia Publishing. p. 7. ISBN 0-7385-0456-4.
  3. ^ Ziel, Ron; Wettereau, Richard (1988). Victorian Railroad Stations of Long Island. Bridgehampton: Sunrise Special. p. 135. LCCN 89135160.
  4. ^ Douger, Louise; Bloomgarden, Carol (November 18, 2000). Greenlawn: A Long Island Hamlet. Images of America. Charleston: Arcadia Publishing. p. 111. ISBN 0-7385-0456-4.
  5. ^ Senft, Bret R. (February 9, 1992). "If You're Thinking of Living in Greenlawn". The New York Times. Retrieved January 3, 2009.
  6. ^ Clurman, Carol (April 5, 1987). "L.I.R.R. Funds, Unused, Increased". The New York Times. Retrieved July 5, 2009.
  7. ^ a b Google (April 17, 2020). "Greenlawn station" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved April 17, 2020.

External links edit