Next Saturday, July 25, the Long Island Rail Road will celebrate its 175th anniversary with a one day excursion that will depart from LIRR’s Atlantic Avenue station at 8:12 A.M. and return at 8:42 P.M. The special train will travel the entire length of the main line to Greenport, on the North Fork, with stopovers there and at Riverhead to enjoy local attractions. According to the LIRR’s press release:
Rail and history buffs will certainly enjoy this LIRR Getaway as will the casual rail rider. The “175th Anniversary Train” will travel along the Main Line of the LIRR from the urban and suburban areas of Queens and Nassau Counties to the rural, farming areas of Eastern Suffolk County’s North Fork. Knowledgeable docents from the Long Island Sunrise Trail Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society will be onboard the train to answer history-related questions.
Stops will be made at the Railroad Museum of Long Island in Riverhead and Greenport. At the Railroad Museum in Riverhead, there are various exhibits, locomotives and rolling stock on display along with a gift shop. The Railroad Museum in Greenport is housed in a restored LIRR freight house including exhibits highlighting the human side of working on the railroad.
Tour participants can get lunch on their own and stroll around scenic Greenport Village and check out the sights including the nearby East End Seaport Maritime Museum (housed in the former LIRR ticket office) and the restored 1920’s era carousel. There’s also time to take a trip from Greenport to Shelter Island and back on the ferry.
Tickets for the excursion, which include round trip rail fare and museum admissions, are $40 for adults and $30 for children 5-11. They must be purchased in advance at an LIRR ticket office. More information is available at the LIRR’s website.
There is also an exhibit celebrating the LIRR’s 175th anniversary at the New York Transit Museum, entrance at Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street. The Museum is open Tuesday through Friday 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. and Saturday and Sunday noon to 5 P.M. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and children 3-17.
