Riverhead station

Summary

Riverhead is a station along the Main Line (Greenport Branch) of the Long Island Rail Road. It is located on Osborne Avenue and Railroad Street in Riverhead, New York, north of NY 25 (West Main Street) and the Suffolk County Court House.

Riverhead
View of old Riverhead Railroad station from Railroad & Cedar Streets (July 1, 2007)
General information
LocationOsborne Avenue & Railroad Street
Riverhead, NY
Coordinates40°55′11″N 72°40′01″W / 40.919763°N 72.6669°W / 40.919763; -72.6669
Owned byLong Island Rail Road, Town of Riverhead
Line(s)Main Line
Distance73.3 mi (118.0 km) from Long Island City[1]
Platforms1 side platform
Tracks5
ConnectionsLocal Transit Suffolk County Transit: 58, 62, 66, 80, 92
Construction
ParkingYes; Free
Bicycle facilitiesYes; bike racks
AccessibleYes
Other information
Fare zone14
History
OpenedJuly 29, 1844[2]
Rebuilt1870, 1910
Previous namesRiver Head
Passengers
200652[3]
Services
Preceding station Long Island Rail Road Following station
Yaphank Ronkonkoma Branch
Greenport Branch
Mattituck
toward Greenport
Former services
Preceding station Long Island
Rail Road
Following station
Calverton Main Line Aquebogue
toward Greenport
Proposed services
Preceding station Long Island Rail Road Following station
East Yaphank Ronkonkoma Branch
Greenport Branch
Mattituck
toward Greenport

History edit

Riverhead station was opened on July 29, 1844.[2] The station is listed as River Head in the 1852 timetable.[4] The original station house was moved for use as a railroad bunkhouse in March 1870 and the second depot was opened the same month. Between 1891 and 1969, it contained a turntable, water tower, and pump house. The third depot was opened on June 2, 1910, but the agency was closed on November 13, 1972. The station house was used for signal maintainers until the end of the 20th century.

Riverhead station was restored in 2000–2001 with a high-level side platform and a fourth station house similar to 1910-built one, and it was sold to the Town of Riverhead in 2001. However, the station house has been closed to the public in response to a rash of vandalism, theft, and even misuse as a bathroom. The station house is owned by the Town of Riverhead and the MTA uses a high level platform and other amenities instead. The station is also near the west end of the Riverhead Restoration Site of the Railroad Museum of Long Island. A collection of historic Long Island Rail Road cars and maintenance equipment can be found near the station.[5]

Station layout edit

This station has one high-level side platform south of the tracks that is long enough for one and a half cars to receive and discharge passengers. The Main Line has two tracks at this location and a small yard with three tracks.

Nearby attractions edit

References edit

  1. ^ Long Island Rail Road (May 14, 2012). "TIMETABLE No. 4" (PDF). p. III. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Long Island Railroad". The Brooklyn Evening Star. Brooklyn, New York. August 15, 1844. p. 1. Retrieved April 1, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ Average weekday, 2006 LIRR Origin and Destination Study
  4. ^ "BROOKLYN & JAMAICA RAIL ROAD, LONG ISLAND R. R. 1852 TIMETABLE". arrts-arrchives.com.
  5. ^ "LIRR Riverhead RMLI Museum". trainsarefun.com.

External links edit

  • Riverhead – LIRR
  • Riverhead LIRR timetable
  • Old Riverhead Station (Ron Ziel collection -- LIRR Unofficial History Website)[usurped]
  • Riverhead Freight Sidings (TrainsAreFun.com)
  • Railroad Museum of Long Island (Riverhead)
  • Station entrance from Google Maps Street View
  • Old Station House from Google Maps Street View