"Bay Ridge
Division, April 1972 at 17th Avenue."
All photographs in this section courtesy of Carmine LoMonaco.
"Bay Ridge
Division, April 1972 at 17th Avenue."
OldNYC.com contributor Carmine LoMonaco shares with us sixteen pictures
that he took along the Bay Ridge Branch in 1972. These pictures help
to illustrate the long history of the Bay Ridge Branch.
Mr. LoMonaco writes: "I grew up in the 1960's with the Bay Ridge Division
running through my back yard on 56th Street and 17th Avenue. I remember
hearing the diesels notching up as they flew by my yard. I also remember
the growling sound of the blowers on old New Haven Virginians as they crawled
by.
To this date, I have this unexplainable obsession with the history of
the Bay Ridge Division. It's almost like Richard Dreyfus's obsession
with Devils Mountain in the movie Close Encounters. As a kid I found
my self constantly looking over the walls at any of the over passes along
the route. In 1972 I walked the tracks from 17th Avenue to the old tower
at Ocean Ave. The tower was abandon, but I remember seeing the old
amp meters for the switches and a label on a switch that said "McDonald
Avenue Trolley." I remember trying to picture in my mind, who the
guy was that had to sit down there in the darkness all night. What
did he do for 8 hours? Well, thank God for OldNYC.com's contributor
Bernie Spinelli's story! I was wrapped up in his story about the
Parkville Junction and College Tower. According to Bernie the towerman's
name was Smitty. Did you know that there was another tower at the
Bay Ridge yard under the 8th Avenue overpass? I remember that it
burnt down in the late 60's. At the time you could see it from the
Manhattan bound N train as it approached 8th Avenue."
"Bay Ridge Division,
Fresh Pond bound, at Parkville Junction, Brooklyn. Coming up on McDonald
Avenue overpass. April 3, 1972."
"Bay Ridge
bound, approaching 17th Avenue overpass. July 1972."
"Bay Ridge
bound, leaving Parkville Junction, 18th Avenue overpass in rear.
July 1972."
"Bay Ridge
bound, next overpass 17th Avenue. July 1972."
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