Traction Boulevard
Encyclopedia
The Suffolk Traction Company is a former streetcar system in Suffolk County, New York
. It operated primarily between Patchogue and Holtsville
, but also included a route that served Blue Point
, Bayport
, and Sayville
. It was opened in 1909 and ceased operations in 1919.
are South Ocean Avenue, North Ocean Avenue
, and what today is Old North Ocean Avenue. The PD Tower at Patchogue Railroad Station
served as a control tower for both the Long Island Railroad and the trolleys. Traction Boulevard (also known as Suffolk Traction Boulevard) continued the line, which crossed over the southeast corner of Canaan Lake
and headed in a northwesterly direction. North of the Patchogue Highlands area, the paved road became a dirt trail and carried the former ROW towards Holtsville Station
. The trolleys that used the road were storage battery cars that ran down the center of the street.
North of Holtsville, Suffolk Traction planned an extension through Farmingville
, Selden
, Terryville
, Echo (now Port Jefferson Station
), and eventually Port Jefferson
. Unfortunately, the company went bankrupt, even as a bridge was being built over the LIRR Main Line
for the Suffolk Traction Main Line on the way to Port Jefferson.
The ROW was abandoned, and much of it was sold to private and public developers later in the 20th Century, although the road was still depicted on numerous maps. The dirt trail was visible where it crossed Woodside Avenue
and then disappeared entirely at the latter-day site of the town dump where it was completely obliterated (see below). It picked up again in the woods on the east side of Waverly Avenue just south of Katz's Farm which was located directly south of the LIRR station in Holtsville
. The ROW ran along the edge of Katz's Farm so was not discernible.
The Town of Brookhaven
installed a landfill on part of the former ROW, leaving a portion of it as an entrance at Blue Point Road. The landfill was transformed into a town park
in the early-to-mid 1970's and an old trolley car was mounted on the right of way to preserve its memory. However, it suffered frequent vandalism and was eventually removed. During a recent repaving project of North Ocean Avenue by the Village of Patchogue Department of Public Works, the former trolley tracks were uncovered and removed for preservation.
-Blue Point
Line between Sayville Railroad Station and Patchogue
at Bicycle Path
, a section of which is currently NY 112. The line was originally owned by the South Shore Traction Company and ran primarily along Middle Road, Blue Point Avenue, and Montauk Highway
. A proposed eastbound extension into Bellport
and Brookhaven
was also on the books, but collapsed along with the Port Jefferson extension of the main line.
A third line called the Sayville Line ran exclusively within Sayville, from the Railroad Station along Sayville's Railroad Avenue, Montauk Highway, and Candee Avenue down to the Great South Bay
. This line was originally a horse-drawn trolley, and like the Sayville to Patchogue Line, it was originally owned by the South Shore Traction Company.
Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,493,350. It was named for the county of Suffolk in England, from which its earliest settlers came...
. It operated primarily between Patchogue and Holtsville
Holtsville, New York
Holtsville is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 17,006 at the 2000 census....
, but also included a route that served Blue Point
Blue Point, New York
Blue Point is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 4,407 at the 2000 census. Blue Point is in the Town of Brookhaven...
, Bayport
Bayport, New York
Bayport is the name of a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, U.S. on Long Island. The population was 8,662 at the 2000 census.Bayport is in the southeast part of the Town of Islip.-Geography:...
, and Sayville
Sayville, New York
Sayville is a hamlet and CDP in Suffolk County, New York, . Located on the south shore of Long Island in the Town of Islip, the population of the CDP was 16,735 at the time of the 2000 census.-History:...
. It was opened in 1909 and ceased operations in 1919.
Main Line
The four current roads that originally carried the trolley line between Patchogue and HoltsvilleHoltsville, New York
Holtsville is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 17,006 at the 2000 census....
are South Ocean Avenue, North Ocean Avenue
County Route 83 (Suffolk County, New York)
Suffolk County Road 83 is a major county road in Suffolk County, New York. It runs north and south from New York State Route 27 at exit 52A in North Patchogue to New York State Route 25A in Mount Sinai...
, and what today is Old North Ocean Avenue. The PD Tower at Patchogue Railroad Station
Patchogue (LIRR station)
Patchogue is a station of the Montauk Branch of the Long Island Rail Road in the village of Patchogue, New York. It is on Division Street between West Avenue and South Ocean Avenue.-History:...
served as a control tower for both the Long Island Railroad and the trolleys. Traction Boulevard (also known as Suffolk Traction Boulevard) continued the line, which crossed over the southeast corner of Canaan Lake
Canaan Lake, New York
Canaan Lake is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States.- Lake :The hamlet is named after Canaan Lake, a physical lake in the area, that flows into the Canaan River, which leads to the Patchogue River....
and headed in a northwesterly direction. North of the Patchogue Highlands area, the paved road became a dirt trail and carried the former ROW towards Holtsville Station
Holtsville (LIRR station)
Holtsville was a station stop on the Greenport Branch of the Long Island Rail Road. It was located off of Waverly Avenue between Long Island Avenue and Furrows Road in Holtsville, New York.-History:...
. The trolleys that used the road were storage battery cars that ran down the center of the street.
North of Holtsville, Suffolk Traction planned an extension through Farmingville
Farmingville, New York
Farmingville is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 16,458 at the 2000 census.Farmingville is in the Town of Brookhaven...
, Selden
Selden, New York
Selden is a hamlet in the town of Brookhaven in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 21,861 at the 2000 census.-Early Settlement:...
, Terryville
Terryville, New York
Terryville is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 10,589 at the 2000 census.Terryville is in the Town of Brookhaven.-Geography:...
, Echo (now Port Jefferson Station
Port Jefferson Station, New York
Port Jefferson Station is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 7,527 at the 2000 census.-History:...
), and eventually Port Jefferson
Port Jefferson, New York
The Incorporated Village of Port Jefferson is located in the town of Brookhaven in Suffolk County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the 2000 United States Census, the village population was 7,837...
. Unfortunately, the company went bankrupt, even as a bridge was being built over the LIRR Main Line
Main Line (Long Island Rail Road)
The Main Line is a rail line owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. It begins in Long Island City and runs along the middle of Long Island about 95 miles to Greenport...
for the Suffolk Traction Main Line on the way to Port Jefferson.
The ROW was abandoned, and much of it was sold to private and public developers later in the 20th Century, although the road was still depicted on numerous maps. The dirt trail was visible where it crossed Woodside Avenue
County Route 99 (Suffolk County, New York)
Suffolk County Road 99 is a county road in southern Suffolk County, New York. It runs east and west from Suffolk CR 19 in Holtsville to Suffolk CR 16 near Yaphank and Brookhaven.-Route description:...
and then disappeared entirely at the latter-day site of the town dump where it was completely obliterated (see below). It picked up again in the woods on the east side of Waverly Avenue just south of Katz's Farm which was located directly south of the LIRR station in Holtsville
Holtsville (LIRR station)
Holtsville was a station stop on the Greenport Branch of the Long Island Rail Road. It was located off of Waverly Avenue between Long Island Avenue and Furrows Road in Holtsville, New York.-History:...
. The ROW ran along the edge of Katz's Farm so was not discernible.
The Town of Brookhaven
Brookhaven, New York
The Town of Brookhaven is one of the ten towns into which Suffolk County, New York, United States, has been divided. Part of the New York metropolitan area, it is located in central Suffolk County and is the only town in the county that stretches from the North Shore to the South Shore of Long...
installed a landfill on part of the former ROW, leaving a portion of it as an entrance at Blue Point Road. The landfill was transformed into a town park
Harold H. Malkmes Wildlife Education and Ecology Center
The Harold H. Malkmes Wildlife Education and Ecology Center is a park, zoo, and ecology site in Holtsville, New York and operated by the Town of Brookhaven, and located on the site of a former landfill.-Attractions:...
in the early-to-mid 1970's and an old trolley car was mounted on the right of way to preserve its memory. However, it suffered frequent vandalism and was eventually removed. During a recent repaving project of North Ocean Avenue by the Village of Patchogue Department of Public Works, the former trolley tracks were uncovered and removed for preservation.
Other branches
Besides the main line, Suffolk Traction Company had the BayportBayport, New York
Bayport is the name of a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, U.S. on Long Island. The population was 8,662 at the 2000 census.Bayport is in the southeast part of the Town of Islip.-Geography:...
-Blue Point
Blue Point, New York
Blue Point is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 4,407 at the 2000 census. Blue Point is in the Town of Brookhaven...
Line between Sayville Railroad Station and Patchogue
Patchogue, New York
-Notable citizens:* Franc D'Ambrosio, Broadway Actor, best known for being the longest running Phantom in Phantom of the Opera. Graduated Pat-Med HS 1981* Michael Fagan, professional bowler...
at Bicycle Path
Bicycle Path
Bicycle Path is a historic road in Central Suffolk County on Long Island, New York, built in the late 19th Century in order to capitalize on the bicycle craze of that period...
, a section of which is currently NY 112. The line was originally owned by the South Shore Traction Company and ran primarily along Middle Road, Blue Point Avenue, and Montauk Highway
Montauk Highway
Montauk Highway is one of the original through highways of Long Island, New York, extending from Jamaica, in the New York City borough of Queens to Montauk Point in Suffolk County, a distance of approximately 100 miles ....
. A proposed eastbound extension into Bellport
Bellport, New York
Bellport is a village in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 2,363 at the 2000 census. The village is named after the Bell family, early settlers of the area. The public education system in Bellport makes up the South Country Central School District consisting of six...
and Brookhaven
Brookhaven (CDP), New York
----Brookhaven is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 3,570 at the 2000 census.The community of Brookhaven is part of the Town of Brookhaven.-Geography:...
was also on the books, but collapsed along with the Port Jefferson extension of the main line.
A third line called the Sayville Line ran exclusively within Sayville, from the Railroad Station along Sayville's Railroad Avenue, Montauk Highway, and Candee Avenue down to the Great South Bay
Great South Bay
Great South Bay is a lagoon situated between Long Island and Fire Island, in the State of New York. It is approximately long. It's protected from the Atlantic Ocean by Fire Island, a barrier island, as well as the eastern end of Jones Beach Island and Captree Island.Robert Moses Causeway adjoins...
. This line was originally a horse-drawn trolley, and like the Sayville to Patchogue Line, it was originally owned by the South Shore Traction Company.
External links
- TrainsAreFun.com
- Suffolk County Historical Society
- Patchogue-Medford Library Local History Department.
- A Desire Named Streetcar, by Sylvia Adcock (Newsday—Long Island; Our Story)
- Suffolk Traction Company (Long Island Oddities)
- Suffolk Traction Company (Bygone Long Island)
