Atlantic Avenue Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Atlantic Avenue Railroad was a railroad company in the U.S. state
of New York
, with a main line connecting downtown Brooklyn
with Jamaica along Atlantic Avenue. It was largely a streetcar company that operated its own trains, but the Long Island Rail Road
operated both streetcars and steam trains over its main line, now the Atlantic Branch of the LIRR. It later became part of the Nassau Electric Railroad
.
, incorporated on April 25, 1832 to build from the East River
in Brooklyn
to Jamaica. The Long Island Rail Road
was chartered in 1834 to extend the line east to Greenport
. When the Brooklyn and Jamaica was completed on April 18, 1836, its line was operated by the LIRR under lease. The original line ran from South Ferry
on the Brooklyn waterfront east to a depot at the current 158th Street in Jamaica, with a ferry connection to lower Manhattan
at South Ferry.
The Brooklyn Central Railroad was incorporated August 31, 1859 to take over the Brooklyn and Jamaica Railroad, then operated by the Long Island Rail Road
as a steam-powered
line, for a horse car service once the LIRR completed their new line to Long Island City. This happened soon after the LIRR was authorized to abandon service through the Cobble Hill Tunnel
to South Ferry
in Brooklyn in exchange for ending steam power in the Brooklyn city limits. The city authorized them on June 6 to lay tracks on Atlantic Avenue west of Boerum Place (where the Brooklyn and Jamaica passed through the Cobble Hill Tunnel); east of there, they would use the Brooklyn and Jamaica trackage. They were also granted on November 28, 1859 the right to build along Furman Street, the waterfront street from Atlantic Avenue north to Old Fulton Street, connecting the South Ferry
(Atlantic Avenue) to the Wall Street Ferry (Montague Street) and Fulton Ferry
(Old Fulton Street).
The Brooklyn Central Railroad and Brooklyn and Jamaica Railroad merged on August 8, 1860 to form the Brooklyn Central and Jamaica Railroad. The company also opened a line from Atlantic Avenue south on Flatbush Avenue and Fifth Avenue to 37th Street at Greenwood
, with a branch east along Third Street to the city line. The LIRR ended steam service on Atlantic Avenue on September 30, 1861.
The Atlantic Avenue line became the Brooklyn and Jamaica Railway in 1866 and the Atlantic Avenue Railroad in 1872.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, with a main line connecting downtown Brooklyn
Downtown Brooklyn
Downtown Brooklyn is the third largest central business district in New York City , and is located in the northwestern section of the borough of Brooklyn...
with Jamaica along Atlantic Avenue. It was largely a streetcar company that operated its own trains, but the Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
operated both streetcars and steam trains over its main line, now the Atlantic Branch of the LIRR. It later became part of the Nassau Electric Railroad
Nassau Electric Railroad
The Nassau Electric Railroad was an electric street railway company in the U.S. state of New York. The company operated throughout the borough of Brooklyn, as well as over the Brooklyn Bridge and Williamsburg Bridge into Manhattan....
.
History
The Brooklyn and Jamaica Railroad was the first railroad on Long IslandLong Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, incorporated on April 25, 1832 to build from the East River
East River
The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland...
in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
to Jamaica. The Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
was chartered in 1834 to extend the line east to Greenport
Greenport, Suffolk County, New York
Greenport is a village in Suffolk County, New York, United States. It is located on the north fork of Long Island. The population was 2,048 at the 2000 census....
. When the Brooklyn and Jamaica was completed on April 18, 1836, its line was operated by the LIRR under lease. The original line ran from South Ferry
South Ferry, Brooklyn
South Ferry was a ferry landing on the Brooklyn side of the East River, at the foot of Atlantic Avenue at the border of the neighborhoods of Cobble Hill and Brooklyn Heights. The ferry known as South Ferry traveled to South Ferry, Manhattan...
on the Brooklyn waterfront east to a depot at the current 158th Street in Jamaica, with a ferry connection to lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan is the southernmost part of the island of Manhattan, the main island and center of business and government of the City of New York...
at South Ferry.
The Brooklyn Central Railroad was incorporated August 31, 1859 to take over the Brooklyn and Jamaica Railroad, then operated by the Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
as a steam-powered
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
line, for a horse car service once the LIRR completed their new line to Long Island City. This happened soon after the LIRR was authorized to abandon service through the Cobble Hill Tunnel
Cobble Hill Tunnel
The Cobble Hill Tunnel of the Long Island Rail Road is an abandoned railroad tunnel beneath Atlantic Avenue in downtown Brooklyn, New York City. When open, it ran for about between Columbia Street and Boerum Place...
to South Ferry
South Ferry, Brooklyn
South Ferry was a ferry landing on the Brooklyn side of the East River, at the foot of Atlantic Avenue at the border of the neighborhoods of Cobble Hill and Brooklyn Heights. The ferry known as South Ferry traveled to South Ferry, Manhattan...
in Brooklyn in exchange for ending steam power in the Brooklyn city limits. The city authorized them on June 6 to lay tracks on Atlantic Avenue west of Boerum Place (where the Brooklyn and Jamaica passed through the Cobble Hill Tunnel); east of there, they would use the Brooklyn and Jamaica trackage. They were also granted on November 28, 1859 the right to build along Furman Street, the waterfront street from Atlantic Avenue north to Old Fulton Street, connecting the South Ferry
South Ferry, Brooklyn
South Ferry was a ferry landing on the Brooklyn side of the East River, at the foot of Atlantic Avenue at the border of the neighborhoods of Cobble Hill and Brooklyn Heights. The ferry known as South Ferry traveled to South Ferry, Manhattan...
(Atlantic Avenue) to the Wall Street Ferry (Montague Street) and Fulton Ferry
Fulton Ferry, Brooklyn
Fulton Ferry is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is named for a prominent ferry line crossing the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn, and is also the name of the ferry slip on the Brooklyn side...
(Old Fulton Street).
The Brooklyn Central Railroad and Brooklyn and Jamaica Railroad merged on August 8, 1860 to form the Brooklyn Central and Jamaica Railroad. The company also opened a line from Atlantic Avenue south on Flatbush Avenue and Fifth Avenue to 37th Street at Greenwood
Green-Wood Cemetery
Green-Wood Cemetery was founded in 1838 as a rural cemetery in Brooklyn, Kings County , New York. It was granted National Historic Landmark status in 2006 by the U.S. Department of the Interior.-History:...
, with a branch east along Third Street to the city line. The LIRR ended steam service on Atlantic Avenue on September 30, 1861.
The Atlantic Avenue line became the Brooklyn and Jamaica Railway in 1866 and the Atlantic Avenue Railroad in 1872.