Sub-series 8.8: Suffolk County Companies, 1903 - 1911
Scope and Contents
The Harvey Mordetsky Collection comprises approximately 5,000 photographs of street railway and trolley lines operative in the New York metropolitan area, including Long Island and Staten Island, as well as other areas of the United States, and select foreign locations. Approximately 1,700 35-mm color slides showing trolley lines in Canada, Europe, and the United States is an additional feature of the collection. Footage of these same services is additionally captured in a series of moving image artifacts. Non-photographic materials include 282 BMT and NYCT trolley and bus transfers, trolley and transit periodicals, and personal effects/memorabilia belonging to Mordetsky.
Dates
- 1903 - 1911
Creator
- Mordetsky, Harvey (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Extent
From the Series: 0.7 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Series Outline
Series 8: Photographs of Long Island and Queens Trolleys
- 8.1: Long Island Electric and Jamaica Central
- 8.2: Manhattan and Queens Traction Co.
- 8.3: Nassau County Companies
- 8.4: New York and North Shore Traction Co.
- 8.5: New York and Long Island Traction Co.
- 8.6: New York and Queens Railway Co.
- 8.7: Ocean Electric Railway Co.
- 8.8: Suffolk County Companies
- 8.9: Steinway Trolley Lines
Series Description
Sub-series 8.8 contains 31 images from four different companies: the Babylon Railroad, Huntington Railroad, Northport Traction Company, and the Suffolk Traction Company. See Series 2001.16.1.5 for a map of these companies’ routes.
The Babylon Railroad began in 1871 as a horsecar service operating from the Long Island Rail Road station to neighboring beaches and the waterfront. It first converted to steam but ultimately electrified its operations and extended its route six miles west to Amityville. Service was suspended in May 1920.
The Huntington Railroad (also known as the Cross-Island Line) was owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road, and initially provided service from Huntington to Amityville, Long Island. Faced with ridership declines, the line was eventually reduced to a small stretch of track between Huntington Station and Huntington Village, after which point it was known as the Huntington Traction Company, a corporate entity which survived no later than 1927.
The Northport Traction Company ran from 1902 to 1924. Operated by the Long Island Rail Road, it ran a line from the LIRR Northport Station to Northport Harbor, via East Northport.
The Suffolk Traction Company operated three lines: one between Amityville and Sayville; one with service to Patchogue and Blue Point; a third, serving Holtsville. This company was busiest in the summertime and quiet in the off-season. It is important to note that it used storage battery cars, with the intention of electrifying cars in the future. However, this plan never materialized, and the Company ceased operations in the spring of 1920.
Repository Details
Part of the Archives and Reading Room Repository