Babylon
Bay Shore is the first stop on the diesel portion of the Montauk Branch. The Babylon Branch refers to the electric portion. The station still receives decent, about hourly scoot service, to Babylon from Patchogue plus through trains from Speonk and Montauk with nearly every train stopping in Bay Shore including some of the expresses. The Montauk Branch here has two through tracks. The station has two high-level side platforms that are older than the rest of the diesel territory of the Montauk Branch, added in about 1984 that can accommodate a full 12 car train. This is a bit of overkill since no other station on the diesel portion of the branch has more than 8 cars. The platforms begin at the grade-crossing of 4th Avenue and run west nearly to 5th Avenue with sidewalks along each track for about a car length to 5th Avenue. The eastern end of the platforms is where all the amenities are located. There isn't actually any shelter on the platforms for waiting passengers. Instead near this end of the station (with the platforms getting narrower) are buildings built in 1912 along each platform. The New York-bound platform has a two-story building with porches extending from each side with wide circular red columns. The first story is brick, the second story has a windows protruding from the angled, singled roof. On the first story is a waiting room only open until 2:00pm with a renovated marble floor and wooden benches. From within this building is a closed underpass to a small shelter building with a couple of red columns and an interior bench, and similar brick walls just back from the Montauk-bound platform. In 2009, a new pedestrian bridge structure, completely enclosed with a red roof and mesh walled opened to passengers replacing the dark underpass. Stairs lead up to each side of the bridge (no elevators). This renovation also replaced the previous floodgate tall lampposts with modern black ones along each platform. There are parking lots behind each of the station houses; the one along the Montauk-bound platform is small, the New York-bound platform's extends along most of the platform.
All Photos: 27 May, 2014
Bay Shore Icons, 1992
Cast cement relief medallions and frieze
By Brit Bunkley
The installation is a number of reliefs of architectural elements along the porches of the station house
