History of the Long Island Rail Road

Long Island Rail Road
Company type	Public transit
Industry	Railroad transportation
Predecessor	Brooklyn and Jamaica Rail Road
Founded	April 24, 1834; 192 years ago
Founder	Major D. B. Douglass
Headquarters	New York City, United States
Products	Rail transport services
Owner	Metropolitan Transportation Authority

The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), owned by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York, holds the distinction of being the oldest railroad in the United States still operating under its original charter and name. During the late 19th century, it absorbed several smaller rail companies. Throughout much of the 20th century, it was under the ownership of the Pennsylvania Railroad until it was transferred to state control in 1966.

Gateway to Boston, 1832–1840s

The origins of the LIRR date back to the Brooklyn and Jamaica Rail Road, which was incorporated on April 25, 1832. This company constructed a ten-mile track connecting Brooklyn through Bedford and East New York to Jamaica. The project was engineered by Major D. B. Douglass, who envisioned it as part of an integrated 11-hour rail and steamship corridor between New York City and Boston, collaborating with railroads in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. At that time, a fully overland route through southern Connecticut was deemed impractical. Douglass attracted affluent investors and secured a charter for the Long-Island Rail-Road Company on April 24, 1834, permitting construction from Greenport on Long Island’s northern shore across to Brooklyn, including a branch line to Sag Harbor.

The LIRR opted for a central Long Island alignment that bypassed established coastal settlements, aiming to reduce grade crossings and simplify construction challenges. Formally organized on June 17, 1835, with Knowles Taylor appointed president, it inaugurated the Brooklyn-Jamaica segment on April 18, 1836. This line was leased by LIRR for $33,300 annually in anticipation of substantial traffic destined for Boston. A branch extending to Williamsburg was planned to circumvent congestion in Brooklyn. Expansion beyond Jamaica commenced promptly, reaching Hicksville by March 1, 1837.

Due to the economic downturn triggered by the Panic of 1837, Hicksville served as the terminus for four years. The railway consisted of a single track but was graded to accommodate double tracks in the future. Stations like Carle Place functioned as transfer hubs where passengers could connect with stagecoaches servicing neighboring towns. Until steam locomotives were authorized in 1839, horse-drawn trains operated between Brooklyn and Bedford.

An amendment dated May 16, 1836 authorized a branch line to Hempstead; surveying took place in 1838, leading to the Hempstead Branch opening in July 1839 from Mineola station heading southward. The LIRR extended its reach eastward to Farmingdale by October 1841 and further to Deer Park in 1842, thereby serving more remote coastal villages such as Huntington and Babylon.

By 1842, tracks had extended to Suffolk station; by 1844 service reached Medford and Millville. Construction proceeded on two difficult segments starting from Greenport and Millville respectively, meeting at St. George's Manor. The completion of the Main Line culminated with service beginning on July 27, 1844. Since this inland route bypassed shore communities directly, travelers from those areas had to use stagecoaches covering several miles.

To facilitate crossing of Long Island Sound, LIRR acquired the steamboat Cleopatra from Cornelius Vanderbilt—a prominent ferry operator—initiating service to Stonington, Connecticut on August 10. Vanderbilt joined the LIRR board on November 26. The opening of Brooklyn’s Cobble Hill Tunnel on December 3, 1844 allowed steam locomotives direct access to South Ferry terminals without requiring horse-drawn transfers.

In 1845, LIRR expanded its steamboat fleet with Worcester and New Haven, creating an alternate Boston route via Allyn's Point that connected with regional railroads. However, competition from emerging rail lines and steamboat services led to the sale of these vessels by mid-1846 and early 1847 respectively, ending LIRR’s direct express service to Boston.

Local emphasis, 1840s–1875

The inauguration of the New York and New Haven Railroad in December 1848, which connected southern Connecticut through New Haven to Springfield, posed a significant challenge to the LIRR’s strategic dominance. With only a single brief branch line, the LIRR was originally not intended to serve local Long Island transit needs and required several decades to adapt accordingly. The financial burden from leasing the Brooklyn and Jamaica lines contributed to the railroad entering receivership on March 4, 1850, although it managed to recover without foreclosure by January 25, 1851. Since most Long Island inhabitants resided nearer the coastline than the LIRR’s main route, early efforts to develop central Long Island regions saw limited success. A charter revision in 1862 permitted the construction of branches east of Jamaica, which led to multiple expansions along both the north and south shores.

North and south shore branch expansions

In 1851, the Hicksville and Cold Spring Branch Railroad was created with the goal of constructing a line northeast from Hicksville to Cold Spring. Chartered in 1853 and completed up to Syosset by July 1854, this branch accessed fertile farmland on the North Shore. However, financial difficulties delayed its extension all the way to Cold Spring Harbor. Although additional extensions were authorized in 1858, progress was hindered by the Civil War. Instead, the route was redirected eastward and extended to Huntington in January 1868 and further to Northport by April 1868. The Smithtown and Port Jefferson Railroad branched off from Northport Junction toward Port Jefferson, commencing operations in January 1873; passenger service to Northport ceased in 1899.

Initially authorized as early as 1834 for a branch line to Sag Harbor, the LIRR conducted surveys for a Riverhead-to-Sag Harbor route in 1854 but did not proceed with construction. To maintain exclusive control over the East End against competition from the South Side Railroad of Long Island, President Oliver Charlick proposed building a Sag Harbor branch originating from Manorville instead of Riverhead due to opposition from local residents. The Sag Harbor Branch opened between Manorville and Hampton Bays in 1869 and was extended onward to Bridgehampton and Sag Harbor by May 1870.

The Glen Cove Branch Railroad was established in 1858. The Locust Valley Branch (presently known as the Oyster Bay Branch) began service from Mineola to Glen Head in January 1865, reached Glen Cove by 1867, and extended further to Locust Valley by April 1869.

Branch development slowed significantly during Oliver Charlick’s presidency (1863–1875), as he prioritized constructing lines only where necessary to block rival railroads. Charlick also oversaw reconstruction of Greenport’s wharf in 1870 and managed a Boston route via New London and the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad between September 1872 and 1875.

Brooklyn

Beginning July 1, 1851, Brooklyn enacted an ordinance (passed June 9 and ratified June 11) prohibiting LIRR’s use of steam propulsion within city boundaries. The railroad initially resisted this mandate but ceased operating steam freight and passenger trains into Brooklyn by early October, instead requiring passengers to transfer at Jamaica onto Fulton Street stages bound for Bedford, where they connected with "Jamaica Line" stage services. On October 9, limited steam operation resumed under strict noise and speed regulations.

Despite opposition voiced by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Chapter 484 of the Laws of 1859 empowered commissioners to negotiate with LIRR for closing the Cobble Hill Tunnel, terminating steam usage within city limits, and substituting horse-drawn cars for freight and passenger service up to East New York where steam trains resumed. LIRR received $125,000 in property assessments as compensation. By autumn of 1861, steam locomotion and tunnel operations had ended entirely.

On September 3, 1859, LIRR chartered the New York and Jamaica Railroad; a supplemental charter in March 1860 authorized acquisition and extension toward Hunters Point. The railroad purchased NY&J on April 25 along with a segment of the Brooklyn and Jamaica Railroad at Jamaica, terminating its lease of that line but maintaining operational rights over it. In August 1860, the merged Brooklyn Central and Jamaica Railroad commenced service from South Ferry through the tunnel and B&J tracks to Flatbush Avenue, then continued south along the newly established Fifth Avenue Line.

The Hunters Point route opened on May 9, 1861, with regular scheduled trains beginning May 10. Initial ferry connections linked Hunter's Point Ferry with James Slip, later shifting by October to boats operating to East 34th Street Pier. The BC&J soon operated horse cars over its old South Ferry line connecting with LIRR trains at Jamaica. The Cobble Hill Tunnel was permanently closed in December 1861.

Competition and consolidation on Long Island, 1854–1880

Between the 1850s and 1870s, Long Island witnessed significant expansion of rail services, with several companies vying for dominance and profitability. During 1875–76, industrialist Conrad Poppenhusen took control of all railroads in the area, reorganizing them under the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) banner. His successor, Austin Corbin, furthered this process of unification, establishing the broad network recognizable today.

The earliest non-LIRR route was the Flushing Railroad, chartered in 1852 and commencing operations in 1854 between Long Island City and Flushing. Although plans aimed to extend eastward to Huntington, financial difficulties led to its receivership by 1857. It was restructured as the New York and Flushing Railroad under Oliver Charlick’s leadership in 1859 but declined until local pressure prompted the LIRR to create the Flushing and Woodside Railroad in 1864 to rival it. Despite legal challenges delaying progress, the NY&F formed a subsidiary named the North Shore Railroad of Long Island in 1866 to push service toward Great Neck. Confronted with competition, NY&F sold its assets and lease to the LIRR in 1867.

The LIRR blocked competitors such as the South Side Railroad of Long Island from utilizing its Long Island City terminal via NY&F tracks and obstructed Flushing and Woodside's expansion to limit rivalry. Charlick sought to restore NY&F as a profitable route from Hunter's Point to Flushing.

In response, residents from College Point and Whitestone, including Poppenhusen, established the Flushing and North Side Railroad in 1868 to finalize and extend lines from Long Island City to Roslyn with a branch reaching Whitestone. This new line diverted business from NY&F, leading to legislative approval in 1869 for Flushing and North Side to acquire NY&F east of Winfield. Connections were constructed at Woodside/Winfield and Flushing, resulting in abandonment of overlapping sections. The Flushing and Woodside merged into Flushing and North Side by 1871, which expanded service to Whitestone Landing by 1883.

Attempting to regain presence in the Flushing area, LIRR chartered the Newtown and Flushing Railroad—nicknamed the "White Line"—in 1871; it opened in 1873 running parallel to Flushing and North Side, sparking a competitive fare war.

The South Side Railroad of Long Island (SSRLI), founded in 1860, completed its line from Brooklyn to Islip by 1867 and continued eastward through the early 1870s. Partially owned by Willet Charlick—brother of Oliver Charlick—it inaugurated its Far Rockaway Branch in 1869 reaching Seaside by 1872. SSRLI sought terminal access along the East River but was denied by LIRR; consequently, it established South Eighth Street in Williamsburg as its terminal. Due to municipal restrictions, steam trains operated west only as far as Bushwick.

In 1872 SSRLI launched the Hunter's Point and South Side Railroad connecting Fresh Pond with Long Island City using segments of the former New York and Flushing Railroad. That same year saw the opening of the New York and Hempstead Railroad from Valley Stream northeast to Hempstead; SSRLI leased this line in 1873.

To counter SSRLI’s Rockaway branch, Charlick incorporated the New York and Rockaway Railroad in 1870, constructing a more direct route through St. Albans and Springfield Gardens to Far Rockaway by 1872. This line was leased to LIRR around July 1871; portions were later abandoned following LIRR's merger with SSRLI in 1876. A connection between Cedarhurst Cut-off and SSRLI was acquired that year but never fully utilized; plans for electrification were postponed due to World War I and economic downturns.

Entrepreneur Alexander T. Stewart incorporated the Central Railroad of Long Island in 1871 aiming to compete directly with LIRR’s Main Line by building from Flushing southeast toward Bethpage via Hempstead Branch (opened 1873) then extending to Babylon. In 1874 Central merged with Flushing and North Side Railroad and other lines forming the Flushing, North Shore and Central Railroad, controlled by Poppenhusen interests.

SSRLI entered receivership in 1873; it was sold in 1874 to Poppenhusens who renamed it Southern Railroad of Long Island. The Southern connected at Babylon with Central lines while abandoning its Hempstead branch.

Following President Oliver Charlick’s death in 1876, Poppenhusens acquired majority ownership of LIRR stock consolidating all major Long Island railroads under their control. Conrad Poppenhusen assumed presidency; LIRR leased Flushing, North Shore and Central along with Southern lines. This consolidation resulted in closure of redundant routes including Newtown and Flushing, parts of Flushing branches, Creedmoor Branch, sections of New York and Rockaway (later Cedarhurst Cut-off), plus LIRR’s Hempstead branch.

Despite consolidation expenses amounting to $3 million and operational grievances, LIRR entered receivership late in 1877 under Colonel Thomas R. Sharp who promoted suburban growth and leisure travel through new routes such as Rockaway Beach Branch (opened 1880).

In March 1877 Brooklyn authorized steam-powered LIRR service on Atlantic Avenue; starting June 1 LIRR leased Atlantic Avenue Railroad main line east of Fort Greene Place for $60,000 annually. The Flatbush Avenue terminal opened July 1 with through trains commencing July 2. Local rapid transit steam service began August west of East New York extending later toward Rockaway Junction.

In August 1876 Brooklyn’s Flatbush & Coney Island Railroad (Brighton Line) connected with LIRR Atlantic Branch near Franklin Avenue operating over LIRR tracks between Flatbush Avenue terminal and Long Island City until their agreement ended between 1883–84; BF&CI later linked with Fulton Street Elevated line.

Austin Corbin era, 1880–1900

The New York and Hempstead Railroad was established in 1870 with plans to construct a route from Bay Ridge through East New York to Valley Stream. Initial development and leasing arrangements with the South Side Railroad were disrupted by the financial crisis of 1873, which brought construction to a halt. The project was revived in 1875 under the name New York, Bay Ridge and Jamaica Railroad, tracing what is now the Bay Ridge Branch freight corridor. By mid-1876, the line reached Bath Junction, intersecting with the Brooklyn, Bath and Coney Island Railroad (the forerunner of the BMT West End Line). A provisional agreement permitted passenger services from Bay Ridge to Coney Island.

In November 1876, Austin Corbin acquired the railroad and reorganized it as the New York and Manhattan Beach Railway, aiming to link Long Island City with Manhattan Beach. Originally intended for freight, the focus shifted to passenger operations to support Corbin’s Manhattan Beach Hotel at Coney Island. The line was converted to narrow gauge (3 feet) and branched off at Manhattan Beach Junction alongside today’s BMT Brighton Line, extending to Atlantic Avenue through an arrangement with the Brooklyn and Rockaway Beach Railroad. Service commenced on July 19, 1877, offering thirteen daily trains from Bay Ridge and East New York.

To penetrate northern Brooklyn markets, Corbin purchased the Glendale and East River Railroad, which connected Greenpoint eastward to East New York. This segment began summer service in May 1878. The Kings County Central Railroad, leased by NY&MB, launched on June 29, 1878, running from Prospect Park eastward then southward to join the Manhattan Beach line; however, it ceased operations after one summer season and was dismantled by mid-1879 due to failed competitive strategies.

In 1878, Corbin founded the Eastern Railroad of Long Island intending to rival LIRR via a New Lots-Babylon route. Nevertheless, after gaining control of LIRR in 1880 and assuming its presidency in 1881, direct competition ended. During his tenure, the Manhattan Beach Line was converted to standard gauge and integrated with LIRR’s Atlantic and Lower Montauk branches by 1883. The Greenpoint section was abandoned by 1890. The NY&MB was leased by LIRR in 1882 and fully merged in 1925. Throughout Corbin’s sixteen years at the helm, LIRR consistently issued dividends.

Corbin also directed multiple expansions: the New York and Long Beach Railroad opened in 1880 connecting Lynbrook to Long Beach; meanwhile, the Long Beach Marine Railway constructed a line extending to Point Lookout in 1881, which LIRR acquired in 1886 but dismantled by 1895.

In June 1879, foreclosed remnants of the South Side Railroad formed the Brooklyn and Montauk Railroad, immediately leased as LIRR’s Montauk Division. By 1881, it extended eastward from Patchogue to Eastport, linking with the Sag Harbor Branch to provide continuous service along the South Shore. The “scoot” service connected Greenport with Sag Harbor and later Montauk. The Brooklyn and Montauk merged into LIRR in October 1889.

The Long Island City and Manhattan Beach Railroad connected Fresh Pond on the Montauk Branch southward to Cooper Avenue on the Manhattan Beach line in 1883. The New York, Woodhaven and Rockaway Railroad opened from Glendale southward to Rockaway Park in 1880; acquired by Corbin during bankruptcy proceedings in 1887, it was reorganized as the New York and Rockaway Beach Railway and leased by LIRR in 1904. Additional expansions included the Oyster Bay Branch extension from Locust Valley to Oyster Bay in 1889; the New York Bay Extension Railroad branch from Valley Stream northeastward to Hempstead in 1893; and the Wading River Branch opening east of Port Jefferson in 1895.

Corbin’s attempt in December 1886 to acquire the East River Ferry Company failed; instead, it was purchased by Metropolitan Ferry Company under Vanderbilt control in July 1887. Due to inadequate ferry service speed, LIRR initiated its own “Annex” ferry line targeting business commuters at a loss starting June 1887. Eventually, LIRR took full ownership of the ferry company in March 1892.

By 1890, double-tracking extended along LIRR’s Main Line up to Hicksville. An ill-fated Boston route launched in 1891 from Oyster Bay via Norwalk using Housatonic Railroad connections was discontinued by 1892.

A significant undertaking led by Frank Sherman Benson was the Montauk Extension Railroad running from Amagansett eastward to Fort Pond Bay. Corbin acquired extensive land holdings envisioning a deep-water port facilitating expedited transatlantic passenger travel. Incorporated in May 1893, this extension opened two years later.

In Brooklyn, a connection between Manhattan Beach Branch and Andrew Culver’s Prospect Park and Coney Island Railroad (now known as the Culver Line) was established in 1885; LIRR gained control of Culver Line in 1893 but leased it to Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company (BRT) following electrification completed that year. Between 1895 and 1899 several inclines linked LIRR lines with Brooklyn Elevated lines, enabling BRT access west of Jamaica while LIRR retained operational dominance eastward under a cooperative arrangement.

After Austin Corbin passed away in June 1896, LIRR underwent reorganization amid declining revenues on the Manhattan Beach line—partly due to BRT consolidating Brooklyn rapid transit routes. A connection at Sheepshead Bay allowed Brighton Line trains access to Manhattan Beach Hotel until full control transitioned to BRT.

The Port Washington Branch extension from Great Neck to Port Washington opened in June 1898 following local advocacy efforts and construction of the Manhasset Viaduct—the highest railroad bridge on LIRR at that time—representing peak route mileage until modern projects such as East Side Access.

On May 13, 1899, LIRR acquired its competitor, Montauk Steamboat Company, consolidating steamboat operations including New York-Greenport routes and eastern connections until their decline due to highway competition and naval restrictions during World War I; some routes continued operating into the late 1920s.

Pennsylvania Railroad Control, 1900–1949

At the turn of the 20th century, the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) secured a majority stake in the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) for $6 million, enabling the development of direct access to Manhattan through the New York Tunnel Extension, which connected New Jersey, Manhattan, and Long Island City. This project included the construction of Penn Station, inaugurated in 1910 and initially serving only LIRR trains until the New Jersey link was completed. Simultaneously, Sunnyside Yard was established to facilitate train operations management.

The introduction of the tunnel and station dramatically increased ridership, with annual passenger numbers climbing from 34 million in 1911 to a peak of 119 million by 1929. By that year, commuter traffic accounted for 61.7% of total ridership; however, after the IND Queens Boulevard Line subway reached Jamaica in 1937, approximately 80% of short-distance commuters shifted away by 1940. Additional competition from trolley services and automobiles also contributed to this decline.

During this period, the LIRR expanded its influence over Long Island’s trolley systems through acquisitions and holding companies, although most trolley operations ceased by the mid-1920s. Beginning in the early 1900s, the railroad undertook extensive electrification and grade separation initiatives aimed at enhancing safety and operational efficiency. These efforts included eliminating numerous grade crossings on the Atlantic Branch and electrifying major lines such as the Atlantic Branch and Rockaway Beach Branch by 1905. Electrification extended further with the Montauk Division completed by 1925 and the Bay Ridge Branch by 1927.

The LIRR actively marketed Long Island as an attractive residential destination, leveraging its transportation infrastructure to draw middle-class and affluent commuters. Despite these promotional efforts, monthly commuter fares remained unchanged from 1918 through 1947.

At its operational zenith in 1925, the LIRR managed 397 miles of track mileage and 957 miles of total track; by 1970, these figures had decreased to 326 miles of road and 738 miles of track.

A significant legal milestone involving the railroad was the Palsgraf v. LIRR case (1928), which set important precedents in American Tort law concerning proximate cause.

Electrification projects continued with new service inaugurations such as the route between Valley Stream and Franklin Avenue in Garden City in 1926. However, expensive grade crossing removal programs resulted in service cutbacks on certain branches like West Hempstead and Oyster Bay. Plans to electrify the Oyster Bay branch were ultimately abandoned due to prohibitive costs.

Service on the Manorville Branch gradually diminished throughout the 1930s and was fully discontinued by 1949 following Interstate Commerce Commission approval for abandonment.

Difficult Years, 1949–1966

Following World War II, passenger rail experienced a steep downturn as automobiles and air travel became dominant alternatives. The LIRR faced financial hardship amid aging infrastructure and rolling stock while constrained by regulatory fare limitations; it was unable to raise ticket prices until 1947 despite operating costs doubling since 1917. The railroad filed for bankruptcy on March 2, 1949, leading to cessation of direct Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) operations by May 1. Several fatal accidents occurred during 1949–1950, including a fire on the Jamaica Bay trestle in 1950 that caused abandonment of the Rockaway Beach Branch south of Ozone Park; this segment was later sold to New York City for subway expansion.

Much of the LIRR’s rolling stock dated back to early twentieth-century designs, proving inadequate for mid-century commuter demands and prone to mechanical failures that caused frequent service cancellations. Despite these challenges, newer lightweight and heavyweight cars were acquired from PRR and other failing railroads, introducing LIRR’s first air-conditioned fleet comprising electric multiple unit cars and diesel coaches. A proposed high-speed route along the Long Island Expressway was rejected by urban planner Robert Moses.

In the 1950s, LIRR implemented a new branding strategy featuring "Dashing Dan" and "Dashing Dottie" mascots alongside a gray paint scheme. Major capital projects included elimination of grade crossings on the Montauk Branch between Jamaica and Babylon, installation of federally mandated Automatic Speed Control systems following collisions after 1950, and full transition to diesel locomotives completed by October 1955. Two PRR G5 steam locomotives from this period remain preserved today.

Cost-saving measures in 1951 led to electric locomotive trains terminating at Jamaica or Long Island City instead of Penn Station, requiring passengers to transfer—giving rise to the phrase "change at Jamaica." In August 1954, New York State legislation ended LIRR’s bankruptcy status by designating it a Railroad Redevelopment Corporation with $60 million allocated over twelve years for improvements focused primarily on western electrified territory. This initiative was supported through tax incentives and reinvestment of PRR profits. The LIRR ordered 220 new Pullman Standard coaches to replace pre-World War I equipment and refurbished approximately 700 older cars with modernized heating, ventilation, flooring, seating, and lighting systems. Numerous grade crossings were removed alongside upgrades on busy lines.

By 1956, freight services were rescheduled overnight to enhance passenger travel times toward Eastern Suffolk County. By 1963, passenger operations east of Riverhead to Greenport were reduced to one daily train plus thrice-weekly freight service; proposals emerged for a bridge connecting Greenport with Rhode Island. (As of 2018, four daily passenger trains operate eastward from Ronkonkoma to Greenport Terminal.)

Road n' Rail bus service

During the 1960s and 1970s, the LIRR launched the Road n' Rail bus service to sustain and broaden transportation options on the East End, especially after losing mail contracts that had subsidized rail operations. This bus line ran between Greenport and Huntington, closely following the Montauk Branch route, targeting short-distance travelers by offering lower fares and access to locations without direct rail connections.

Facing competition from Long Island Transit Systems, the LIRR sought approval from the Public Service Commission (PSC) in early 1962 to introduce its own bus service. The PSC granted permission, and operations commenced on February 19, 1962, focusing on boosting ridership in Central Suffolk and the North Fork regions. Due to positive reception, a South Shore route stretching from Amityville to Montauk was added in 1963. This line complemented rail service with six daily round trips using newly introduced air-conditioned buses.

The initiative substituted certain train trips with six daily bus round trips between Riverhead and Huntington—half of which extended to Greenport—and provided weekend connections between Greenport and Huntington for train transfers toward New York City. This approach allowed for a reduction in train frequency and maintenance expenses while expanding transit accessibility along New York State Route 25, bringing service closer to more communities. Buses operated express via the Smithtown Bypass, with fare zones established by the PSC to avoid competing with local bus lines.

Initially run under contract by Huntington Coach Corporation, management of the route transferred to the Metropolitan Suburban Bus Authority (MSBA) in 1973. Meanwhile, Huntington Coach’s routes were rebranded as Huntington Area Rapid Transit (HART). The corridor primarily followed Jericho Turnpike, providing six weekday runs and four weekend trips.

By summer 1973, direct bus service between Huntington and Riverhead was discontinued in favor of faster alternatives. Peak summer service in 1976 included eleven eastbound and twelve westbound buses; however, ridership declined sharply after this period. Beginning in 1978, weekend services were scaled back progressively until limited to summer weekends by 1981, then further reduced to midday hours only by 1982 as LIRR sought to increase train frequency. Ongoing reliability issues combined with population growth on the East End led to gradual reductions: North Fork bus service connecting to Babylon was cut to two daily round trips in October 1982 before being terminated altogether. Road n' Rail weekday service to Greenport ceased on September 8, 1981, with weekend operations ending on October 17, 1983.

After threats of abandonment surfaced, the Speonk–Montauk rail segment was reconstructed by summer 1979, allowing full restoration of train service. Consequently, with Road n' Rail discontinued on this section, LIRR rail operations returned to their previous levels.

1963: the Better Rail Service for Nassau County Plan

In June 1963, a report titled Better Rail Service for Nassau County was released by the Nassau County Planning Commission alongside the Nassau County Department of Transportation, outlining comprehensive enhancements. The plan called for electrification of the Main Line from Mineola eastward to Bethpage, accompanied by elimination of grade crossings along this corridor. Major stations including New Hyde Park and Mineola were slated for reconstruction incorporating commercial development through air rights utilization. The Grumman station was proposed for relocation and modernization to better serve employees at the adjacent aircraft manufacturing facility.

Bethpage station would be renamed Bethpage–Plainview and redeveloped into a significant multimodal hub combining bus-rail connections and park-and-ride facilities. It would be shifted eastward near the Oyster Bay Expressway with expanded parking capacity. Serving as the electrified Main Line terminus as well as a transfer point for diesel-powered trains on the Montauk and Ronkonkoma Branches was part of its envisioned role. The Main Line itself was planned for expansion to three or four tracks and included a proposed branch line extending to Roosevelt Field, creating a multimodal transit center integrating bus, rail, and helicopter services. This two-track spur would diverge at Glen Cove Road in Carle Place before connecting near Meadowbrook Parkway.

Projected express service between Roosevelt Field and Midtown Manhattan anticipated a travel time of 28 minutes, with frequencies of eight trains per hour during peak periods and four trains per hour off-peak. Consideration was also given to long-distance trains passing through Penn Station en route to Washington D.C. or Florida destinations. Some services might continue eastward via a rebuilt Garden City–Mitchel Field Secondary line featuring new stations at East Meadow and Levittown, contributing toward a Nassau Loop reconnecting with the Main Line at Bethpage–Plainview.

Plans included rebuilding Jamaica station with direct links to the New York City Subway system alongside express bus routes servicing JFK Airport. Woodside station upgrades were proposed with provisions for a planned Queens Bypass subway line paralleling the Main Line—potentially utilizing either the abandoned Rockaway Beach Branch or merging into the IND Queens Boulevard Line at Forest Hills. Express bus service to LaGuardia Airport via the Brooklyn Queens Expressway was also envisioned.

Service extension to Grand Central Terminal would be enabled through a one-track loop branching off at Sunnyside featuring three new stations: near 52nd Street; beneath Grand Central between 45th and 47th Streets; and along Madison Avenue between 35th and 37th Streets. This loop would connect with East River Tunnels maintaining Long Island access while allowing future extensions southward along Madison Avenue.

Additionally, transferring control of the Atlantic Branch to New York City Subway operation was proposed to provide lower fares alongside rapid subway service eventually reaching Belmont Park—eliminating LIRR local stops between Jamaica and Belmont Park. The entire project carried an estimated cost of $103 million with an anticipated completion timeframe of six years.

1960s–1980s: M1s, push-pulls, and electrification expansions

The Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) attempted to sell the financially struggling LIRR but failed to find any buyers. Various ideas were proposed, including transforming it into a monorail or incorporating segments into the New York City Subway. On January 20, 1965, under Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller, New York State acquired the LIRR. In exchange for stock, property, rolling stock, and infrastructure, the PRR received $65 million plus tax incentives. The newly established Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Authority (now the MTA) assumed operational control. Despite this transition, PRR's financial difficulties continued, culminating in bankruptcy in 1970 after merging into Penn Central Transportation. The MCTA initiated major capital projects focusing on improvements such as electric traction substations, track enhancements, and new rolling stock acquisitions.

With state ownership came changes in branding; the iconic Dashing Dan logo was replaced by a new paint design. Between 1968 and 1972, stainless steel, air-conditioned M1 electric coaches—nicknamed "Metropolitans"—were introduced to supplant outdated equipment. These cars featured quarter-point doors to expedite boarding on newly constructed high-level platforms—by 1973, 53 such platforms had been built at 38 stations along electrified branches. The installation of permanent concrete platforms progressed more gradually.

By the mid-1970s, M1 units formed the core of the electric fleet, later augmented by 174 M3 cars delivered between 1985 and 1986. Older single-level electric multiple units were converted for diesel push-pull operations. Retired first-generation freight diesels (mainly ALCO FA models) were rebuilt as control units providing head-end power (HEP) to manage push-pull service. New diesel locomotives such as GP38-2s and MP15ACs replaced aging ALCO Century 420s. Notably, MP15AC switchers operated innovatively in paired push-pull configurations during off-peak shuttle runs. By 1973, all fleet cars were equipped with air conditioning.

Electrification was extended with third rail installations on the Main Line and Port Jefferson Branch, reaching from Mineola to Hicksville and Huntington by October 1970—the first such expansion in over forty years. Full electrification beyond Hicksville to Ronkonkoma was completed in December 1987, with partial service beginning earlier at Farmingdale. This extension brought electric service roughly 50 miles east of Manhattan into Suffolk County’s central corridor communities including Wyandanch, Deer Park, Brentwood, Central Islip, and Ronkonkoma. Stations in Nassau County such as Bethpage and Farmingdale also received electrification. Peak travel times from Ronkonkoma to Penn Station decreased from 93 minutes to 60 minutes, resulting in a ridership increase of 150% by 2007; consequently, the Ronkonkoma Branch became the system’s second busiest line after the Babylon Branch. In 1985, a second electrified track was added between Syosset and Huntington to alleviate congestion and boost capacity on the Port Jefferson Branch. Additional electrification projects have been proposed but remain unfunded as of 2023.

Fare hikes characterized this period; for example, a monthly pass from Penn Station to Huntington increased from $80 in 1980 to $102.75 in 1981 (adjusted for inflation). The LIRR marked its sesquicentennial anniversary in 1984.

June 1987 saw the opening of the West Side Yard to address train storage limitations at Penn Station that previously required non-revenue moves to distant yards. Situated between West 30th and West 33rd Streets near Tenth and Twelfth Avenues, this facility included a 30-track yard with tunnel access directly to Penn Station, allowing midday and overnight storage as well as cleaning and inspections for up to 320 cars—tasks formerly handled at Jamaica or Babylon yards. Named after New York State Senator John D. Caemmerer who secured $195.7 million for its construction, it immediately enhanced train throughput at Penn Station. In 1989, a cutting-edge $380 million repair center opened at Hillside, commemorating one hundred years since Morris Park shops began operations.

Smoking was prohibited on trains and enclosed stations starting February 1988. Wooden ties on main lines were replaced with concrete ties alongside upgrades to signals and interlockings supporting ongoing electrification expansions.

Efforts to eliminate grade crossings continued into the late twentieth century; notably, the Babylon Branch became free of crossings with Massapequa Park’s elevation project completed in December 1980 after nearly thirty years of work. Selected dangerous crossings were addressed later—for instance, following a tragic accident involving nine teenagers at Herricks Road in Mineola in 1982, an $85 million rail overpass opened there in April 1998 after five years of construction; it was widened a year later to accommodate a third track.

1990s–2000s: Renovations at Penn Station, introduction of bilevel and dual-mode locomotives, and deployment of M7 cars

During Governor Mario Cuomo’s administration, between 1990 and 1994, the LIRR undertook significant renovations of Penn Station’s lower-level concourse. These upgrades included raising the ceiling height, creating two additional entrance and exit corridors, extending certain platforms, and installing air conditioning systems.

A tragic mass shooting occurred near Merillon Avenue station on December 7, 1993, resulting in six fatalities and 19 injuries.

Due to a decline in freight operations, the MTA transferred the LIRR’s freight services to the New York and Atlantic Railway, a subsidiary of Anacostia & Pacific, on May 11, 1997. This transition aimed to revitalize freight activity while enabling the LIRR to concentrate on passenger transportation.

In the late 1990s, capital projects involved replacing outdated diesel and parlor cars with modern bilevel coaches and constructing ADA-compliant high-level platforms at various stations. Designs for platforms at 35 stations were created by Urbahn Associates and Daniel Frankfurt; however, ten stations with low ridership were closed in 1998 instead of being upgraded. These closures included five stations on the Lower Montauk Branch and five others in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Passenger service on the Lower Montauk Branch continued until November 12, 2012, when it was fully transferred to New York and Atlantic for exclusive freight use due to the prohibitive cost of installing Positive Train Control.

The railroad also procured new diesel (EMD DE30AC) and dual-mode (DM30AC) locomotives to operate push-pull services with bilevel cars. Beginning in October 2002, Bombardier-manufactured M7 cars gradually replaced the entire M1 fleet by late 2006, offering enhanced reliability during winter weather conditions.

In October 2002, the MTA revealed intentions to merge the LIRR with Metro-North Railroad under a proposed entity called MTA Rail Road, subject to legislative approval; this merger was ultimately rejected by 2007.

Following a fatal accident at Woodside station in 2006, both LIRR and Metro-North implemented expanded platform gap safety initiatives. These included deploying additional platform conductors and launching public awareness campaigns.

On June 4, 2007, Helena Williams was named LIRR President, becoming the first woman to hold this role. She succeeded interim President Raymond P. Kenny.

The LIRR marked its 175th anniversary on April 22, 2009, with a commemorative journey from Brooklyn to Greenport along its original main line. The celebration featured proclamations from officials in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

2010s: Infrastructure growth and recovery from Hurricane Sandy

In 2007, construction commenced on the East Side Access project to establish a new branch diverging from the Main Line in Queens that would terminate at a new terminal beneath Grand Central Terminal. This initiative addressed capacity constraints at Penn Station caused by track interlocking limitations and restricted East River Tunnel throughput. Regarded as one of the most costly projects worldwide of its kind, East Side Access experienced multiple delays and had an estimated cost of $11.1 billion as of April 2018. , limited service was anticipated to begin that month with full operations expected by early 2023.

To support East Side Access, five "readiness projects" totaling $495 million were undertaken to boost peak-hour capacity across the system. These enhancements included constructing a new platform at Jamaica station for Atlantic Terminal trains; adding storage tracks near Massapequa station and Great Neck station; as well as expanding facilities at Port Washington and Ronkonkoma Yards.

Work started in 2012 on adding a second track along the Ronkonkoma Branch between Farmingdale and Ronkonkoma to alleviate previous single-track bottlenecks. This $387.2 million endeavor reached completion in September 2018.

The LIRR incurred extensive damage from Hurricane Sandy in 2012, with flooding impacting the East River Tunnels, West Side Yard, and Long Beach Branch. It took seven weeks to fully restore rush hour service. Repair efforts throughout the late 2010s focused on addressing Sandy-related damage particularly on the Long Beach Branch and West Side Yard; however, as of October 2018, these repairs remained unfinished and restoration work on the East River Tunnels had yet to begin.

Significant incidents during this period included a derailment at Atlantic Terminal on January 4, 2017 that injured 103 passengers; a collision with a vehicle near Mineola on March 23, 2018 with no injuries reported; and a deadly collision involving a truck at Westbury on February 26, 2019 resulting in three fatalities.

To accommodate projected ridership increases following East Side Access completion, plans were developed for a third Main Line track extending from Floral Park to Hicksville. This $1.8 billion project included property acquisitions, elimination of grade crossings in cooperation with New York State DOT, station relocations, and Mineola station reconfiguration. After experiencing delays, Governor Andrew Cuomo reinstated funding in January 2016. Groundbreaking took place in September 2018; phased openings began August 2022 with full completion by October that year.

In July 2019, plans were unveiled for a new Main Line station at Elmont, marking the first new LIRR station constructed in over four decades. Primarily serving UBS Arena attendees and Elmont residents alike, the eastbound platform opened for event days starting November 20, 2021; the westbound platform followed on October 6, 2022; full service commenced February 27, 2023.

On January 23, 2023, Grand Central Madison officially began operations as East Side Access concluded after fifteen years of development. Limited shuttle service connecting to Jamaica started January 25, with full through service east of Jamaica launching later that February.