Merrick station

40°39′50″N 73°33′03″W / 40.663769°N 73.550709°W / 40.663769; -73.550709Owned byLong Island Rail RoadLine(s)Montauk BranchDistance24.1 mi (38.8 km) from Long Island City^[1]Platforms1 island platformTracks2Connections Nassau Inter-County Express: n19 (at Merrick Road)ConstructionParkingYesBicycle facilitiesYesAccessibleYesOther informationFare zone7HistoryOpened1867; 157 years ago (1867) (SSRRLI)Rebuilt1885, 1902, 1969–1975ElectrifiedMay 20, 1925
750 V (DC) third railPassengers2012—20147,235^[2]Rank14 of 125 Services

Preceding station	Long Island Rail Road			Following station
Freeport toward Penn Station, Grand Central or Atlantic Terminal		Babylon Branch		Bellmore toward Babylon
Montauk Branch does not stop here

Former services
Preceding station Long Island Rail Road Following station Freeport toward Long Island City Montauk Division Bellmore toward Montauk

Merrick is a station on the Babylon Branch of the Long Island Rail Road. It is officially located on Sunrise Highway, between Hewlett Avenue and Merrick Avenue, in Merrick, New York. However, the parking areas for the station expand well beyond the given location.

History

Merrick station is typical of the elevated Babylon Branch stations that were rebuilt during the mid-to-late 20th century. The station was originally built on October 28, 1867, by the South Side Railroad of Long Island, but in 1869, it was expanded into a hotel built by SSRRLI President Charles Fox. This hotel was burned to the ground in 1908. A second depot was built in 1885, and a third in 1902.^[3] The station was razed in June 1969 as part of the grade-crossing elimination project. A temporary station was installed on December 4, 1970, but the elevated fourth station was not opened until June 28, 1975.

Station layout

This station has one 12-car-long high-level island platform serving trains in both directions. A 10-car-long awning exists, with the easternmost part of the platform uncovered. The rail line has two tracks at this location. Each Fall, this railroad station along with Bellmore station plays host to a Street Festival/Fair courtesy of the Merrick Chamber of Commerce.

Merrick station is home to a memorial to Roxey (d. 1914), a dog who frequented the LIRR in the early 20th century and became a mascot for the commuters and staff.^[4][5]The small gravestone is located on the south side of the station, along the guardrail separating the parking lot from the Sunrise Highway, in a patch of lawn about 20 feet east of Merrick Avenue.^[6]

References

External links

• Merrick – LIRR
• Merrick LIRR timetable
• Merrick Station Clock (Merrick Chamber of Commerce)
• Merrick Station as seen from Sunrise Highway (Steve Alpert's Roads.net)
• Merrick Avenue entrance from Google Maps Street View
• Station House from Google Maps Street View
• Hewlett Avenue entrance from Google Maps Street View