South Beach Branch (Staten Island Railway)
| South Beach Branch | |
|---|---|
SIRT Employee Timetable 1921–1922 East Shore and Perth Amboy Sub-Divisions
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|
| Overview | |
| Type | Rapid transit |
| System | Staten Island Railway |
| Status | Abandoned |
| Locale | Staten Island, New York, USA |
| Termini |
Clifton Wentworth Avenue |
| Stations | 8 |
| Operation | |
| Opened | March 8, 1886 |
| Closed | March 31, 1953 |
| Owner | Baltimore & Ohio Railroad |
| Operator(s) | Staten Island Railway |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 4.1 miles (6.6 km) |
| Number of tracks | 2 |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Electrification | 1925 |
The South Beach Branch, also called the East Shore Sub-Division, is an abandoned branch of the Staten Island Railway in New York City, which operated along Staten Island's East Shore from Clifton to Wentworth Avenue. This 4.1-mile (6.6 km) double-tracked branch left the Main Line at 40°37′08″N 74°04′18″W / 40.61889°N 74.07167°W, south of the Clifton station, and lay to the east of the Main Line.
Rapid transit service on the line ended on March 31, 1953, along with the North Shore Branch.
The East Shore branch opened on March 8, 1886 to Arrochar, and was extended to South Beach sometime after September 1888, when it was proposed to extend the line. Trains on the branch typically consisted of one or two cars.
In 1925, the branch was extended one stop to Wentworth Avenue, with a platform just long enough to accommodate one door of a single car.
The first electric train was operated on the South Beach Branch between South Beach and Fort Wadsworth at 9:45 P. M. on May 30, 1925. This sub-division was put into regular operation at 12:01 A.M. June 5, 1925.
In 1936–1937, the branch was elevated to remove several grade crossings.
The New York City Board of Transportation gained almost complete control of the island’s bus lines in 1948 and cut fares to match the other city lines. The railroad could not match the fare cut and lost 60% of its business almost immediately. The railroad announced plans to terminate all passenger operations in 1953 but a threat from the city to relieve them of their still-profitable freight service along with a commitment for a sizeable city subsidy preserved the Main Line to Tottenville. The short South Beach and North Shore branches were agreed to be no longer viable and passenger service was terminated on both lines March 31, 1953. The South Beach branch was abandoned shortly thereafter while the North Shore Branch continued to carry freight. On both lines, the third rail was removed by 1955.
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