LIRR to introduce the famous "CANNONBALL" express from Manhattan to the Hamptons

[WMAveteran]

 
LIRR to offer first non-stop "Cannonball" service from Manhattan to Hamptons Published: April 19, 2013Long Island Rail Road at the Bellerose station on Aug. 3, 2012. Photo by Steve GlischinskiNEW YORK – The Long Island Rail Road will operate the first non-stop service from Manhattan to the Hamptons on eastern Long Island this summer. The famous "Cannonball" train will depart from Manhattan for the first time in LIRR history.

The Cannonball was first introduced as an express train that operated between Long Island City and Southampton in the 1890s. The Cannonball is the only named train operated by the MTA and makes the longest run on the MTA, covering 117 miles from Manhattan to Montauk.

Beginning May 24, the Cannonball will depart every Friday from Penn Station at 4:07 p.m. running non-stop 76 miles to Westhampton where it will stop at 5:41 p.m. Follow up stops will be made at Southampton at 6:03 p.m., Bridgehampton at 6:13 p.m., East Hampton at 6:25 p.m. and Montauk at 6:48 p.m.

On Sunday evenings, the railroad will introduce the Cannonball (West) from Montauk to Penn Station, with a nonstop run from Westhampton to Jamaica and then on to Manhattan. The train will leave Montauk at 6:37 p.m., East Hampton at 7:01 p.m., Bridgehampton at 7:10 p.m., Southampton at 7:20 p.m., Hampton Bays at 7:31 p.m. and Westhampton at 7:39 p.m. The train will then run express to Jamaica, arriving at 9:09 p.m. with arrival at Penn Station at 9:31 p.m. The Cannonball trains will run through Labor Day weekend.

In prior years, the Cannonball originated from the Hunterspoint Avenue Terminal in Long Island City. The railroad will offer other Montauk-bound trains from Hunterspoint Avenue on Thursday and Friday afternoons, with connecting service from Penn Station and Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn. To alleviate crowding, extra LIRR trains have been added for the summer season on the Montauk branch through the Labor Day Weekend.
From: TRAINS WIRE (TRAINS magazine).

[WayneNYC]

The reason LIRR operated the Cannonball from Hunterspoint Ave, LIC is because their diesels weren't allowed into NYP.  Of course that's no longer a problem now that LIRR has the dual-mode locos.


I hear it used to come blazing through Jamaica station.