At this time the operation of the line from Greenpoint was abandoned for passenger traffic. The line from Cooper Avenue junction to the South Side Crossing was widened to standard gauge and used for freight, being known as The Evergreen Branch. A connection was made at South Side Crossing with the Bushwick Branch. From South Side Crossing to Greenpoint, the track was never widened to standard gauge. The only part of the old Glendale & East River Railroad now operated is the short stretch from Flushing Avenue and Jefferson Street to the South Side Crossing.

Some Interesting Facts About the South Side Line -- Between Long Island City and Jamaica, there were stations at Fresh Pond, Glendale and Richmond Hill. All the steam trains were run over this line, which began to be known as the Montauk Division. From Jamaica the trains were run over the New York & Rockaway Railroad through Rockaway junction to Springfield junction. But the old South Side line was still in existence, with a station at Beaver Street, Jamaica, and at Locust Avenue.
     Lynbrook was then known as Pearsall's. The stations were the same as to-day until we reach Wantagh, which was then known as Ridgewood. The next station was South Oyster Bay (now Massapequa), and then came Amityville and Breslau (now Lindenhurst). Babylon was the next stop. There were no stations at Great River, nor at Blue Point. Mastic was then known as Forge, and there was one station known as Moriches (now Centre Moriches). Between Good Ground and Southampton there were no stations; otherwise, it was the same as to-day, as far as Sag Harbor.

Double-Tracking on Various Divisions--In 1892 double track was laid from Massapequa to Babylon, giving a double track all the way from Long Island City via Rockaway junction to Babylon, where a handsome station building was erected. It was here that Austin Corbin maintained his residence.
     The Bushwick Branch, from Bushwick to Bushwick junction, was also double-tracked in 1882.

The line curved to the east after reaching the Beach, and ran back of the Long Beach Hotel, and several cottages connected with it. The trains ran here for the accommodation of the hotel patrons, but when the hotel burned down, the line was practically abandoned for a time. The Long Island Railroad operated the line as a branch from 1880, and in 1886 it bought the Long Beach Marine Railway. In 1886 this line had been washed away by the tide, the iron rails having been found as far as 1,000 feet away from the original line. The line was relaid with the old iron rails, and put in condition for use. The following year the tides also played havoc with the line, and it had to be repaired. Traffic was carried to Point Lookout at least as late as 1890. By 1895 the line disappeared from the list and was probably allowed to fall into disrepair.
     In 1883 the Long Island City & Manhattan Beach Railroad Company was organized and built from Cooper Avenue junction with the New York & Manhattan Beach Railway Company, north to a connection with the Brooklyn & Montauk Railroad at Fresh Pond junction. The line was double track and standard gauge. All the original Manhattan Beach lines had been built as narrow gauge lines. This short-sighted policy of the builders necessitated the entire rebuilding of these lilies to standard gauge at this time, and the rolling stock was also converted to standard gauge.
     The trains to Manhattan Beach were all diverted via this line to Long Island City. The line from Greenpoint to Cooper Avenue junction was operated by a shuttle train, and the ferry from 23rd Street, New York, to Greenpoint was discontinued.

Consolidation of Manhattan Beach Lines--In 1885 the Long Island City & Manhattan Beach Railroad Company, the New York & Manhattan Beach Railroad Company, and the New York, Bay Ridge & Jamaica Railroad Company were consolidated to form the New York, Brooklyn & Manhattan Beach Railway, which was leased to the Long Island Railroad.

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