LIRR Long Beach

Written By Dino DiPietro

That Kind of Woman (1953), starring Sophia Loren, filmed key scenes at Long Beach station.

Here is a comprehensive history of the Long Beach LIRR station:

🏗️ Origins & Early Development

  • 1880: Opened by the New York & Long Beach Railroad as a terminal near the Atlantic Ocean, serving the area including the grand Long Beach Hotel, which was billed as one of the largest hotels in the world. The original station featured a clock tower, water tower, and gazebo, with connecting tracks to the Long Beach Marine Railway offering trolley service to Lido Beach and Point Lookout

  • September 1910: Electrification introduced with a third rail system at 750 V DC

🌉 Station Relocation & Reconstruction

  • January 1909: After storm damage, the LIRR petitioned—and received approval—to move the station approximately 1,000 feet north for increased reliability

  • June 1909: The current depot was constructed at Park Avenue and Park Place. Designed by Kenneth M. Murchison—also architect of Jamaica Station (1913) and Hoboken Terminal—it offered a more robust structure further from storm threats

⚙️ Modernization & Renovations

  • 1986: Major renovation of the station, as noted by the historical marker, enhancing waiting areas, platforms, and overall infrastructure

  • 1988: The station was fully rebuilt and modernized, improving accessibility and passenger amenities

  • Early 2000s: Upgrade projects added a bus depot, parking garage, platform bridge, storefronts, and bicycle facilities

  • 2025–29 Capital Plan: The MTA has initiated a Long Beach Station Improvement Project, including upgraded pavers, planters, and eco-friendly landscaping. Construction is advised in early 2026, with further platform and substructure renovations planned in a later phase

🧭 Architectural Notes & Significance

  • Kenneth M. Murchison’s design (1909) gave the station its distinctive early 20th-century look

  • The station has maintained its historical identity while evolving into a multimodal transit hub, connecting LIRR services, Long Beach Bus, and other Nassau County routes

Dino DiPietro