The tower is the former New Haven Fremont tower, which controlled the connection from the LIRR to the New Haven line to Bay Ridge. The line was electrified, and several trains per day came and went to the ferry dock there behind New Havens freight motors. By the time Conrail took it over, it was down to a single track for most of its length, the Penn Central merger having rerouted most New England traffic via Selkirk. The tower was closed and boarded up, as we see it this day. Conrail eventually sold the line to the LIRR; at the end, it was common to see SELI come down with a trio of road units, usually GEs, and an SW 1500, which would work any freight on the line during the interchange move. |