05/13/2026
🚂LIRR #39, The Adventure Begins!🏗️
In 1980, Long Island Rail Road #39; was sitting safely and IN GREAT CONDITION at the Stoney Brook Carriage House Museum. She had been there since 1956; being donated to the museum after famed Long Island Philanthropist: Ward Melville offered to preserve the locomotive to the LIRR. In these 24 years the locomotive sat as a monument to a bygone era, a simpler time where this COMMUTER LEGEND faithfully served the people of the Island; with reliably and a sense of romance… that the age of steam embodied.
While Long Island Rail Road #39 deserved her retirement, and the care she would receive from the museum… a locomotive was made for one thing… TO OPERATE! No one knew this better than famed local Rail Historian and Photographer: Ron Zeil, who started the Engine #39 Restoration Committee. In 1980 he petitioned the Stony Brook Carriage House Museum to release the sleeping giant of a locomotive, to his care. We don’t know much about this transaction; but the museum did in fact transfer ownership of the locomotive, to him and his committee (with the transfer deed being in our archives at the Railroad Museum of Long Island). With a very ambitious project, and bright future ahead for #39… they still had a small problem…. They needed to move this OVER 100 TON locomotive to restoration facilities, with no rails being connected to her (or even nearby for MILES)!
To remedy this situation, they did what the Long Island Rail Road did in 1956; and hired a crane and trailer… to truck her out. TWO “Lowboy Trailers” were brought in to haul the engine and tender separately, to her current home at the LIRR Yard in Riverhead (now home to the RMLI); with volunteers spending several hours prepping the locomotive for her journey. The Engine #39 Restoration Committee removed side rods, wheels, and other smaller components; making it easier to lift the MASSIVE LOCOMOTIVE onto the Lowboys. The hauling of LIRR #39 could almost be seen as a parade of sorts, as she passed by Long Island towns and folks (some of which fondly remembered her in service); on her way to RESTORATION! It was truly a GRAND OCCASION, and one we hope to replicate SOMEDAY SOON!
It is no secret that LIRR #39 is not CURRENTLY in operation, nor is she entirely in one piece. The work of Ron Zeil and his crew of believers did NOT succeed in their final goal, before being disbanded in the early 90’s. HOWEVER, we are VERY GRATEFUL to the memory of Mr. Zeil, and ALL WHO WORKED on #39 during those years; and the progress they made! The work that was done by the Engine #39 Restoration Committee STANDS AS FINISHED WORK, and a testament to the IMPORTANCE OF THIS ENGINE! Stand by for MORE on the progress they made then… and the CRUCIAL WORK we continue to do (as the RMLI) NOW, to see our beloved COMMUTER DARLING IN STEAM ONCE MORE!
We ask that you would consider contributing towards this MISSION to preserve #39 IN MOTION! We still have a ways to go to reach our total goal of $1.5M raised by 2030 for the shops at the Strasburg Rail Road, to professionally finish the work Zeil started in 1980! Then LIRR #39 will once again PULL TRAINS ON A REGULARLY SCHEDULED TIMETABLE for the first time since 1955!
ALL CONTRIBUTIONS Can Be Made Below At:
https://checkout.square.site/merchant/ML8TY6YHNF9E6/checkout/2YODEM2XVQBSBAQA5PFOWSNT?src=embed
WE PROMISE to not let the efforts of those before us go to waste, and that we will continue to fight until we see their vision come to fruition; of a FULLY OPERATIONAL LIRR #39!
