Book excerpt: Planned and chartered on April 24, 1834, the Long Island Rail Road commenced operations in 1836 to provide a route to Boston. Stretching 110 miles east of New York City, the Long Island Rail Road has been the backbone of population growth and suburban development for over a hundred years. Electrification was begun on the Long Island Rail Road in 1905. Whether it was commuter, freight, or special trains, third-rail operations played a major role in the Long Island Rail Roads development as well as the people, places, and industries it served. This book offers an insiders view of the Morris Park shops and photographs of the varied passenger operations found on the Long Island Rail Road.