Page 12  Continued from Part 1

The South Side Lines--The towns on the South Side of the Island had been clamoring for railroad service for some time. In spite of the fact that it was necessary for them to drive to Long Island Railroad Stations in the center of the Island, some three or four miles north of them, the places along the South Shore had grown steadily. The attractions of the many miles of water front along the Great South Bay and the Atlantic Ocean had drawn many lovers of fishing and boating to take up their residence there. But the management of the Long Island Railroad refused to listen to them. Many plans were made for branches to the south to tap the territory, but they were never built. The people were still compelled to drive to the Main Line, where many stations were regular stopping places for towns to the South and named after them.
     For a considerable length of the Main Line, where it passed through the so-called "barren lands" of the Island, there was little local traffic, but the people driving up from the South made them scenes of great activity, where now it is so dull and lifeless.

This is one probable reason why President Charlick refused to build a road to the South, because he realized that it would reduce the traffic on a considerable portion of the older route to little or nothing.
     Until the establishment of the station at West Deer Park (now Wyandancb) and in later years the station at Pinelawn, the first station east of Farmingdale was Deer Park, over six miles cast. This was the station for Babylon, almost four miles to the south. Four miles east of Deer Park was Thompson Station, named after a place two miles east of Babylon on the south shore. In 1851, one-half mile to the east, the village of Modern Times was started, by a band of reformers who desired to practice certain principles of social freedom. But the idea soon became impracticable when in contact with the outside world and newcomers came in and changed the entire character of the place. In 1864, by vote of the inhabitants, the name was changed to Brentwood. In December, 1869, Thompson Station was discontinued and the station established at Brentwood.
     Suffolk Station, one of the first stations on the road, was a stopping place for Islip to the south, and Smithtown to the north. It later became known as North Islip, but in 1873 the station was moved to its present location at Central Islip.