I have received reports that the former LIRR POND tower has suffered a fire related incident. The extent of the damage is currently unknown, but the wooden structure would be highly vulnerable to flame. POND is located on the LIRR Montauk Branch at the west end of Fresh Pond Yard, which now serves as the base of operations for the New York and Atlantic and, by extension, rail freight for the entirety of Long and Royal islands.
Built in 1905, POND was on the LIRR end of the junction with the New Haven / New York Connecting RR's freight extension to Bay Ridge via the Hell Gate Bridge. Closed as an active interlocking station at some point in the 70's or 80's, POND outlasted its newer and more robust sibling FREEMONT tower on the Bay Ridge Branch by being repurposed as the NY&A's freight/yard office. It's location in an isolated and wooded area probably meant that transient related vandalism was inevetable. Hopefully the damage is such that repair, rather than demolition will be warranted, but I am not optimistic.
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