Cannonball (LIRR train)

Cannonball
The Cannonball passing through Bay Shore in 2008
Overview
Service type	Commuter rail
Locale	Long Island
First service	1899 (as Cannon Ball)
Current operator(s)	Long Island Rail Road
Route
Termini	New York City Montauk, New York
Stops	6 (eastbound) 9 (westbound)
Distance travelled	118.0 miles (190 km)
Average journey time	2 hours, 41 minutes (eastbound)[1] 2 hours, 51 minutes (westbound)[1]
Service frequency	Weekly[1] Eastbound on summer Fridays Westbound on summer Sundays
Train number(s)	16 (eastbound)[1] 6017 (westbound)[1]
On-board services
Class(es)	Unreserved coach seating
Seating arrangements	Coach seating (2 by 2)
Baggage facilities	Overhead racks
Technical
Rolling stock	DM30AC locomotives C3 coaches
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Track owner(s)	Amtrak (Penn Station to Harold Interlocking) LIRR (east of Harold Interlocking)
Route map Legend Penn Station East River Tunnels Jamaica Westhampton Hampton Bays Southampton Bridgehampton East Hampton Amagansett Montauk This diagram: view talk edit

The Cannonball is a seasonal named train operated by the Long Island Rail Road between Penn Station in New York City and Montauk on the east end of Long Island, New York. The train operates weekly between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend, operating eastbound on Fridays and westbound on Sundays, with westbound service also being offered through Columbus Day weekend. The train utilizes dual-mode DM30AC locomotives and C3 coaches, the same rolling stock as other LIRR diesel and dual-mode trains, and takes slightly less than three hours to travel the 118-mile (190 km) route.

The Cannonball first ran in 1899 between Long Island City and Montauk, running express along the Main Line to Manorville, where its consist was split to also provide service to Greenport.^[a] It was one of several named trains providing express service between New York and eastern Long Island.^[3] Direct service from Manhattan began in 1911 after Penn Station was opened, and by 1934, the train permanently adopted its present-day route along the Montauk Branch. The Cannonball was briefly eliminated in 1949 due to budget cuts, though was reinstated the following year and began operating with diesel locomotives. The train's western terminus was changed to Jamaica in 1951 and to Hunterspoint Avenue in 1961.

In the 1960s, parlor car service was expanded, and for several years, the Cannonball comprised exclusively parlor cars. The train operated with parlor cars for much of its history, and earned a reputation for its party scene and affluent customers. The train has also been known for its speed and quicker travel time compared to other trains on the branch, though its popularity has often resulted in overcrowding. Parlor cars were retired after 1999 and most special service aboard the train was discontinued after 2019, though the train remains one of the MTA's premier services, especially on holiday weekends.^[4][5] Since 2013, the Cannonball has had a western terminus of Penn Station, and the eastbound train has run nonstop between Penn Station and Westhampton. The Cannonball is the only LIRR train to retain its historic name to the present day.^[6]

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