Long Island: Wrong Island Rail Road (Long Island Rail Road or LIRR nickname)

The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) provides transportation between Manhattan and Suffolk County on Long Island. Some critics have called it the “Wrong Island Rail Road” (or “Wrong Island Railroad”). “Bob Russell calls it ‘The Wrong Island Railroad’” was printed in Earl Wilson’s syndicated newspaper column in January 1948. “Wrong Island Rail Road” was printed in Newsday (Long Island, NY) on October 12, 1948.
   
“Wrong Island Railroad” is the title of a Facebook address.
 
Other LIRR nicknames include “Largely Incompetent Rail Road,” “Long Island Fail Road,” “Long Island Snail Road” and “Wrong Island Fail Road.”
 
 
Wikipedia: Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road (reporting mark LI), often abbreviated as the LIRR, is a commuter rail system in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of New York, stretching from Manhattan to the eastern tip of Suffolk County on Long Island. With an average weekday ridership of 354,800 passengers in 2016, it is the busiest commuter railroad in North America. It is also one of the world’s few commuter systems that runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year-round. It is publicly owned by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which refers to it as MTA Long Island Rail Road.
 
The LIRR logo combines the circular MTA logo with the text Long Island Rail Road, and appears on the sides of trains. The LIRR is one of two commuter rail systems owned by the MTA, the other being the Metro-North Railroad in the northern suburbs of the New York area. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is one of the oldest railroads in the United States still operating under its original name and charter.
       
30 January 1948, Daily Press (Newport News, VA), “It Happened Last Night” by Earl Wilson, pg. 11, col. 1:
Bob Russell calls it “The Wrong Island Railroad.”
 
12 October 1948, Newsday (Long Island, NY), “Heads and Tails” by Jack Altshul, pg. 22, col. 2:
The Long Island Rail Road, which really is trying to do better, is still being cast in a goat role. Latest business to make LIRR drumbeater gnash his teeth is a new song written by Bellmore’s Jack Waverly. It’s published and called “Wrong Island Rail Road.” Here are a couple of stanzas:
 
Oh, the Wrong Isand Rail Road, the Wrong Island Rail Road
It carries you there and carries you back
And once in a while, it will stay on the track
The ride makes you blue, but your bottom gets black
On the Wrong Island Rail Road
 
A Neighbor of mine is a brave man, no doubt
He got stuck in a blizzard that you read about
He’s still in Jamaica; they’re thawing him out
On the Wrong Island Rail Road.
   
5 May 1949, Newsday (Long Island, NY), “Church Societies Tell Programs,” pg. 50, col. 5:
Malverne
“Wrong Island Rail Road” will be presented by Mr. and Mrs. Walter Leggett, co-chairman of the June 7th meeting of the Mr. and Mrs. Club of the Malverne Community Presbyterian Church, in the form of a burlesque act.
     
18 June 1952, New York (NY) Herald Tribune, “Coast to Coast” by Hy Gardner, pg. 16, col. 4:
Art Ford calls it the Wrong Island Railroad.
 
12 January 1966, Newsday (Long Island, NY), “Everybody Loves the LIRR—For Time Being,” pg. 11, col. 1:
Not a word about the Toonerville Trolley; everything is right with the Wrong Island Rail Road.
 
Google Groups: misc.transport.rail.misc
Railroad Nicknames Oct. 1997
Tom Stolte
9/30/97
(...)
Long Island Rail Road
Wrong Island Rail Road
Long Island Snail Road
Least Intelligent Railroad
             
30 July 1999, New York (NY) Times, “Venting (Preferably by High-Speed Connection),” pg. B6, col. 3:
WRONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD
www.megsinet.net/%7Egcloss
Provides E-mail addresses of politicians for complaints about the L.I.R.R.
 
Twitter
Ged Young
@Pathguy
Wrong Island Railroad has delays again——geeesh
4:48 PM · Jun 4, 2009·Twitter Web Client
 
Twitter
Eren Cannata
@ErenCannata
Wrong Island Rail Road…
3:53 PM · Dec 22, 2009·Twitter Web Client
 
Google Groups: soc.culture.jewish.moderated
Re: , Israel  
Abe Kohen
12/29/10
Took me 4 1/2 hours to get home tonight from Great Neck, thanks to the Wrong Island Railroad. At least the train was heated.
 
Twitter
Dave Quinn
@NineDaves
Replying to @joereid
@joereid @adam807 it’s one of its many nicknames. long island fail road, long island tail road, wrong island rail road, etc, etc
10:57 PM · Sep 16, 2012·TweetDeck
       
Twitter
It’s Michele with one “L”
@HeidiWyldChyld
@GregRice1010 Wrong Island Railroad, Wrong Island Distressway, Van Wreck Expressway…., your turn
6:44 PM · Mar 25, 2019·Twitter for iPhone
 
Twitter
terri scofield
@terriscofield
Replying to @FixTheLIRR and @LIRR
We who grew up here call them the wrong Island railroad
9:21 AM · May 25, 2019·Twitter for Android
 
Twitter
Michael Fleming
@MichaelFlemin20
Replying to @LIRR
And like all Wrong Island rail road trains has a sterling record of being late and filthy 98% of time. Here’s a thought: how about no OT for week and have a passenger appreciation Decade! #incompetentLIRR
11:14 AM · May 25, 2019·Twitter for iPhone