2 4 , ▁the ▁line ▁became ▁a ▁fre ight ▁sp ur ▁between ▁the ▁Bush wick ▁and ▁Bay ▁R idge ▁Branch es ▁in ▁Brook lyn . ▁Fre ight ▁traffic ▁started ▁to ▁significantly ▁decl ine ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁and ▁on ▁February ▁ 9 , ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁eight ▁blocks ▁of ▁track , ▁or ▁, ▁were ▁removed ▁between ▁St arr ▁and ▁Him rod ▁Stre ets . ▁Further ▁dis m ant ling ▁took ▁place ▁between ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁and ▁throughout ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁late ▁ 2 0 th ▁century . ▁On ▁January ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁when ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁state ▁government ▁purchased ▁the ▁Long ▁Island ▁Rail ▁Road , ▁the ▁Bay ▁R idge ▁Branch ▁and ▁the ▁Ever green ▁Branch ▁( ex cluding ▁the ▁G & ER ▁portion ) ▁remained ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Pennsylvania ▁Rail road . ▁Sub sequently , ▁they ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁P enn ▁Central ▁and ▁Con ra il . ▁The ▁Ever green ▁Branch ▁still ▁served ▁a ▁few ▁customers ▁until ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s . ▁Some ▁of ▁this ▁property , ▁such ▁as ▁a ▁tri angular ▁lot ▁at ▁Fl ushing ▁Avenue ▁and ▁Stewart ▁Avenue , ▁are ▁still ▁owned ▁by ▁the ▁M TA . ▁By ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁the ▁line ▁was ▁cut ▁back ▁to ▁Gro ve ▁Street . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁the ▁Cooper ▁J unction ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁line ▁only ▁had ▁one ▁remaining