▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁state ▁of ▁New ▁York . ▁The ▁branch ▁begins ▁at ▁Valley ▁Inter lock ing , ▁just ▁east ▁of ▁Valley ▁Stream ▁station , ▁where ▁it ▁mer ges ▁with ▁the ▁Far ▁Rock away ▁Branch ▁to ▁continue ▁west ▁as ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Branch . ▁East ▁from ▁there ▁the ▁Long ▁Beach ▁Branch ▁par alle ls ▁the ▁Mont au k ▁Branch ▁to ▁Lyn bro ok ▁station , ▁where ▁it ▁turns ▁south ▁toward ▁Long ▁Beach ▁station . ▁Tra ins ▁operating ▁on ▁the ▁Long ▁Beach ▁Branch ▁continue ▁west ▁of ▁Valley ▁Stream ▁via ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Branch ▁to ▁J ama ica ▁station , ▁with ▁most ▁continu ing ▁on ▁to ▁ ▁or ▁. ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁the ▁branch ▁recorded ▁an ▁annual ▁rid ership ▁of ▁ 4 , 8 4 9 , 0 8 5 ▁based ▁on ▁ticket ▁sales , ▁down ▁ 1 % ▁from ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Orig ins ▁The ▁Long ▁Beach ▁Branch ▁began ▁as ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁and ▁Long ▁Beach ▁Rail road ▁( N Y & L B ) ▁Company , ▁operating ▁from ▁Lyn bro ok ▁to ▁Long ▁Beach ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 0 . ▁The ▁rail road ' s ▁original ▁southern ▁termin us ▁was ▁along ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Ocean . ▁The ▁L IR R , ▁which ▁had ▁just ▁recently ▁been ▁acquired ▁by ▁entrepr ene ur ▁Austin ▁Cor bin , ▁operated ▁the ▁NY & L B ▁from ▁its ▁in ception ▁until ▁ 1 9 0 4 , ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁merged ▁with ▁the ▁other ▁lines ▁of ▁the