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Wikipedia

Harlem Line

January 19, 2024

The Harlem Line is an 82-mile (132 km) commuter rail line owned and operated by the Metro-North Railroad in the U.S. state of New York. It runs north from New York City to Wassaic, in eastern Dutchess County. The lower 53 miles (85 km) from Grand Central Terminal to Southeast, in Putnam County, is electrified with a third rail and has at least two tracks. The section north of Southeast is a non-electrified single-track line served by diesel locomotives. The diesel trains usually run as a shuttle on the northern end of the line, except for rush-hour express trains in the peak direction (four to Grand Central in the morning, four from Grand Central in the evening) and one train in each direction on weekends.

Harlem Line
Train #645 leaves the White Plains station, northbound to Southeast.
Overview
StatusOperating
OwnerMetropolitan Transportation Authority[1]
LocaleNew York City, Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties
Termini
Stations38
Service
TypeCommuter rail
SystemMetro-North Railroad
Operator(s)Metro-North Railroad
Daily ridership45,350 (2022)
(14.99 million annual)[2]
Technical
Track length82 mi (132 km)
Number of tracks1–4
CharacterCommuter rail
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
ElectrificationThird rail, 750 V DC (south of Southeast)
Route map
Legend
Wassaic Yard
82.0 mi
132 km
 Wassaic
80.0 mi
128.7 km
 Tenmile River
Zone 10
Zone 9
76.5 mi
123.1 km
 Dover Plains
69.0 mi
111 km
 Harlem Valley–Wingdale
Zone 9
Zone 8
65.9 mi
106.1 km
 Appalachian Trail
63.7 mi
102.5 km
 Pawling
60.2 mi
96.9 km
 Patterson
Towner's (closed)
Beacon Line
Dykeman's (closed)
start of electrification
Zone 8
Zone 7
53.2 mi
85.6 km
 Southeast
Brewster Yard
Putnam Junction
51.9 mi
83.5 km
 Brewster
47.7 mi
76.8 km
 Croton Falls
46.0 mi
74 km
 Purdy's
Zone 7
Zone 6
43.7 mi
70.3 km
 Goldens Bridge
Tilly Foster (closed)
Carmel (closed)
Crafts (closed)
Mahopac (closed)
Lake Mahopac (closed)
Putnam Division
Lincolndale (closed)
Mahopac Branch
41.2 mi
66.3 km
 Katonah
39.2 mi
63.1 km
 Bedford Hills
36.5 mi
58.7 km
 Mount Kisco
Zone 6
Zone 5
32.4 mi
52.1 km
 Chappaqua
30.5 mi
49.1 km
 Pleasantville
Thornwood (closed)
28.2 mi
45.4 km
 Hawthorne
27.2 mi
43.8 km
 Mount Pleasant
Kensico Cemetery (closed)
25.5 mi
41 km
 Valhalla
Zone 5
Zone 4
North White Plains Yard
23.8 mi
38.3 km
 North White Plains
22.3 mi
35.9 km
 White Plains
20.6 mi
33.2 km
 Hartsdale
19.0 mi
30.6 km
 Scarsdale
Zone 4
Zone 3
16.7 mi
26.9 km
 Crestwood
16.0 mi
25.7 km
 Tuckahoe
15.3 mi
24.6 km
 Bronxville
14.3 mi
23 km
 Fleetwood
13.1 mi
21.1 km
 Mount Vernon West
Zone 3
Zone 2
12.6 mi
20.3 km
 Wakefield
New Haven
11.8 mi
19 km
 Woodlawn
10.5 mi
16.9 km
 Williams Bridge
9.5 mi
15.3 km
 Botanical Garden
8.9 mi
14.3 km
 Fordham
183rd Street (closed)
7.9 mi
12.7 km
 Tremont
Claremont Park (closed)
Morrisania (closed)
Port Morris connection
6.1 mi
9.8 km
 Melrose
Hudson
6.0 mi
9.7 km
Yankees–East 153rd Street (special events)
Mott Haven Junction
138th Street (closed)
Oak Point Link
Harlem River Lift Bridge
Zone 2
Zone 1
4.2 mi
6.8 km
 Harlem–125th Street ​​
0.0 mi
0 km
 Grand Central
​​​​​
This diagram:

With 38 stations, the Harlem Line has the most of any Metro-North main line. Its northern terminal, Wassaic, is the northernmost station in the system. It is the only Metro-North line used exclusively by that carrier (no use by Amtrak, though CSX services freight customers as far north as Mount Vernon) and the only one that uses the entirety of existing track. It is colored blue on Metro-North timetables and system maps, and stations on the line have blue trim. The blue color-coding appears to have started with timetables issued by predecessor New York Central for the then-Harlem Division as far back as 1965.[3]

The Harlem Line was originally chartered in 1831 as the New York and Harlem Railroad (NY&H) and was leased to the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad Company in 1871. The line became part of the Metro-North Railroad in 1983. While the line has traditionally served to bring commuters from Westchester County to jobs in the city, since the 2000s it has begun to see more "reverse commuting" from the Bronx into Westchester and points north. The northern reaches of the line are also close enough to Western Massachusetts that residents in parts of that region are also able to commute to jobs in New York City.[4]: 1 [5][6]

Line description edit

 
Railway diagram of intercity services around New York City, showing Penn Station and Grand Central Terminal

The Harlem Line hews closely to roads along river-based transportation corridors dating back to even pre-rail times. It follows three major parkways closely from the Bronx northwards through Westchester: the Bronx River Parkway (and a short portion that becomes the Taconic State Parkway), the Saw Mill River Parkway and Interstate 684. In the last section it also begins to run close to NY 22, the long north–south two-lane state highway that parallels the eastern border of the state. In Westchester, it serves some of that county's most affluent communities as it slowly trends eastward.

Manhattan and the Bronx edit

The Harlem Line begins underground with the Hudson and New Haven Lines at Grand Central Terminal, on the Park Avenue main line. The tracks emerge above ground north of 97th Street and run on an elevated viaduct starting at 102nd Street in Manhattan. After stopping at Harlem–125th Street, the Metro-North lines cross the Harlem River at 135th Street in Manhattan, entering the Bronx via the Park Avenue Bridge. The Hudson Line lines at this point to travel northwest along the Harlem River, while the Harlem and New Haven diverges into open-cut north of 144th Street.

In the Bronx, the Harlem and New Haven Lines cut through the neighborhoods of the southwest Bronx, with two stations: Melrose, at 162nd Street (it then runs under the Cross Bronx Expressway (I-95) and Tremont, at 177th Street. Fordham station is next, at Fordham Road (190th Street). The tracks rise to ground level after the stop at Fordham. The lines then parallel the western edge of Fordham University until the Botanical Garden station at Bedford Park Boulevard (200th Street). The tracks then cut northeast to join the Bronx River Parkway, which lies to the east of the tracks. The Williams Bridge station is next, at Gun Hill Road (210th Street). After the Williams Bridge station, Woodlawn Cemetery begins to the west of the tracks, with Webster Avenue in between the cemetery and tracks. The Woodlawn station is at 233rd Street, and it is north of here that the New Haven Line diverges east to head towards the Northeast Corridor.

The Harlem Line then goes under a bridge for the parkway, and it remains to the west of the tracks until Scarsdale station. The Wakefield station at 241st Street concludes the Bronx portion of the Harlem Line.

Westchester County edit

The Westchester portion of the Harlem Line begins at Bronx River Road in southeastern Yonkers. After the Mount Vernon West station, the line runs along the on-ramp to the Cross County Parkway eastbound, right before Fleetwood station. After the Bronxville station, the tracks parallel the Bronx River Parkway all the way up to White Plains.

From White Plains, the railroad winds its way through the city and passing through the yards at North White Plains, which was the northern boundary of third-rail electrification until 1984. The stretch north of North White Plains is unique because it is the only third-rail electrified stretch of Metro-North's network that has grade crossings, a byproduct of its existence pre-electrification. Katonah and Brewster stations are located right next to grade crossings.

After North White Plains, the next station is Valhalla adjacent to the Taconic State Parkway. The double-track line then curves to follow the Saw Mill River Valley and the eponymous parkway. Rail and road briefly separate at Mount Kisco, but then remain close by at the last stop along the Saw Mill, Bedford Hills (although the parkway cannot be seen from the station).

Past Katonah, the railroad runs between the Croton River and I-684. Golden's Bridge and Purdy's are both located very close to the interstate, although only the former can be seen from it. North of the latter, the tracks follow the river to Croton Falls, and pick up Route 22 for the first time.

Putnam County edit

After Croton Falls, the Harlem Line runs along East Branch Reservoir and crosses into Putnam County and its rural landscape. Above Brewster station, the railroad passes through the yards at Putnam Junction to Southeast station, which was formerly known as Brewster North. This is the northern boundary of third rail electrification.[4]: I-2 

North of Southeast, the line operates with a single track and uses diesel powered trains. Prior to the 2010s, the branch was not signaled, and manual block system rules were used to direct train movements;[4]: I-2  however, positive train control was installed in the late 2010s.[7] The track finally follows its own course, away from any road or river, past the former Dykemans and abandoned Towners stations up to Patterson and into Dutchess County.

Dutchess County edit

Shortly before reaching Pawling, the line enters the Harlem Valley (which takes its name from the railroad) and begins to parallel Route 22, although not as closely as it did the roads further south. A few miles north of Pawling, the Appalachian Trail crossing has its own stop to allow thru-hikers to take a break in the city and day hikers to visit the nearby Pawling Nature Preserve.

The next two stops, Harlem Valley–Wingdale and Dover Plains, are roughly eight miles (13 km) apart, the longest distance between any two stops on the Harlem Line. From 1972 to 2000, Dover Plains was the last stop on the line, but then tracks remaining from the NYCRR era that had not yet been torn up were renovated and the line was extended to Tenmile River and its new northern terminus, Wassaic. The total travel time between Grand Central and Wassaic is 2 hours on a peak through train.

A small yard where diesel trains await their routes just past the station marks the end of the line.

History edit

See also: New York and Harlem Railroad

Origin as a streetcar line edit

 
An 1847 map of Lower Manhattan; the only railroad in Manhattan at that time was the New York and Harlem Railroad

The Harlem Line in its current form originated from the New York and Harlem Railroad (NY&H), which was the first streetcar company in the United States. It was franchised, on April 25, 1831, to run between the original city core in lower Manhattan to the suburb of Harlem, several miles to the north on Manhattan Island. The railroad's charter allowed the line to run between 23rd Street and any point on the Harlem River between Eighth and Third Avenue, with a branch running to the Hudson River, encompassing most of the island.[8][9]: 2 

While the company wanted to run the line as a steam line, the city made it use horse power south of 14th Street.[10][11]: 3  On September 13, 1831, the Board of Directors of the railroad approved its route along Fourth Avenue (renamed Park Avenue on March 1, 1888) from 23rd Street to the Harlem River. On April 6, 1832, the railroad's charter was amended to allow the line to be extended south to 14th Street.[12]

On May 2, 1832, the City Common Council secretly granted the railroad the right to lay track along Broadway to City Hall and Bowling Green. There was a public outcry once this was found out by the general public, and at the time a fraudulent map was circulated showing that the railroad would take up 23 feet (7.0 m) of the street when it would only take up 5 feet (1.5 m). Newspaper editors also came out against the railroad's plan. In Spring 1833, the railroad published a pamphlet to refute objections to their plan titled "A Statement of Facts in Relation to the Origin, Progress, and Prospects of the New-York and Harlem Railroad Company." On March 1, 1833, a meeting was held in Tammany Hall concerning the issue, and at the meeting cab drivers and owners came out against the railroad. After the meeting, the crowd tore up some of the railroad's track. After the meeting, the council withdrew its Broadway agreement with the railroad. The railroad was extended downtown in 1839, but along a different route.[9]: 6 

Ground was broken on the construction of the line on February 23, 1832, at Murray Hill on Fourth Avenue. At the ceremony, Vice President of the railroad, John Mason hinted at the railroad's ambitions saying that while the railroad's principal objective was local, its higher importance was to get to Albany.[9]: 3  In 1832 the company was given permission to raise its stock limit to $500,000. In November, two horsecars built by John Stephenson were ready for operation, both of which were named after the railroad's president ("John Mason" and "President").[9]: 4 

On April 27, 1837, an act was passed in the State Legislature to widen Fourth Avenue between 32nd Street and the Harlem River to provide room for the railroad. The street was widened by 20 feet (6.1 m) on either side, making the street 140 feet (43 m) wide. The company ceded the title for the land that would be occupied by Fourth Avenue to the city in exchange for permission to occupy it.[9]: 6  In that same year, the railroad purchased six city lots at Fourth Avenue and 26th Street for $7,000 for the construction of car barns and stables.[9]: 7 

The first section, along Bowery from Prince Street north to 14th Street, consisting of .85 miles (1.37 km), opened to the public on November 26, 1832.[13] On that day a demonstration showing the car's braking ability was conducted, but inadvertently, one horsecar rear-ended into another with no serious injuries. This might have been the first rear-end collision in the United States.[9]: 5  Service was then extended northward along Fourth Avenue to 32nd Street on June 10, 1833. The Murray Hill rock cut was completed in 1834, and service along a 4.432 miles (7.133 km)-long segment to 85th Street in Yorkville opened on May 1, 1834. Service ran every 15 minutes between 5 a.m. and 8 p.m., and ran every 60 minutes to 10 p.m.. A one-way fare cost 12.5 cents[9]: 7  Service was extended 2 miles (3.2 km) to finally reach Harlem on October 26, 1837, with the Yorkville Tunnel constructed to reach this point.[10] At the time, Harlem was just a small suburb of the city.[14] Service was also extended further south. On May 4, 1839, the line was extended south along Bowery, Broome Street and Centre Street to City Hall at Centre Street and Park Row. Service was extended south on November 26, 1852, along Park Row to Astor House at Park Row and Broadway.[15]

Extension toward Albany edit

The New York and Albany Railroad had been granted its charter on April 17, 1832, allowing it to build a single or double-track line from Greenbush (on the opposite side of the Hudson River from Albany) to New York along the Harlem River. In 1836, an amendment to its charter granted it the right to enter Manhattan along a route that they "may deem most eligible"–direct competition to the NY&H. The NY&A had periods of inactivity, in part due to the financial panic of 1837. Surveys were completed in some places, and ground was broken in various areas. Gouverneur Morris, a vice president and Director of the NY&A, reached an agreement with the Harlem. The NY&H would pay the NY&A's expenses on surveying with the understanding that the NY&H would be extended to Greenbush. The deal was completed on February 28, 1840, and on May 7, 1840, the New York State Legislature granted the Harlem the right to extend into Westchester County, which at the time included what is now The Bronx. The corporate life of the NY&A ended on March 9, 1846, when it was bought by the Harlem.[9]: 8 

The line was not being completed as quickly as its charter required, so the New York State Legislature granted it multiple extensions to allow for the work to be completed. The last time an extension was granted was on April 11, 1842. The New York and Harlem Railroad bought that company for $35,000 on March 9, 1846, as it had failed to make any progress on the construction of the line. The right-of-way and land for that line was sold as part of this transaction, on which, it built its line into Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, and Columbia Counties.[16]

Service was extended into Westchester in multiple stages. The line was first extended north 4 miles (6.4 km) into Westchester on December 14, 1840, before reaching Fordham on March 1, 1841. Extended service reached Williams Bridge on September 3, 1842, and then in the summer of 1844, the line reached Tuckahoe. On December 1, 1844, the line's terminus became White Plains, but in October 1846, trains began ending their runs at Pleasantville.[17] Service reached Mount Kisco and Croton Falls, in February 1847, and on June 1, 1847, respectively. On December 31, 1848, Harlem Railroad service was extended to Dover Plains, providing service to parts of Putnam County and Dutchess County.[4]: D-3 

In 1845, the railroad's charter was amended to allow the route to be extended north to Albany.[18]: 69 

On May 10, 1852, the line was extended north to Chatham Four Corners in Columbia County with a connection to the Boston and Albany Railroad, and trackage rights northwest to Albany. In the years following, the Harlem Railroad ran some of its trains over the Boston and Albany Railroad from Chatham to Albany.[19] Additional connections could be made to railroads serving North Bennington, Vermont and other points in western Vermont. Chatham is about 52 miles (84 km) past the current terminal at Wassaic. In Boston Corners, about 12 miles (19 km) north of Wassaic, passengers could make connections to the Central New England Railway (CNE). To the east, the CNE went to Hartford, Connecticut. Westward, passengers could travel to Poughkeepsie, cross the Poughkeepsie Bridge, finally to Campbell Hall.[20][21]

A 1.84 miles (2.96 km)-long freight branch, from the 1853 purchase of the Spuyten Duyvil and Port Morris Railroad, was built to Port Morris.[22][23]

When the Grand Central Depot opened in 1871, the depot that the line used was changed from being at 26th Street and Fourth Avenue to Grand Central Depot at 42nd Street.[24]

Under the New York Central edit

Grade separation and expansion edit

On April 1, 1873, the New York and Harlem Railroad was leased for 401 years to the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad Company. The line then became the Harlem Division of the New York Central. The lease did not include the portion of the line using horse cars. Horse cars were replaced with an underground trolley system in 1897, when it was leased to the Metropolitan Street Railway Company.[25]

In 1875, the line was grade-separated and put in an open cut and a viaduct between Grand Central and the Harlem River to reduce the loss of life and to increase speeds. The work was completed for $6 million, of which half was paid by the city.[26]

On May 15, 1876, partial rapid transit began on the Harlem Line, with sixteen trains a day running between Grand Central Depot and William's Bridge. These trains made all stops between Grand Central and William's Bridge, with the exception of Jerome Park, which was skipped by half the trains. This was in addition to eight regular trains per day that stopped at William's Bridge. Two new stations were opened at 86th Street and 110th Street, both being exclusively served by the rapid transit service.[27][28]

In 1888, work began on a project to grade-separate 7 miles (11 km) the line from Mott Haven to Bedford Park, and to expand the line from two tracks to four tracks, with the additional tracks to be reserved for express trains, doubling the line's capacity. This project was funded entirely by the railroad, and was reached in an agreement with the New York City Department of Public Works, titled the "Harlem Depression Agreement", with the railroad paying for the construction of bridges over the now-depressed line.[29][18]: 234  Service on the Harlem Line was expected to double. Express trains were expected to go at least 30 miles per hour (48 km/h), while locals were expected to go at least 20 miles per hour (32 km/h).[30] 4.5 miles (7.2 km) of the line were put into a cut 12 to 14 feet (3.7 to 4.3 m) below the line's existing grade, starting 500 feet (150 m) north of 138th Street to 2,000 feet (610 m) north of Bedford Park station. Upon completion, there was a four track line from Woodlawn Junction to Grand Central. The line's cost was initially anticipated to be $2 million.[31] On July 10, 1890, as part of the line's grade-separation project in the Bronx, the third track between Mott Haven and Fordham was completed. At the time, the four tracks between Woodlawn Junction and the Harlem River were almost completed, with a few hundred yards of rails needed to make some connections. The four tracks were expected to be completed on July 13. The New Haven Railroad planned to build a flyover at Williamsbridge for northbound trains so that their trains would not have to cross the other three tracks at grade. The rebuilt rapid transit stations were not yet completed. The entire project cost about $4 million.[32]

On February 15, 1897, trains on the Harlem Division started running over the new drawbridge over the Harlem River and the elevated structure connecting to it.[33] As part of the project, the line north of 106th Street to the Harlem River was elevated so that it could reach the height of the new four-track drawbridge: the only one in the country at the time. The project was known as the Park Avenue Improvement. The new line went via a steel viaduct, replacing a masonry viaduct and an open cut. The 400 feet (120 m) bridge was built for about $500,000 by the King Bridge Company. The new bridge is 24 feet (7.3 m) higher than the old bridge, as mandated by the Federal Government. During the course of construction, trains ran over a temporary wooden structure along with a temporary wooden drawbridge. The station at Mott Haven on the Bronx side of the Harlem River had to be elevated. The entire cost was $2 million.[26][34]

On October 15, 1897, a spacious new station in Harlem was opened at 125th Street, replacing a small, dingy station in the old Park Avenue open cut. The new station was built atop the old open cut and directly under the new Park Avenue Viaduct. The platforms, which were built on the viaduct, were built to be 400 feet (120 m) long.[35]

As part of the construction of Grand Central Terminal in the early 1900s, all of New York Central's lines that ran into the terminal were electrified. Third rail was installed on the Hudson and Harlem Divisions, while the New Haven Division received overhead wires on the segments that were not shared with the Harlem and Hudson Division.[36] In November 1907, the first electric train operated on the Harlem Division, running between Grand Central Terminal and Wakefield.[37] On October 10, 1909, the New York Central began installing third rail between Mount Vernon and White Plains.[38] On March 14, 1910, electric service was extended to North White Plains. Passengers that used the Upper Harlem Division were attracted to this cleaner, faster service.[39]: 225 

In July 1909, the New York State Public Service Commission ordered that the New York Central Railroad eliminate grade crossings at Hamilton Avenue, Railroad Avenue and Tibbits Avenue in White Plains and construct a new station. The project was estimated to cost $200,000, with the village and state each funding one-quarter of the cost and the railroad paying the remainder of the cost. Tibbits Avenue would be put into a 24 foot (7.3 m)-wide tunnel underneath the rail line done about 810 feet (250 m) north of the existing crossing with a clearance of 12 feet (3.7 m). Railroad Avenue would be put in a 75 foot (23 m)-wide tunnel, with a 50 foot (15 m)-wide roadway and sidewalks, with a maximum clearance of 13 feet (4.0 m). An additional crossing of the rail line would be provided approximately 605 feet (184 m) to the north of Railroad Avenue.[40]

Property values along the line increased. Other improvements were made to the Harlem Division at the same time: grade crossings were being eliminated, tracks were being straightened and new stations were built at White Plains and Mount Vernon.[41] In March 1910, the New York Central did not yet begin work on improvements to the line at White Plains and adjacent stations, as work on improvements at West Mount Vernon were still underway. This included the filling-in of the new roadbed west of the existing station. As part of the project, a viaduct was constructed to eliminate the dangerous grade crossing in Yonkers at Railroad Avenue and Mount Vernon Avenue. A new freight station was built. As part of the project, there would be no grade along the line from White Plains to Mount Vernon. The roadbed at Hartsdale and Scarsdale would be lowered to reduce grades.[42]

In 1910, a yard dating back to the 1870s in Dover Plains was relocated to Putnam Junction in Brewster.[4]: 17–1 

On October 18, 1930, the Public Service Commission (PSC) listed the elimination of a grade crossing in Amenia, Benson crossing, as one of its projects to consider. The cost estimate for eliminating it was $100,000.[43]

The New York Central operated the Berkshire Hills Express and several other through trains to Pittsfield and North Adams along this route to Chatham; then the NYC's Boston & Albany mainline to Pittsfield and the B&A's North Adams branch to North Adams, into the mid-1940s, with dining service.[44]

1950s and 1960s edit

In 1950, the through service to North Adams was trimmed to a shuttle from Chatham to North Adams, requiring a transfer at Chatham.[45] Passenger service between Chatham and North Adams ended in 1953.[46] However, the Berkshire Scenic Railway now operates a 5-mile tourist train between North Adams and Adams, Mass.

On September 11, 1952, the New York Central's next-to-last steam-powered train run in the New York City Metropolitan area ran on the Harlem Division, being replaced by diesel locomotives.[47] However, the diesels began wearing out in the 1970s, leading to a decline in service.[48]

The last New York City Metropolitan area New York Central steam train left Harmon for Albany and points west on August 7, 1953, behind NYC Niagara 4-8-4 #6020, after which the entire New York Central system became dieselized east of Buffalo (and east of Cleveland, Ohio the following month). [49]

On December 20, 1956, the state opened up bids for the elimination of grade-crossings in Pleasantville. Planned for 25 years, this was expected to cost $3.857 million. The crossings to be eliminated were at Manville and Bedford Roads. The tracks were lowered for 7,000 feet (2,100 m) and the two roads were bridged over the railroad. The station at Pleasantville was moved.[50]

On August 12, 1960, the PSC ordered the New York Central to continue the level of service to Chatham until it determined how much service was required. The Central had wanted to cut one train each way daily, leaving only one round-trip.[51]

Starting on October 25, 1961, some trains became equipped with two-way radio communication on the Harlem Line to test the technology, with the hope of adding them to all commuter trains on the New York Central. They were meant to be used when delays in service occurred.[52]

On January 10, 1964, the PSC approved plans by the New York Central to implement zoned fares in the southern part of the New York commutation area (north to North White Plains). The plan went into effect on January 22. Though it was meant to be experimental, and to last one year, this was kept in place.[53]

On July 1, 1964, expanded off-peak local and express service was implemented on a pilot basis. On February 1, 1965, the New York Central began operating zone schedules for some outbound evening rush hour trains. It expanded this to some inbound morning rush hour trains to Grand Central on June 28, 1965. The implementation of zone scheduling was intended to speed trains service and reduce delays. Three additional morning inbound trains were added to facilitate the new zone schedule. Four zones were set up: Fleetwood and Mount Vernon were in Zone A, Crestwood, Tuckahoe and Bronxville were in Zone B, Hartsdale and Scarsdale were in Zone C, and White Plains-North and White Plains were in Zone D. Zone schedules operated as follows: the first train ran non-stop to Grand Central from the closest zone-Zone A. The second train would serve Zone B stops and run non-stop to Grand Central, the third would run non-stop to Grand Central after making Zone C stops, and the fourth would do the same, but for Zone D stops.[54]

From June 28 to October 31, 1965, train 908 leaving Brewster at 7:23 a.m. and train 945 leaving Grand Central at 5:39, on a pilot basis, began running as through trains, without the need to change locomotives at White Plains-North Station using a pair of dual-power locomotives leased from the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad.[54]

Decline under Penn Central edit

At the end of World War II, private rail service began a sharp decline with the start of the Jet Age in 1958 and the construction of the Interstate Highway System.[55]: 177  NYC, facing declining year-over-year profits, merged in 1968 with its former rival, the Pennsylvania Railroad, forming the Penn Central Transportation Company.[56] Penn Central continued to lose money and attempted several maneuvers to delay bankruptcy, including auctioning off the air rights of Grand Central Terminal;[57] the Pennsylvania Railroad had done the same thing to Penn Station.[58] However, this approval was denied, and the denial was affirmed in Penn Central Transportation Co. v. New York City, a 1978 decision by the United States Supreme Court.[59][60]

In May 1970, Penn Central planned to discontinue service from Dover Plains to Chatham when Amtrak declined to take over that service. However, the New York Attorney General maintained that this service was within the commuter area, and therefore not subject to discontinuation. Without the objection, this service would have been eliminated on May 1, 1971, when Amtrak passenger service went into effect. The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) held hearings on this in May 1971, and it ruled on June 28, 1971, that the service to Chatham was intercity, not commuter. On that same day, a bill that would have extended the power of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to Chatham was vetoed by Governor Nelson Rockefeller. On July 31, 1971, Penn Central announced that it would discontinue all service to Chatham the following day. The railroad claimed that it lost $300,000 a year on the one round-trip between Chatham and Grand Central.[61][62]

The Attorney General appealed the ICC's ruling, and this appeal was tried in March 1972, but failed, resulting in the discontinuation of service from Dover Plains to Chatham on March 20, 1972. Penn Central operated the last southbound passenger train between Chatham and Grand Central Terminal on March 20, 1972, ending service in the middle of the day. Train 935, which was scheduled to leave Grand Central at 4:25 PM and run to Chatham was cut back to Dover Plains. With no scheduled return trip to Chatham, passengers who had gone south in the morning were left stranded, with service going only as far north as Dover Plains (52 miles shy of Chatham).[63][62] Tracks were removed north of Millerton shortly thereafter. The cutback of service to Chatham was strongly opposed by the Harlem Valley Transportation Association, which was led by Lettie Gay Carson.[4]: 26–67 

Prior to the discontinuation of service to Chatham, the quality of service on the line decreased. Trains that could once run the 127 miles (204 km) to Chatham in 2 hours 45 minutes now took 3 hours and 45 minutes. Service had been decreased from five trains a day to one train in each direction. As service was discontinued, a bill was put before the State Legislature that would have authorized the state to run trains to Chatham between New York and Montreal and from Albany toward Boston. The bill did not pass.[62]

On July 2, 1973, as part of a series of service cuts, the Penn Central closed the 138th Street, Morrisania, and 183rd Street stations in the South Bronx, and Holland Avenue station in White Plains, although that one was replaced.[64]

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) leased the line south of Dover Plains from Penn Central on June 1, 1972. On March 28, 1980, the last freight train ran between Dover Plains and Millerton, and the line was abandoned three days later after the line's largest shipper decided to switch to using trucks.[65][66]: 211  All freight service ended in 1993.[4]: 17-2 and 18-1  Most of the remaining tracks between Wassaic and Chatham were removed and sold for scrap decades ago. Part of the track remain in the early 2000s in Chatham from the station to the intersection of Routes 203 and 66. Eventually this section of this track was removed except for a small part that points south. In 1989, New York State purchased 21 miles (34 km) of the right-of-way between Wassaic and Copake Falls for the development of the Harlem Valley Rail Trail. The segment of the line that ran from Wassaic to Craryville, New York is now under control of the Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association, which has trails between Wassaic to the former Millerton station and between Under Mountain Road and Copake Falls, known as the Harlem Valley Rail Trail. Indeed, as of 2021, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is working with a group of several prominent county officials and private rail-trail advocacy organizations to create a continuous 46.15-mile rail-trail all the way from Wassaic to Chatham within several years. In fact, New York State already owns a substantial portion of the requisite right-of-way. [67]

Growth under Metro-North edit

High-level platforms edit

In April 1971, a project to install high-level platforms at stations along the Harlem Line started. This was necessary as the new Metropolitan cars did not have any stairs to reach the low-level platforms. By having high-level platforms, dwell times could be cut in half. Most of the new platforms were built as island platforms. These cars started entering into service in September 1971.[68]: 31  At the same, time reverse signaling was installed to allow trains to use either track in either direction, enabling both tracks to be used in one direction during the peak of the rush hour.[69] On September 10, 1974, the MTA announced that work would start on the construction of high-level platforms at eleven stations in Manhattan and the Bronx including at the Wakefield, Woodlawn, Williamsbridge, Botanical Garden, Fordham and Tremont stations on the Harlem Line. The entire project cost $2.8 million. The work was expected to be completed in the late summer of 1975. As part of the work, the stations on the Harlem Line received 340 feet (100 m)-long cast-in-place concrete platforms. The abandoned station building at Woodlawn was removed as part of the project.[70] On March 15, 1975, these cars started stopping at the Melrose, Tremont, Fordham, Botanical Garden, Williamsbridge, Woodlawn and Wakefield stations on the Harlem Line with the partial completion of their high-level platforms. However, initially they only served the stations during weekends and early mornings and evenings on weekdays until the platform work was completed.[71]

Electrification edit

The extension of electric service to Brewster had been discussed since the late 1920s. Numerous improvement studies were undertaken to evaluate the feasibility and benefits of extending electrification north from North White Plains. In 1976, the MTA undertook a study on the existing traction power system and it identified extending electric service to Brewster as a priority.[39]: 225  In December 1978, the MTA applied to the Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA) for $30 million in funding to extend electrification along the Harlem Line from North White Plains to Brewster North, which became a stop on August 3, 1981 (now known as Southeast). The MTA's application for funding was granted, with the remainder of the money coming from a New York State bond issue from 1974.[72]

On February 8, 1980, Metro-North announced its plan to extend electrification to Brewster.[65] On November 25, 1980, the MTA's chairman, Richard Ravitch, announced that $3 billion should be spent to expand and improve transit service. As part of the plan he proposed extending electrification to Brewster, for which planning was underway, and proposed building a third track along the Harlem Line between North White Plains and Mount Vernon West for $30 million.[73] On February 5, 1981, UMTA approved the contract for the third rail required for the project.[72] For an additional $45 million, high-level platforms were installed to reduce dwell times, and electric substations were built to supply the power needed for third-rail operation. The project was approved by Governor Hugh Carey after Upper Harlem Line riders and commuter organizations–dissatisfied by the line's service–petitioned for the project. Initially, the work was to be completed by the end of 1983, but due to a strike, its completion was delayed to 1984. Initially, service was provided with a mixture of new and old electric cars, but these were replaced by the new M3As. Work on the project was completed during off-peak hours to allow for service on the line to be maintained. Thirteen of the stations received new high-level center island platforms. Mount Pleasant station got side platforms, while the station at Thornwood was closed because of excessive curvature of the track, which would have resulted in a large gap between the train and the platform. The new stations received glass-enclosed overpasses and elevators.[74]

The first electric train ran on April 30, 1984, beginning at Brewster North. As additional new M3As were put into service that spring, electric service increased. On September 1, 1984, a new schedule was put out, and running times decreased by 18 minutes on peak hour trains.[39]: 238  On September 10, 1984, super express service was inaugurated on the Harlem Line, with some trains running non-stop between Katonah and Grand Central. The last diesel train left Brewster on November 2, 1984, marking the completion of the electrification project.[65]

As a result of the project, there was tremendous ridership growth on this portion of the line.[74] Prior to the project, the line was operated primarily in two zones: electric service south of North White Plains, and diesel through-service or shuttle service consisting of Budd Rail Diesel Cars to the north. Service to the north of Brewster North–the new terminal for electric service–continued to be run with diesel through-service or shuttle service.[66]: 527  Between 1984 and 1994, the Brewster and Brewster North stations– the two northernmost stations in the electrified zone–experienced 135 percent growth, and stations on the Dover Plains Branch experienced 440% growth.[4]: 1–9 

On April 14, 1986, the MTA released a study on the future of the non-electrified section of the Harlem Line between Brewster North and Dover Plains. According to the study, maintaining service would require major improvements to the four stations on this line segment, including new lighting, canopies, and platforms, and improved waiting areas. Five options were considered in the study: rebuilding the kind of train cars already used on the line, reassigning self-propelled cars from other lines, which would receive new rolling stock, purchasing rail buses-motorized vehicles that run on track, replacing trains with buses to Brewster North, and discontinuing service. A public hearing was scheduled to take place on the study on June 7, 1986.[75] In June 1986, MTA and Metro-North officials said it was unlikely that service would be discontinued. At the time, about 70 percent of riders along this section of the line drove to Brewster North, which had more frequent service. In addition, about 100 riders traveled southbound from the four stations on any given weekday. It was estimated that over $700,000 a year could be saved by replacing trains with buses. A decision on service north of Brewster North was expected within six months by two MTA Board members.[76][77]

On February 26, 1988, the MTA board approved plans to close Melrose station. A spokesman for Metro-North said that the station was being "land banked" and was being boarded up, allowing it to be reopened if ridership increased.[78] The decision was strongly opposed by Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer, who said that the agency created a self-fulfilling prophecy by failing to promote the station and by not maintaining it. Service at the station was very infrequent, and as a result local residents did not consider using it.[66][74] On March 30, 1988, two days before the planned closure of the station on April 1, Ferrer held a press conference with other Bronx political leaders outside the station protesting the MTA's decision. Ferrer led a tour of the station, showing its use by drug addicts, and its state of disrepair. He said that Metro-North should be working to improve the station and better market the service instead of closing it. At the time, workers were sinking cement posts to board up the station in preparation for its closing.[79] Metro-North planned to close the station on April 1, 1988, but delayed it by ninety days at the request of Bronx officials.[80][81] Melrose was removed from the April 3, 1988 timetable in anticipation of its closing[82] but was reinstated on the June 19, 1988 timetable as the station never did close.[83][84] On August 16, 1989, Metro-North announced that it had dropped plans to close the station. The station had been kept open, cleaned up, and the issue was reviewed at the request of Ferrer.[85]

Upper Harlem improvements edit

The introduction of new coaches allowed for improvements in service on the Dover Plains Branch. The first peak through service since the 1970s was inaugurated in October 1991. At the same time, a Sunday night through train was added. The reduced travel times made the line more attractive to commuters. In 1994, Metro-North conducted a train movement analysis of service on the branch to determine whether trains would pass one another based on speeds and the condition of tracks. As a result, a new 1,000 feet (0.30 km) passing siding was constructed at Wingdale, increasing service flexibility and allowing for increased service in 1996. Also around this time, 447 additional parking spaces were added to stations on the Branch. In 1996, four car-length high-level platforms with heated shelters were built at Patterson, Pawling, Harlem Valley–Wingdale and Dover Plains, replacing low-level platforms that could only accommodate two cars. These platforms were made to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Travel times could be reduced further as it would take less time for passengers to exit and board the trains.[4]: 1-6 to 1-7, 26-12 and 26-28 

A new station, Appalachian Trail, was built in 1990[86] for the cost of $10,000.[87] Its creation was the suggestion of George Zoebelein, who was an avid hiker and a veteran of the NY/NJ Trail Conference as well as both the NY/NJ Appalachian Trail Conferences, and also served as a member of the Metro-North Railroad Commuter Council (MNRCC) of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee (PCAC) to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. It is one of three limited service stops operated by Metro-North primarily for hikers – the other two being Breakneck Ridge and Manitou on the Hudson Line.[87] This is the only rail station on the 2,144 miles (3,450 km)-long trail.[87]

On December 9, 1992, the ICC authorized Conrail to convey its freight rights on the Harlem Line north of North White Plains to the Danbury Terminal Railway Company (DTRC). In 1995, the ICC directed the DTRC to discontinue freight operations on the line, as it had not been used for freight service in several years.[4]: 13–6 

Restoration of service to Wassaic edit

In 1993, Metro-North announced plans to restore service north of Dover Plains to Wassaic. Initially, the project was estimated to cost $12.8 million. The extension was intended to help revive the community of Wassaic, and to turn it into a hub where passengers would come from Litchfield County in Connecticut, the Berkshires in Massachusetts, and from Vermont.[88]

On October 19, 1995, the town of Amenia passed a resolution supporting the Harlem Line's extension by 6 miles (9.7 km) to Wassaic.[89]

On January 23, 1997, Metro-North acquired the property necessary for the extension of service on the Upper Harlem Division to Wassaic. In August 1997, the Final Environmental Impact Study for the Wassaic extension was completed, recommending that the preferred option, the extension of service to Wassaic, be completed.[4]: 1–17  One of the rejected alternatives was the restoration of service to Millerton and Mount Riga in Dutchess County. A layover yard would have also been built as part of this alternative. This alternative was rejected due to the presence of the Harlem Valley Rail Trail, and replacing it with rail service would have required an in-kind replacement of any taking of parkland. Since a majority of the line was not owned by Metro-North, it was viewed as being cost-prohibitive.[4]: 2–4, 2-9 and 2-13  In July 1998, Metro-North announced the names for the new stations on the extension: Tenmile River and Wassaic.[90]

In 1998, it was announced that platforms at eight stations on the Harlem Line would be extended as part of $73 million in station improvements. Platforms at Hawthorne, Pleasantville, Mount Kisco, Bedford Hills, Katonah, and Goldens Bridge would be extended two cars. This work was not expected to begin until 2000. In addition, work would be done at Mount Vernon West to eliminate a gap between a canopy and the top of the stairs, to design the rehabilitation of overpasses at Hartsdale, Scarsdale, Crestwood, and Tuckahoe, to rehabilitate an underpass at North White Plains, to repair a platform and fencing at Chappaqua, to replace an asphalt path to an elevator at Crestwood, to rehabilitate an overpass at Pleasantville, to design a new overpass at Goldens Bridge, and to repair stairs and an elevator shaft at Valhalla. Additional projects would ensure canopies, windows, and other elements were in good shape at Brewster, Croton Falls, and Purdys, would move a police substation into a building and move a ticket office to a more convenient location at White Plains, and design work for a platform extension, a new overpass, and potentially new track at Brewster North. Work to rehabilitate a station building at Bronxville was 90 percent complete at the time. Additional projects were planned on the Hudson and New Haven Lines. Some stations would receive the first major work done in 15 to 20 years.[91]

In April 1999, the MTA put out bids to purchase signal equipment to go along 28 miles (45 km) of the line from Brewster to Wassaic. The signal system was bi-directional with cab signaling.[92]

On July 9, 2000,[93] Metro-North restored service between Dover Plains and Wassaic, a move the railroad billed as its first service expansion since it was created in 1983.[5][94] As part of the project, the trailhead of the Harlem Valley Rail Trail was moved from milepoint 81.6 to milepoint 82. 6,152 feet (1,875 m) of right-of-way had to be acquired from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historical Preservation. To make up for this loss, $490,800 was received by the Transportation Enhancement Program to design and construct an access pathway from Wassaic station to the new trailhead.[4]: 23-3 and Appendix H-1  Wassaic was designed as and is a regional transportation hub for people living and going to Dutchess County in New York, Litchfield County in Connecticut and for Western Massachusetts. The station was built with a 250-space parking lot that, with expansion, could have 1000 parking spaces, and with a layover yard, and a light maintenance facility. One of the goals of the expansion was to provide additional parking capacity for the line. Prior to the opening of the yard at Wassaic, trains terminating at Dover Plains had to deadhead 23 miles to get to the yard at Southeast, reducing capacity on the line, while being very costly. A station was also opened at Tenmile River to serve the Taconic Developmental Disabilities Service Office. Under an alternative plan, this would have been the terminus of the line.[4]: 1-14 and S-1 to S-3  In order to build ridership, the extension has received the same amount of service as has the line south of Dover Plains, with four AM and four PM rush hour trains with direct service to Grand Central.[95][96] In fact, since 1984, weekday ridership on trains to Dover Plains increased by 463 percent to a total of 535 people riding south daily. The extension cost $6 million.[5] The extension also eased the commutes of people coming from Massachusetts.[6]

In the early 2000s, through 2002, Metro-North completed its Upper Harlem Station Improvement Project. As part of the project, stations from Valhalla to Brewster had their platforms extended, received modified elevators, repairs to their roofs, canopies and platforms, improvements to their entrances, the replacement of windows and improved platform lighting.[97] On April 1, 2001, work began on several projects to improve the line's right-of-way, including the replacement of the bridge that carries the Harlem Line over the Bronx River north of Woodlawn station and the extension of platforms at Purdy's and Goldens Bridge to fit eight-car trains.[98]

Mid-Harlem third track project edit

Early in 1994, Metro-North announced plans to build a third track along 2.5 miles (4.0 km) of the Harlem Line between Mount Vernon West and Crestwood to increase capacity and to eliminate a bottleneck.[99] At the time, Harlem Line ridership was growing, with an expected 31 million people using the line in 2020. Without the construction of an additional track, only one southbound peak-hour train could have been added without cutting local service, express service or reverse peak service.[100] In August 2001, construction on the $57 million project began.[101] The project was completed in 2004. The Fleetwood and Crestwood stations were expanded through the adding of island platforms to allow for the third track to stop there. The right-of-way was wide enough to fit the third track, requiring no taking of property. The plan for the installation of a third track was first conceived in 1989, but it was faced with strong community opposition due to concerns over noise and vibrations. Once opened, the third track resulted in improved service. Reverse-peak trains were able to run every 30 minutes instead of every 90 minutes, helping fuel a 30 percent increase in ridership along the line through Southern Westchester and the Bronx. Most of the new reverse-peak users came from the Bronx. The increased service helped revitalize White Plains' downtown, helping anchor the economy of central Westchester.[102] Express trains could skip stops via the express track while additional local trains could make stops in Westchester and the Bronx.[103]

Purchase by the MTA edit

On November 13, 2018, the MTA announced its intent to purchase the Hudson and Harlem Lines as well as the Grand Central Terminal for up to $35.065 million, plus a discount rate of 6.25%.[1] The purchase would include all inventory, operations, improvements, and maintenance associated with each asset, except for the air rights over Grand Central. At the time, the Hudson and Harlem Lines were owned by a holding company that had taken possession of Penn Central's assets upon its bankruptcy, while the Grand Central Terminal was owned by Midtown TDR Ventures. Under the terms of the leases for each asset, the MTA would only be able to exercise an option to purchase the three assets before October 2019.[104] The MTA's finance committee approved the proposed purchase on November 13, 2018, and the purchase was approved by the full board two days later.[105][106] The deal finally closed in March 2020, with the MTA taking ownership of the terminal and rail lines.[107]

Following this purchase, the MTA has owned the entirety of the Harlem Line. The agency had previously acquired the segment north of Dover Plains in 1990 when Harlem Line service was extended on this trackage.[1][108]

Incidents edit

On February 3, 2015, a Harlem line train struck a car on the tracks near Valhalla and caught fire, killing six people.[109][110]

Future edit

With the entire existing track in use (since service to Wassaic was restored in 2000), there is little talk of expansion or branching. However, Metro-North will revisit a future extension northward if circumstances change.[4]: 26–12  When plans were drawn up for extending the line northward from Dover Plains, the goal for Metro-North was to extend the line as far north as possible for a new yard, and to attract the most new passengers. Wassaic was the best site, and service was not extended to Millerton as the Harlem Valley Rail Trail was using the right-of-way.[111] This directly contrasts one of the main purposes of rail trails: to preserve the right-of-way to allow for rail service to be restored in the future.[112]

In the 2015–2034 MTA Twenty-Year Capital Needs Assessment, two possible Harlem Line projects that would provide capacity to deal with increasing ridership and to expand service are mentioned. The first is the extension of a third track from Crestwood north to North White Plains. This would allow for increased reverse-peak service, increased local and express service-the same goals of the original third track project from Mount Vernon West to Crestwood. The second project would be the construction of a new flyover at Woodlawn at the junction with the New Haven Line. However, funding for these projects has not been identified as there are ongoing needs to maintain basic infrastructure.[113]: 26, 77 

Branches edit

The Harlem Line currently has no operational branches. Under New York Central ownership, it previously operated a 7.22 mi (11.62 km) branch to Lake Mahopac to a connection with the Putnam Division. This line was originally a subsidiary known as the New York and Mahopac Railroad (1871-1880), and had one station between the two lines in Lincolndale. The line opened on June 17, 1872, and it extended to Golden's Bridge. It cost $266,000 to build it.[114] After the discontinuance of passenger service on the Putnam Division in 1958, the Central operated a shuttle service known as "around the horn" which continued on Putnam Division trackage north of Lake Mahopac to Mahopac, Carmel, and Brewster where it reconnected with the Harlem Division main line. This service lasted until 1959.[115] The only active remnant of this branch is a wye north of Brewster station known as Putnam Junction.[116] There are some remains of the right-of-way of the branch, including a bridge just west of the Golden's Bridge station, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

North of Brewster is a connection with Metro-North's Beacon Line, which was purchased by Metro-North in 1995 for preservation for future use. There are currently no plans for branch service on this line, which runs north and west to Hopewell Junction, and then south and west to Beacon. It also runs east to Danbury, but a reverse move would be required.[117] In October 2000, Metro-North undertook a study to determine whether it was feasible to restore passenger service to the line between Hopewell Junction and Brewster. Service, if operated, during peak hours, would have run directly to Grand Central, while they would have run as a shuttle during other times, ending at Southeast. The introduction of the line would have reduced ridership on the Wassaic Branch by 20%. Two shuttles would have run exclusively on the Beacon Line, while three Upper Harlem Line trains would have been extended from Southeast to Hopewell Junction. The study determined that at the time it did not make sense to restore service on the line.[118]: ES-1 to ES-10  On February 26, 2021, Metro-North announced it would file with the Surface Transportation Board to deactivate the Beacon Line, rendering it abandoned.[119]

Port Morris Branch edit

See also: Spuyten Duyvil and Port Morris Railroad

The freight-only Port Morris Branch split from the Harlem Line within the South Bronx in the southbound direction. The Port Morris branch was part of a line which was originally part of the Spuyten Duyvil and Port Morris Railroad which was established in 1842.[22] The railroad was bought by the New York and Harlem Railroad in 1853, and the segment north of Mott Haven Junction became part of the NYC Hudson Division. The Port Morris Branch began at a wye north of Melrose Station, then extended southeast through The Hub, through a tunnel under St. Mary's Park,[120] and finally Port Morris along the East River just after crossing a bridge beneath the Harlem River and Port Chester Branch of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. The only two stations along this branch were at Westchester Avenue between Brook and St Mary's Avenues and at Port Morris itself across the river from North Brother Island.[121] After the construction of the Oak Point Link at the Bronx's southern tip[122] and its subsequent opening in 1998,[123] trains stopped operating along the Port Morris Branch in 1999.[124][125] Formal abandonment was declared in 2003, when CSX Transportation declared that the branch could be vacated due to the lack of use in the preceding two years.[126]

Rolling stock edit

On the electrified portions of the line, M3As and M7As are usually used. As with the Hudson Line, diesel-powered trains are operated by dual-mode Genesis and BL20-GH locomotives, paired with Shoreliner coaches. While some peak-period trains operate directly to and from Grand Central Terminal, most Harlem Line diesel-only territory is operated as shuttle service between Southeast (where electrification ends) and Wassaic, 29 miles (47 km) north in Dutchess County.

Stations edit

Zone Location Station Miles (km)[127] Date opened Date closed Connections / notes
1 Manhattan Grand Central Terminal   0.0 (0) October 6, 1871[128] Metro-North Railroad: Hudson Line, New Haven Line
New York City Subway: 4, ​5, ​6, <6>​, 7, <7>​​, and S (at Grand Central–42nd Street)
New York City Bus: M42, M101, M102, M103, SIM4C, SIM6, SIM11, SIM22, SIM26
MTA Bus: BxM1
59th Street Built during the late 1870s, although trains never stopped here.[129]
72nd Street June 23, 1901[130]
86th Street 2.2 (3.5) May 15, 1876[27] June 23, 1901[130]
110th Street 3.4 (5.5) May 15, 1876[27] June 17, 1906[4]
Harlem–125th Street   4.2 (6.8) October 25, 1897[66] Metro-North Railroad: Hudson Line, New Haven Line
New York City Subway: 4, ​5, ​6, and <6> (at 125th Street)
New York City Bus: Bx15, M35, M60 SBS, M98, M100, M101
2 The Bronx
138th Street 5.0 (8.0) c. 1858 July 2, 1973[64]
Melrose 6.1 (9.8) c. 1890[131] New York City Bus: Bx6, Bx13, Bx32, Bx41, Bx41 SBS
Morrisania 6.7 (10.8) c. 1858[132] July 2, 1973[64]
Claremont Park c. 1960[133][116]
Tremont 7.8 (12.6) c. 1890[131] New York City Bus: Bx15, Bx36, Bx40, Bx41, Bx42, Bx55
183rd Street 8.5 (13.7) July 2, 1973[64]
Fordham   8.9 (14.3) March 1, 1841[17] Metro-North Railroad: New Haven Line
New York City Bus: Bx9, Bx12, Bx12 SBS, Bx15, Bx17, Bx22, Bx34, Bx41, Bx41 SBS
MTA Bus: BxM4
Bee-Line Bus: 60, 61, 62
Botanical Garden   9.5 (15.3) c. 1893[134] New York City Bus: Bx26, Bx41, Bx41 SBS
Williams Bridge 10.5 (16.9) September 3, 1842[135] New York City Subway: 2 and ​5 (at Gun Hill Road)
New York City Bus: Bx28, Bx30, Bx38, Bx39, Bx41, Bx41 SBS
MTA Bus: BxM11
Woodlawn 11.8 (19.0) 1848 New York City Subway: 2 and ​5 (at 233rd Street)
New York City Bus: Bx16, Bx31, Bx39
MTA Bus: BxM11
Bee-Line Bus: 42
Wakefield 12.6 (20.3) New York City Subway: 2 (at Wakefield–241st Street)
New York City Bus: Bx39
MTA Bus: BxM11
Bee-Line Bus: 40, 41, 42, 43
3 Mount Vernon Mount Vernon West   13.1 (21.1) 1914[136] Bee-Line Bus: 7, 26, 91
Fleetwood   14.3 (23.0) October 25, 1924[137] Bee-Line Bus: 26, 55
Bronxville Bronxville   15.3 (24.6) 1916[116][136] Bee-Line Bus: 26, 30, 52
Tuckahoe Tuckahoe   16.0 (25.7) July 2, 1844[138] Bee-Line Bus: 8
Crestwood   16.8 (27.0) 1901
4 Scarsdale Scarsdale   18.9 (30.4) December 1, 1844[135][139] Bee Line Bus: 63, 64, 65, 66
Greenburgh Hartsdale   20.6 (33.2) December 1, 1844[135][139] Bee Line Bus: 34, 38, 39
White Plains White Plains   22.4 (36.0) December 1, 1844[135][139] Bee Line Bus: 1W, 3, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 20, 21, 27, 40, 41, 60, 62, 63, 77, 79, A, B, C, D, F, H
CTtransit Stamford: I-BUS
Transport of Rockland: Tappan Zee Express
Holland Avenue 24.0 (38.6) December 21, 1971[116] Formerly used to switch between electric and diesel locomotives
North White Plains   24.0 (38.6) 1972[116] Bee-Line Bus: 6
5 Mount Pleasant Valhalla   25.4 (40.9) 1846 Bee-Line Bus: 6
Kensico Cemetery 26.4 (42.5) December 1891[140] 1983[116]
Mount Pleasant 27.2 (43.8) Limited service stop
Hawthorne   28.2 (45.4) 1847 Bee-Line Bus: 15
Thornwood 29.4 (47.3) c. 1891 March 5, 1984[141]
Pleasantville Pleasantville   30.5 (49.1) October 1846[17] Bee-Line Bus: 6, 15, 19
New Castle Chappaqua   32.4 (52.1) 1902[132] Bee-Line Bus: 19
6 Mount Kisco Mount Kisco   36.7 (59.1) c. 1858[132] Bee-Line Bus: 19
Terminal for select peak trains
Bedford Bedford Hills   39.1 (62.9) Bee-Line Bus: 19
Katonah   41.1 (66.1) June 1, 1847[142] Bee-Line Bus: 19
HARTransit: Ridgefield-Katonah Shuttle
Lewisboro Goldens Bridge   43.6 (70.2)
7 North Salem Purdy's   46.1 (74.2)
Croton Falls   47.8 (76.9) June 1, 1847[142] Short Line Bus: Croton Falls Shuttle
Brewster Brewster   52.0 (83.7) December 31, 1848[143][144] HARTransit: 3, Danbury-Brewster Shuttle
Putnam Transit: 1
Southeast Southeast   53.2 (85.6) HARTransit: New Fairfield-Southeast Shuttle
Northern terminus of electrification
Dykeman's 54.7 (88.0) December 31, 1848[143][144] c. 1968
Patterson
Towner's 57.9 (93.2) December 31, 1848[143][144] c. 1968
8 Patterson   60.2 (96.9) December 31, 1848[143][144] Putnam Transit: 3
Village of Pawling Pawling   63.8 (102.7) December 31, 1848[143][144] Dutchess County LOOP: E
Town of Pawling Appalachian Trail 65.9 (106.1) April 1, 1990[86] Limited service stop
9 Dover Harlem Valley–Wingdale   69.0 (111.0) c. 1930's
Wingdale 69.8 (112.3)[116] December 31, 1848[143][144] October 30, 1977
Dover Furnace 72.5 (116.7)[116] December 31, 1848[145] c. 1968
Dover Plains   76.5 (123.1) December 31, 1848[143][144] Dutchess County LOOP: D
10 Amenia Tenmile River   80.0 (128.7) July 9, 2000 Dutchess County LOOP: D
Wassaic   82.0 (132.0) May 10, 1852[146]
July 9, 2000 		March 20, 1972[147]
  Amenia 85.0 (136.8) May 10, 1852[146] March 20, 1972[147]
Sharon 87.8 (141.3) 1873[116]
North East Coleman's 89.0 (143.2) 1851[116]
Millerton Millerton 92.7 (149.2) May 10, 1852[146] March 20, 1972[147]
North East Mount Riga 95.9 (154.3) May 10, 1852[146]
Ancram Boston Corners 99.8 (160.6)
Copake Copake Falls 104.8 (168.7) March 20, 1972[147]
Hillsdale Hillsdale 108.9 (175.3) March 20, 1972[147]
Copake Craryville 111.7 (179.8) May 10, 1852[146] March 20, 1972[147]
Hillsdale Martindale 115.5 (185.9) May 10, 1852[146]
Philmont Philmont 118.9 (191.4) May 10, 1852[146] March 20, 1972[147]
Ghent Ghent 124.9 (201.0) May 10, 1852[146] Junction with Boston and Albany Railroad Hudson Branch
Chatham Union Station 127.5 (205.2) December 21, 1841
May 10, 1852[146]		 March 20, 1972[147] Junction with Boston and Albany Railroad Main Line and Rutland Railroad

Lake Mahopac Branch edit

Built by the New York and Mahopac Railroad in 1871, the Lake Mahopac Branch diverges from the Harlem Line north of Goldens Bridge and merged with the now-defunct Putnam Division south of Mahopac. Known to some residents of Mahopac as the “Golden’s Bridge Branch”. The entire branch was abandoned on April 2, 1959.[148]

Station Miles (km)
from GCT[127]		 Date
opened 		Date
closed 		Connections / notes
Goldens Bridge   43.6 (70.2) April 2, 1959 Connection to the Harlem Division
Lincolndale April 2, 1959
Shenorock Prior to April 2, 1959
Lake Mahopac April 2, 1959

Port Morris Branch edit

The entire line was used exclusively for freight.[23] It diverged from the Harlem Line at Melrose and terminated at Port Morris, east of the Oak Point Yard. The line was formally abandoned in 2004.

Station Miles (km)
from GCT[127]		 Date
opened 		Date
closed 		Connections / notes
Melrose 6.1 (9.8) c. 1890[131] New York City Bus: Bx6, Bx13, Bx32, Bx41, Bx41 SBS
Westchester Avenue
Port Morris

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b c "MTA to Purchase Grand Central Terminal, Harlem Line and Hudson Line for $35 Million" (Press release). New York: Metropolitan Transportation Authority. MTA Headquarters. November 13, 2018. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  2. ^ "2022 MNR Ridership Report Appendix". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
  3. ^ Moser, Emily (September 21, 2012). "The Harlem Line, and the color blue". I Ride The Harlem Line... Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Wassaic Extension Project: Environmental Impact Statement. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. August 1997.
  5. ^ a b c Rowe, Claudia (July 9, 2000). "Road and Rail – 6 Miles for $6 Million". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  6. ^ a b Ames, Lynn (March 31, 1996). "The View From: Dover Plains;With Riders of the 6:33: A Train Like No Other". The New York Times. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  7. ^ Kazmi, Aleeza (October 16, 2018). "Positive Train Control Testing Begins On LIRR, Metro-North". WSHU. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  8. ^ Hyatt 1898, pp. 5–7.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i Grogan, Louis V. (1989). The Coming of the New York and Harlem Railroad. Louis V. Grogan. ISBN 0962120650.
  10. ^ a b The Financial Limitations Of Our Fore-Fathers. Railroad Branch of the Young Men's Christian Association of the City of New York. 1901. pp. 350–352.
  11. ^ Meyers, Stephen L. (2005). Manhattan's Lost Streetcars. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9780738538846.
  12. ^ Hyatt 1898, pp. 8–10.
  13. ^ Hyatt 1898, p. 8.
  14. ^ Hyatt 1898, p. 13.
  15. ^ "New York City and Vicinity Map". brooklynrail.net. 1860. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  16. ^ Hyatt 1898, pp. 9–10.
  17. ^ a b c Hyatt 1898, p. 14.
  18. ^ a b Reports of Decisions of the Public Service Commission, First District, of the State of New York Volume VIII January 1, 1917 to December 31, 1917. New York State Public Service Commission. 1918.
  19. ^ Hyatt 1898, pp. 15 & 17.
  20. ^ The Official Guide of the Railways and Steam Navigation Lines of the United States, Porto Rico, Canada, Mexico and Cuba. National Railway Publication Company. 1907. pp. 226, 310.
  21. ^ "Central New England Railroad and Connections Map". Wikimedia Commons. Central New England Railroad. 1901. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  22. ^ a b "The Harlem Division". New York Central Historical Society. October 15, 2008. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  23. ^ a b Anastasio, Joe (December 23, 2009). "Port Morris Branch: The so-called Bronx Swamp". LTV Squad. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  24. ^ Hyatt 1898, p. 27.
  25. ^ Hyatt 1898, pp. 25–26.
  26. ^ a b "Railroad Engineering in Harlem – Progress of the Work of Elevating the Central's Tracks in Park Avenue" (PDF). The New York Times. August 23, 1894. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  27. ^ a b c "Partial Rapid Transit – From the Grand Central Depot – Arrangements for Quick Trains on the Harlem Road Trains to Run Next Monday – Fares, Time, Rates, of Commutation, &c" (PDF). The New York Times. May 12, 1876. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  28. ^ "Rapid Transit To and From Harlem" (PDF). The New York Times. April 13, 1876. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  29. ^ "In Memoriam: Walter Katte". Journal of the Western Society of Engineers (January to December 1917 ed.). Western Society of Engineers. 22: 103. 1917.
  30. ^ "Real Rapid Transit Near; Uses of the Harlem Road's Depressed Tracks. Trains To Run Often And To Carry Passengers Into Westchester County In Half An Hour". The New York Times. September 1, 1889. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  31. ^ "Two Million Dollars For Improvements on the Harlem Branch of the New York Central". Lincoln Journal Star. January 10, 1889. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  32. ^ "Wonderful if True". American Machinist. 13 (28): 12–13. July 10, 1890.
  33. ^ Hyatt 1898, p. 25.
  34. ^ "To Raise the Central's Tracks – The Park Avenue Improvement and the New Harlem Drawbridge" (PDF). The New York Times. April 24, 1893. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  35. ^ "A New Railroad Station – To be Opened Soon at 125th Street by the Central and Harlem River Roads" (PDF). The New York Times. October 8, 1897. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
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  67. ^ Press releases by NYSOPRHP, Putnam, Dutchess and Columbia County governing bodies and private rail-trail groups therein, and voluminous newspaper stories in local newspapers in all three Counties.
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References edit

  • Dana, William B. (1866). The Merchants' Magazine and Commercial Review, Volume 55. New York, New York: William B. Dana. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  • Dunbar, Seymour (1915). A History of Travel in America: Being an Outline of the Development in Modes of Travel from Archaic Vehicles of Colonial Times to the Completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad: the Influence of the Indians on the Free Movement and Territorial Unity of the White Race: the Part Played by Travel Methods in the Economic Conquest of the Continent: and Those Related Human Experiences, Changing Social Conditions and Governmental Attitudes which Accompanied the Growth of a National Travel System · Volume 3. Indianapolis, Indiana: Bobbs-Merrill Company. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  • Hyatt, Elijah Clarence (1898). History of the New York & Harlem Railroad. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Harlem Line.

January 19, 2024
harlem, line, mile, commuter, rail, line, owned, operated, metro, north, railroad, state, york, runs, north, from, york, city, wassaic, eastern, dutchess, county, lower, miles, from, grand, central, terminal, southeast, putnam, county, electrified, with, third. The Harlem Line is an 82 mile 132 km commuter rail line owned and operated by the Metro North Railroad in the U S state of New York It runs north from New York City to Wassaic in eastern Dutchess County The lower 53 miles 85 km from Grand Central Terminal to Southeast in Putnam County is electrified with a third rail and has at least two tracks The section north of Southeast is a non electrified single track line served by diesel locomotives The diesel trains usually run as a shuttle on the northern end of the line except for rush hour express trains in the peak direction four to Grand Central in the morning four from Grand Central in the evening and one train in each direction on weekends Harlem LineTrain 645 leaves the White Plains station northbound to Southeast OverviewStatusOperatingOwnerMetropolitan Transportation Authority 1 LocaleNew York City Westchester Putnam and Dutchess countiesTerminiGrand CentralCrestwood short turn North White Plains short turn Southeast WassaicStations38ServiceTypeCommuter railSystemMetro North RailroadOperator s Metro North RailroadDaily ridership45 350 2022 14 99 million annual 2 TechnicalTrack length82 mi 132 km Number of tracks1 4CharacterCommuter railTrack gauge4 ft 8 1 2 in 1 435 mm standard gaugeElectrificationThird rail 750 V DC south of Southeast Route mapShow interactive mapLegend82 0 mi132 km NYC Harlem Branch82 0 mi132 km Chatham GhentPhilmontMartindaleCraryvilleHillsdaleCopake FallsBoston CornersMount RigaMillertonColeman sSharonAmeniaWassaic Yard82 0 mi132 km Wassaic80 0 mi128 7 km Tenmile RiverZone 10Zone 976 5 mi123 1 km Dover PlainsDover Furnaceclosed69 0 mi111 km Harlem Valley WingdaleZone 9Zone 865 9 mi106 1 km Appalachian Trail63 7 mi102 5 km Pawling60 2 mi96 9 km PattersonTowner s closed Beacon LineDykeman s closed start of electrification Zone 8Zone 753 2 mi85 6 km SoutheastBrewster YardPutnam Junction51 9 mi83 5 km Brewster47 7 mi76 8 km Croton Falls46 0 mi74 km Purdy sZone 7Zone 643 7 mi70 3 km Goldens BridgeNew York City amp Northern RailroadTilly Foster closed Carmel closed Crafts closed Mahopac closed Lake Mahopac closed Putnam DivisionLincolndale closed Mahopac Branch41 2 mi66 3 km Katonah39 2 mi63 1 km Bedford Hills36 5 mi58 7 km Mount KiscoZone 6Zone 532 4 mi52 1 km Chappaqua30 5 mi49 1 km PleasantvilleThornwood closed 28 2 mi45 4 km Hawthorne27 2 mi43 8 km Mount PleasantKensico Cemetery closed 25 5 mi41 km ValhallaZone 5Zone 4North White Plains Yard23 8 mi38 3 km North White Plains22 3 mi35 9 km White Plains20 6 mi33 2 km Hartsdale19 0 mi30 6 km ScarsdaleZone 4Zone 316 7 mi26 9 km Crestwood16 0 mi25 7 km Tuckahoe15 3 mi24 6 km Bronxville14 3 mi23 km Fleetwood13 1 mi21 1 km Mount Vernon WestZone 3Zone 212 6 mi20 3 km WakefieldNew Haven11 8 mi19 km Woodlawn10 5 mi16 9 km Williams Bridge9 5 mi15 3 km Botanical Garden8 9 mi14 3 km Fordham183rd Street closed 7 9 mi12 7 km TremontClaremont Park closed Morrisania closed Port Morris connection6 1 mi9 8 km MelroseHudson6 0 mi9 7 km Yankees East 153rd Street special events Mott Haven Junction138th Street closed Oak Point LinkHarlem River Lift Bridge Zone 2Zone 14 2 mi6 8 km Harlem 125th Street Park Avenue Tunnel110th Street closed Park Avenue Tunnel86th Street closed 72nd Street closed 59th Street closed 0 0 mi0 km Grand Central This diagram viewtalkeditShow route diagram mapWith 38 stations the Harlem Line has the most of any Metro North main line Its northern terminal Wassaic is the northernmost station in the system It is the only Metro North line used exclusively by that carrier no use by Amtrak though CSX services freight customers as far north as Mount Vernon and the only one that uses the entirety of existing track It is colored blue on Metro North timetables and system maps and stations on the line have blue trim The blue color coding appears to have started with timetables issued by predecessor New York Central for the then Harlem Division as far back as 1965 3 The Harlem Line was originally chartered in 1831 as the New York and Harlem Railroad NY amp H and was leased to the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad Company in 1871 The line became part of the Metro North Railroad in 1983 While the line has traditionally served to bring commuters from Westchester County to jobs in the city since the 2000s it has begun to see more reverse commuting from the Bronx into Westchester and points north The northern reaches of the line are also close enough to Western Massachusetts that residents in parts of that region are also able to commute to jobs in New York City 4 1 5 6 Contents 1 Line description 1 1 Manhattan and the Bronx 1 2 Westchester County 1 3 Putnam County 1 4 Dutchess County 2 History 2 1 Origin as a streetcar line 2 2 Extension toward Albany 2 3 Under the New York Central 2 3 1 Grade separation and expansion 2 3 2 1950s and 1960s 2 4 Decline under Penn Central 2 5 Growth under Metro North 2 5 1 High level platforms 2 5 2 Electrification 2 5 3 Upper Harlem improvements 2 5 4 Restoration of service to Wassaic 2 5 5 Mid Harlem third track project 2 6 Purchase by the MTA 2 7 Incidents 3 Future 4 Branches 4 1 Port Morris Branch 5 Rolling stock 6 Stations 6 1 Lake Mahopac Branch 6 2 Port Morris Branch 7 Notes 8 References 9 External linksLine description edit nbsp Railway diagram of intercity services around New York City showing Penn Station and Grand Central TerminalThe Harlem Line hews closely to roads along river based transportation corridors dating back to even pre rail times It follows three major parkways closely from the Bronx northwards through Westchester the Bronx River Parkway and a short portion that becomes the Taconic State Parkway the Saw Mill River Parkway and Interstate 684 In the last section it also begins to run close to NY 22 the long north south two lane state highway that parallels the eastern border of the state In Westchester it serves some of that county s most affluent communities as it slowly trends eastward Manhattan and the Bronx edit The Harlem Line begins underground with the Hudson and New Haven Lines at Grand Central Terminal on the Park Avenue main line The tracks emerge above ground north of 97th Street and run on an elevated viaduct starting at 102nd Street in Manhattan After stopping at Harlem 125th Street the Metro North lines cross the Harlem River at 135th Street in Manhattan entering the Bronx via the Park Avenue Bridge The Hudson Line lines at this point to travel northwest along the Harlem River while the Harlem and New Haven diverges into open cut north of 144th Street In the Bronx the Harlem and New Haven Lines cut through the neighborhoods of the southwest Bronx with two stations Melrose at 162nd Street it then runs under the Cross Bronx Expressway I 95 and Tremont at 177th Street Fordham station is next at Fordham Road 190th Street The tracks rise to ground level after the stop at Fordham The lines then parallel the western edge of Fordham University until the Botanical Garden station at Bedford Park Boulevard 200th Street The tracks then cut northeast to join the Bronx River Parkway which lies to the east of the tracks The Williams Bridge station is next at Gun Hill Road 210th Street After the Williams Bridge station Woodlawn Cemetery begins to the west of the tracks with Webster Avenue in between the cemetery and tracks The Woodlawn station is at 233rd Street and it is north of here that the New Haven Line diverges east to head towards the Northeast Corridor The Harlem Line then goes under a bridge for the parkway and it remains to the west of the tracks until Scarsdale station The Wakefield station at 241st Street concludes the Bronx portion of the Harlem Line Westchester County edit The Westchester portion of the Harlem Line begins at Bronx River Road in southeastern Yonkers After the Mount Vernon West station the line runs along the on ramp to the Cross County Parkway eastbound right before Fleetwood station After the Bronxville station the tracks parallel the Bronx River Parkway all the way up to White Plains From White Plains the railroad winds its way through the city and passing through the yards at North White Plains which was the northern boundary of third rail electrification until 1984 The stretch north of North White Plains is unique because it is the only third rail electrified stretch of Metro North s network that has grade crossings a byproduct of its existence pre electrification Katonah and Brewster stations are located right next to grade crossings After North White Plains the next station is Valhalla adjacent to the Taconic State Parkway The double track line then curves to follow the Saw Mill River Valley and the eponymous parkway Rail and road briefly separate at Mount Kisco but then remain close by at the last stop along the Saw Mill Bedford Hills although the parkway cannot be seen from the station Past Katonah the railroad runs between the Croton River and I 684 Golden s Bridge and Purdy s are both located very close to the interstate although only the former can be seen from it North of the latter the tracks follow the river to Croton Falls and pick up Route 22 for the first time Putnam County edit After Croton Falls the Harlem Line runs along East Branch Reservoir and crosses into Putnam County and its rural landscape Above Brewster station the railroad passes through the yards at Putnam Junction to Southeast station which was formerly known as Brewster North This is the northern boundary of third rail electrification 4 I 2 North of Southeast the line operates with a single track and uses diesel powered trains Prior to the 2010s the branch was not signaled and manual block system rules were used to direct train movements 4 I 2 however positive train control was installed in the late 2010s 7 The track finally follows its own course away from any road or river past the former Dykemans and abandoned Towners stations up to Patterson and into Dutchess County Dutchess County edit Shortly before reaching Pawling the line enters the Harlem Valley which takes its name from the railroad and begins to parallel Route 22 although not as closely as it did the roads further south A few miles north of Pawling the Appalachian Trail crossing has its own stop to allow thru hikers to take a break in the city and day hikers to visit the nearby Pawling Nature Preserve The next two stops Harlem Valley Wingdale and Dover Plains are roughly eight miles 13 km apart the longest distance between any two stops on the Harlem Line From 1972 to 2000 Dover Plains was the last stop on the line but then tracks remaining from the NYCRR era that had not yet been torn up were renovated and the line was extended to Tenmile River and its new northern terminus Wassaic The total travel time between Grand Central and Wassaic is 2 hours on a peak through train A small yard where diesel trains await their routes just past the station marks the end of the line History editSee also New York and Harlem Railroad Origin as a streetcar line edit nbsp An 1847 map of Lower Manhattan the only railroad in Manhattan at that time was the New York and Harlem RailroadThe Harlem Line in its current form originated from the New York and Harlem Railroad NY amp H which was the first streetcar company in the United States It was franchised on April 25 1831 to run between the original city core in lower Manhattan to the suburb of Harlem several miles to the north on Manhattan Island The railroad s charter allowed the line to run between 23rd Street and any point on the Harlem River between Eighth and Third Avenue with a branch running to the Hudson River encompassing most of the island 8 9 2 While the company wanted to run the line as a steam line the city made it use horse power south of 14th Street 10 11 3 On September 13 1831 the Board of Directors of the railroad approved its route along Fourth Avenue renamed Park Avenue on March 1 1888 from 23rd Street to the Harlem River On April 6 1832 the railroad s charter was amended to allow the line to be extended south to 14th Street 12 On May 2 1832 the City Common Council secretly granted the railroad the right to lay track along Broadway to City Hall and Bowling Green There was a public outcry once this was found out by the general public and at the time a fraudulent map was circulated showing that the railroad would take up 23 feet 7 0 m of the street when it would only take up 5 feet 1 5 m Newspaper editors also came out against the railroad s plan In Spring 1833 the railroad published a pamphlet to refute objections to their plan titled A Statement of Facts in Relation to the Origin Progress and Prospects of the New York and Harlem Railroad Company On March 1 1833 a meeting was held in Tammany Hall concerning the issue and at the meeting cab drivers and owners came out against the railroad After the meeting the crowd tore up some of the railroad s track After the meeting the council withdrew its Broadway agreement with the railroad The railroad was extended downtown in 1839 but along a different route 9 6 Ground was broken on the construction of the line on February 23 1832 at Murray Hill on Fourth Avenue At the ceremony Vice President of the railroad John Mason hinted at the railroad s ambitions saying that while the railroad s principal objective was local its higher importance was to get to Albany 9 3 In 1832 the company was given permission to raise its stock limit to 500 000 In November two horsecars built by John Stephenson were ready for operation both of which were named after the railroad s president John Mason and President 9 4 On April 27 1837 an act was passed in the State Legislature to widen Fourth Avenue between 32nd Street and the Harlem River to provide room for the railroad The street was widened by 20 feet 6 1 m on either side making the street 140 feet 43 m wide The company ceded the title for the land that would be occupied by Fourth Avenue to the city in exchange for permission to occupy it 9 6 In that same year the railroad purchased six city lots at Fourth Avenue and 26th Street for 7 000 for the construction of car barns and stables 9 7 The first section along Bowery from Prince Street north to 14th Street consisting of 85 miles 1 37 km opened to the public on November 26 1832 13 On that day a demonstration showing the car s braking ability was conducted but inadvertently one horsecar rear ended into another with no serious injuries This might have been the first rear end collision in the United States 9 5 Service was then extended northward along Fourth Avenue to 32nd Street on June 10 1833 The Murray Hill rock cut was completed in 1834 and service along a 4 432 miles 7 133 km long segment to 85th Street in Yorkville opened on May 1 1834 Service ran every 15 minutes between 5 a m and 8 p m and ran every 60 minutes to 10 p m A one way fare cost 12 5 cents 9 7 Service was extended 2 miles 3 2 km to finally reach Harlem on October 26 1837 with the Yorkville Tunnel constructed to reach this point 10 At the time Harlem was just a small suburb of the city 14 Service was also extended further south On May 4 1839 the line was extended south along Bowery Broome Street and Centre Street to City Hall at Centre Street and Park Row Service was extended south on November 26 1852 along Park Row to Astor House at Park Row and Broadway 15 Extension toward Albany edit The New York and Albany Railroad had been granted its charter on April 17 1832 allowing it to build a single or double track line from Greenbush on the opposite side of the Hudson River from Albany to New York along the Harlem River In 1836 an amendment to its charter granted it the right to enter Manhattan along a route that they may deem most eligible direct competition to the NY amp H The NY amp A had periods of inactivity in part due to the financial panic of 1837 Surveys were completed in some places and ground was broken in various areas Gouverneur Morris a vice president and Director of the NY amp A reached an agreement with the Harlem The NY amp H would pay the NY amp A s expenses on surveying with the understanding that the NY amp H would be extended to Greenbush The deal was completed on February 28 1840 and on May 7 1840 the New York State Legislature granted the Harlem the right to extend into Westchester County which at the time included what is now The Bronx The corporate life of the NY amp A ended on March 9 1846 when it was bought by the Harlem 9 8 The line was not being completed as quickly as its charter required so the New York State Legislature granted it multiple extensions to allow for the work to be completed The last time an extension was granted was on April 11 1842 The New York and Harlem Railroad bought that company for 35 000 on March 9 1846 as it had failed to make any progress on the construction of the line The right of way and land for that line was sold as part of this transaction on which it built its line into Westchester Putnam Dutchess and Columbia Counties 16 Service was extended into Westchester in multiple stages The line was first extended north 4 miles 6 4 km into Westchester on December 14 1840 before reaching Fordham on March 1 1841 Extended service reached Williams Bridge on September 3 1842 and then in the summer of 1844 the line reached Tuckahoe On December 1 1844 the line s terminus became White Plains but in October 1846 trains began ending their runs at Pleasantville 17 Service reached Mount Kisco and Croton Falls in February 1847 and on June 1 1847 respectively On December 31 1848 Harlem Railroad service was extended to Dover Plains providing service to parts of Putnam County and Dutchess County 4 D 3 In 1845 the railroad s charter was amended to allow the route to be extended north to Albany 18 69 On May 10 1852 the line was extended north to Chatham Four Corners in Columbia County with a connection to the Boston and Albany Railroad and trackage rights northwest to Albany In the years following the Harlem Railroad ran some of its trains over the Boston and Albany Railroad from Chatham to Albany 19 Additional connections could be made to railroads serving North Bennington Vermont and other points in western Vermont Chatham is about 52 miles 84 km past the current terminal at Wassaic In Boston Corners about 12 miles 19 km north of Wassaic passengers could make connections to the Central New England Railway CNE To the east the CNE went to Hartford Connecticut Westward passengers could travel to Poughkeepsie cross the Poughkeepsie Bridge finally to Campbell Hall 20 21 A 1 84 miles 2 96 km long freight branch from the 1853 purchase of the Spuyten Duyvil and Port Morris Railroad was built to Port Morris 22 23 When the Grand Central Depot opened in 1871 the depot that the line used was changed from being at 26th Street and Fourth Avenue to Grand Central Depot at 42nd Street 24 Under the New York Central edit Grade separation and expansion edit On April 1 1873 the New York and Harlem Railroad was leased for 401 years to the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad Company The line then became the Harlem Division of the New York Central The lease did not include the portion of the line using horse cars Horse cars were replaced with an underground trolley system in 1897 when it was leased to the Metropolitan Street Railway Company 25 In 1875 the line was grade separated and put in an open cut and a viaduct between Grand Central and the Harlem River to reduce the loss of life and to increase speeds The work was completed for 6 million of which half was paid by the city 26 On May 15 1876 partial rapid transit began on the Harlem Line with sixteen trains a day running between Grand Central Depot and William s Bridge These trains made all stops between Grand Central and William s Bridge with the exception of Jerome Park which was skipped by half the trains This was in addition to eight regular trains per day that stopped at William s Bridge Two new stations were opened at 86th Street and 110th Street both being exclusively served by the rapid transit service 27 28 In 1888 work began on a project to grade separate 7 miles 11 km the line from Mott Haven to Bedford Park and to expand the line from two tracks to four tracks with the additional tracks to be reserved for express trains doubling the line s capacity This project was funded entirely by the railroad and was reached in an agreement with the New York City Department of Public Works titled the Harlem Depression Agreement with the railroad paying for the construction of bridges over the now depressed line 29 18 234 Service on the Harlem Line was expected to double Express trains were expected to go at least 30 miles per hour 48 km h while locals were expected to go at least 20 miles per hour 32 km h 30 4 5 miles 7 2 km of the line were put into a cut 12 to 14 feet 3 7 to 4 3 m below the line s existing grade starting 500 feet 150 m north of 138th Street to 2 000 feet 610 m north of Bedford Park station Upon completion there was a four track line from Woodlawn Junction to Grand Central The line s cost was initially anticipated to be 2 million 31 On July 10 1890 as part of the line s grade separation project in the Bronx the third track between Mott Haven and Fordham was completed At the time the four tracks between Woodlawn Junction and the Harlem River were almost completed with a few hundred yards of rails needed to make some connections The four tracks were expected to be completed on July 13 The New Haven Railroad planned to build a flyover at Williamsbridge for northbound trains so that their trains would not have to cross the other three tracks at grade The rebuilt rapid transit stations were not yet completed The entire project cost about 4 million 32 On February 15 1897 trains on the Harlem Division started running over the new drawbridge over the Harlem River and the elevated structure connecting to it 33 As part of the project the line north of 106th Street to the Harlem River was elevated so that it could reach the height of the new four track drawbridge the only one in the country at the time The project was known as the Park Avenue Improvement The new line went via a steel viaduct replacing a masonry viaduct and an open cut The 400 feet 120 m bridge was built for about 500 000 by the King Bridge Company The new bridge is 24 feet 7 3 m higher than the old bridge as mandated by the Federal Government During the course of construction trains ran over a temporary wooden structure along with a temporary wooden drawbridge The station at Mott Haven on the Bronx side of the Harlem River had to be elevated The entire cost was 2 million 26 34 On October 15 1897 a spacious new station in Harlem was opened at 125th Street replacing a small dingy station in the old Park Avenue open cut The new station was built atop the old open cut and directly under the new Park Avenue Viaduct The platforms which were built on the viaduct were built to be 400 feet 120 m long 35 As part of the construction of Grand Central Terminal in the early 1900s all of New York Central s lines that ran into the terminal were electrified Third rail was installed on the Hudson and Harlem Divisions while the New Haven Division received overhead wires on the segments that were not shared with the Harlem and Hudson Division 36 In November 1907 the first electric train operated on the Harlem Division running between Grand Central Terminal and Wakefield 37 On October 10 1909 the New York Central began installing third rail between Mount Vernon and White Plains 38 On March 14 1910 electric service was extended to North White Plains Passengers that used the Upper Harlem Division were attracted to this cleaner faster service 39 225 In July 1909 the New York State Public Service Commission ordered that the New York Central Railroad eliminate grade crossings at Hamilton Avenue Railroad Avenue and Tibbits Avenue in White Plains and construct a new station The project was estimated to cost 200 000 with the village and state each funding one quarter of the cost and the railroad paying the remainder of the cost Tibbits Avenue would be put into a 24 foot 7 3 m wide tunnel underneath the rail line done about 810 feet 250 m north of the existing crossing with a clearance of 12 feet 3 7 m Railroad Avenue would be put in a 75 foot 23 m wide tunnel with a 50 foot 15 m wide roadway and sidewalks with a maximum clearance of 13 feet 4 0 m An additional crossing of the rail line would be provided approximately 605 feet 184 m to the north of Railroad Avenue 40 Property values along the line increased Other improvements were made to the Harlem Division at the same time grade crossings were being eliminated tracks were being straightened and new stations were built at White Plains and Mount Vernon 41 In March 1910 the New York Central did not yet begin work on improvements to the line at White Plains and adjacent stations as work on improvements at West Mount Vernon were still underway This included the filling in of the new roadbed west of the existing station As part of the project a viaduct was constructed to eliminate the dangerous grade crossing in Yonkers at Railroad Avenue and Mount Vernon Avenue A new freight station was built As part of the project there would be no grade along the line from White Plains to Mount Vernon The roadbed at Hartsdale and Scarsdale would be lowered to reduce grades 42 In 1910 a yard dating back to the 1870s in Dover Plains was relocated to Putnam Junction in Brewster 4 17 1 On October 18 1930 the Public Service Commission PSC listed the elimination of a grade crossing in Amenia Benson crossing as one of its projects to consider The cost estimate for eliminating it was 100 000 43 The New York Central operated the Berkshire Hills Express and several other through trains to Pittsfield and North Adams along this route to Chatham then the NYC s Boston amp Albany mainline to Pittsfield and the B amp A s North Adams branch to North Adams into the mid 1940s with dining service 44 1950s and 1960s edit In 1950 the through service to North Adams was trimmed to a shuttle from Chatham to North Adams requiring a transfer at Chatham 45 Passenger service between Chatham and North Adams ended in 1953 46 However the Berkshire Scenic Railway now operates a 5 mile tourist train between North Adams and Adams Mass On September 11 1952 the New York Central s next to last steam powered train run in the New York City Metropolitan area ran on the Harlem Division being replaced by diesel locomotives 47 However the diesels began wearing out in the 1970s leading to a decline in service 48 The last New York City Metropolitan area New York Central steam train left Harmon for Albany and points west on August 7 1953 behind NYC Niagara 4 8 4 6020 after which the entire New York Central system became dieselized east of Buffalo and east of Cleveland Ohio the following month 49 On December 20 1956 the state opened up bids for the elimination of grade crossings in Pleasantville Planned for 25 years this was expected to cost 3 857 million The crossings to be eliminated were at Manville and Bedford Roads The tracks were lowered for 7 000 feet 2 100 m and the two roads were bridged over the railroad The station at Pleasantville was moved 50 On August 12 1960 the PSC ordered the New York Central to continue the level of service to Chatham until it determined how much service was required The Central had wanted to cut one train each way daily leaving only one round trip 51 Starting on October 25 1961 some trains became equipped with two way radio communication on the Harlem Line to test the technology with the hope of adding them to all commuter trains on the New York Central They were meant to be used when delays in service occurred 52 On January 10 1964 the PSC approved plans by the New York Central to implement zoned fares in the southern part of the New York commutation area north to North White Plains The plan went into effect on January 22 Though it was meant to be experimental and to last one year this was kept in place 53 On July 1 1964 expanded off peak local and express service was implemented on a pilot basis On February 1 1965 the New York Central began operating zone schedules for some outbound evening rush hour trains It expanded this to some inbound morning rush hour trains to Grand Central on June 28 1965 The implementation of zone scheduling was intended to speed trains service and reduce delays Three additional morning inbound trains were added to facilitate the new zone schedule Four zones were set up Fleetwood and Mount Vernon were in Zone A Crestwood Tuckahoe and Bronxville were in Zone B Hartsdale and Scarsdale were in Zone C and White Plains North and White Plains were in Zone D Zone schedules operated as follows the first train ran non stop to Grand Central from the closest zone Zone A The second train would serve Zone B stops and run non stop to Grand Central the third would run non stop to Grand Central after making Zone C stops and the fourth would do the same but for Zone D stops 54 From June 28 to October 31 1965 train 908 leaving Brewster at 7 23 a m and train 945 leaving Grand Central at 5 39 on a pilot basis began running as through trains without the need to change locomotives at White Plains North Station using a pair of dual power locomotives leased from the New York New Haven and Hartford Railroad 54 Decline under Penn Central edit At the end of World War II private rail service began a sharp decline with the start of the Jet Age in 1958 and the construction of the Interstate Highway System 55 177 NYC facing declining year over year profits merged in 1968 with its former rival the Pennsylvania Railroad forming the Penn Central Transportation Company 56 Penn Central continued to lose money and attempted several maneuvers to delay bankruptcy including auctioning off the air rights of Grand Central Terminal 57 the Pennsylvania Railroad had done the same thing to Penn Station 58 However this approval was denied and the denial was affirmed in Penn Central Transportation Co v New York City a 1978 decision by the United States Supreme Court 59 60 In May 1970 Penn Central planned to discontinue service from Dover Plains to Chatham when Amtrak declined to take over that service However the New York Attorney General maintained that this service was within the commuter area and therefore not subject to discontinuation Without the objection this service would have been eliminated on May 1 1971 when Amtrak passenger service went into effect The Interstate Commerce Commission ICC held hearings on this in May 1971 and it ruled on June 28 1971 that the service to Chatham was intercity not commuter On that same day a bill that would have extended the power of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to Chatham was vetoed by Governor Nelson Rockefeller On July 31 1971 Penn Central announced that it would discontinue all service to Chatham the following day The railroad claimed that it lost 300 000 a year on the one round trip between Chatham and Grand Central 61 62 The Attorney General appealed the ICC s ruling and this appeal was tried in March 1972 but failed resulting in the discontinuation of service from Dover Plains to Chatham on March 20 1972 Penn Central operated the last southbound passenger train between Chatham and Grand Central Terminal on March 20 1972 ending service in the middle of the day Train 935 which was scheduled to leave Grand Central at 4 25 PM and run to Chatham was cut back to Dover Plains With no scheduled return trip to Chatham passengers who had gone south in the morning were left stranded with service going only as far north as Dover Plains 52 miles shy of Chatham 63 62 Tracks were removed north of Millerton shortly thereafter The cutback of service to Chatham was strongly opposed by the Harlem Valley Transportation Association which was led by Lettie Gay Carson 4 26 67 Prior to the discontinuation of service to Chatham the quality of service on the line decreased Trains that could once run the 127 miles 204 km to Chatham in 2 hours 45 minutes now took 3 hours and 45 minutes Service had been decreased from five trains a day to one train in each direction As service was discontinued a bill was put before the State Legislature that would have authorized the state to run trains to Chatham between New York and Montreal and from Albany toward Boston The bill did not pass 62 On July 2 1973 as part of a series of service cuts the Penn Central closed the 138th Street Morrisania and 183rd Street stations in the South Bronx and Holland Avenue station in White Plains although that one was replaced 64 The Metropolitan Transportation Authority MTA leased the line south of Dover Plains from Penn Central on June 1 1972 On March 28 1980 the last freight train ran between Dover Plains and Millerton and the line was abandoned three days later after the line s largest shipper decided to switch to using trucks 65 66 211 All freight service ended in 1993 4 17 2 and 18 1 Most of the remaining tracks between Wassaic and Chatham were removed and sold for scrap decades ago Part of the track remain in the early 2000s in Chatham from the station to the intersection of Routes 203 and 66 Eventually this section of this track was removed except for a small part that points south In 1989 New York State purchased 21 miles 34 km of the right of way between Wassaic and Copake Falls for the development of the Harlem Valley Rail Trail The segment of the line that ran from Wassaic to Craryville New York is now under control of the Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association which has trails between Wassaic to the former Millerton station and between Under Mountain Road and Copake Falls known as the Harlem Valley Rail Trail Indeed as of 2021 the New York State Office of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation is working with a group of several prominent county officials and private rail trail advocacy organizations to create a continuous 46 15 mile rail trail all the way from Wassaic to Chatham within several years In fact New York State already owns a substantial portion of the requisite right of way 67 Growth under Metro North edit High level platforms edit In April 1971 a project to install high level platforms at stations along the Harlem Line started This was necessary as the new Metropolitan cars did not have any stairs to reach the low level platforms By having high level platforms dwell times could be cut in half Most of the new platforms were built as island platforms These cars started entering into service in September 1971 68 31 At the same time reverse signaling was installed to allow trains to use either track in either direction enabling both tracks to be used in one direction during the peak of the rush hour 69 On September 10 1974 the MTA announced that work would start on the construction of high level platforms at eleven stations in Manhattan and the Bronx including at the Wakefield Woodlawn Williamsbridge Botanical Garden Fordham and Tremont stations on the Harlem Line The entire project cost 2 8 million The work was expected to be completed in the late summer of 1975 As part of the work the stations on the Harlem Line received 340 feet 100 m long cast in place concrete platforms The abandoned station building at Woodlawn was removed as part of the project 70 On March 15 1975 these cars started stopping at the Melrose Tremont Fordham Botanical Garden Williamsbridge Woodlawn and Wakefield stations on the Harlem Line with the partial completion of their high level platforms However initially they only served the stations during weekends and early mornings and evenings on weekdays until the platform work was completed 71 Electrification edit The extension of electric service to Brewster had been discussed since the late 1920s Numerous improvement studies were undertaken to evaluate the feasibility and benefits of extending electrification north from North White Plains In 1976 the MTA undertook a study on the existing traction power system and it identified extending electric service to Brewster as a priority 39 225 In December 1978 the MTA applied to the Urban Mass Transportation Administration UMTA for 30 million in funding to extend electrification along the Harlem Line from North White Plains to Brewster North which became a stop on August 3 1981 now known as Southeast The MTA s application for funding was granted with the remainder of the money coming from a New York State bond issue from 1974 72 On February 8 1980 Metro North announced its plan to extend electrification to Brewster 65 On November 25 1980 the MTA s chairman Richard Ravitch announced that 3 billion should be spent to expand and improve transit service As part of the plan he proposed extending electrification to Brewster for which planning was underway and proposed building a third track along the Harlem Line between North White Plains and Mount Vernon West for 30 million 73 On February 5 1981 UMTA approved the contract for the third rail required for the project 72 For an additional 45 million high level platforms were installed to reduce dwell times and electric substations were built to supply the power needed for third rail operation The project was approved by Governor Hugh Carey after Upper Harlem Line riders and commuter organizations dissatisfied by the line s service petitioned for the project Initially the work was to be completed by the end of 1983 but due to a strike its completion was delayed to 1984 Initially service was provided with a mixture of new and old electric cars but these were replaced by the new M3As Work on the project was completed during off peak hours to allow for service on the line to be maintained Thirteen of the stations received new high level center island platforms Mount Pleasant station got side platforms while the station at Thornwood was closed because of excessive curvature of the track which would have resulted in a large gap between the train and the platform The new stations received glass enclosed overpasses and elevators 74 The first electric train ran on April 30 1984 beginning at Brewster North As additional new M3As were put into service that spring electric service increased On September 1 1984 a new schedule was put out and running times decreased by 18 minutes on peak hour trains 39 238 On September 10 1984 super express service was inaugurated on the Harlem Line with some trains running non stop between Katonah and Grand Central The last diesel train left Brewster on November 2 1984 marking the completion of the electrification project 65 As a result of the project there was tremendous ridership growth on this portion of the line 74 Prior to the project the line was operated primarily in two zones electric service south of North White Plains and diesel through service or shuttle service consisting of Budd Rail Diesel Cars to the north Service to the north of Brewster North the new terminal for electric service continued to be run with diesel through service or shuttle service 66 527 Between 1984 and 1994 the Brewster and Brewster North stations the two northernmost stations in the electrified zone experienced 135 percent growth and stations on the Dover Plains Branch experienced 440 growth 4 1 9 On April 14 1986 the MTA released a study on the future of the non electrified section of the Harlem Line between Brewster North and Dover Plains According to the study maintaining service would require major improvements to the four stations on this line segment including new lighting canopies and platforms and improved waiting areas Five options were considered in the study rebuilding the kind of train cars already used on the line reassigning self propelled cars from other lines which would receive new rolling stock purchasing rail buses motorized vehicles that run on track replacing trains with buses to Brewster North and discontinuing service A public hearing was scheduled to take place on the study on June 7 1986 75 In June 1986 MTA and Metro North officials said it was unlikely that service would be discontinued At the time about 70 percent of riders along this section of the line drove to Brewster North which had more frequent service In addition about 100 riders traveled southbound from the four stations on any given weekday It was estimated that over 700 000 a year could be saved by replacing trains with buses A decision on service north of Brewster North was expected within six months by two MTA Board members 76 77 On February 26 1988 the MTA board approved plans to close Melrose station A spokesman for Metro North said that the station was being land banked and was being boarded up allowing it to be reopened if ridership increased 78 The decision was strongly opposed by Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer who said that the agency created a self fulfilling prophecy by failing to promote the station and by not maintaining it Service at the station was very infrequent and as a result local residents did not consider using it 66 74 On March 30 1988 two days before the planned closure of the station on April 1 Ferrer held a press conference with other Bronx political leaders outside the station protesting the MTA s decision Ferrer led a tour of the station showing its use by drug addicts and its state of disrepair He said that Metro North should be working to improve the station and better market the service instead of closing it At the time workers were sinking cement posts to board up the station in preparation for its closing 79 Metro North planned to close the station on April 1 1988 but delayed it by ninety days at the request of Bronx officials 80 81 Melrose was removed from the April 3 1988 timetable in anticipation of its closing 82 but was reinstated on the June 19 1988 timetable as the station never did close 83 84 On August 16 1989 Metro North announced that it had dropped plans to close the station The station had been kept open cleaned up and the issue was reviewed at the request of Ferrer 85 Upper Harlem improvements edit The introduction of new coaches allowed for improvements in service on the Dover Plains Branch The first peak through service since the 1970s was inaugurated in October 1991 At the same time a Sunday night through train was added The reduced travel times made the line more attractive to commuters In 1994 Metro North conducted a train movement analysis of service on the branch to determine whether trains would pass one another based on speeds and the condition of tracks As a result a new 1 000 feet 0 30 km passing siding was constructed at Wingdale increasing service flexibility and allowing for increased service in 1996 Also around this time 447 additional parking spaces were added to stations on the Branch In 1996 four car length high level platforms with heated shelters were built at Patterson Pawling Harlem Valley Wingdale and Dover Plains replacing low level platforms that could only accommodate two cars These platforms were made to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 Travel times could be reduced further as it would take less time for passengers to exit and board the trains 4 1 6 to 1 7 26 12 and 26 28 A new station Appalachian Trail was built in 1990 86 for the cost of 10 000 87 Its creation was the suggestion of George Zoebelein who was an avid hiker and a veteran of the NY NJ Trail Conference as well as both the NY NJ Appalachian Trail Conferences and also served as a member of the Metro North Railroad Commuter Council MNRCC of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee PCAC to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority It is one of three limited service stops operated by Metro North primarily for hikers the other two being Breakneck Ridge and Manitou on the Hudson Line 87 This is the only rail station on the 2 144 miles 3 450 km long trail 87 On December 9 1992 the ICC authorized Conrail to convey its freight rights on the Harlem Line north of North White Plains to the Danbury Terminal Railway Company DTRC In 1995 the ICC directed the DTRC to discontinue freight operations on the line as it had not been used for freight service in several years 4 13 6 Restoration of service to Wassaic edit In 1993 Metro North announced plans to restore service north of Dover Plains to Wassaic Initially the project was estimated to cost 12 8 million The extension was intended to help revive the community of Wassaic and to turn it into a hub where passengers would come from Litchfield County in Connecticut the Berkshires in Massachusetts and from Vermont 88 On October 19 1995 the town of Amenia passed a resolution supporting the Harlem Line s extension by 6 miles 9 7 km to Wassaic 89 On January 23 1997 Metro North acquired the property necessary for the extension of service on the Upper Harlem Division to Wassaic In August 1997 the Final Environmental Impact Study for the Wassaic extension was completed recommending that the preferred option the extension of service to Wassaic be completed 4 1 17 One of the rejected alternatives was the restoration of service to Millerton and Mount Riga in Dutchess County A layover yard would have also been built as part of this alternative This alternative was rejected due to the presence of the Harlem Valley Rail Trail and replacing it with rail service would have required an in kind replacement of any taking of parkland Since a majority of the line was not owned by Metro North it was viewed as being cost prohibitive 4 2 4 2 9 and 2 13 In July 1998 Metro North announced the names for the new stations on the extension Tenmile River and Wassaic 90 In 1998 it was announced that platforms at eight stations on the Harlem Line would be extended as part of 73 million in station improvements Platforms at Hawthorne Pleasantville Mount Kisco Bedford Hills Katonah and Goldens Bridge would be extended two cars This work was not expected to begin until 2000 In addition work would be done at Mount Vernon West to eliminate a gap between a canopy and the top of the stairs to design the rehabilitation of overpasses at Hartsdale Scarsdale Crestwood and Tuckahoe to rehabilitate an underpass at North White Plains to repair a platform and fencing at Chappaqua to replace an asphalt path to an elevator at Crestwood to rehabilitate an overpass at Pleasantville to design a new overpass at Goldens Bridge and to repair stairs and an elevator shaft at Valhalla Additional projects would ensure canopies windows and other elements were in good shape at Brewster Croton Falls and Purdys would move a police substation into a building and move a ticket office to a more convenient location at White Plains and design work for a platform extension a new overpass and potentially new track at Brewster North Work to rehabilitate a station building at Bronxville was 90 percent complete at the time Additional projects were planned on the Hudson and New Haven Lines Some stations would receive the first major work done in 15 to 20 years 91 In April 1999 the MTA put out bids to purchase signal equipment to go along 28 miles 45 km of the line from Brewster to Wassaic The signal system was bi directional with cab signaling 92 On July 9 2000 93 Metro North restored service between Dover Plains and Wassaic a move the railroad billed as its first service expansion since it was created in 1983 5 94 As part of the project the trailhead of the Harlem Valley Rail Trail was moved from milepoint 81 6 to milepoint 82 6 152 feet 1 875 m of right of way had to be acquired from the New York State Office of Parks Recreation and Historical Preservation To make up for this loss 490 800 was received by the Transportation Enhancement Program to design and construct an access pathway from Wassaic station to the new trailhead 4 23 3 and Appendix H 1 Wassaic was designed as and is a regional transportation hub for people living and going to Dutchess County in New York Litchfield County in Connecticut and for Western Massachusetts The station was built with a 250 space parking lot that with expansion could have 1000 parking spaces and with a layover yard and a light maintenance facility One of the goals of the expansion was to provide additional parking capacity for the line Prior to the opening of the yard at Wassaic trains terminating at Dover Plains had to deadhead 23 miles to get to the yard at Southeast reducing capacity on the line while being very costly A station was also opened at Tenmile River to serve the Taconic Developmental Disabilities Service Office Under an alternative plan this would have been the terminus of the line 4 1 14 and S 1 to S 3 In order to build ridership the extension has received the same amount of service as has the line south of Dover Plains with four AM and four PM rush hour trains with direct service to Grand Central 95 96 In fact since 1984 weekday ridership on trains to Dover Plains increased by 463 percent to a total of 535 people riding south daily The extension cost 6 million 5 The extension also eased the commutes of people coming from Massachusetts 6 In the early 2000s through 2002 Metro North completed its Upper Harlem Station Improvement Project As part of the project stations from Valhalla to Brewster had their platforms extended received modified elevators repairs to their roofs canopies and platforms improvements to their entrances the replacement of windows and improved platform lighting 97 On April 1 2001 work began on several projects to improve the line s right of way including the replacement of the bridge that carries the Harlem Line over the Bronx River north of Woodlawn station and the extension of platforms at Purdy s and Goldens Bridge to fit eight car trains 98 Mid Harlem third track project edit Early in 1994 Metro North announced plans to build a third track along 2 5 miles 4 0 km of the Harlem Line between Mount Vernon West and Crestwood to increase capacity and to eliminate a bottleneck 99 At the time Harlem Line ridership was growing with an expected 31 million people using the line in 2020 Without the construction of an additional track only one southbound peak hour train could have been added without cutting local service express service or reverse peak service 100 In August 2001 construction on the 57 million project began 101 The project was completed in 2004 The Fleetwood and Crestwood stations were expanded through the adding of island platforms to allow for the third track to stop there The right of way was wide enough to fit the third track requiring no taking of property The plan for the installation of a third track was first conceived in 1989 but it was faced with strong community opposition due to concerns over noise and vibrations Once opened the third track resulted in improved service Reverse peak trains were able to run every 30 minutes instead of every 90 minutes helping fuel a 30 percent increase in ridership along the line through Southern Westchester and the Bronx Most of the new reverse peak users came from the Bronx The increased service helped revitalize White Plains downtown helping anchor the economy of central Westchester 102 Express trains could skip stops via the express track while additional local trains could make stops in Westchester and the Bronx 103 Purchase by the MTA edit On November 13 2018 the MTA announced its intent to purchase the Hudson and Harlem Lines as well as the Grand Central Terminal for up to 35 065 million plus a discount rate of 6 25 1 The purchase would include all inventory operations improvements and maintenance associated with each asset except for the air rights over Grand Central At the time the Hudson and Harlem Lines were owned by a holding company that had taken possession of Penn Central s assets upon its bankruptcy while the Grand Central Terminal was owned by Midtown TDR Ventures Under the terms of the leases for each asset the MTA would only be able to exercise an option to purchase the three assets before October 2019 104 The MTA s finance committee approved the proposed purchase on November 13 2018 and the purchase was approved by the full board two days later 105 106 The deal finally closed in March 2020 with the MTA taking ownership of the terminal and rail lines 107 Following this purchase the MTA has owned the entirety of the Harlem Line The agency had previously acquired the segment north of Dover Plains in 1990 when Harlem Line service was extended on this trackage 1 108 Incidents edit On February 3 2015 a Harlem line train struck a car on the tracks near Valhalla and caught fire killing six people 109 110 Future editWith the entire existing track in use since service to Wassaic was restored in 2000 there is little talk of expansion or branching However Metro North will revisit a future extension northward if circumstances change 4 26 12 When plans were drawn up for extending the line northward from Dover Plains the goal for Metro North was to extend the line as far north as possible for a new yard and to attract the most new passengers Wassaic was the best site and service was not extended to Millerton as the Harlem Valley Rail Trail was using the right of way 111 This directly contrasts one of the main purposes of rail trails to preserve the right of way to allow for rail service to be restored in the future 112 In the 2015 2034 MTA Twenty Year Capital Needs Assessment two possible Harlem Line projects that would provide capacity to deal with increasing ridership and to expand service are mentioned The first is the extension of a third track from Crestwood north to North White Plains This would allow for increased reverse peak service increased local and express service the same goals of the original third track project from Mount Vernon West to Crestwood The second project would be the construction of a new flyover at Woodlawn at the junction with the New Haven Line However funding for these projects has not been identified as there are ongoing needs to maintain basic infrastructure 113 26 77 Branches editThe Harlem Line currently has no operational branches Under New York Central ownership it previously operated a 7 22 mi 11 62 km branch to Lake Mahopac to a connection with the Putnam Division This line was originally a subsidiary known as the New York and Mahopac Railroad 1871 1880 and had one station between the two lines in Lincolndale The line opened on June 17 1872 and it extended to Golden s Bridge It cost 266 000 to build it 114 After the discontinuance of passenger service on the Putnam Division in 1958 the Central operated a shuttle service known as around the horn which continued on Putnam Division trackage north of Lake Mahopac to Mahopac Carmel and Brewster where it reconnected with the Harlem Division main line This service lasted until 1959 115 The only active remnant of this branch is a wye north of Brewster station known as Putnam Junction 116 There are some remains of the right of way of the branch including a bridge just west of the Golden s Bridge station which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places North of Brewster is a connection with Metro North s Beacon Line which was purchased by Metro North in 1995 for preservation for future use There are currently no plans for branch service on this line which runs north and west to Hopewell Junction and then south and west to Beacon It also runs east to Danbury but a reverse move would be required 117 In October 2000 Metro North undertook a study to determine whether it was feasible to restore passenger service to the line between Hopewell Junction and Brewster Service if operated during peak hours would have run directly to Grand Central while they would have run as a shuttle during other times ending at Southeast The introduction of the line would have reduced ridership on the Wassaic Branch by 20 Two shuttles would have run exclusively on the Beacon Line while three Upper Harlem Line trains would have been extended from Southeast to Hopewell Junction The study determined that at the time it did not make sense to restore service on the line 118 ES 1 to ES 10 On February 26 2021 Metro North announced it would file with the Surface Transportation Board to deactivate the Beacon Line rendering it abandoned 119 Port Morris Branch edit See also Spuyten Duyvil and Port Morris Railroad The freight only Port Morris Branch split from the Harlem Line within the South Bronx in the southbound direction The Port Morris branch was part of a line which was originally part of the Spuyten Duyvil and Port Morris Railroad which was established in 1842 22 The railroad was bought by the New York and Harlem Railroad in 1853 and the segment north of Mott Haven Junction became part of the NYC Hudson Division The Port Morris Branch began at a wye north of Melrose Station then extended southeast through The Hub through a tunnel under St Mary s Park 120 and finally Port Morris along the East River just after crossing a bridge beneath the Harlem River and Port Chester Branch of the New York New Haven and Hartford Railroad The only two stations along this branch were at Westchester Avenue between Brook and St Mary s Avenues and at Port Morris itself across the river from North Brother Island 121 After the construction of the Oak Point Link at the Bronx s southern tip 122 and its subsequent opening in 1998 123 trains stopped operating along the Port Morris Branch in 1999 124 125 Formal abandonment was declared in 2003 when CSX Transportation declared that the branch could be vacated due to the lack of use in the preceding two years 126 Rolling stock editOn the electrified portions of the line M3As and M7As are usually used As with the Hudson Line diesel powered trains are operated by dual mode Genesis and BL20 GH locomotives paired with Shoreliner coaches While some peak period trains operate directly to and from Grand Central Terminal most Harlem Line diesel only territory is operated as shuttle service between Southeast where electrification ends and Wassaic 29 miles 47 km north in Dutchess County Stations editZone Location Station Miles km 127 Date opened Date closed Connections notes1 Manhattan Grand Central Terminal nbsp 0 0 0 October 6 1871 128 Metro North Railroad Hudson Line New Haven LineNew York City Subway 4 5 6 lt 6 gt 7 lt 7 gt and S at Grand Central 42nd Street New York City Bus M42 M101 M102 M103 SIM4C SIM6 SIM11 SIM22 SIM26MTA Bus BxM159th Street Built during the late 1870s although trains never stopped here 129 72nd Street June 23 1901 130 86th Street 2 2 3 5 May 15 1876 27 June 23 1901 130 110th Street 3 4 5 5 May 15 1876 27 June 17 1906 4 Harlem 125th Street nbsp 4 2 6 8 October 25 1897 66 Metro North Railroad Hudson Line New Haven LineNew York City Subway 4 5 6 and lt 6 gt at 125th Street New York City Bus Bx15 M35 M60 SBS M98 M100 M1012 The Bronx138th Street 5 0 8 0 c 1858 July 2 1973 64 Melrose 6 1 9 8 c 1890 131 New York City Bus Bx6 Bx13 Bx32 Bx41 Bx41 SBSMorrisania 6 7 10 8 c 1858 132 July 2 1973 64 Claremont Park c 1960 133 116 Tremont 7 8 12 6 c 1890 131 New York City Bus Bx15 Bx36 Bx40 Bx41 Bx42 Bx55183rd Street 8 5 13 7 July 2 1973 64 Fordham nbsp 8 9 14 3 March 1 1841 17 Metro North Railroad New Haven LineNew York City Bus Bx9 Bx12 Bx12 SBS Bx15 Bx17 Bx22 Bx34 Bx41 Bx41 SBSMTA Bus BxM4Bee Line Bus 60 61 62Botanical Garden nbsp 9 5 15 3 c 1893 134 New York City Bus Bx26 Bx41 Bx41 SBSWilliams Bridge 10 5 16 9 September 3 1842 135 New York City Subway 2 and 5 at Gun Hill Road New York City Bus Bx28 Bx30 Bx38 Bx39 Bx41 Bx41 SBSMTA Bus BxM11Woodlawn 11 8 19 0 1848 New York City Subway 2 and 5 at 233rd Street New York City Bus Bx16 Bx31 Bx39MTA Bus BxM11Bee Line Bus 42Wakefield 12 6 20 3 New York City Subway 2 at Wakefield 241st Street New York City Bus Bx39MTA Bus BxM11Bee Line Bus 40 41 42 433 Mount Vernon Mount Vernon West nbsp 13 1 21 1 1914 136 Bee Line Bus 7 26 91Fleetwood nbsp 14 3 23 0 October 25 1924 137 Bee Line Bus 26 55Bronxville Bronxville nbsp 15 3 24 6 1916 116 136 Bee Line Bus 26 30 52Tuckahoe Tuckahoe nbsp 16 0 25 7 July 2 1844 138 Bee Line Bus 8Crestwood nbsp 16 8 27 0 19014 Scarsdale Scarsdale nbsp 18 9 30 4 December 1 1844 135 139 Bee Line Bus 63 64 65 66Greenburgh Hartsdale nbsp 20 6 33 2 December 1 1844 135 139 Bee Line Bus 34 38 39White Plains White Plains nbsp 22 4 36 0 December 1 1844 135 139 Bee Line Bus 1W 3 5 6 11 12 13 14 15 17 20 21 27 40 41 60 62 63 77 79 A B C D F HCTtransit Stamford I BUSTransport of Rockland Tappan Zee ExpressHolland Avenue 24 0 38 6 December 21 1971 116 Formerly used to switch between electric and diesel locomotivesNorth White Plains nbsp 24 0 38 6 1972 116 Bee Line Bus 65 Mount Pleasant Valhalla nbsp 25 4 40 9 1846 Bee Line Bus 6Kensico Cemetery 26 4 42 5 December 1891 140 1983 116 Mount Pleasant 27 2 43 8 Limited service stopHawthorne nbsp 28 2 45 4 1847 Bee Line Bus 15Thornwood 29 4 47 3 c 1891 March 5 1984 141 Pleasantville Pleasantville nbsp 30 5 49 1 October 1846 17 Bee Line Bus 6 15 19New Castle Chappaqua nbsp 32 4 52 1 1902 132 Bee Line Bus 196 Mount Kisco Mount Kisco nbsp 36 7 59 1 c 1858 132 Bee Line Bus 19Terminal for select peak trainsBedford Bedford Hills nbsp 39 1 62 9 Bee Line Bus 19Katonah nbsp 41 1 66 1 June 1 1847 142 Bee Line Bus 19HARTransit Ridgefield Katonah ShuttleLewisboro Goldens Bridge nbsp 43 6 70 2 7 North Salem Purdy s nbsp 46 1 74 2 Croton Falls nbsp 47 8 76 9 June 1 1847 142 Short Line Bus Croton Falls ShuttleBrewster Brewster nbsp 52 0 83 7 December 31 1848 143 144 HARTransit 3 Danbury Brewster ShuttlePutnam Transit 1Southeast Southeast nbsp 53 2 85 6 HARTransit New Fairfield Southeast ShuttleNorthern terminus of electrificationDykeman s 54 7 88 0 December 31 1848 143 144 c 1968PattersonTowner s 57 9 93 2 December 31 1848 143 144 c 19688 Patterson nbsp 60 2 96 9 December 31 1848 143 144 Putnam Transit 3Village of Pawling Pawling nbsp 63 8 102 7 December 31 1848 143 144 Dutchess County LOOP ETown of Pawling Appalachian Trail 65 9 106 1 April 1 1990 86 Limited service stop9 Dover Harlem Valley Wingdale nbsp 69 0 111 0 c 1930 sWingdale 69 8 112 3 116 December 31 1848 143 144 October 30 1977Dover Furnace 72 5 116 7 116 December 31 1848 145 c 1968Dover Plains nbsp 76 5 123 1 December 31 1848 143 144 Dutchess County LOOP D10 Amenia Tenmile River nbsp 80 0 128 7 July 9 2000 Dutchess County LOOP DWassaic nbsp 82 0 132 0 May 10 1852 146 July 9 2000 March 20 1972 147 Amenia 85 0 136 8 May 10 1852 146 March 20 1972 147 Sharon 87 8 141 3 1873 116 North East Coleman s 89 0 143 2 1851 116 Millerton Millerton 92 7 149 2 May 10 1852 146 March 20 1972 147 North East Mount Riga 95 9 154 3 May 10 1852 146 Ancram Boston Corners 99 8 160 6 Copake Copake Falls 104 8 168 7 March 20 1972 147 Hillsdale Hillsdale 108 9 175 3 March 20 1972 147 Copake Craryville 111 7 179 8 May 10 1852 146 March 20 1972 147 Hillsdale Martindale 115 5 185 9 May 10 1852 146 Philmont Philmont 118 9 191 4 May 10 1852 146 March 20 1972 147 Ghent Ghent 124 9 201 0 May 10 1852 146 Junction with Boston and Albany Railroad Hudson BranchChatham Union Station 127 5 205 2 December 21 1841May 10 1852 146 March 20 1972 147 Junction with Boston and Albany Railroad Main Line and Rutland RailroadLake Mahopac Branch edit This section needs expansion You can help by adding to it September 2019 Built by the New York and Mahopac Railroad in 1871 the Lake Mahopac Branch diverges from the Harlem Line north of Goldens Bridge and merged with the now defunct Putnam Division south of Mahopac Known to some residents of Mahopac as the Golden s Bridge Branch The entire branch was abandoned on April 2 1959 148 Station Miles km from GCT 127 Dateopened Dateclosed Connections notesGoldens Bridge nbsp 43 6 70 2 April 2 1959 Connection to the Harlem DivisionLincolndale April 2 1959Shenorock Prior to April 2 1959Lake Mahopac April 2 1959Port Morris Branch edit This section needs expansion You can help by adding to it September 2019 The entire line was used exclusively for freight 23 It diverged from the Harlem Line at Melrose and terminated at Port Morris east of the Oak Point Yard The line was formally abandoned in 2004 Station Miles km from GCT 127 Dateopened Dateclosed Connections notesMelrose 6 1 9 8 c 1890 131 New York City Bus Bx6 Bx13 Bx32 Bx41 Bx41 SBSWestchester AvenuePort MorrisNotes edit a b c MTA to Purchase Grand Central Terminal Harlem Line and Hudson Line for 35 Million Press release New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority MTA Headquarters November 13 2018 Retrieved September 21 2019 2022 MNR Ridership Report Appendix Metropolitan Transportation Authority Retrieved November 18 2023 Moser Emily September 21 2012 The Harlem Line and the color blue I Ride The Harlem Line Retrieved June 19 2017 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Wassaic Extension Project Environmental Impact Statement Metropolitan Transportation Authority August 1997 a b c Rowe Claudia July 9 2000 Road and Rail 6 Miles for 6 Million The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved June 19 2017 a b Ames Lynn March 31 1996 The View From Dover Plains With Riders of the 6 33 A Train Like No Other The New York Times Retrieved June 13 2018 Kazmi Aleeza October 16 2018 Positive Train Control Testing Begins On LIRR Metro North WSHU Retrieved August 15 2019 Hyatt 1898 pp 5 7 a b c d e f g h i Grogan Louis V 1989 The Coming of the New York and Harlem Railroad Louis V Grogan ISBN 0962120650 a b The Financial Limitations Of Our Fore Fathers Railroad Branch of the Young Men s Christian Association of the City of New York 1901 pp 350 352 Meyers Stephen L 2005 Manhattan s Lost Streetcars Arcadia Publishing ISBN 9780738538846 Hyatt 1898 pp 8 10 Hyatt 1898 p 8 Hyatt 1898 p 13 New York City and Vicinity Map brooklynrail net 1860 Retrieved June 20 2017 Hyatt 1898 pp 9 10 a b c Hyatt 1898 p 14 a b Reports of Decisions of the Public Service Commission First District of the State of New York Volume VIII January 1 1917 to December 31 1917 New York State Public Service Commission 1918 Hyatt 1898 pp 15 amp 17 The Official Guide of the Railways and Steam Navigation Lines of the United States Porto Rico Canada Mexico and Cuba National Railway Publication Company 1907 pp 226 310 Central New England Railroad and Connections Map Wikimedia Commons Central New England Railroad 1901 Retrieved June 20 2017 a b The Harlem Division New York Central Historical Society October 15 2008 Retrieved June 20 2017 a b Anastasio Joe December 23 2009 Port Morris Branch The so called Bronx Swamp LTV Squad Retrieved June 20 2017 Hyatt 1898 p 27 Hyatt 1898 pp 25 26 a b Railroad Engineering in Harlem Progress of the Work of Elevating the Central s Tracks in Park Avenue PDF The New York Times August 23 1894 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved June 21 2017 a b c Partial Rapid Transit From the Grand Central Depot Arrangements for Quick Trains on the Harlem Road Trains to Run Next Monday Fares Time Rates of Commutation amp c PDF The New York Times May 12 1876 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved June 21 2017 Rapid Transit To and From Harlem PDF The New York Times April 13 1876 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved June 21 2017 In Memoriam Walter Katte Journal of the Western Society of Engineers January to December 1917 ed Western Society of Engineers 22 103 1917 Real Rapid Transit Near Uses of the Harlem Road s Depressed Tracks Trains To Run Often And To Carry Passengers Into Westchester County In Half An Hour The New York Times September 1 1889 Retrieved January 1 2018 Two Million Dollars For Improvements on the Harlem Branch of the New York Central Lincoln Journal Star January 10 1889 Retrieved January 1 2019 Wonderful if True American Machinist 13 28 12 13 July 10 1890 Hyatt 1898 p 25 To Raise the Central s Tracks The Park Avenue Improvement and the New Harlem Drawbridge PDF The New York Times April 24 1893 Retrieved June 21 2017 A New Railroad Station To be Opened Soon at 125th Street by the Central and Harlem River Roads PDF The New York Times October 8 1897 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved June 21 2017 Sprague J L Cunningham J J 2013 A Frank Sprague Triumph The Electrification of Grand Central Terminal History IEEE Power and Energy Magazine Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers IEEE 11 1 58 76 doi 10 1109 mpe 2012 2222293 ISSN 1540 7977 S2CID 6729668 Grogan Louis 1990 The coming of the New York and Harlem Railroad National Railway Historical Society Extends Its Electric Zone Harlem Division Laying Third Rail Between Mt Vernon and White Plains The New York Times October 10 1909 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved June 23 2017 a b c Marks George V Lall Bhagirath Committee American Society of Civil Engineers Public Transport October 1 1985 Organization and management of public transport projects proceedings of the specialty conference The Society ISBN 9780872624580 White Plains To Pay Part of Grade Elimination Scarsdale Inquirer July 23 1909 p 5 Retrieved July 4 2021 Electric Trains to White Plains Mch 15 New Service and New Cars on Harlem Division of New York Central PDF The New York Times March 6 1910 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved June 23 2017 The Work Of Improving The Harlem Road Scarsdale Inquirer March 8 1912 p 2 Retrieved July 4 2021 To Consider Crossing Plan State Commission Will Take Up Amenia Project This Year PDF The New York Times October 19 1930 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved June 23 2017 Official Guide of the Railways May 1946 New York Central section p 237 Table 91 New York Central June 1950 timetable Table 42 Karr Ronald Dale Lost Railroads of New England Pepperell MA Branch Line Press Third edition 2010 p 207 Folsom Merrill September 12 1952 Diesels Take Over N Y Central Runs Last Iron Horse Hauls Train on the Harlem Division Old Timers Are Sad The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved June 23 2017 Williams Gray 2006 New Castle Chappaqua and Millwood Arcadia Publishing ISBN 9780738539287 Steam Power of the New York Central System Volume 1 Modern Power 1915 1955 by Alvin F Staufer Westchester Set for Two Big Jobs State Opens Bids Dec 20 for Pleasantville Crossing and New Expressway Work The New York Times November 24 1956 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved June 23 2017 N Y Central Told to Maintain Runs Cut on Harlem Division Held in Abeyance Pending P S C Hearing on Aug 19 PDF The New York Times August 12 1960 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved June 23 2017 2 Way Radio Gets Test For Commuter Trains PDF The New York Times November 14 1961 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved June 23 2017 Zone Fare Proposal Of the N Y Central Approved by State The New York Times January 11 1964 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved June 23 2017 a b Announcing The Extension of New Zone Schedules Effective June 28 1965 Flickr New York Central System June 1965 pp 1 2 Langmead Donald 2009 Icons of American Architecture From the Alamo to the World Trade Center Greenwood Icons Greenwood Press ISBN 978 0 313 34207 3 Court Here Lets Railroads Consolidate Tomorrow Rail Merger Gets Final Clearance The New York Times 1968 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved February 1 2018 Fowler Glenn February 24 1968 Breuer to Design Terminal Tower Engaged by Briton for a 2d Project Over Grand Central The New York Times Retrieved December 24 2018 Tolchin Martin October 29 1963 Demolition Starts At Penn Station Architects Picket Penn Station Demolition Begun 6 Architects Call Act a Shame The New York Times Retrieved May 22 2018 Penn Central Transp Co v New York City 438 U S 104 135 U S 1978 Weaver Warren Jr June 27 1978 Ban onGrand Central Office T ower Is Upheld by Supreme Court 6 to 3 The New York Times Retrieved December 24 2018 Passenger Runs to Chatham On Penn Central End Today The New York Times August 1 1971 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved June 23 2017 a b c Faber Harold March 26 1972 Train Service to Upper Harlem Valley Terminated The New York Times p 60 Retrieved July 3 2011 Baer Christopher April 2015 A General Chronology of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company Its Predecessors and Successors and Its Historical Context PDF prrths com Retrieved June 20 2017 a b c d Mazza Frank June 7 1973 Penn C Will Ax 34 Runs Curfew for Grand Central New York Daily News p 5 Retrieved June 24 2019 via Newspapers com nbsp a b c Baer Christopher 2015 A General Chronolgy of the Successors of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and Their Historical Context PDF prrths com Retrieved June 19 2017 a b c d Empire State Report New York State Legislative Institute at Baruch College CUNY 1981 Press releases by NYSOPRHP Putnam Dutchess and Columbia County governing bodies and private rail trail groups therein and voluminous newspaper stories in local newspapers in all three Counties 1968 1973 the Ten year Program at the Halfway Mark Metropolitan Transportation Authority 1973 Greenhouse Linda March 4 1971 Harlem Division Testing Ends PDF The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved June 23 2017 New Platforms Due At 11 City Stations On the Penn Central The New York Times September 11 1974 p 40 Retrieved June 15 2018 New Commuter Cars Make Debut for M T A in Bronx The New York Times March 15 1975 p 13 Retrieved June 15 2018 a b Upper Harlem Line To Be Electrified The Harlem Valley Times February 5 1981 p 7 Retrieved June 15 2018 Roddy Michael November 26 1980 MTA outlines plan to rebuild rail lines Gannett Westchester Newspapers p 2 Retrieved June 15 2018 a b c Hudson Edward January 1 1984 Electrification Project Nears Completion on Harlem Line The New York Times Retrieved July 3 2011 Peoples June E April 15 1986 MTA lists options for Harlem line Poughkeepsie Journal pp 3B Retrieved September 1 2023 Brown Tony June 8 1986 Riders make plea to keep trains rolling past Brewster The Herald Statesman Yonkers New York p 7 Retrieved September 1 2023 Peoples June E June 4 1986 Metro North considers service cut Poughkeepsie Journal pp 8b Retrieved September 1 2023 Lewis John March 4 1988 Ferrer blasts RR closing New York Daily News Retrieved January 1 2019 Lewis John March 31 1988 A RRally for Melrose New York Daily News Retrieved January 1 2019 Verhovek Sam Howe March 29 1988 Trains End Bronx Stop Who Cares And Why The New York Times Retrieved June 7 2018 Metro North Delays Closing Of a Bronx Commuter Station The New York Times April 1 1988 Retrieved June 7 2018 Metro North to change train schedule on Sunday Poughkeepsie Journal March 31 1988 Retrieved January 1 2019 Harlem Line Timetable Metro North Commuter Railroad April 3 1988 Harlem Line Timetable Metro North Commuter Railroad June 19 1988 Siegel Joel August 17 1989 All aboard Melrose New York Daily News Retrieved January 1 2019 a b Local Rail Schedule Changed Poughkeepsie Journal April 5 1990 pp 4C Retrieved January 21 2019 a b c Pollak Michael June 23 1996 For Hikers The Train To the Trail New York Times Retrieved February 21 2010 Steinberg Jacques March 13 1993 Village Woos Train to Prosperity The New York Times Retrieved June 13 2018 Viggiani Bryan October 19 1995 Town board backs Metro North Railroad The Harlem Valley Times Retrieved June 3 2018 MTA releases new station stop names The Register Herald July 16 1998 Retrieved June 3 2018 Klein Melissa August 5 1998 Metro North to spend 73M on improvements at stations The Daily Times Mamaroneck New York pp 1A 2A Forecast of MTA Capital Program Contracts January June 1999 mta nyc ny us June 1999 Archived from the original on May 8 1999 Retrieved June 3 2018 MTA Metro North Railroad To Open New Train Station in New York City To Serve Southwest Bronx and Yankee Stadium www mta info Metropolitan Transportation Authority May 21 2009 Retrieved June 19 2017 Laying Track For Region s Future NY Daily News July 10 2000 Archived from the original on June 13 2018 Retrieved June 20 2017 McDowell Edwin October 1 2000 Location Location Commutation The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved June 19 2017 Introducing Metro North s new Wassaic and Tenmile River Train Stations Service begins July 9th PDF Fulton History Metropolitan Transportation Authority in The Register Herald July 6 2000 Retrieved June 19 2017 MTA Metro North Railroad Service Advisories mta nyc ny us Metropolitan Transportation Authority 2001 Archived from the original on November 9 2001 Retrieved July 5 2021 MTA Metro North Railroad Service Updates mta nyc ny us Metropolitan Transportation Authority 2001 Archived from the original on March 31 2001 Retrieved July 5 2021 Brenner Elsa July 24 1994 Rail Proposal Pits Backyards vs Trains The New York Times Retrieved June 13 2018 Schreibman Lisa June 17 1999 Testimony in Support of Metro North Railroad Mid Harlem Line Third Track Project DEIS Presented by Lisa Schreibman of the Tri State Transportation Campaign June 17 1999 PDF tstc org Retrieved June 21 2017 Demarco Peter August 27 2001 57M for Metro North Harlem Line NY Daily News Retrieved June 21 2017 How the Long Island Rail Road Could Shape the Next Economy PDF rauchfoundation org Regional Plan Association 2013 pp 11 12 Retrieved June 21 2017 Egbert Bill 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Line Feasibility Study PDF October 20 2000 Archived from the original PDF on March 5 2016 Retrieved June 21 2017 Simms Jeff February 26 2021 Metro North To Abandon Beacon Line The Highlands Current Retrieved February 26 2021 Port Morris Branch Tunnel Railroad Gazette November 10 1905 pp 436 437 New York Central Map of New York City PDF canadasouthern com New York Central Railroad Map 1921 Retrieved June 20 2017 Archived copy PDF Archived from the original PDF on March 4 2016 Retrieved June 21 2017 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link Halbfinger David M October 12 1998 20 Years in the Making Rail Freight Link Opens in Bronx The New York Times Retrieved January 30 2008 2009 New York State Rail Plan PDF 2009 p 51 Retrieved June 21 2017 Circumferential Subway route Archived May 16 2014 at the Wayback Machine Michaelminn net 33422 Decision Archived from the original on June 15 2011 Retrieved November 5 2015 a b c New York 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b c d Dunbar 1915 p 984 a b Existing Stations in Westchester County ny existingstations com January 1 2009 Retrieved June 20 2017 Historic American Buildings Survey Fleetwood Railroad Station Page 4 loc gov Retrieved June 20 2017 Extension of the Harlem Railroad The Evening Post New York New York July 2 1844 p 2 Retrieved May 26 2020 via Newspapers com nbsp a b c Carman W S December 13 1844 New York and Harlem Railroad Company Winter Arrangements The New York Daily Herald p 3 Retrieved May 26 2020 via Newspapers com nbsp New Station on the New York Central Buffalo Evening News December 18 1891 p 13 Retrieved June 24 2019 via Newspapers com nbsp Walzer E B March 5 1984 The Train Doesn t Stop Here Anymore PDF The Herald Statesman Retrieved December 31 2017 a b New York and Harlem Railroad Summer Arrangement The Evening Post New York New York June 7 1847 Retrieved December 8 2019 via Newspapers com nbsp a b c d e f g Dana 1866 p 216 a b c d e f g New York and Harlem Railroad Winter Arrangement The Evening Post New York New York December 12 1849 p 4 Retrieved December 12 2019 via Newspapers com nbsp Weekly Log Book The Poughkeepsie Journal January 6 1849 p 3 Retrieved December 8 2019 via Newspapers com nbsp a b c d e f g h i Railroad Hopes to Realize 432 386 in Millerton Chatham Line Abandonment The Poughkeepsie Journal August 26 1962 p 9B Retrieved May 29 2020 via Newspapers com nbsp a b c d e f g h Layton Preston March 21 1972 PC Ends Run Strands Riders New York Daily News p 22 Retrieved December 5 2019 via Newspapers com nbsp N Y C R R Ceases To Operate At Mahopac PDF The Putnam County Courier March 26 1959 Retrieved May 18 2018 References editDana William B 1866 The Merchants Magazine and Commercial Review Volume 55 New York New York William B Dana Retrieved December 12 2019 Dunbar Seymour 1915 A History of Travel in America Being an Outline of the Development in Modes of Travel from Archaic Vehicles of Colonial Times to the Completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad the Influence of the Indians on the Free Movement and Territorial Unity of the White Race the Part Played by Travel Methods in the Economic Conquest of the Continent and Those Related Human Experiences Changing Social Conditions and Governmental Attitudes which Accompanied the Growth of a National Travel System Volume 3 Indianapolis Indiana Bobbs Merrill Company Retrieved May 24 2020 Hyatt Elijah Clarence 1898 History of the New York amp Harlem Railroad Retrieved May 21 2020 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Harlem Line Route on OpenStreetMap New York Central Harlem Line Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Harlem Line amp oldid 1186207274, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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