CSX and CP, both with trackage rights over Metro North, and with CP trackage rights south from Schenectity, run freight on the east bank of the Hudson and over the Hell Gate Bridge and interchange with Long Island's freight railroad, the New York and Atlantic, at West Pond Junction in Queens. CP's traffic comes from its owned D&H line, and CSX from Selkirk. In addition, CSX serves Hunts Point Market in The Bronx via Selkirk and the Hudson line. CSX also interchanges with shortline and regional railroads at various points along the Boston and Albany, at Palmer, Pittsfield, Springfield, and Worcester. CSX owns the freight track over the Hell Gate Bridge that is in use, while Amtrak owns the other three tracks and the Bridge. Providence and Worcester also has trackage rights over the Hell Gate Bridge on CSX and interchanges with New York and Atlantic at Fresh Pond Junction. This comes into The Bronx via trackage rights on Amtrak's NEC.
About 20 years ago a connecting line was built in south Bronx to link the Hudson Division to Oak Point near hell Gate Bridge, so that some traffic could go from Selkirk over the Castleton Bridge and down the east side of the Hudson to connect with ex-NH in the NY City area.
Before that in PC days, trains would leave the Hudson at Beacon, and travel over the Fishkill line to Hopewell Jct, wher it connected to the remnant of the Maybrook line, east to the NH. There was also a new connection to the Harlem Division at Dykemans near Brewster.
PATTBAAHow is freight routed East of Selkirk
A large part of the functional demise of the Poughkeepsie Bridge route was, I think, the great die-off and migration south of so much industry, both origin and destination, in New England, combined with early and enthusiastic construction of truck-accessible roads. Note that rail-to-road distribution centers like Rotterdam are right in the Selkirk area and presumably had advantages making them preferred destinations for some types of eastbound traffic.
I do not know the current tonnage of traffic routed through Selkirk that goes substantially north before turning east, and I'll be watching with interest to see both what this is and if there are any opportunities for freight rail in it.
How is freight krouted East of Selkirk, and is most of this delivered to "rail-to-truck" terminals?.And what types of commodities/merchandise from points West of Selkirk to New England and the NYC metro area no longer are shipped by rail?; meat , poultry, fruit, vegetables?.
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