NYC West Side Freight Line

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I am doing research on the New York Central Railroads West side freight line (also known as the "High Line") for an upcoming project of modeling the area in 1/87th scale. I would like to know if you would know how I may obtain copies of any structural drawings of the viaduct that once ran from 30th street to the old St. Johns Freight terminal. (part of the 1934 West Side Improvement Project)

Also any diagrams depicting the track layout for the old 60th street freight yards (presently where Mr. Trump is building his towers) and the old 30th street freight yards before they were demolished.

My father-in-law once worked in the meat market on 125th street and was very involved with the loading/unloading of the freight cars on this particular route. Re-creating this slice of history, I thought, might be a nice thing to do for all who can remember, and all who can imagine.

I would appreciate any guidance of where I might find the above references.

Regards,

Gary Kovac
Palisades Park, New Jersey

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I am doing research on the New York Central Railroads West side freight line (also known as the "High Line") for an upcoming project of modeling the area in 1/87th scale. I would like to know if you would know how I may obtain copies of any structural drawings of the viaduct that once ran from 30th street to the old St. Johns Freight terminal. (part of the 1934 West Side Improvement Project)

Also any diagrams depicting the track layout for the old 60th street freight yards (presently where Mr. Trump is building his towers) and the old 30th street freight yards before they were demolished.

My father-in-law once worked in the meat market on 125th street and was very involved with the loading/unloading of the freight cars on this particular route. Re-creating this slice of history, I thought, might be a nice thing to do for all who can remember, and all who can imagine.

I would appreciate any guidance of where I might find the above references.

Regards,

Gary Kovac
Palisades Park, New Jersey

[JoeKoh]

see trains march 2002.page 54.hope this helps
stay safe
joe

[JoeKoh]

see trains march 2002.page 54.hope this helps
stay safe
joe

[Anonymous]

Some one else had a spread in RMC a number of years ago of his HO layout based on the West side freight line. Look in the index of magazines elsewhere on this site.

[Anonymous]

Some one else had a spread in RMC a number of years ago of his HO layout based on the West side freight line. Look in the index of magazines elsewhere on this site.

[Anonymous]

The RMC issue was January 1987 and the modeller, as I recall, was from NJ.
Search the internet, as I came across a reprint of a City of New York publication with text and pictures about the "modernization" of the West Side Line by making it a high line (eliminating grade crossings). Of course it was actually a very "low line" in places with tracks in deep cuts below street level. You might also want to look at Kalmbach's book of the NYC in the Hudson Valley as a section is dedicated to this line.

[Anonymous]

The RMC issue was January 1987 and the modeller, as I recall, was from NJ.
Search the internet, as I came across a reprint of a City of New York publication with text and pictures about the "modernization" of the West Side Line by making it a high line (eliminating grade crossings). Of course it was actually a very "low line" in places with tracks in deep cuts below street level. You might also want to look at Kalmbach's book of the NYC in the Hudson Valley as a section is dedicated to this line.

[jchnhtfd]

Nuts. There's a great web site on NY, with some good pictures of the High Line. Trouble is, it's on favourites on my OTHER computer -- the one at work (sh... don't tell!). I'll put a reference in here tomorrow.

[jchnhtfd]

Nuts. There's a great web site on NY, with some good pictures of the High Line. Trouble is, it's on favourites on my OTHER computer -- the one at work (sh... don't tell!). I'll put a reference in here tomorrow.

[jchnhtfd]

Ha. Got it. www.oldnyc.com. The site has some good links, too -- try it.

[jchnhtfd]

Ha. Got it. www.oldnyc.com. The site has some good links, too -- try it.

[Anonymous]

Great NYC site. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Great NYC site. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Just remembered some other modelling references for Mr. Kovac. A modeller by the name of Ron Parisi built a beautiful diorama featured in RMC and before that in either Model Railroading or Railmodel Journal. It was of the elevated portion and included a meat packing plant. Back about 1963 Paul Borthwick wrote an article for MR "A trackplan in spite of the devil" which had some vintage photos (including some pre-WW2 showing the line when it was electrified).
My personal recollection of the line was uptown in a more bucolic setting, between Inwood Hill Park and the baseball fields along the Hudson River between Dyckman Street (200th) and the Spuyten Duyvil swingbridge.

[Anonymous]

Just remembered some other modelling references for Mr. Kovac. A modeller by the name of Ron Parisi built a beautiful diorama featured in RMC and before that in either Model Railroading or Railmodel Journal. It was of the elevated portion and included a meat packing plant. Back about 1963 Paul Borthwick wrote an article for MR "A trackplan in spite of the devil" which had some vintage photos (including some pre-WW2 showing the line when it was electrified).
My personal recollection of the line was uptown in a more bucolic setting, between Inwood Hill Park and the baseball fields along the Hudson River between Dyckman Street (200th) and the Spuyten Duyvil swingbridge.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jchnhtfd

Ha. Got it. www.oldnyc.com. The site has some good links, too -- try it.

jchnhtfd thanks for the link - great site. I enjoy reading about RR History. Thanks again.

Here's another one - http://www.forgotten-ny.com/

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jchnhtfd

Ha. Got it. www.oldnyc.com. The site has some good links, too -- try it.

jchnhtfd thanks for the link - great site. I enjoy reading about RR History. Thanks again.

Here's another one - http://www.forgotten-ny.com/