According to Kalmbach's book New York Central in he Hudson Valley the West Side line was electrified to 23rd St, which would have included the northern part of the High Line. They state that the electricity was turned off in 1959. Middleton's book When the Steam Railroads Electrified shows a photo of a couple or R-2 (C+C) electrics hauling the mail train off of the West Side line in 1954.
The photo above of the deisel on the High Line with the 3rd rails visible, appears to be by 30th St, in the area of the post office.
K. P.: Not 3000 miles away, actually 12000. I get frequent emails from the city where I lived 1932 (birth) - 1949 (off to MIT and Army) and 1970 - 1996, 43 years in total. Cambridge, MA, 1949-1954, 1956-1967, 26 years. Westmont, IL, 1967-1970, 3. Ft. Bragg, NC, 1954 - 1956, 2 years. 1996 - ?, Jerusalem, 19+
Still vote in New York State
54: The West Side electrification did not extend south of 30th Street originally. As far as I recall the High Line was only partially electrified, and the freight was moved by the three-power distilate-electric-battery locomotives, replaced by regular diesel road-switchers after WWII. I think some time after WWII, the whole West Side electrification was disused south of Spuyten Dyvel and diesels run the whole way from Harmon. The T-motors, S-motors, and P-motors used into GCT were generally not used on freight on the West Side. While the elextrification was in place, a T-motor did handle the mail trains in and out of the 32nd Street Post Office siding, the remenant of the old surface line, later adapted for Amtrak's Penn Station connection. Diesels replaced them, as well, before the mail trains were discontinued.
Great photos- is that a 3rd rail? If so I wonder what electrics ran on it? Those NYC ones from GCT?
Looked at the second video, saw lots of construction cranes around the yard and heard the construction noises. I had seen photos of the High Line Park, but the video really shows how busy it is.
The High Line park will still be there and the yard will still be there, but a whole new city block or two are being built on a deck constructed over the existing yard.
Hi, Dave!
As a Southern Californian far removed from your area by 3000 miles plus or minus, I found your post not clear. Is it the view that will be done away with or the thing(s) viewed?
Thanks,
K.P.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- K.P.’s absolute “theorem” from early, early childhood that he has seen over and over and over again: Those that CAUSE a problem in the first place will act the most violently if questioned or exposed.
New York's EX-NYCentral High Line Linear Park gives a wonderful view of the LIRR West Side Storage Yard, with its mix of mu's and push-pulls with dual-mode locos, but this will be covered over soon as construction for the real estate development of air-rights starts.
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