Even though it was abandoned in 1958, the remains of the Van Cortandt station lasted for many decades. I've seen photos of the location in the 19th Century, and there was a wooden station there. By the 20th, there was a steel-framed platform cover (probably an unmanned station?) on the east side of the ROW inside the park just south of the lake.
Somehow the New York Central and its successor companies forgot about it. Then, I presume after the final abandonment of freight service, the city must have taken it over and they forgot about it too.
When I first saw it in the 1970s, whatever walls it might have had were gone and there was only the frame holding up the roof. At some point in the 1990s, a Boy Scout troop volunteered and they painted it. After that, it became more and more rusted out until it appeared to be on the verge of collapse. I went down there recently for the first time in about five years. As part of the on-going upgrade of the rail trail, the station had finally been removed.
Somehow the New York Central and its successor companies forgot about it. Then, I presume after the final abandonment of freight service, the city must have taken it over and they forgot about it too.
When I first saw it in the 1970s, whatever walls it might have had were gone and there was only the frame holding up the roof. At some point in the 1990s, a Boy Scout troop volunteered and they painted it. After that, it became more and more rusted out until it appeared to be on the verge of collapse. I went down there recently for the first time in about five years. As part of the on-going upgrade of the rail trail, the station had finally been removed.
