SIRT Northshore Line.... A few questions...

How do I go about finding the stations?

As I understand it, the line is only walkable from West Brighton to Elm Park or somewhere around there, how do I access the ROW?

Even if it doesn't include walking on the ROW, where do I find the stations from public view? No specific stations, but if you can give a detailed list, and how to get there, that would be extremely helpful.

Thanks in advance.

Ok, never mind, as of today I visited the North shore line with my dad.

It was VERY simple, S40 to Tompkins Ct, at Tompkins Ct, go down to the dock area and walk to your left all the way up.

Basic Overview, the line is still very much intact, a fence was posted after Tower Hill towards Arlington, but there is a nice sized cut in it at the lower left corner on the St George side. Unfortunately due to foot conditions, and the fact almost every damn dog was barking at us, we turned around and left(and anybody that saw us said nothing, one actually was nice and knew about the line, another I swear said CLOSED, as if I couldn't tell.)

I have a question however, at Tower Hill near the square open cut in the floor, there is a small, but heavy metal box laying on the floor of the station, most definitely RR related, anybody know what it was for?

Aside from that, I took a total of 646 photos... x-x Anybody interested in any specific photos? Staircase shots, platform shots...? I want to upload some, but I also want a general idea of who wants what to see.

Some platform shots would be cool, thanks for offering to share.

http://community.webshots.com/album/549918857eqMcmn

I had uploaded some already to show my friends, but since they were half the size, I replaced them with the normal sized counterparts. I've got actual on-platform shots rather then of the sides(while on the platform) as mostly shown, but I'll upload those when I go through my memory card later on.

Anybody got any old photos showing what those holes in the platforms(1 nice sized square hole per station) were? Or how the waiting room looked?

Is there a connection with this line to the rest of the SIRT line at St. George?

The line once ran to St George, but today, the line pretty much starts and ends in West Brighton yard, at least this is the part of the line which is mainly intact(West Brighton Yard to Arlington, but while it goes all the way, Harbor Rd and Arlington stations are no longer there).

Anywhere between St George and West Brighton is either there, filled, or built over. I assume all they really need to do is attach a new elevated portion past Port Richmond so it can go around the obstacles.

I noticed from the bus at Sailor Snug Harbor the part where the station was, the tracks were very visible, it's truly amazing how they let the tracks just sit there in public view(aswell as it being a walking path from what I can see). Even the staircase seems original.

newjackRR wrote:Is there a connection with this line to the rest of the SIRT line at St. George?

A portion of the old North Shore connects with the SIR Main Line at St. George and was reactivated in 2001 for service to the Staten Island Yankees ballpark.

A "portion" is alittle bit much. The ball park station is currently in the yard, which has little to do with the actual line even after it shut.(Since the yard was not really abandoned after the '53 abandonment of the North and South lines).

Try going further up, and you'll run into obstacles.

Why were those two lines shut down? Why did the mainline survive?

Why were those two lines shut down? Why did the mainline survive?

I believe both the South Beach and North Shore in 1953.

He asked "why", not "when".

Well at this time the SIRT was a subsidiary of the B & O (the MTA didn't take over until 1971, the MTA funded the R44 cars for replacement of the older fleet). Just like every railroad in the US at the time, it found passenger service to be running in the red and the B & O had wanted to end service on these routes because of this. So they closed the branches. The South Beach was a small branch, so that made sense. I assume the North Shore was closed due to ridership(never figured out why this closed though), while the St. George to Tot. remained open. Freight service on the North Shore might have continued after though (connection to AK Draw and the CNJ/LV in NJ)