100th Anniversary of the NYWB - 1912-2012

[Otto Vondrak]

I am considering organizing a weekend event here in Westchester County to honor the 100th anniversary of the NYWB... No firm plans yet, but your feedback is important to me. I am considering one day of seminars and speakers (possibly in combination with some vendors and a small railroadiana show), and another day of tours and charters. Possibly in May or June 2012.

Contact me at http://nywbry.com/

-otto-

[fordhamroad]

Hi Otto --
I think that is a fine idea. Let me know if I can help. We have talked a bit in Pelham about having an anniversary event for the Westchester & the Highbrook Bridge, as part of our efforts to save a paret of the NYW&B right of way. Perhaps this commemoration would work together with plans of the Highbrookhighline group.
Barbara Davis, the New Rochelle City Historian, ran a library exhibit on the NYW&B two years ago. Perhaps another exhibit for the 100th? There are many NYW&B fans who would, I think, welcome such an event. You need to get a sponsored meeting place, free of rental charges. Local historical societies might also be interested in joining a comemoration event.
I'll be in touch.

Roger Wines

[Noel Weaver]

If I were still living up north I would try to participate in this event. Two things that could attract people if they could be arranged would be: 1. A trip on the Dyre Avenue Line using vintage equipment out of the museum or in the TA historic fleer and 2. A tour of the former NYW&B office building now owned by the Transit Authority at 180th Street. You have a year or so to get something set up in this respect and who knows, maybe you will get a favorable response.
It is too bad that the connection at 174th Street is still not intact.
This is a worthy project and I wish you lots of success.
Noel Weaver

[Otto Vondrak]

Some sites I would like to visit...

- Ridgeway Station
- Heathcote Station
- Quaker Ridge Station
- East Third Street Station
- Highbrook Avenue Bridge

Some sites on the Port Chester branch to visit...

- Port Chester terminal
- Larchmont Gardens Station
Not too much else to see on this segment!

Another tour would ride from station to station from Dyre Ave to 180th Street, and try to arrange a visit/tour of 180th Street admin building. The whole complex is about to be renovated, so that might not work out.

[chnhrr]

Capital idea! I think some of the Bronx sites are worth a visit since stations like East 180th Street, Morris Park and Pelham Parkway are fairly intact. I don’t know how accessible Quaker Ridge will be, since the building's inhabitants on the surface appear reclusive. A reception (wine/beer and cheese) would be nice to have at the end of the tour near one of the stations. A portion of the ticket price could benefit a local rail or historic group. A Saturday would be a good day for this.

[Allen Hazen]

Curiosity question: what has happened to the NYWB right of way beyond the end to the Dyre Avenue line? (If it has been kept clear, there is at least the possibility of a future extension into Westchester County, which might be a good idea.)

[fordhamroad]

-NYW&B's first catenary tower, off the Bronx junction with the Harlem River branch is still standing and in an old industrial area being restored as a park. It might be possible to book a visit via the Bronx NYC Parks Dept office. It is several blocks away from the 180th st. station. One could also take a ride on the Dyre Ave line from 180th st to Dyer Avenue (city line).
-The Highbrook Avenue Bridge and ROW in Pelham is a publicly owned site and could be made available for a tour. (The Village of Pelham has a few fences up because of falling concrete chips) Friends of the Highbrookhighline will be working on an event which might be coordinated with a tour. There is a tentative offer of a meeting hall at no cost.
-the White Plains greenway, a stroll down the NYW&B ROW, is a fine walk and is publicly accessible.
-Quaker Ridge is at least visible from the street
-there is a publicly owned section of Ward Acres Park in New Rochelle which contains the old NYW&B ROW.
-The remains of the Wykagyl station can be seen above groundon North Avenue, and glimpses of the platforms below ground, from the shopping center lot.

-as for restoring the line, not possible unless one had the very large $$ to buy up and tear down businessess and apartment buildings now built on the former ROW. That was a project for the 1940's. Too late now. A google satellite view tells the story.

Roger Wines

[Allen Hazen]

Re:
----as for restoring the line, not possible unless one had the very large $$ to buy up and tear down businessess and apartment buildings now built on the former ROW. That was a project for the 1940's. Too late now. A google satellite view tells the story.
--
Thanks for the information, Roger! In retrospect, it seems shortsighted that the government of the time allowed the r-o-w to be sold and built on, but there was a lot of that kind of shortsightedness then (and later!).

[Ridgefielder]

Is there any public access to the remains of the Columbus Ave. station, where the Westchester crossed the New Haven? It's quite visible from Metro-North-- I'm sure more than one commuter over the years has wondered why there's an abandonded station between Pelham and Mt. Vernon.

[joseph]

to access Columbus Ave station is through the apartment house parking lot that sits on the R.O.W. donot enter the station itself. there is nothing of value in it and it is dangerous.

[chnhrr]

“NYW&B's first catenary tower, off the Bronx junction with the Harlem River branch is still standing and in an old industrial area being restored as a park. It might be possible to book a visit via the Bronx NYC Parks Dept office.”

Here is the junction pictured in 1951. In the first photograph you can see in the upper right hand corner the base portion of the interchange tower. The NYW&B anchoring bridge is in front of the vehicular bridge. The NYW&B tracks are fairly intact despite the bushes growing in between them further down the line. The simple catenary bridges have all gone, but the anchoring bridge is still present (as it is today). This seems strange, since it would have been just as easy to remove it as well. Both photographs show a one story building alongside the New Haven tracks, which I assume is a former substation. The structure no longer exits.

[Travelsonic]

Where'd you get those photos of the West Farms junction?

[chnhrr]

Travelsonic

They came from the NY State Archives digital collection. Type in Cross Bronx in the search box. I would like to know if the building shown along the tracks was a former NH substation.

chnhrr

[Kilgore Trout]

I would guess that it is, per Wikipedia's article on NH electrification there was a substation at West Farms Junction.

[Travelsonic]

Travelsonic

They came from the NY State Archives digital collection. Type in Cross Bronx in the search box. I would like to know if the building shown along the tracks was a former NH substation.

chnhrr

meh, I find the NY state archives rather cumbersome to browse at times, but those gems make it worth it.