Did Conrail use Maybrook Yard after it closed?

After Penn Central closed the yard at Maybrook NY. did Conrail ever use the yard at Maybrook?

NYSW used the remaining running track through Maybrook to turn stack trains in 1986 until the L&HR connection was completed.

Conrail? Don't know for sure.

-otto-

I don't think so. I first visited there in 1984 or 85. Only one track left which goes north of Maybrook and then the connection to the L&HR. The remaining section of the yard had a for sale sign on it with Penn Central as the contact company. They Yellow Trucking facility was constructed around that time too. The roundhouse already had some company in it.

There must have been a siding in the yard so the power could run around the train to get to and from the L&HR and the old Erie main in Campbell Hall. The NYS&W must have used this to run around there trains. It may have not been long enough for the NYS&W stacks though as I do remember some saw bys taking place there.

A yard did and still does exist in Campbell Hall so any switching CR had was probably done there. Only one or two customers north of Maybrook so no need for the yard. The bridge burned before Conrail was formed.

Once the new connection was completed to the NYS&W at East Hall, the line L&HR line north of the Erie main was pulled and abandoned.

Chris

I've researched through my somewhat extensive railroad library and haven't been able to find any evidence that Conrail ever used Maybrook. Since the Poughkeepsie Bridge had burned several years prior to Conrail there was very little traffic coming into or out of Maybrook. What little there was was being handled by the L&HR and EL. After Conrail began operations most all of the L&HR was shut down and any freights on the former EL that needed to switched used Campbell Hall. If Conrail did use Maybrook I haven't been able to find any documentation of it.

Any former employees able to shed any more light on this question?

Joe P :D
Long Live The EL!
www.geocities.com/jmpwpd29

The way I understand it, The New Haven RR had their own track from Campbell Hall into Maybrook Yd. , but they rarely used it because the other RR's like the L&NE & NYO&W & Erie used it and the L&HR came into Maybrook Yd. on their own track from the Graham line into Maybrook Yd.
The New Haven came into Maybrook from the Poukeepsie Bridge running South.
If I'm wrong someone please correct me.

Conrail did and Norfolk Southern still does serve industry in the Maybrook area using the line from Campbell Hall. As for actually using the yard, this remains to be in question. It is quite possible that some work for indusrty on the L&HRR may have been yarded at Maybrook, or what was left of it. I will try to find out next w/e. Today, NS travels up here on Mon-Wed-Fri usually after dark.
The NYS&W did not use any yard tracks here. When they first started running here, a "pull by" locomotive was based at Campbell Hall. That was discontinued in favor of splitting the power at Maybrook. One or two units would cut off and run onto the L&HRR. The other two would pull the train north through the yard. After clearing "Orange Jct", the first two units would couple onto the rear of the train and pull down the L&HRR. Once clear, the two units that pulled the train north would pul clear onto the CH line and the tra was the BACKED north through the yard again. Power was all put back together and the train would head down the L&HRR. The opposite was done when a train was coming from NJ.
Hope this helps.

Tim

Thank You Tim, I'll wait for anything you can find out. - Frank

So when did they start dismantling the yard and its related facilities? I assume this was a slow process over several years.

-otto-

It was not too slow, Penn Central got rid of as much as it could after they
took over the place at the beginning of 1969. When the Poughkeepsie
Bridge fire took place in 1974, the line to/from Maybrook was down to one
round trip freight train a day. At that time, I think there was a local out of
Maybrook that did whatever work that needed to be done there as well as
the work between Maybrook and Highland.
The New Haven under the McGinnis/Alpert bunch got ride of some of the
operation there. The two humps went as well as the diesel shop. The car
shop last right up until the end of the New Haven Railroad as it was their
best and only major car shop facility (freight cars) at the end.
I do not know when the ice station/plant was done away with, I know it
was active in 1960 but I am not sure whether it lasted until the end of the
NHRR or not.
The Railroad YMCA lasted into the Penn Central era, they had good food
in that place too.
Under the NHRR, it went rather slow but after Penn Central took over, the
place went quite quickly.
It is hard to believe today that there is not a single through freight train
anywhere on the former New Haven Railroad, NOT ONE.
Noel Weaver

Thank You Noel and all other contributors for your answers.- Frank

gawlikfj,

You might want to pick up a copy of the January '05 issue of Trains. There is a very informative article about Maybrook Yard. The article is primarily historical, documenting what once was. The author does state that NS does run a twice-weekly local to serve one industry. Some great photos, maps, and a listing of arrivals/departures on an 'average' day in 1956.

Joe P
Long Live The EL!
www.geocities.com/jmpwpd29

Yea Joe I picked up the January Trains and saw the Maybrook article.
I just can't seem to find out what speed the train goes on the track that goes thru Maybrook yard now. Thank You .

Automatic block rules from Berea east to Devon.
Yard limits between Berea and Campbell Hall. The 1957 timetable shows
a maximim speed of 25 MPH but yard limit rules only allow yard speed
(the rule in effect at that time) and yard speed is not likely to reach 25
MPH.
Under Penn Central and Conrail operation, there was no such thing as
yard speed so it would be restricted speed territory with a top speed of
10 MPH.
Noel Weaver

Thank You Noel.
Does the 1957 timetable also apply to 2004? or would it be changed ?

gawlikfj wrote:Thank You Noel.
Does the 1957 timetable also apply to 2004? or would it be changed ?

Not really, my last sentence states that under Penn Central and Conrail
etc etc.
Speed today in the Maybrook Yard area, what little bit of it that might
remain would be no more than 10 MPH if even that.
Noel Weaver