Maybrook Line at Highland, NY

Was walking the highland rail trail the other day, and noticed what appeared to be a ROW that was next to the maybrook line (west of highland) it looked like it went underneath the NH ROW, you could clearley see a bridge abuntment for this low grade line, was it an old trolley line??? If anyone has walked the trail it is right near the old searchlight signal, also, where did the line go back to single track at West Highland, is this an acessable spot? Thanks Dave

The New Paltz to Highland trolley (Nee: 1900 New Paltz and Poughkeepsie Traction then 1903 New Paltz, Highland and Poughkeepsie Traction) ran basically along New Paltz Rd from Hignland out to New Paltz. Crossed the NH at roughly Lloyd and again just west of Chodickee Lake Rd. Survived until circa 1925.

"The New Paltz and Poughkeepsie Traction Company is in operation from Highland on the Hudson to New Paltz in the Walkill Valley.
A track connection was made with this company's {NYNH&H} line at Pratt's Mills, which is about two miles back from the river, and a through car service inaugurated via the great Poughkeepsie bridge, between New Paltz and the city of Poughkeepsie, and connecting there with the city electric lines. Easy, cheap and desirable route between the Hudson and Walkill valley." source:
http://www.catskillarchive.com/rrextra/pbhigh.Html
also see: Down to the River by Trolley: The History of the New Paltz-Highland Trolley Line (Paperback)
by Glendon L. Moffett (Author)

If what you saw was in between Lloyd and Chodickee Rd., IIRC that was the old NH alignment. N 41.73606 W 73.99099

Amtrak700 wrote:Was walking the highland rail trail the other day, and noticed what appeared to be a ROW that was next to the maybrook line (west of highland) it looked like it went underneath the NH ROW, you could clearley see a bridge abuntment for this low grade line, was it an old trolley line??? If anyone has walked the trail it is right near the old searchlight signal, also, where did the line go back to single track at West Highland, is this an acessable spot? Thanks Dave

The low grade line was the old alignment. It crosses the current alignment three times. The one you already know about; the other two are on the hudson side. Just follow the ROW backwards, while the leaves are still out, and you'll see where it crosses.

See http://rutlandtrail.org/list.cgi and look for NYNHnH.

Here is the old routing for the Maybrook Line prior to double-tracking: http://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/2833093" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; . There are other relocations on the east side of the river. This is the only one on this side of which I am aware.

Once the mainline between Poughkeepsie, Hopewell Junction and Danbury was completed, it was THE mainline for all through freight operations east out of Maybrook. The other routes east of Poughkeepsie remained for a good number of years for local freight, milk and dwindling passenger services until abandonment in the 1930's.
Noel Weaver