New Rochelle Yard

What was the main function of New Rochelle yard, in other words what industries did it serve? What kind of switching locomotives were in use at this facility and was it electrified to the end of the NH era?
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What is not shown in the attached photograph is a switching tower north of the Station on the Larchmont side of the tracks. What was the designation of this tower? I assume its primary purpose was the control of the yard access from the main line.

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The tower you're asking about was SS23 "Cedar Street." It was around until 1954 or thereabouts.


Great period photo. What year, do you know? it's almost certainly before 1938 since it shows the Westchester tracks

Thanks for the information on the tower. The first picture is from June 22, 1951. It can be found on the NY State Archives. Here is distant picture of the tower. It doesn’t appear to be the typical NH pagoda style structure like ‘Shell’ interlocking.
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I was also wondering if the limited NYW&B freight service would interchange at this yard.

In the first picture, what you think is the NYW&B tracks is actually a roadway (note the sidewalks). The NYW&B wouldn't join the NYNH&H main until a little ways up the line.

The second picture showing SS-23 shows a wood construction signal tower with a manual interlocking machine.

No, the NYW&B never interchanged freight here, the only physical connection that existed between the two at this point was strictly for construction purposes, a little ways up the line. A signal tower (SS "X") was constructed, but had to be removed for legal reasons. The only NYW&B/NYNH&H freight interchange was at S.S. 4, Oak Point or at Harlem River.

You're correct -- SS-23 was not a brick or a stucco pagoda tower. It was a wooden tower

Statkowski wrote:In the first picture, what you think is the NYW&B tracks is actually a roadway (note the sidewalks). The NYW&B wouldn't join the NYNH&H main until a little ways up the line.

The second picture showing SS-23 shows a wood construction signal tower with a manual interlocking machine.

No, the NYW&B never interchanged freight here, the only physical connection that existed between the two at this point was strictly for construction purposes, a little ways up the line. A signal tower (SS "X") was constructed, but had to be removed for legal reasons. The only NYW&B/NYNH&H freight interchange was at S.S. 4, Oak Point or at Harlem River.

So Henry, you think the Westchester ROW is farther north there, i.e., off the top of the photo and not visible?

Henry is correct, the Westchester was at North Avenue which was/is out of the picture. I believe all Westchester freight was handled through Oak Point, I have a symbol book with their one freight train shown in it. There was no freight so far as I have been able to determine between Columbus Avenue Junction and New Rochelle. On another thought, New Rochelle Yard even after it was no longer used for passenger trains still was used for a couple of NX jobs (local freights) NX-3 in the daytime worked the mainline east as far as Greenwich or so and NX-2 worked at night to Woodlawn, Mount Vernon and east as well and sometimes to Oak Point too. NH-1 used to drop cars for these locals at New Rochelle westbound and maybe NX-2 took the cars to Oak Point to go east or whereever. New Rochelle was also the base for one of two wire trains which worked all three shifts for a long time. After the Bridgeport Wire Train was abolished and called out of New Haven as required the New Rochelle Wire Train was responsible for everything. In the mid 60's the yard was moved west to a location on the track 4 side on the branch, by then only one NX job remained and the wire train had been reduced to the last trick only. New Rochelle Old Yard was the yard pictured here and in use until the mid 60's and New Rochelle New Yard was the yard in use at the end. They even built a new freight station and wire train facility at the New Yard but they did not remain in use for too many years at least compared with the old facilities. Even after they took the MUTS out, they kept one employee at the Old Yard, a car inspector.
Noel Weaver

Thanks all for the information and input. The building shown at the lower right hand corner of the first photo appears to be the main transfer station. There is a number of buildings for such a small yard. This yard and the adjacent passenger station (out of view) would be a good subject for a model layout.
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Noel you briefly mentioned Greenwich. Was there a small yard in Greenwich? I came across a photograph a number of months ago stating that that the photo was taken at a yard in Greenwich. I grew up in the area, but I can’t say I remember the yard. It may have been active before my time.

Arial view in 1954.

The NYW&B followed Memorial Hwy at the top & met the mainline out of sight at the top.

The yellow lines are contemporary streets. Note the New England Thruway was not present at this point.

Hey, that marked-up aerial photo pre-95 is great!! I see the Westchester came up alongside the New Haven farther east than I would have surmised. So the Westchester ROW was still north of I-95 at the point where the I-95 entrance-exit ramps are today. Absolutely fascinating . . . .