NY - North/South County Trailway

I know most of the old Putnam Division has been converted into a great trail, even extending into Putnam County, and parts of the Bronx, i.e. Van Cortlandt Park. My question regards the Lake Mahopac Branch. Has any thoughts or planning gone into reclaiming the old roadbed from Goldens Bridge to Lake Mahopac, i.e. the old ' around the horn' operation. Does anyone out there know how much of the old bed is accessible, or impassible?

Hey Kurt, you're from Bedford Hills, I grew up in Katonah! We're practically neighbors!

Most of the right of way is *kinda* intact, but some of it has been blocked by new construction (for instance, JFK High School in Somers). It would be a neat "branch" from the trailway, having a connection to the MN station at Golden's Bridge... but I think the priority is to finish the "mainline" trail sections, especially with the new construction above Baldwin Place.

-otto-

I heard that there is now a rail trail over what was once the Mahopac Branch off the Harlem Line. I was wondering if anyone knows what remains of the line? Any bridges or stations or other structures?
-Jon

This tread belongs on New York Central forum not on MNCR.
they have a tread about the Putnam Division.
MNCR still uses 600 feet in Brewster west of Wye. and at BN yard about 1 mile of track is still there.

There is no rail trail on the Mahopac Branch, only on the Putnam Division right of way.

-otto-

HI Otto,
yeah i moved here last year, its a great place to live. I was born in Pleasantville, so not to far from home.

I got a chance walk part of the ROW since my first post. I walked from the bridge at Goldens Bridge to Brickhill Road in Somers. Most wasn't in to bad of shape. The section behind the Cathoilic school was a bit swampy, but the ties were still in place. North of that it was mostly cinder, with a few washouts here and there. The sections in somers were probably the best, i think the town owns, one bridge over a stream has boards nailed down and fencing on the side to keep you from jumping off. The trail looks like it get heavy use from atvs. so it is not overgrown.

Inspected the Putnam County portion of the trail today... trail seems complete all the way from Baldwin Place to Crafts... a new bridge is under construction to span the valley at Crafts (replacing a long-gone steel trestle)... the part through Carmel and over to Putnam Junction is still unclear at this time.

-otto-

Ah yes the old Put. My lady friend from Yonkers and I rode that trail.

I used to live in the Mt Kisco area 12 years ago and at the time before I moved the trail only went for a couple of miles in the Millwood area and dead ended at the bridge spanning the lake.Does the trail go beyond the bridge?I crossed the bridge once and the bridge ties/decking were in poor shape.

dansapo wrote:I used to live in the Mt Kisco area 12 years ago and at the time before I moved the trail only went for a couple of miles in the Millwood area and dead ended at the bridge spanning the lake.Does the trail go beyond the bridge?I crossed the bridge once and the bridge ties/decking were in poor shape.

The trail does go beyond the bridge now. The bridge has a new wooden deck on it and safety railings along both sides. The trail has been paved from Elmsford all the way into Putnam County (North County Trailway). It's also paved from the Yonkers/Greenburgh line up to Route 119 in Elmsford (South County Trailway).

As of the past couple of months, they are working on paving From the Bronx/Westchester line all the way through Yonkers and joining up with the southern end of the South County Trailway. So far they've completed paving on the section that's just south of Tibbetts Brook Park in Yonkers. It'll probably be a couple more months before they're completely done with the job.

I remember in 1993-94 crews were just starting to rip up the tracks south of Elmsford and clearing the over growth. Thanks for the reply

I couldn't find any of the old stuff about the Putnam Trail so I thought I'd start it again or get directed to where it should go.
There's all sorts of work going on in the Carmel area as I type. The old abutment on Rt 6 n/o the Put Plaza shopping center
has been torn down and two cement colomns have been poured on both sides of the road for a new railtrail "trestle". The
land fill on Seminary Hill Rd. has been removed and a concrete tunnel is being placed there. A crane was lowering part of it
late this morning when I parked at the Chinese Restaurant to "trail fan". The same activity is taking place at Hughson Rd.
& Maple Rd. The Rt.6 bridge between the shopping center and Simpson Rd. is being redone. The westbound lane is finished
and they've started on the eastbound side. Needless to say, all this contruction has drivers bent out of shape since all of the
alternate routes to avoid the closures are closed or being worked on themselves. Hopefully all this will be done by the summer.
"Ride (or walk)The Put"

PUTNUT

Got a chance to ride a short segment of the Putnam County Trailway from Mud Pond Road to Carmel on July 17. The trail still terminates at Seminary Hill Road, but it is graded and looks ready for paving. Are there, or are there going to be former station markers along the Put County Trail, like the North/South County segments? I believe I should have passed by the former location of the Crafts station, but did not see a marker. Also, In Dan Gallo's book, does anyone know the location of the photo, "high trestle at Crafts"?

Hello,
I lived on Crafts road for 24 years where the old train station used to be. The High trestle is located right after the train station heading towards Carmel. It goes over a 75 foot "valley" where Drewville road now is. The station was knocked down before my time but it's located at the top of the hill of Crafts road where the old tracks cross Crafts Road coming from Mahopac to Carmel.

The exact location would be Crafts road, Carmel NY 10512 and the trestle crosses over Drewville Road, Carmel, NY 10512 You can try Mapquest. I have rode my dirtbike growing up from the Mahopac train station (Mahopac Firehouse location) all the way through to Carmel. At the old high trestle I would just cross drewville road to continue on since the bridge part was long gone. Right before Carmel I would get stuck at a river crossing and would turn around. The other side of the river leads to near Seminary road just before where the Chinese Restaurant is by Lake Gillead. The actual river is runoff from West branch reservoir going to Crotan falls reservoir. Memories! Thanks.