- This is a Third Ave El shot just north of Fordham Road. Behind the El structure are the grounds of Fordham University. Fordham originally sold the land for both the railroad and the el to provide rights of way. There was an El station built at Fordham road in the 1890's for the initial line which ended at Bronx Park (Botanical Garden) Then came the extension. seen in this picture, which branched off and ran up to Gun Hill Road over Webster Ave. Here you see it crossing over the NY Central tracks. The one station extension to Bronx Park was abandoned in 1951. It was a pretty little station with a glass dome, echoing the greenhouses in the Garden, and had a stone walkway to the Botanical Garden. After 1955- to 1973, the Bronx portion of the El ran from the subway at 149th st. to Gun Hill Rd. After both branches were discontinued and elevated torn down. Fordham University bought back the land and added it to the campus. When I was a student at Fordham in the 1950's, I used to like to ride the El all the way dowtown, great views of the city.
Who would have thought that the NY Central cars would make it into the 21st century??
Roger
