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  • Railroads near or in sight of the NYS Thruway

  • Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New York State.
Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New York State.

Moderator: Otto Vondrak

 #771600  by isaksenj
 
Some background information:

http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ances ... f.html#f44

In 1888, Sir Algernon Freeman Firth established a carpet production facility for T. F. Firth & Company in Orange County near Cornwall on the Hudson, New York State. Both the factory and the village built to house the workers were called Firthcliffe.
By 1908, it had a turnover of US$1,000,000 and employed nearly 600 workers.

In 1908, the company had difficulties with the authorities for violations, since 1902, of US Labor Law, when 24 workers were ordered to be deported. A US press report at the time states that those who were deported were strike leaders and their families, because, following a strike settlement, the strike leaders were not re-employed

During World War II, this operation was sold in order to raise dollars for the UK war treasury. It then continued to operate, according to past employees very much as a family and community oriented business up to 1962, when it closed.

Aerial view of the Factory:

http://www.nyow.org/Hot_Shots/hs_firthcliffe_lg.jpg

And most interestingly, found this link for a picture book on the Newburgh Branch, and an upcoming book on Firth Carpet Co. and the O&W:

http://orrmillspublishing.com/flagship_books
 #827665  by RussNelson
 
A few updates:
43.088340,-76.390953,RSE,OG,btw 39 and 40,296.4,abandoned
42.948300,-78.681000,West Shore,UG,btw 48a and 49,416,abandoned,
42.808200,-78.806000,BRP,OG,btw 55 and 56,431.2,active,Buffalo & Pittsburgh,

And an addition:
42.96895,-78.52711,BC&NY,n/a,btw 48a and 49,,unfinished

You can see the grade on aerial photos to the west of the Thruway. Don't know if you can see it from the Thruway itself. Being an unfinished railway, you never know if they completed the grading to actual railroad standards. But if it's survived well enough to still be visible, it's probably pretty well built.
 #913972  by RussNelson
 
A few more mile markers.

41.454936,-74.064516,Erie Newburgh,UG,btw 16 and 17,55.9,abandoned pre-tway?
41.435163,-74.067600,NYO&W,ug,btw 16 and 17,54.7,abandoned
41.402618,-74.084216,Erie (Newburgh Short Line),AG,intersects northbound,,abandoned
41.395996,-74.091989,Erie (Newburgh Short Line),AG,intersects southbound,51.5,abandoned
 #915515  by Marty Feldner
 
'Short LINE' is a regional bus company; the Erie branch was the 'Newburgh short CUT'.

The Short Cut was abandoned before the Thruway was built. Both the O&W and the Newburgh Branch were very much in use when this part of the Thruway was constructed. Both required long fills for the highway to get over them (the fill for the Newburgh Branch also took care of the nearby Rt. 94 overpass).
 #915928  by RussNelson
 
Here's the current list. All corrections gladly appreciated! The first few up to the blank line is the Berkshire Spur. Still missing a ton of mile markers. They help non-experts find the grades more easily. So if you see a railroad that you know of below, please make a note of the mile marker.

East-West Section mostly by O-6-O
North-South Section mostly by RussNelson
GPS && CSV formatting from nessman
LAT,LONG,ORIGINAL,CROSSING,LOCATION,T-WAY MP,STATUS,CURRENT USE,NOTES
42.506567,-73.764583,CSX Hudson Line Amtrak ( nyc water level),ug,,B1.4,active
42.487085,-73.696827,CSX Post Rd Br. Amtrak,ug,,B5.2,active
42.482114,-73.628991,Albany-Hudson Fast Line,ug,,B9.4,long gone
42.442596,-73.556997,NYNH&H? Old Chatham
42.410777,-73.534879,CSX Boston Line ( nyc b&a),oh,,B16.3,active

42.412500,-79.426000,NYC Mainline,OG,btw 59 and 60,,active,CSX ,
42.412500,-79.425300,NKP,OG,btw 59 and 60,,active,NS,
42.459800,-79.324200,NYC,?,btw 58 and 59,,abandoned?,,
42.485400,-79.255000,Erie Dunkirk,?,btw 58 and 59,,abandoned,,
42.764400,-78.819600,Erie,UG,btw 56 and 57,,active,Buffalo & Southern,
42.808200,-78.806000,BRP,OG,btw 55 and 56,431.2,active,Buffalo & Pittsburgh,
42.819700,-78.791300,NYC,UG,btw 55 and 56,,abandoned,,Gardenville Yard
42.820200,-78.791400,PRR,UG,btw 55 and 56,,active,NS ,
42.855600,-78.791400,PRR,UG,at exit 54,,active,NS Buffalo Line,
42.876200,-78.792600,LV,OG,just west of Exit 53,,abandoned,,trestle gone
42.895200,-78.767300,DL,UG,btw 52 and 53,,active,NS/DLWR,
42.893400,-78.767400,Erie,UG,btw 52 and 53,,active,NS Southern Tier,
42.894600,-78.767300,LV,UG,btw 52 and 53,,abandoned?,,
42.903000,-78.767000,NYC Mainline,OG,just south of 52,,active,CSX,
42.914900,-78.766500,West Shore,UG,just north of 52,,abandoned,,public road
42.951800,-78.741000,LV,UG,btw 49 and 50 at airport,,abandoned, ,filled in
42.948300,-78.681000,West Shore,UG,btw 48a and 49,416,abandoned,
42.968950,-78.52711,BC&NY,n/a,btw 48a and 49,,unfinished
43.003900,-78.412300,NYC Peanut,UG,48a,401.7,abandoned,,public road / utility
43.018700,-78.118900,NYC Mainline,OG,btw 47 and 48,386.6,active,CSX,
43.045300,-77.747900,B&O Rochester,UG,btw 46 and 47,367.6,active,Roch & Southern,
43.044000,-77.732600,PRR Rochester,UG,btw 46 and 47,366.6,abandoned,,rail trail
43.044700,-77.680400,Erie Rochester,UG,btw 46 and 47,363.9,active,LAL,
43.048200,-77.636000,LV Rochester,UG,btw 45 and 46,362.6,abandoned,,golf cart access
43.014300,-77.469600,NYC Auburn,UG,btw 45 and 46,352.8,abandoned,,rail trail
42.971500,-77.080600,PRR Sodus,UG,btw 42 and 43,332.3,abandoned,,filled in
42.954900,-76.974300,NYC Corning,UG,just east of 42,326.8,active,NS/FGLK,
43.028876,-76.660744,RS&E,OH,,310,abandoned,,
43.036597,-76.637383,RS&E,OH,,308.5,abandoned,,
43.042700,-76.625800,West Shore,UG,btw 40 and 41,307.6,abandoned,,
43.050100,-76.612500,NYC Mainline,UG,btw 40 and 41,306.8,active,CSX,
43.063600,-76.553100,LV,OG,just east of 40 (Weedsport),303.6,abandoned,,between small green billboards
43.071900,-76.515700,West Shore,n/a,parallels Thruway,,abandoned,,
43.086000,-76.415400,RSE ,OG,btw 39 and 40,296.5,abandoned,,
43.086800,-76.406800,West Shore,n/a,parallels Thruway,,abandoned,,
43.088340,-76.390953,RSE,OG,btw 39 and 40,296.4,abandoned,,Center pier and south/rr west abutments visible.
43.090460,-76.31896,NYC,,Warners Travel Plaza,292,abandoned,,A siding that served a brickyard in hillside just north of Warners Travel Plaza
43.112400,-76.260400,DLW Oswego,UG,just east of 39,288.1,active,CSX ,RS
43.109100,-76.197600,NYC / RWO,UG,btw 37 and 38,284.7,active,CSX,
43.093600,-75.745000,LV Camden,,at exit 34,261.3,abandoned,,Abandoned pre-tway
43.112100,-75.659100,NYOW Main,UG,btw 33 and 34,256.8,abandoned,Durhamville,
43.125300,-75.598600,NYC Mainline,UG,btw 33 and 34,253.5,active,CSX,
43.127500,-75.430100,NYOW Rome,UG,btw 32 and 33,244.8,abandoned?,,
43.131200,-75.297200,NYC Mainline,UG,btw 31 and 32,238.0,active,CSX,
43.125300,-75.243700,NYC,OG,btw 31 and 32,235.0,active,MA&N,Bridge labelled "Adarondack RR" oops.
43.129580,-75.302180,New York Railways?,,btw 31 and 32
43.017600,-75.007900,NYC Mainline,UG,btw,,active,CSX,
43.017622,-74.993599,UnMV
43.014864,-74.977180,West Shore herkimer,ug,,219.25,gone
43.011925,-74.793607,West Shore (parallels to east)
42.937938,-74.623564,West Shore fort plain,ug,,198.3,abandoned
42.930890,-74.288778,West Shore schoharie crossing,ug,btwn 28 and 29,178.4,gone (may have shared the NY5S bridge)
42.890096,-74.083477,West Shore,,parallels east,
42.841805,-74.015614,West Shore,OG,parallels west at 26,,abandoned
42.791743,-74.016383,D&H main (cp),oh,,158.9,active
42.774555,-73.986853,CSX Selkirk Br ( west shore),ug,,156.9,active
42.756557,-73.938558,SnHR Fullers-Athens Jct,OG,just west of 25,,gone
42.625845,-73.778787,Norman Kill Bridge D&H Albany main to Kenwood Yd.,,,141.4,
42.551714,-73.782401,D&H Albany Sec. ( cp ) Selkirk to Kenwood,ug,,136.1,active
42.514610,-73.789159,Selkirk-Schodack Landing,UG,at 21A,132.4,active
42.499899,-73.796465,NYC Albany-Selkirk (parallel to south),,,132.0
42.485251,-73.808110,NYC Albany-Selkirk (parallel to north),,,131.8
42.466993,-73.806924,NYC Ravena (parallel to south),,,129.1
42.452375,-73.811020,NYC Ravena (parallel to north),,,126.9
42.405621,-73.818441,NYC West Shore,ug,south of New Baltimore,,125.5
42.243373,-73.892792,CnC,ug,south of 21,113.3
42.072673,-73.974652,NYC Saugerties (visible to east),,south of 20,100.4
41.940529,-74.034893,UnD,ug,south of 19,90.7,active,CMRR
41.939920,-74.035312,NYO&W,ug,south of 19,90.6,abandoned
41.881081,-74.058229,NYC Walkill,ug,,86.1,abandoned
41.765621,-74.132026,New Palz and Poughkeepsie trolley,,,76.3,abandoned
41.691068,-74.077805,NH Maybrook Line,ug,btn 18 and 17,72.8,abandoned
41.532160,-74.075850,Walden & Newburgh Trolley,,,61.6,abandoned
41.454936,-74.064516,Erie Newburgh,UG,btw 16 and 17,55.9,abandoned pre-tway?
41.453035,-74.063357,Erie (Newburgh Short Cut),,parallels south,,abandoned
41.435163,-74.067600,NYO&W,ug,btw 16 and 17,54.7,abandoned
41.430260,-74.067192,Erie (Newburgh Short Cut),,parallels north,,abandoned
41.402618,-74.084216,Erie (Newburgh Short Cut),AG,intersects northbound,,abandoned
41.395996,-74.091989,Erie (Newburgh Short Cut),AG,intersects southbound,51.5,abandoned
41.395996,-74.091989,Erie Newburgh,,high on hill parallels south,,abandoned
41.362888,-74.103951,Erie,,two lines switch places and closely parallel on west,,abandoned
41.349103,-74.115113,Erie,,both lines move away to west,,abandoned
41.339120,-74.117209,Erie,,both lines visible across wetland to west,,abandoned
41.312005,-74.123906,Erie,ug,interchange ramp of 16,parallels south
41.299530,-74.137117,Erie,,Newburgh Junction,,44.2
41.172582,-74.187662,Erie,,parallels north,,40.2
41.152346,-74.189557,Erie,,parallels south,,32.3
41.139726,-74.170552,Erie,UG,north of 15,31.8
41.117934,-74.156723,Erie,UG,south of 15 moves away to south,30.0
41.116125,-74.114938,Erie,,parallels to south/east,,27.9
41.112594,-74.098621,Erie,,parallels to north/west,,26.9
41.104044,-74.076849,Erie,ug,,,25.4
41.103688,-74.018453,Erie,og,,,22.3
41.102405,-73.999180,NJ&NY New City,,Just West of Palisades Parkway,21.3,abandoned
41.100746,-73.964409,NYC,og,west of 12,19.5
41.080906,-73.92227,Erie Nyack,at 10,16.6,,abandoned
41.067419,-73.867025,NYC Water Level,ug,Tappan Zee Bridge toll gates,
41.042572,-73.835922,NYCnH Putnam,ug,parallels to the south.
 #1003058  by switcher3051
 
I drove the thruway quite a bit over the years and I remember crossing over the abandoned road bed at NB 54.7. ( I believe ) I saw it used a lot as a jeep trail then many years ago a logger used it and pretty much destroyed it on the east side of the road. Looks like they still use it for something. Up at about MP 73 did that line head from Maybrook over to the Poughkeepsie bridge as it's only a few miles from the New Paltz exit?
 #1007014  by RussNelson
 
switcher3051 wrote:I drove the thruway quite a bit over the years and I remember crossing over the abandoned road bed at NB 54.7. ( I believe ) I saw it used a lot as a jeep trail then many years ago a logger used it and pretty much destroyed it on the east side of the road. Looks like they still use it for something.
I just drove past it today. The bridge over the railbed is still there. The railbed looks a little overgrown to be a jeep trail these days. It's on my list of railbeds to investigate, however.
Up at about MP 73 did that line head from Maybrook over to the Poughkeepsie bridge as it's only a few miles from the New Paltz exit?
Yes. That's also on my list. It looks like it's less overgrown, but more muddy. Unfortunately, due to a power company's outside plant facility, and a trailer park, there's no good way to connect that railbed with the Pok bridge rail-trail.
 #1007099  by switcher3051
 
Thanks Russ, Too bad the bed can't hook up with the Pook bridge again. The 54.7 bridge will remain until it becomes unsafe to carry traffic. Can't see the Thruway replacing it anytime soon for no reason. The rail trail from Chester to Goshen looks like a nice trip, it's on my list to bike. I remember in the 50's I was on a class trip to Museum Village. Wandered off from my class to explore and went to the fence on the east side. I remember seeing an Erie? switcher taking a lunch break. Front end ponting west to Goshen, no cars. No major road blocking the view back then either.
switcher
 #1012818  by Donko142
 
Does anyone know whats going on with the old Erie (Erie,I Think) ROW around MP70? The last few weeks I've been looking while going over the bridge, someone is clearing it.

DC
 #1013100  by RussNelson
 
Donko142 wrote:Does anyone know whats going on with the old Erie (Erie,I Think) ROW around MP70? The last few weeks I've been looking while going over the bridge, someone is clearing it.
I know of no ROW near MP70. Could you look at the list earlier in this topic? It's right here: http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 28#p915928
 #1013713  by Donko142
 
Yes it's around 73 my bad. Looked like the only thing keeping it open alittle was the kids with quads, now it's opened up 12' wide. Must have been done with a dozer ???

DC
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