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Looking Back at Metro-North's Harlem Division


MTA silver and blue FL9's roll southbound through fresh autumn leaves at the Dean's Bridge Road crossing in Croton Falls, NY. Very few FL9's received this paint scheme. Metro-North has revived a similar silver and blue paint scheme on its Genesis locomotives. October, 1980.
FL9's emerge from the mist at the old NY 138 crossing at Golden's Bridge, NY. December 1971
Conrail puts a new spin on the old MTA blue and yellow paint. Conrail assumed the freight and commuter operations of six northeastern bankrupt railroads on April 1, 1976. Seen here at Brewster, NY, CR #5015 (ex-NH #2015) was the first unit to get the full Conrail treatment. April 30, 1978.
The local Harlem freight is seen here at Golden's Bridge northbound, pulled by Penn Central Alco road-switcher #5518, with a transfer caboose bringing up the rear. The hopper cars are probably destined for the grain mills that were once located in Wassaic, or Millerton. We are uncertain as to the destination of the FGE reefer. August 22, 1974.
An RDC is heading northbound at Katonah, at Milepost 41.1. Just past the Jay Street grade crossing was a crossover from track one to track two. The crossover was removed in 1983 concurrent with the construction of the new high-level platforms at this location by Metro-North. October 1973.
Ex-Penn Central U-25B #2549 heads up the local freight, with a freshly painted Conrail transfer caboose in tow, crossing the Muscoot Reservoir just north of Katonah. One of these boxcars might be destined to King Lumber Co. in Golden's Bridge. Local freight service on the Harlem line remained steady until about the early 1980s. May 1978.
The Harlem's local freight, known as "The Dog" is about to duck under the new Route 35 underpass in Katonah. In the background is the then-just-completed I-684. The ex-NYC switcher has already been renumbered into the PC/PRR numbering scheme, yet still carrying NYC lettering and logos. 1970.
PC FL9 #5059 (ex-NH #2059, the last production FL9, and the last production cab unit built by EMD) shows off it's new MTA-inspired paint at Chappaqua, NY. When the MTA started funding the commuter runs operated by Penn Central in 1970, the idea was to apply new paint to the engines to signify the "new service." The colors were chosen to represent the State of New York, since the MTA is a function of the state government. January 2, 1976.
A southbound Rail Diesel Car makes a chilly station stop at Katonah, NY. Most midday runs were covered by RDC's, especially on the Harlem above White Plains. January 1974
PC FL9 #5018 southbound at Harris Road in Bedford Hills, NY. The yellow paint was always very quick to fade in the Penn Central era. In some examples, the noses would bleach out to almost white. Anything was better than the dip-job black that was applied to some units. February 7, 1977.
Two ex-Amtrak RDC's are about to head southbound at Katonah. Sometimes afternoon runs to White Plains rated additional seats. Sometimes they would pair up cars in case one of them crapped out en route. December 30, 1982.
An RDC southbound at Golden's Bridge. The multi-color tiger-stripes on the nose are a holdover from the late New York Central days. Most of the RDC's that operated on the Harlem were either former New Haven or NYC cars. March 27, 1974.

Article by Otto Vondrak/Photos by Arthur Deeks.
Originally published June 2002

The Harlem Line of MTA Metro-North Railroad is certainly one of the busiest commuter lines in the East. Built as a true commuter's route, it can trace its heritage all the way back to the original New York & Harlem horsecar line that was first chartered in 1831. In the 1850s, the line was the first railroad to be purchased by Cornelius Vanderbilt, and together with the Hudson River Railroad would become the cornerstone of the mighty New York Central system.

As people living in New York City became more affluent towards the later half of the 19th century, they looked to live farther away from the city. The railroad provided an easy way to get to work each morning. Suburbs began to grow as it became more fashionable to have a house in the country. An added benefit was that farmers now had a cheap route to deliver their goods for sale. Now, a farmer a hundred miles away in Dutchess County could have his fresh milk and produce in the New York markets.

The railroad reached my hometown of Katonah, New York, in 1847. Katonah is only 41 miles from Grand Central, and its citizens have always closely guarded its country village charm. For more than 100 years, very little changed for the average commuter from this station. Up the line was the village of Golden's Bridge, the junction with the Lake Mahopac Branch, and connection to the Putnam Division. South one station was the hamlet of Bedford Hills, a town with slightly more suburban aspirations than Katonah. For the most part, people commuted to the most northern parts of Westchester County for some peace and quiet.

The Harlem Division was electrified as far as White Plains in 1910 as part of the Grand Central Terminal electrification project. Not only was the Harlem host to hundreds of commuter runs, but also through and local freights, as well as the occasional detouring first class limited!

After World War II, the costs of commuter service on the railroad began to take their toll. Commuters expected the same level of services without a fare increase. The fact that the Public Service Commission held down fares to pre-WWI levels did not help. The trains were a labor intensive, money losing operation. In the 1950s, funding came through to purchase new electric equipment for the NYC and the neighboring New Haven. Customers riding from anywhere above White Plains most likely rode in standard coaches dating from 1925!

In 1968, the New York Central rode off into oblivion with the Pennsylvania Railroad to form the ill-fated Penn Central. A year later, the New Haven was force-fed into the organization. The biggest change on the Harlem was the arrival of ex-New Haven FL9's on former NYC lines. These dual-mode locomotives eliminated the need for an engine change at North White Plains. However, the new company neglected the commuter runs as much as they could, in every effort to rid themselves of the responsibility. The situation became so bad in New York that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority stepped up in 1970 with subsidies. With new money came some new paint for the aging FL9's and some of the stainless steel "roach coaches," but little else. Upper Harlem commuters with little choice soldiered on while those in the electrified zone enjoyed the delivery of new MU cars in 1972.

Congress created the Consolidated Rail Corp. (Conrail) to take over the properties of six bankrupt northeastern railroads in 1976. Overnight, Conrail became the second largest passenger carrier in America, bumping the Long Island Rail Road to number three. This new government-created company was now running commuter trains in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago. The only difference noticed by the average commuter was the name change on the timetables.

By 1983, Conrail transferred its commuter operations to various state agencies- MBTA (Boston), NJDOT/NJ Transit (New Jersey area), and SEPTA (Philadelphia)(the Chicago operation was quietly dropped). In New York, the MTA created Metro-North Commuter Railroad to operate the former NYC Hudson and Harlem Lines (and the ex-New Haven services under contract with CDOT). The MTA poured millions of dollars into infrastructure rehab and new equipment acquisition. On the Harlem Line, this meant the extension of electrification north through Katonah all the way to Brewster. New equipment promised faster, more reliable service, while new stations promised a clean, safe place to board your train. Old equipment was taken out of service as quickly as new was delivered. By 1985, Metro-North had managed to turn around the suburban New York commuter scene.

Few people chose to document those dark days before the state stepped in. A chance meeting on the Internet gained my access to the historic collection of Arthur Deeks. A resident of Katonah from 1967-1984, Deeks was trackside with his camera documenting the good, the bad, and the ugly (and on PC, there was no shortage of ugly). My interest lies in that varied time period from the last years of the New York Central in the 1960s to the first years of Metro-North. The photos below are but a small sample of this interesting period.
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