Maybrook Line

Yes there use to be a connection near Kobackers supermarket/LMA fuel company, but it was taken out decades ago.

DutchRailnut wrote:Yes there use to be a connection near Kobackers supermarket/LMA fuel company, but it was taken out decades ago.

This connection was taken out many years ago. Probably in the 1940s or earlier. None of the old timers that I worked with, who had hired out in the 1940s, could remember the Put crossing the main in Brewster. Most of them could remember passenger trains on the Put, which ran until 1958, and service from Golden's Bridge on the Lake Mahopac Branch.

not talking about the trestle between Maybrook and Putnam Division but the connection between Maybrook and Harlem.

The New Haven Railroad went through a real cut throat management period in 1958 and 1959. The connection between the
Maybrook and the Harlem at Brewster was taken out during one of those two years.
Noel Weaver

I think somewhere in here we've spoken about Danbury Fair specials; I believe I found a site that discussed it (it also had passenger schedules for the Maybrook, which we know ended circa 1930 or so). Can't say off the top of my head when that ended, but it was a joint venture between the Put (Central) and NYNE (NH) I think. A shame it's gone, that may have made connecting service from Danbury to Brewster worthwhile.

Noel Weaver wrote:The New Haven Railroad went through a real cut throat management period in 1958 and 1959. The connection between the
Maybrook and the Harlem at Brewster was taken out during one of those two years.
Noel Weaver

That's pretty close. It was actually a little later, probably 1960 or 61. Not a trace of where it was has been visible for years.

ExCon90 wrote:

DutchRailnut wrote:no that did not have impact sensors or accident would not have happened.

This is subject to check, but at Bayou Canot I believe the barge hit the bridge after the Sunset had already passed the last signal before the bridge--less than a minute. Similar to a situation where a train derails and fouls the adjacent track immediately in advance of an opposing train; nothing anyone can do.

I believe the impact happened a little before the Sunset passed the last signal, however the impact bent the rails and subsequent structure out of place ( it did not sever the connection ). Part of the problem lies in the fact that the span was designed with the possibility of adding a swing bridge ( which is where the hit occurred ). The bridge however hadn't been converted and no attempt was made to protect it against unintended movement ( placing stops ).

Had the rail connection been severed the Sunset Ltd. would've had a red signal, and the train may have been stopped or slowed to prevent a catastrophic accident.

Anyway it would be interesting to see additional rail service in New York State, however Poughkeepsie Bridge will never see a train again.
It's a rail trail now ( Walkway over the Hudson ). Much the former Maybrook ( Beacon Line ) is also being converted to rail trails.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v102/ ... norama.jpg

You're afforded stunning views of the Hudson and surrounding area on that bridge.

Would make a nice line if you want service from Poughkeepsie, NY to Danbury, CT I doubt that would attract enough ridership to cover costs.

This is about the Maybrook/Beacon line, not signal systems and the sunset, lets get back on topic before a moderator jumps in.

Tommy Meehan wrote:I sure am glad I rode the Metro-North excursion train on that line. In about....2005? Was a great experience. Beacon to Hopewell Jct to Danbury. Made pretty good time on sections east of Hopewell, too. I expected us to really creep along but we didn't.

The weather was great, plenty of room, beautiful countryside, some nice people and a real rare mileage ride. According to Ridgefielder, no scheduled passenger service at all since 1933!

Sorry it's not possible to do it again. I'd sign up in a heartbeat.

That seems all the line is good for excursion service, very spread out, great scenery from the birds eye view at bing.com.
Doesn't look like the line would provide much in the way of passenger service, at least looking at how sparsely populated and spread out some of those towns are.
Wonder how much it would cost to spruce up that line purchase a steam engine or two and some old passenger cars and run excursions and maybe some sort of freight service over the line.

HRRC has freight rights but they don't have online customers.
As for any service, nothing has run other than a work train to brewster bridge for over 4 years.
No crews are qualified anymore, and if track speed was 25 passenger and 10 freight with no maintenance what would speed be now ???

As for passenger excursions, only MNCR can operate passenger trains on MNCR track except for Amtrak regular trains.

When did they remove crossing signals on this line? Many years ago I remember Route 9 having overhead lights on the crossing of what what I believe was this line...

for crossing equipment to work a minimum of one train every two days is needed, with rusty rail crossing circuits don't work.
Crossing circuits were deactivated and arms removed about one year after MNCR took over from HRRC.

DutchRailnut wrote:HRRC has freight rights but they don't have online customers.
As for any service, nothing has run other than a work train to brewster bridge for over 4 years.
No crews are qualified anymore, and if track speed was 25 passenger and 10 freight with no maintenance what would speed be now ???

As for passenger excursions, only MNCR can operate passenger trains on MNCR track except for Amtrak regular trains.

from what iv heard from a retired engineer that maybrook used to be a pretty fast route since its farily straight in most sections
however due to the decrepit track conditions on the hrrc end when the FRA ran their inspection train over the tracks they downgraded the speed to less then 10mph.

(also cannot fault hrrc for not pouring cash into the row since there are no customers on the line.)

and yes it would be an ideal row for a museum excursion train.

andre wrote:
from what iv heard from a retired engineer that maybrook used to be a pretty fast route since its farily straight in most sections

Well . . . I don't know about "pretty fast" but I will tell you the predominate speed limit was 40 mph during the New Haven RR era. I guess that was pretty respectable for a freight-only route. West of Hopewell Jct there were some stretches of 50 mph.

The Maybrook Line was not exactly a high speed freight route. Just because the track speed was 40 MPH and even 50 MPH
in a few places on the western portion, the curves, bridges and grades prevented track speed in many areas of this line.
By the time I ran over it in the early 70's between Derby Junction and Hopewell Junction there wasn't much in the line of
over 30 territory that would do any good. A little bit east of Berkshire Junction was about it. The line wasn't in too bad
shape at the time although Penn Central let it go downhill and we had some 10 MPH sections here and there.
I don't think this line would be particularly good for a tourist operation. It would at least need a fair amount of track work
just to get up to 25 MPH and there are already two good tourist train operations in Connecticut at Thomaston on the Naugy
and Exxes with steam.
NIMBY's might be a problem with any thought of use here too, they have been problems everywhere and there is no reason
to believe they wouldn't be here too.
Noel Weaver