Any Plans to 3rd Track to North White Plains?

Now that the third track project is done, are there any plans to continue to North White Plains? It's something that should be done as there is virtually no fewer trains running between Crestwood and North White Plains and tons of equipment moves coming out of NWP.

no plan what so ever for now.

That's too bad because having the third track end at Crestwood actually does nothing to improve train movement. Helps a bit if there is a breakdown but that's about it. Hope MetroNorth looks into this. Except for the parking lot below Scarsdale (railroad leased that property to Eastchester) and the White Plains "Transit Center" (what a joke that place is), the right of way is there.

Dutch is right - there are NO PLANS - and by the way, the third track actually does help train movement -- trains which once originated at Fleetwood now originate at Crestwood, adding service for riders in between those stations, and the middle track is used to allow non-stops through the project area to pass locals.

Just one look at the October 2004 Harlem Line timetable should give you an idea of the benefits of the third track between Crestwood and Mount Vernon West. You'll see that intermediate riders now can take a one-seat ride from White Plains to the Bronx during rush hour, something that was not possible before the third track was constructed. Indeed, this was the primary benefit intended from the third track.

Most of the schedule changes that were anticipated for the third track completion have not yet been implemented due to budget constraints. However, should funding become more available, you'll see benefits to the entire Harlem Line resulting from the Mid-Harlem third track project.

It most definitely was NOT a waste, which is what was implied. It has significant benefits to train movements.

Jim

DutchRailnut wrote:no plan what so ever for now.

The "for now" is the key phrase.
While there is no immediate plan, it is still part of the plan.
The Harlem line was originaly planned as a 4 track railroad,unfortunatly some of the right of way has been lost and that can not happen today.
triple track, will however, fit
All things in their own time.

A third track would be nice all the way to NWP. However, there are two obstacles: the narrow cut at scarsdale and the wide center island at WP as well as being on a narrow viaduct.

Dutch can correct me if I am wrong but it seems to me that there would be a problem around the Scarsdale area, no room around the station for
a third track and a two track truss bridge north of that location.
I can't recall just what the present setup is at White Plains but there may
also be a lack of space there too.
Noel Weaver

Scarsdale is a problem.The truss bridge would likely be handled the same way as the bridge between Fleetwood and Bronxville was.
The Ardsley /Popham Rd bridge on the south end of the station is scheduled for replacement,work was to begin this year. The north end of the station has the Bronx River Parkway Bridge, I think that would be a real problem.But might be welcome by the state DOT. It is a narrow twisty section of road and a site of many accidents.
I was told the "real estate" would accommodate a third track. The real fight would be the residents who would turn out enforce to fight it.

The NIMBY's in Bronxville tried to stop the third track to Crestwood and lost. If the need was great enough the railroad would win in Scarsdale also.

Thanks for the information guys. Just as a bit of information; the Scarsdale station was originally built jutting out on the nb side in anticipation of 4 tracks being put in someday. That is why the long walk from the stairway to the platform. The side along the nb platform can be dug out. If you look very carefully, the fill north of the station hides the bridge abutment on the eastern side. The eastern side abutment of the parkway bridge is way back from the fill. That's all it is, fill. It was even more evident in the old NY Central days before the high level platform. Incidentally, while the old low level sb platform was concrete, the nb platform was made of wood.

. . . and the truss bridge north (RR direction west) of Scarsdale has abutments 4 tracks wide. Basically I believe the whole RR as far as NWP was built to accommodate future four tracking if it was ever desirable to do so

"No way" that four tracks fit in that space Tom.
The platform at North end on track 2 is only about 3 feet wide and at track 1 side is only maybe 7 feet from track to abutment.

I don't think we're talking about the same bridge. I mean the through truss crossing the Bronx River about, oh, 3/4 mile or so north of Scarsdale.

By the way, what you're talking about I assume is correct. The Harlem ROW when constructed back about 1917 was designed for 4 tracks all the way to NWP; however, all the various recofigurations in more recent years have probably made such a thing rather difficult to pull off should the railroad ever want to do it

sorry yes I ment the parkway bridge.
making things 4 track are not gone happen maybe if we stayed with low level platforms but these 12 car concrete platforms do take up a huge amount of space.