Gallery Cars at Croton North

On Monday afternoon I saw a set of Chicago-type gallery cars parked at the western yards (opposite the Dead Line) at Croton North. I couldn't tell how many cars there were, or whether the markings were METRA or the VRE variant, but they were definitely ex-C&NW smooth-side gallery cars.

Anyone know what they were doing there?

my guess ?? on their way to Kawasaki in Yonkers for refurbishment for VRE or MARC

I heard a rummor that the Housatonic bought those cars for possible commuter service

Thanks, Dutch. Guess that it may be, Kawasaki makes sense.

Much as I'd love to ride a revenue train to Cornwall, I just can't buy the Housatonic angle. Particularly since rumors of equipment procurement precede rumors of the service itself.

Why would there be a "rumor" of commuter service on the Housatonic? Why would they keep it a secret if they were? We're not really interested in railfan rumor here.

Now railfan humor is something else. Like Housatonic providing commuter service using ex-Metra gallery cars. That would be REALLY funny since I'm pretty sure that HRRC doesn't have any locomotives that are HEP equipped, or any trackage that would allow any great speed for which to provide this service.

-otto-

I was just looking at the 1910 Official Guide (for odd/even directionals) and the routes which existed for commuters then would be incredible today.

Putnam Branch as an alternative to the densely developed lower harlem line.

Upper Harlem service to Chatham with Rutland connections into VT

Danbury section of the Central New England as a feeder to the Harlem

Berkshire line service to Pittsfield, eight trains daily. Connect with the CNE at Danbury

Beacon Line service

NYO&W feeder to the West Shore

Suffern to Piermont service. Suffern to Spring Valley to Hoboken would be a wonderful improvement today, with zero chance of implementation

Cars are for MARC and on their way to Kawasaki.
for dreamers why would Housy spend half million $$ for car and no engines ???for one or two fan trips ??? get real.

I heard a "rummor" that those cars were being mothballed, pending implementation on the restored Putnam Division. Hillary herself will be the engineer on the first set rolling out of Putnam Junction, as she tries to finally take credit for doing something!

Seriously, I was surprised to see those cars as far south as they were. What's the clearance issues these days between Harmon and Albany? If you can get a double decker, can you get a Budd dome down the Hudson these days?

Dieter.

Well from Terrytown to Albany they raised all the bridges years ago to try and keep the GM auto plant. The state spent a huge amount raising the bridges and stuff to allow for the high autoracks, and then shortly there after, GM left Terrytown. So if they are high enough for autoracks, I'm sure they are high enough for any passenger cars. South of Terrytown, I wouldn't have a clue.

South of Tarrytown, I doubt it. You still see the old pedestrian bridges to the water in many places, and they haven't lowered the tracks, as on the West Shore for the tunnels.

Remember when someone was sleeping (too bad they don't have people in towers anymore!) and a double stack hit an overpass near Yankee Stadium? There's your answer. And you never see any double stacks on the line that runs from Highbridge out along the river, either.

Dieter.

I was going to mention the yankee stadium incident. They finally opened the oak point link the next week...

So - if a double stacked trash car can get all the way to the bronx, and the link is now in use (I think it allows for 19ft) - what if any other obsticles are there to taller cars? (at least on freight, i'd imagine the tunnels to GCT wouldn't fit normal bi levels).

roee- "Terrytown?" Is that where Mighty Mouse and Heckcle & Jeckle live?

(sorry, couldn't resist)

-otto-

Otto Vondrak wrote:roee- "Terrytown?" Is that where Mighty Mouse and Heckcle & Jeckle live?

(sorry, couldn't resist)

-otto-

Give the dyslexic guy a break...

How will the cars get from the Hudson Line to Kawasaki? Even though the facility is adjacent to the tracks, I've never noticed a branch off.

Following are the clearance restrictions on the Metro-North Hudson Line:
Division Post (CSX) to CP-75 17 ft. 4 in.
CP-75 to MP 26 (the old GM facility in Tarrytown) 17 ft. 0 in.
CP 26 to MP 6.2 16 ft. 6 in. except on track no. 1
CP 26 to MP 6.2 on track no. 1 17 ft 0 in.
Note, timetable shows various restrictions concerning use of tracks south
of CP-26 and also some restrictions cars not higher than 19 ft. 4 in. on
certain tracks.
Dome cars did once run on Amtrak from Croton-Harmon north to Albany
and could again do it if called for. Biggest clearance problems are south
of the old GM facility in Tarrytown.
As for passenger cars going into and out of the plant in Yonkers, some of
if not most of that stuff was trucked in and out of there while I was on
Metro-North. For that reason, the switch for the track to that facility was
at least during my time there an on or off again affair. The switch would
appear and disappear sometimes very often.
Some of the trackage in that facility is/was electrified with overhead wire
and I remember seeing new PATH cars with temporary pantographs for
the overhead wire being tested on that track while passing by on track 3.
At the time this was taking place, there was no track connection off Metro-
North and the cars were being trucked to PATH by low flat bed tractor
trailers.
Noel Weaver