Low-level platforms at 125th St. and elsewhere until when?

Interesting observation on Malcolm X, was he on a Comet/Metropolitan/Cosmopolitan train? Or did they drag some vintage equipment out for filming?

Vintage equipment indeed....

The Great Republic, 1930-built Pullman used on the "Yankee Clipper" was acquired by CT's VRR in 1990 from the Bradley Estate and no sooner was it on the VRR, but it was shipped to GCT for use in the filming of Malcolm X. When it came back, the interior was restored and since 1994 has been in regular service on the VRR. I seem to remember other VRR heavyweights being shipped down as well.

Backshophoss wrote:The High level platforms stopped at Harmon(Hudson)Brewster North(Harlem),and New Haven(New Haven)
including the New Canaan Branch,New Canaan was the oddball with a Mini-High and Belmont style stairs.
this was back in the mid '80's,Waterbury,Danbury,Patterson to Dover Plains on the Harlem,and
Croton North to Poughkeepsie(Hudson) were low level with step boxes.

I lived in New Hamburg from '79 to '88. While I was too young to remember the station being closed prior to 1981, I remember many train trips from New Hamburg to see my grandparents in NYC. I don't recall ever seeing step boxes in use there. The platforms were actually a foot or so above ground level -- not tall enough to require support columns or to have any "open space" under the platforms, but tall enough that you could get on/off the trains without step boxes.

However, having also spent a lot of time in Dover Plains, I could see where that station's original platform, flush with ground level, would have required step boxes. But if you walked north from the grade crossing, just by the station house, Metro North had installed a "built up" low platform, a step or two up from the ground, so you could board the trains without step boxes. That part of the platform was 2 or maybe 3 cars long, as the Upper Harlem shuttle usually wasn't any longer.

That stepbox was long enough for 2 cars ,allowing for a little slop in spotting the open coaches/Budd cars at the box.
They were also mounted on the strip of ashphalt between the two main tracks on the Harlem line,
Valhalla to Brewster.

The High Level platforms were constructed on the Harlem Line in the Summer of 1971
I started High School in NYC in the fall of 1971
I commuted from Fleetwood to GCT
I attended a 6 weeks prefreshman course
in the summer of 1971
It finished at noon
If I missed the 1:00 train
I would have to wait to 2:00
the trains were on the hour
during non rush hour
to allow for construction of the high level platforms
I believe they were wood construction

the wood platforms from Wakefield to NWP were replaced in early 90's under Metro North.