Penn Central wrote:From a list of railroad wrecks in NJ, I saw this interesting detour:
November 16, 1970 Mahwah EL Eastbound freight derailed, blocking all four tracks of the Main Line. Passenger service diverted over what is now NJT Pascack Valley Line and back to Main Line over now defunct connection between Spring Valley and Suffern.
Can't make that move anymore.
I remember that event, although I didn't see the train - just remember reading about it. I was in Jr. High School at the time.
I can also recall coming across the now abandoned track near Monsey NY while at Requa Lake for my 9th grade picnic. A friend and I went wandering into the woods on a trail and came to the track. I recall that it was very rusty and appeared either abandoned, or nearly so. That would have been in 1971.
I have traced the route in Google Earth. The images are too large for me to post here, but you can click on the links below to see the images at their source url.
Red = active mainline
Light Purple = abandoned
Light Blue = Rail Trail on abandoned line
Overview of the route:
http://s425.photobucket.com/user/CPSK/m ... b.jpg.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Sequence of 6 images showing the entire route in more detail:
Hit the > button to the right of the image to view the next in sequence
If anyone would like to view the route in even closer detail directly in Google Earth, I can send you the .kmz files with the route by e-mail.
I seriously doubt that any rail line will ever follow this route again, but perhaps (not in my lifetime), a new high-speed route will be constructed between Suffern and Tarrytown, following the I-87287 corridor, with junction to the Pascack Valley line at Spring Valley, a new bridge over the Hudson near the TZ, and meeting the Hudson line just south of Tarrytown.
But I seriously doubt that even that route will ever be built. It would be far too expensive for any government to take on, and probably not lucrative enough for private enterprise.
CP
