The two above photos were on a single postcard, showing the old and new stations at Harriman. The station at left was known as Turners, and was replaced with the station on the right in 1911. From the collection of Steve Swirsky.

As we continue north on our tour of the Port Jervis Line, the next station we encounter is Harriman. When the railroad first arrived here in the 1800′s, the station was known as Turners, after original landowner Peter Turner. The first station built by Turner burned down in 1873, and was replaced with a smaller wood structure (above left). By 1911, that station was falling into disrepair and was again replaced with a brick and stucco structure with a tin roof (above right). The land for this new station was donated by Edward Harriman, and after he passed away in 1909, the name of the station was changed to Harriman in his honor.

 
Postcard of Harriman station, built in 1911. From the collection of Steve Swirsky.

Erie railroad photograph of Harriman station, taken shortly after construction was completed.

The location of today’s Harriman station, however, is in a totally different place than those shown above. Harriman was originally on the Erie railroad’s main line, which was abandoned in the 1980′s when Metro-North took over passenger service. A simple station, which retained the name Harriman, was built by Metro-North on the railroad’s new route, which was formerly known as the Graham Line. The new station is basic, consisting of a platform, canopy, small shelter, and two ticket vending machines.

Edward Harriman’s “special train.” Photo from the GG Bain Collection at the Library of Congress.

Besides being known for his badass moustache, and the namesake of this station, Edward Harriman was a wealthy railroad executive that owned a large estate which he named Arden (some of that land was donated upon his death, and is now Harriman State Park). Although he was associated with the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads, he did influence the Erie Railroad as well – and two stations were named for him. In addition to Harriman, the station of Arden was named after his large estate. Reflecting his status as a wealthy executive, Harriman, of course, had his own private train – which is in the photo above.

The years were not particularly kind to the old Harriman station. The dilapidated structure was torn down in 2006.

Although the tracks running past the old Harriman station were torn out, the station building did survive for at least a few more years. Unfortunately, the run-down building was deemed unsafe, and in lieu of renovating it, the station was torn down in 2006.

Though these stations built by Metro-North aren’t very spectacular, the canopy on a few of them depicts a small sketch of the railroad in bygone years. Harriman’s sketch features a steam train, passing in front of what appears to be the old Harriman station. This is probably the only remotely interesting thing going on at Harriman, other than the weekend bus that will take you over to Woodbury Common. Well, at least you can get to the city in about an hour and fifteen minutes.

I’ll just wrap things up with a few of the terrible photos I took during my visit to Harriman. Have I mentioned that I really want to reshoot the entire Port Jervis line on a day that actually has nice weather? Perhaps someday…

I swear I am not ignoring you, I’m just trying to learn 3D. Not bad for a first attempt, eh? The badass part is going to be when I get this thing all finished and 3D printed.

Now here is a silly question… does anyone have any decent photos of the door at Brewster back in the day? It is some glass thing now, but I am assuming it wasn’t always. And since I am kinda going for the historical look on this one, I need some help!

 

Postcard views of Tuxedo, from the collection of Steve Swirsky.

While taking a ride on the Port Jervis Line, you will travel through Metro-North’s most rural territory. Although the trees and greenery along the route can be quite scenic, the stations along the line are rather rudimentary, bare-bones facilities. The only exception to that is Tuxedo – today’s stop on our tour of the Port Jervis Line. Tuxedo is the only station on the line that has its historical station building still standing, and at the same site of the current station (Metro-North’s Port Jervis station was relocated, about two-tenths of a mile past the original station). For this reason, you could probably say that Tuxedo is the nicest station on the Port Jervis Line. Though the building is owned by the town and is no longer used for any railroad-related purpose, it is a gorgeous old station that certainly gives the place a little character – something that is really absent at other Port Jervis stations.

 
(left) Early 1900′s view of Tuxedo, (right) Tuxedo in 1968

Tuxedo Park – the village where the station is located – is a nice little area with a bit of history behind it. Originally founded as a resort community for the rich, Tuxedo Park was conceived by Pierre Lorillard IV and designed by architect Bruce Price. Work commenced on this planned village in 1885 and took eight months, with the labor of 1800 men. As we’ve seen in many of the places we’ve visited, the placement of Tuxedo was deliberate and influenced by the railroad. Founder Lorillard hoped to create an exclusive community, attracting the well-to-do businessmen and socialites of New York City. The fact that Tuxedo was linked by the Erie Railroad to the city, in about an hour’s time, was certainly an important factor.

Though certainly known today for its charm as a beautiful community, Tuxedo does have a few claims-to-fame. One could consider it the “birthplace” for American etiquette, as author, socialite, and Tuxedo resident Emily Post (daughter of architect Bruce Price) wrote several bestselling books on proper etiquette. And although the origins of the term are not entirely agreed upon, the word tuxedo (as in men’s formal attire) perhaps originated here, a name that derived from the clothing men would wear to the Tuxedo Club.

Early 1900′s view of Tuxedo station. Photo from the collection of the Tuxedo Park Library.

Although the architect for the station in Tuxedo is not definitively known, it is assumed to be designed by Tuxedo’s architect Bruce Price. The Tuxedo Club, as well as twenty-six residences in the village were all designed by Price. In order to lend an air of exclusivity, the community was gated, and included a large stone entrance-way, also designed by Price. Although Tuxedo is certainly one of Price’s notable works, his most well-known achievement was the American Surety Building, one of Manhattan’s earliest skyscrapers. Price also did work for various railroads, including the Pennsylvania Railroad, the Boston and Albany Railroad, and the Canadian Pacific Railway.

   

Photographs of a train crash at Tuxedo in 1951. According to one Tuxedo Park resident, one of the freight cars was filled with oranges that spilled all over – many young children at the time collected these oranges and brought them home. Photo from the collection of the Tuxedo Park Library.

When I visited Tuxedo, I unfortunately didn’t get any pictures of the inside, as a fairly raucous party was going on (and getting rid of the tipsy party goers on the outside was a chore as well). Although it made photo-taking difficult, in a way I have to think it is pretty wonderful. In 2009, at the cost of about a million dollars, the town restored the 1885 Tuxedo station. The building truly belongs to the community, as it is available for use by scout groups, or even to rent out for parties (and who wouldn’t want to get tipsy at Tuxedo?). Over the years the station sported various color schemes – for a time it was even white with brown trim – but during the restoration the goal was to make the station look as it did when it was first built. Some of the details, like the stained glass, are historians’ best guesses – either way, they look great. Not only is the station on the National Register of Historic Places, the village of Tuxedo Park is as well.

Timetable and ticket for Tuxedo. From the collection of Otto Vondrak.

The Metro-North portion of Tuxedo station is not much compared to the grandeur of the historical building, but it includes a low-level platform, a small shelter, and a canopy covering a portion of the platform. Some of the benches on the platform have likely been there for quite a while, as they are still labeled “Erie.”

Tuxedo is 37 miles from Hoboken, which takes about an hour or more by train. A commute to Penn Station (with a transfer at Secaucus) takes about an hour to an hour and a half.

After Tuxedo we head further north, towards Harriman. It is just ahead where the rail line diverged – branching off from the Erie main line was the Graham Line. As mentioned before, that original route was abandoned in favor of the Graham Line. Harriman had a station on the main line, but after that abandonment Metro-North built a new station on the other – it is there we will visit next week.

Train just north of Tuxedo station, 1988

It is about that time… baseball season just beginning, and again this year you can take the train to the game on Metro-North. Although the new Yankees E. 153rd Street station stop makes it easier to get to the stadium, taking the train to the game really isn’t a new idea. The railroad has operated special game trains for years – even back in the New York Central days! And we’re not just talking about baseball – football too! Before Giants Stadium was completed in 1976, the team’s home games were played at various locations – and from 1956-1973 that location was the original Yankee Stadium. Instead of accessing the stadium on the Hudson Line (like today), train riders would take the Harlem Line to Melrose station, and from there walk the short distance to Yankee Stadium.

Below you will find a few of the brochures the New York Central printed about taking the train to Yankee Stadium for baseball and football games. With the exception of the final two (which are more current Metro-North versions), they were all printed in 1966. Special thanks to Otto Vondrak who owns and scanned most of them for me!

New York Central’s special Yankees trains, from 1966

Taking the train to the football game, 1966

The back of the card shows how to get from Melrose to Yankee Stadium, 1966

A little bit more current “Take the train to the game” brochures.

Original Erie station at Sloatsburg, which no longer exists. Photograph from the Sloatsburg Historical Society.

As we head further along the Port Jervis Line, the next station we come to after Suffern is Sloatsburg. The station is about 35 miles from Hoboken, and is relatively bare-bones. We could certainly compare it to some other stations on the east of the Hudson, like Ansonia, but it does have one difference – you will find a ticket vending machine here. The low-level platform and the very small shelter are actually quite similar, however. Although there had been talk about upgrading the infrastructure at the station years ago, including making it handicap-accessible, not much has been done. It is one of the least-used stations on the line (only Otisville gets fewer riders), which likely plays a part in that decision.

Postcard view of Sloatsburg station. From the collection of Steve Swirsky.

Though there isn’t much here now, Sloatsburg did have a station building in the past. The two-story brick station was built in the mid 1800′s for the Erie Railroad. Sometime after the 1940′s, however, the building was torn down – leaving the spot relatively bare.

EL train at Sloatsburg in 1968.

Train near Sloatsburg in 1983.

Train arrives at the small Sloatsburg station in 2007. [image source]

Normally I don’t include current-day photographs taken by others on the site, but I did make an exception for the one above. I think it really illustrates the small station of Sloatsburg – as it is dwarfed by the oncoming train.

Below you will find all of the photographs I took while visiting Sloatsburg. If I had the means to, I would love to go back and rephotograph the entire Port Jervis Line on a day that wasn’t so crappy looking. Alas, you will find many of the photos from here and the other stations rather dreary.

I cannot believe that Metro-North managed to keep this a secret… I nearly had a heart attack when I grabbed one of the new timetables that came out today. Harlem Line service to Millerton is returning! Although there is no time frame of when the stations (Millerton and Amenia) will be reopening, the timetables give us a sneak peek. In Grand Central you can even find a local timetable from both Millerton and Amenia, which are in the newly-created Zone 11 on the line. A monthly ticket from Millerton to Grand Central will cost a whopping $506, but it the new “god ticket” – giving you access to the entire Metro-North system. Ticket Vending Machines already have the two new stations programmed in – the ticket I purchased yesterday from current end-of-line Wassaic to new end-of-line Millerton cost $3.50. Since new tickets expire in 2 weeks, and the new stations will likely not be open in that time-frame, I suppose I just have a neat thing for a scrapbook. But the $3.50 I paid was certainly worth it – I absolutely cannot wait to ride to Millerton!

Improving non-stop? I will never again laugh at that MTA tagline!

April 10th will be I Ride the Harlem Line’s third birthday… Back when I posted about Mamaroneck I mentioned having a get-together at the Club Car when it opens. Well, according to The Loop, it is open! What better than to combine both things into one event? Although it sounds a bit strange to have a birthday party for I Ride the Harlem Line at an old New Haven Line station, but hey, we all appreciate history and a good train station, no matter where it is!

I would love to see you there! Unless I win the Mega Millions tonight, I unfortunately can’t buy you all food, so you’ll have to bring some money (sorry!). Right now the only confirmed guest we have is Jeff, the admin from railroad.net (who is coming from quite far away!). If you’re thinking about coming, either comment or shoot me an email (info@iridetheharlemline.com) so I at least have a rough idea of how many people will be showing up.

There is nothing that I love more than the art on old timetables. And when I say old – I mean old – like 1800′s old. SmartCat has a few of these old timetables on display, including the oldest timetable I personally own – printed in 1865. There is just something beautiful about these bits of rail history, they are not just functional, but attractive – something timetables seem to have lost in the many years since.

As a graphic designer, I love the unique typography, as well as the illustrations found within. When I got bored on the train yesterday, I had the idea to turn some of the old art from these timetables into posters. I made four separate 11″ x 17″ posters, and had them printed up today – now I just have to find a place to hang them… hmmm…

Erie-Lackawanna train at Suffern in 1966. Photo by Carl R. Baldwin.

Welcome to Suffern, our first stop on our tour of the Port Jervis Line. As you are no doubt aware, the Port Jervis line is on the west side of the Hudson, its trains do not enter Grand Central, and the service is operated by New Jersey Transit. Suffern is a little bit of an island unto itself, however. Although it is located in New York state, Suffern is for the most part a New Jersey Transit station, and is operated by NJT. Unlike the rest of the Port Jervis Line stations, which are owned by Metro-North, the typical station signage which we are all familiar with is not present here. Although Metro-North keeps some ridership statistics regarding Suffern, it is generally not grouped with the rest of the Port Jervis Line stations for record keeping. But to keep everyone confused, Suffern does appear on Metro-North timetables, and Metro-North’s website does have a station page for Suffern.

 
   
 
Various historical photos of Suffern, ranging from Erie-Lackawanna days in 1968, Conrail in 1978, and more current Metro-North/NJ Transit service

As we tour the Port Jervis line, you will notice relatively quickly some of the major differences between service on the east and the west of the Hudson. While almost all east of Hudson stations are high-level platforms, all of the stations on the west are low-level. This arrangement makes things difficult for people in wheelchairs – so all handicapped-accessible stations have a small high-level portion of the platform to facilitate boarding. At first seeing these little platforms is strange, but when a train arrives it makes a bit more sense. However, you will not see one of these mini platforms at Suffern – the closest handicap-accessible stations are Harriman to the north, or Ramsey Route 17 (in New Jersey) to the south (or, as Metro-North suggests, Nanuet – though it is on the Pascack Valley Line, and not the Port Jervis).

Suffern’s old depot, destroyed in 1941

Although Suffern does have a small station building, it is a replacement that was built in 1941 – and not the original Victorian structure that dated to 1887. The current placement of the station is also not where it originally was – the platforms and the replacement station were erected slightly more south than before. A small structure, built in 1908 and used as a Wells Fargo mail depot, sits not far from where the original station was. The building was opened as a small railroad museum in 1998. Located just past the museum is a train yard that New Jersey Transit maintains.

Commuter rail guides – listing the “Erie-Lackawanna Railway” – and an Erie-Lackawanna ticket from Hoboken to Suffern

Unlike Metro-North’s other Port Jervis Line stations, Suffern has two tracks. Because the platforms are low-level there is a fence in-between the tracks to deter people from crossing over to the other side that way. The usual destinations for commuters from Suffern are Secaucus and Hoboken. A trip to Hoboken ranges from 45 to 70+ minutes, and a trip to Secaucus 35 to 50+ minutes. Riders can transfer at Secacus to get to Penn Station, or at Hoboken to get to the World Trade Center.

Middletown station, circa 1900. From the collection of the Historical Society of Middletown

Last December I posted some photos from Briarcliff Manor, a station that was along the now-defunct Putnam Division, and how it has since been converted into a library. I’ve always thought it seems appropriate for an old train station to live a second life as a home to history and literature in the form of a library. There are several such places in New York state alone, but one of my favorites is in Middletown, NY. Since we’ve now turned our attention to Metro-North’s west-of-Hudson service and will spend the next few Tuesdays visiting the stations of the Port Jervis line, I thought it would be appropriate to also check out some of the former stations. Middletown is likely one of the most beautiful of the extant stations to fall under that category.

Roosevelt arrives in Middletown via train, 1898. [image source]

As I mentioned earlier this week, the current Port Jervis line follows a slightly different route than the original passenger line operated by the Erie railroad. A portion of the Erie main line was abandoned, and trains were rerouted along the freight Graham Line in the 80′s. The tracks that ran through the center of Middletown, and past this Erie depot, were part of the section that was abandoned. When the old tracks were removed, Middletown’s historic Erie depot became just an old building surrounded by asphalt and automobiles. Its life as a venue for rail travel had come to an end.

 

(top) A circus train arrives in Middletown in 1906. (bottom) Celebrating Erie Day in 1943. [images source]

Built in 1896, the beautiful Romanesque-style Erie depot was designed by architect George Archer. Archer was a native of Maryland and a graduate of Princeton University. He designed several churches, banks, and other buildings in the mid-Atlantic area of the US, and in varying styles. As I’ve mentioned before, the Romanesque style is definitely my favorite, and was popular in the US in the 1880′s and 1890′s. Chatham and Mamaroneck are other examples of stations designed in similar style which I’ve featured before.

  
 
 
1971 photos from the Historic American Buildings Survey, and an undated postcard view of the station

Though the name “Erie Railroad” is prominently emblazoned on the outside of the building, the station did in fact outlive that railroad. In 1960 the cash-strapped Erie, and the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroads combined to form the Erie Lackawanna Railroad. Similar to the fate of the Penn Central, the Erie Lackawanna eventually declared bankruptcy and was ultimately merged into Conrail. The station survived all of these changes, and stood watch as the final passenger train arrived at Middletown at 6 PM on April 16th, 1983.

 

Photos of Middletown in the 1970′s, from the collection of Michael Jensen.

Fortunately, the story doesn’t end there. By the 1980′s, the Middletown Thrall Library began to run into a difficult, yet obvious problem – the building in which they were housed was too small. By 1991 a solution had been found – expanding and moving into the old Erie depot. Construction began in October of 1993, and the library finally opened in its new home on February 13, 1995. The new library cost a total of $5.3 million, and was now 30,000 square feet – much larger than its previous building. The library’s reading room is in what was the original station, and the director’s office was the original ticket booth. The rest of the building is modern, but made to mimic the style of the original station.

In several weeks we will visit Middletown’s replacement station on the Port Jervis Line on our Tuesday Tour, but suffice it to say, it pales in comparison to this beautiful building. But I don’t think anyone can really complain – the former Erie depot makes a fine library.