I grew up in Eastchester, didn't drive because I was young but I remember going to various places with my parents, this brings back some very good memories, what an excellent and informative video, thank you!
I have driven by that thing every single day for the last 15 years. My route takes me to work along that road next to Wilson Woods and I had no idea that's what this was for. Thanks for this!
I live in the apartments that were developed in conjunction with the NYWB railway. I think about it a lot, who lived here, how they commuted, what their lives were like; who walked in history’s shoes. I love your videos. I hope you’ll return to them at some point.
I grew up climbing all over that stuff! Born in MV in 1950 and explored all that Boston & Westchester stuff. My friend Craig lived in Kingsbridge Gardens but my cousin Tommy lived on Lorraine Ave (in one of the orange apartment buildings) and we lived on those tracks :) We would balance on the bolts of the canterlever base, hold each others shoulders and wrestle the other one off (we were evenly matched). I watched some of the other vids you posted. Good trip down memory lane.... since I live in L.A. now. Thanx
I grew up around the block near the Wartburg. Eddie's Luncheonette was on the corner of Lincoln and Station Place. Years ago I found out that Station Place was named...because of the train station that was there!
What a waste destroying this railroad was - and it was more of a corridor, less of a barrier, although it certainly loomed over Pelham. Still, when the railroad was really needed, after WWII with the baby boom and suburban development, the NYW&B was rubble and open trenches. It is true that the line you describe, branching due east from Mt. Vernon, through Pelham and New Rochelle and then paralleling the New Haven to Port Chester, was totally redundant and massively overbuilt, but the White Plains line would have been essential in modern times. As far as the NYW&B terminating "nowhere" - the foot of the Bronx and connecting with the now departed 2nd and 3rd Avenue Els - a connection to the New Haven could have been made at Columbus Avenue, or even better, it could have joined with the NH's line over the Hell gate Bridge and brought commuters into Penn Station. I've studied up on the NYW&B, and like the other commenter below, I too was haunted by and extensively explored the Westchester's remnants. (I've even managed to ride on the remaining few hundred feet of track north of the Dyre Avenue station, about as close as I'll ever get to riding the Westchester.) Politics killed its operation at the end of 1937 after only 25 years of operation, and shortsightedness sealed the doom of its infrastructure. How sad.... Thank you for posting this. Most people now living in Westchester have no clue how the county developed. (For example, Wykagyl and Heathcote were lonely outposts until they became express stops on the NYW&B.)
The really sad thing is that because of the soon to open East Side Access this line could have had access into Penn station as Metro North will soon get. Imagine going from White Plains into Penn Station. FYI - I live near the former location of the 6th Street/Sanford BLVD station which was still standing when I moved into the neighborhood. It was torn down and replaced with a MacDonalds.
Very nice review of parts still existing of NYW&B RR. This history omits, however, a proposal from Westchester County to reclaim the railroad and run trains from White Plains to 180th Street in the Bronx, leasing the right-of-way in the Bronx from the City of New York. The plan received an exhaustive review by the engineering firm Parson, Brickenhoff etc which recommended reclaimation. However, New York City mayor, Fiorella LaGuardia, convinced Governor Lehman of NY to veto the plan as he felt it was an intrusion upon his domain by another government agency. As a result those extensive portions of the railroad in Westchester were abandoned. New York City bought the line from 180th Street to Dyre Avenue and connected it to the existing subway system.
Very well done. Good topic, good voice, good commentary. Thank you for doing this. And (MEGA-BONUS POINTS) NO STUPID MUSIC !!! Now, can you - pleeeease - buy a camera with image stabilization ? ( yes, I'm nit-picking). Thanks again.
thanks Drew ... I grew up in Chester Heights , eastchester ,( Next station north on this line ) . we used to climb up these piers in the nearby woods in the late 60s-early 70s. they weren't too overgrown with vines & small trees yet , there's a bar called Gordy's in Chester Heights that had a bunch of old pictures on the wall of the Chester heights station
it's behind the DPW yard on the northbound hutch , right before it connect with the cross cty pkwy .. but you'ld hafta park by the webster ave onramp (southbound) & walk under the hiway bridge ,then walk a while along the path (probably an easy 10 minute walk
Growing up around that area it is hard to imagine a railroad going through the area of Pelham, Mt. Vernon to The Dyer Ave. Station in The Bronx. Before Moses began dividing neighborhoods, Robert, not the other guy, with highways, like The Cross Bronx Express Way railroads did that. Looking at The Town of Pelham which was at one time 3 villages, Pelham Manor, Pelham Heights and North Pelham. Real Estate and economic statues where definitely influenced by the two rail crossings. The New Haven Line was the boundary between The Heights and The North, and the old NYW&W influenced the land in the upper northern section of North Pelham. After all we all now the term being born on the wrong side of the tracks or the poor side of town is often across the tracks.
These nywb raised dirt berms appear to have been built intially as wooden trestles, perhaps coated in tar, before being buried in soil. Anyone have any further informayion? Photos? Of ghe vondtruction, abd particularly the removal.
I grew up in Eastchester, didn't drive because I was young but I remember going to various places with my parents, this brings back some very good memories, what an excellent and informative video, thank you!
I have driven by that thing every single day for the last 15 years. My route takes me to work along that road next to Wilson Woods and I had no idea that's what this was for. Thanks for this!
That was my goal for this channel, to point out those little treasures we all drive past and never question. Thank You for watching!
Loved this video!
I live in the apartments that were developed in conjunction with the NYWB railway. I think about it a lot, who lived here, how they commuted, what their lives were like; who walked in history’s shoes. I love your videos. I hope you’ll return to them at some point.
I grew up climbing all over that stuff! Born in MV in 1950 and explored all that Boston & Westchester stuff. My friend Craig lived in Kingsbridge Gardens but my cousin Tommy lived on Lorraine Ave (in one of the orange apartment buildings) and we lived on those tracks :) We would balance on the bolts of the canterlever base, hold each others shoulders and wrestle the other one off (we were evenly matched). I watched some of the other vids you posted. Good trip down memory lane.... since I live in L.A. now. Thanx
I think the orange buildings are actually Pearsall Drive ( now Vernon Woods). Lorraine is up Lincoln Ave a few blocks. No?
I love these little historical tours of nyc that no one gets to see !
Thank You!
memories I grew up on East Lincoln Avenue in Mount Vernon...we used to climb up the viaduct wall and hang out there as a teen
I grew up around the block near the Wartburg. Eddie's Luncheonette was on the corner of Lincoln and Station Place. Years ago I found out that Station Place was named...because of the train station that was there!
Are you still in the area?
@@hiddenhistoryny129 Port Chester
Eddie Zelinsky ran the luncheonette. And his wife Ida. Their son's name was... I think... Steven. Nice people.
Nice piece, I knew that embankment was there since I was a kid.
What a waste destroying this railroad was - and it was more of a corridor, less of a barrier, although it certainly loomed over Pelham. Still, when the railroad was really needed, after WWII with the baby boom and suburban development, the NYW&B was rubble and open trenches. It is true that the line you describe, branching due east from Mt. Vernon, through Pelham and New Rochelle and then paralleling the New Haven to Port Chester, was totally redundant and massively overbuilt, but the White Plains line would have been essential in modern times. As far as the NYW&B terminating "nowhere" - the foot of the Bronx and connecting with the now departed 2nd and 3rd Avenue Els - a connection to the New Haven could have been made at Columbus Avenue, or even better, it could have joined with the NH's line over the Hell gate Bridge and brought commuters into Penn Station.
I've studied up on the NYW&B, and like the other commenter below, I too was haunted by and extensively explored the Westchester's remnants. (I've even managed to ride on the remaining few hundred feet of track north of the Dyre Avenue station, about as close as I'll ever get to riding the Westchester.) Politics killed its operation at the end of 1937 after only 25 years of operation, and shortsightedness sealed the doom of its infrastructure. How sad....
Thank you for posting this. Most people now living in Westchester have no clue how the county developed. (For example, Wykagyl and Heathcote were lonely outposts until they became express stops on the NYW&B.)
The really sad thing is that because of the soon to open East Side Access this line could have had access into Penn station as Metro North will soon get. Imagine going from White Plains into Penn Station. FYI - I live near the former location of the 6th Street/Sanford BLVD station which was still standing when I moved into the neighborhood. It was torn down and replaced with a MacDonalds.
Very nice review of parts still existing of NYW&B RR. This history omits, however, a proposal from Westchester County to reclaim the railroad and run trains from White Plains to 180th Street in the Bronx, leasing the right-of-way in the Bronx from the City of New York. The plan received an exhaustive review by the engineering firm Parson, Brickenhoff etc which recommended reclaimation. However, New York City mayor, Fiorella LaGuardia, convinced Governor Lehman of NY to veto the plan as he felt it was an intrusion upon his domain by another government agency. As a result those extensive portions of the railroad in Westchester were abandoned. New York City bought the line from 180th Street to Dyre Avenue and connected it to the existing subway system.
Very well done. Good topic, good voice, good commentary. Thank you for doing this. And (MEGA-BONUS POINTS) NO STUPID MUSIC !!! Now, can you - pleeeease - buy a camera with image stabilization ? ( yes, I'm nit-picking). Thanks again.
Great video keep them coming.
This channel is so interesting.
thanks Drew ... I grew up in Chester Heights , eastchester ,( Next station north on this line ) . we used to climb up these piers in the nearby woods in the late 60s-early 70s. they weren't too overgrown with vines & small trees yet , there's a bar called Gordy's in Chester Heights that had a bunch of old pictures on the wall of the Chester heights station
I will have to go check that out
it's behind the DPW yard on the northbound hutch , right before it connect with the cross cty pkwy .. but you'ld hafta park by the webster ave onramp (southbound) & walk under the hiway bridge ,then walk a while along the path (probably an easy 10 minute walk
also in chester heights theres a bar called Gordy's that has old pictures of the station
@@chrisdimenna648 yeah back up in nature study woods/norman road Rose Hill Avenue area
First time view- You are an urban poet
Thank you very much I'm glad you enjoyed
Awesome video!
Great video. Excellent narration. Really need image stabilization. I think the new GoPros really do that well.
Growing up around that area it is hard to imagine a railroad going through the area of Pelham, Mt. Vernon to The Dyer Ave. Station in The Bronx. Before Moses began dividing neighborhoods, Robert, not the other guy, with highways, like The Cross Bronx Express Way railroads did that. Looking at The Town of Pelham which was at one time 3 villages, Pelham Manor, Pelham Heights and North Pelham. Real Estate and economic statues where definitely influenced by the two rail crossings. The New Haven Line was the boundary between The Heights and The North, and the old NYW&W influenced the land in the upper northern section of North Pelham. After all we all now the term being born on the wrong side of the tracks or the poor side of town is often across the tracks.
These nywb raised dirt berms appear to have been built intially as wooden trestles, perhaps coated in tar, before being buried in soil. Anyone have any further informayion? Photos? Of ghe vondtruction, abd particularly the removal.
*Significance
WEST ST. STATION RIGHT BEHIND MY HOUSE