Harlem Valley Rail Trail

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Harlem Valley Rail Trail
Amenia train station site.JPG
Site of the former Amenia Station
Length26 mi (42 km)
Location Dutchess and Columbia counties, New York
Trailheads Wassaic and Taconic State Park
UseHiking
Website hvrt.org
Trail map
Harlem Valley Rail Trail

The Harlem Valley Rail Trail is a paved rail trail on an abandoned portion of the New York and Harlem Railroad, north of the hamlet of Wassaic and accessible by train, one mile north of the start at the Metro-North Railroad Harlem Line terminus in Wassaic. It is owned by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP). It is maintained through an agreement between OPRHP, Dutchess County and the Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association, a private not-for-profit organization.

The former New York and Harlem main line was acquired by the New York Central Railroad in 1864, and became part of the Penn Central Railroad (PC) in 1968. After PC declared bankruptcy in 1970, passenger the service between Dover Plains and Chatham ceased by 1972, though freight service continued over the line until 1976, when it was abandoned between Millerton and Ghent. The rest of the line was abandoned in 1980, but Metro-North restored service between Dover Plains and Wassaic in 2000. The abandoned rail line was converted into a public park in 1989. [1] The rail trail first opened in 1996 and reaches It has been expanded northward to Taconic State Park) with plans for an extension to Chatham. [2]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wassaic station</span> Metro-North Railroad station in New York

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dover Plains station</span> Metro-North Railroad station in New York

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harlem Valley–Wingdale station</span> Metro-North Railroad station in New York

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union Station (Chatham, New York)</span> Former railroad station in New York State (closed 1976)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millerton station</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coleman's station</span> Former train station in Millerton, New York

The Coleman's station was a former New York Central Railroad station that served the residents of North East, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston Corners station</span>

The Boston Corners station was a former New York Central Railroad station that served the residents of Ancram, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Copake Falls station</span> Former railroad station in New York, US

The Copake Falls station was a former New York Central Railroad station that served the residents of Copake, New York.

The Hillsdale station was a former New York Central Railroad Harlem Division station that served the residents of Hillsdale, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philmont station (New York Central Railroad)</span>

The Philmont station was a former New York Central Railroad station that served the residents of Claverack, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martindale station (New York Central Railroad)</span>

The Martindale station was a former New York Central Railroad station that served the residents of Hillsdale, New York and was the next stop on the Harlem Division after Craryville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craryville station</span>

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References

  1. Faber, Harold (January 30, 1989). "Old Rail Line To Be Turned Into Parkland". The New York Times. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
  2. Mummert, Roger (May 25, 2007). "The Harlem Valley Rail Trail". The New York Times. Retrieved August 15, 2009.

41°50′53″N73°32′58″W / 41.84806°N 73.54944°W / 41.84806; -73.54944