August 29, 2012

There Was Never A Train In The Yard

In the years past,
I would often make deliveries in the area of New York City.
I learned very quickly that much traffic could be avoided if I drove north on the Bronx River Parkway
or Interstate 684; the later of the two was useful if the vehicle was commercial as it was completely restricted from parkways.
I would sometimes decide to drive north of  the I-684 and continue on New York State Route 22.
Along the way about 75 miles from the New York City boundary is
Wassaic a hamlet in the Town of Amenia, Dutchess County, New York.
This was the last stop for the Harlem Line of the Metro-North Railroad, the track went no further.
As it was always during the midday,
all of the trains were out along the track at different locations engaged in commuter activities.
There was never a train in the yard, as a driver, 
I felt a since of disappointment that the trains had left.
I wanted to know why such a long line would end abruptly in upstate New York?
Why was it not routed through Pittsfield, Massachusetts and into Burlington, Vermont?
I would continue to drive northward, convinced that the railroad was inadequate as the line was not completed.

I have since learned that one link to Burlington, Vermont is routed from Albany, New York.
Regardless, 
there was something about a large railroad yard without trains at the end of a long line 
that made want to introduce legislation to complete the line by integration with all adjacent lines.
There was never a train in the yard.

'Live to Rise' recorded by Soundgarden in 2012

This video starts of with a train at Wassaic, NY .
There is a train in the yard, two of them, a third train had left about twenty-five minutes earlier.





'What About Me?'
~International Travel Edition~
recorded by
MPK
2012



There was never a train in the yard.