Biking

"In the field" railroad history adventures...

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Retracing the ND&C

After riding the Harlem Valley Rail Trail and visiting the Copake Iron Works earlier in the day, I decided--while in the area--to try to sniff out traces of the old Newburgh, Dutchess and Connecticut Railroad (a.k.a Central New England Railway) that headed west out of Millerton.

It wasn't that easy! Much has been obscured by the ravages of nature or deep in the woods, inaccessible without a hike over private property.

 Nevertheless, I was happily able to spot a bit of the ROW along RT 199.

I climbed up the hill to photograph the abandoned ROW both looking down(southeast) and up (northwest)

...and was more than amply rewarded by finding this spot!

I will definitely be back up at some point to bike ride this (above) and of course look for more vestiges of the line in the area.

Further Info

2 comments:

  1. Hi Mr. Coffey. I've also been studying this part of the NC & C west of Millerton. After stopping at the above Private RR Crossing sign on Tripp Rd, I noticed a woman in a Mercedes pulling into the driveway to the house across the road. It was Mrs. Zagat, of the restaurant critic books. The one and only! She owns all that property across the road. Anyway she let me drive on the bed that you have photographed. I was able to drive/walk as it curves north and then crosses Tripp once again.

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  2. Brian - wow - that's very cool! I hope to make it back up there in the fall sometime with my bike...

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