The
Erie Railroad operated several sites in New York City that where served
via car floats. The operation that I am incorporating into the New
York Harbor Railroad is the 28th Street Railroad Freight Station.
This yard was built early in the 20th Century and during its first
few years of operations it shared the float bridge with the Lehigh
Valley Railroad on 27th Street. The 28th Street yard saw it’s
hey day decline after World War II and was eventually closed in the
early 1970’s. It was torn down to make way for a parking lot
for the local utilities. The only remnant that remains today is part
of pier that connected the float bridge to the shore. Recently the
State and City of New York have decided to demolish this last remnant
to build a new waterfront park.
This is a photograph
that was taken from the Miller Expressway (later renamed the West
Side Highway). This photograph was taken during World War II and if
you look carefully to the left of the crane there is an artillery
piece (likely and anti-aircraft gun). This gem was pointed out to
me by Vincent Lee at the Railroad Prototype Modelers at Valley Forge
in March 2006. Vincent Lee is also working on a version of 28th as
a portable module. This is the look and feel I am looking for
in my design of 28th Street.
Here is a photo of the 28th Street Yard. The blue handle Hump Yard Purveyances are for the loading side of 28th Street. The float bridge and Terminal Stores are still under construction. As of March 2007 ALL of the Hump Yard Purveyances have been replaced in favor of Blue Points!
UPDATE
June 2010. Neil Henning and Scott Dunlap working on ballasting 28th Street.
28th Street during the DC Crew's Operating Session on November 22nd 2014.