Re: PC: Harmon NY -> was 20th Century Limited

["Peter King" <FSHOBBY@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I was through there on Saturday, looks like they have 
already started construction. Aside from the loss of 
the old shop building, the placement of the new one 
would seem to block a good portion of the yard that's 
visible from the platforms now. If the location of the 
old building becomes part of the yard, that won't be 
easily visible from the platform, it's too far north. 
(Although it will be visible from the upper parking 
lot.) I do remember the old station, before high-level 
platforms. The platforms were LONG! They extended 
about as far south as they do now, and much further 
north. (Beyond the bridge over the yard.)

I had a good laugh when they built those condos north 
of the station. They were quite expensive for the 
time, even not considering that they were sandwiched 
between 2 busy rail yards, Metro North's PCB pit, and 
the county dump. If I remember correctly, after a 
couple of years of poor sales, they were drastically 
reduced in price. Of course, with the state of real 
estate in Westchester these days, I have no doubt tha 
they are expensive once again.

Peter King  
Robert Holzweiss wrote:
>
>For those interested in photographing the "Old" 
Harmon shops, get your pictures while you can.  Metro 
North has planned an ambitious rebuilding of the 
entire yard complex.  The plan includes the demolition 
of the main shop building and the construction of a 
new, smaller building to the south near where the 
fueling pad is presently located.  The new arrangement 
will significantly rearrange the trackage around the 
shops moving most maintenance functions (in addition 
to the locomotive servicing) further to the south to 
reduce the noise pollution for those expensive condos 
located along the water at the north end of the yard.  
As an aside, you get to the condos by crossing the 
tracks at the same location as the former turning loop 
installed to permit steam locos coming in from the 
north to back around the loop to the round house(es).  
Although the original bridge has been replaced, the 
foundation of the old bridge supports the new bridge.
>
>In just the past 10 years Harmon has drastically 
changed with elimination of lineside signals, 
replacement of the bridge crossing the shop leads, 
realignment of mainline tracks through the yard, 
closing of JD Tower between Harmon and Croton North, 
and the drastic reduction in freight activity at 
Croton North due to the closing of the Tarrytown GM 
plant.  Demolition of the main shop building will be 
the final blow.
>
>Bob Holzweiss
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