Newburgh Yard, Circa 1971

By the year 1971, action at the Erie Lackawanna yard in Newburgh was drawing to a close. The Newburgh Branch would only operate for another eight years before abandonment, and the yard is indeed showing signs of disuse. Dennis Carpenter captured this scene of Erie Lackawanna GP-9 heading southbound through a maze of twisted rails and growing weeds.

Last Train at Enderlin (West Cornwall) NY

In April of 1936, the Erie Railroad closed down their "Shortcut" brach and ended passenger service on the Newburgh Branch. Seen to the right is the last train at Enderlin (West Cornwall) NY. After exchanging passengers, the train will continue to head northbound towards Vails Gate Junction and eventually, Newburgh. The train will then turn around and head down the branch to Greycourt NY. In the distance, the bridge that carries the NYO&W mainline over the shortcut can be seen. Photo from Russ Hallock.

The Erie's Newburgh Yard in Later Years

Here is a look at what remained of the Erie Railroad's yard in Newburgh NY during the conrail days (circa 1994). Much of the yard was still intact and simply was not used by the railroad. In the background, the Newburgh Paper building which still stands today and the Central Hudson gas balls can be seen. Once urban renewal went into full swing in this area of Newburgh, the city simply paved over this yard and turned it into a parking lot. If you travel here today, almost all these rails can be seen peeking out of the pavement. James Kawal photo.

The Fantrip at Otterkill Bridge

As seen in the last post, here is the same fantrip along the Newburgh Branch about to cross the "Otterkill Bridge" in Salisbury Mills NY. The Otterkill bridge is one of five bridges that the Erie passes over to cross the Moodna Creek, which follows the Newburgh Branch all the way from Greycourt to Salisbury Mills. Bridges, in general, were a big part of this branch as there were fifteen bridges on the entire branch and nine of them lie between Vails Gate and Greycourt. Out of these nine, eight survive with Jackson Ave. in Cornwall removed in the 1980's. The Otterkill Bridge remains today, hidden from site off Orrs Mills Rd in Salisbury Mills NY. Dennis Carpenter photo.

Fantrip at New Windsor

During the 1960's, the EL ran a series of large fantrips along the Newburgh Branch right of way. The most photographed of them ask was the 1966 fantrip seen here. Online the others, the leading engine had not yet been repainted by EL and retained it's Lackawanna heritage. It is the only time that an engine with Lackawanna attire traversed the branch and it made for some interesting pictures like this one. The trackage in the foreground used to service one of many coal docks in the New Windsor/Newburgh area. Today, the trackage remains yet it does not see as much action as it once did. Dennis Carpenter photo.

The Story Behind the Rt. 32 Bridge

Many of you may pass under this bridge regularly. It takes the Erie's Newburgh Branch over Rt. 32 just north of the five corners in Vails Gate/New Windsor NY. At one time, this section of the branch from Vails Gate Junction to Newburgh was double tracked, yet in the 1930's reduced to a single track. Seen here is the bridge during the early 1980's with Conrail 8009 heading back to Newburgh. A signature feature of this bridge for years was the gratified "Lionel RR" on the southern side of the bridge (Lionel being known as a renowned manufacturer of toy trains). Ironically, this was soon replaced with "Tyco RR" which is yet another model train manufacturer. That is the first "controversy" in this picture, along with the blue Conrail engine, which represents a very controversial topic within itself. Two controversial topics, that of model trains and of real railroads, both very relevant but rarely seen in the same picture. The bridge remains today yet it is spotless. Russ Hallock photo.

Erie Lackawanna at Tarkett

Here is a look at the Tarkett flooring facility in Vails Gate NY. When it began production in the mid 1960's, they needed rail service and a portion of the shortcut that had been removed a year earlier for Cornwall Coal and Supply was re-installed for this facility. The scene here was taken in February of 1976. Next month, Conrail will take over the EL and seven other northeastern railroads. The facility experienced action up until 2008 when it closed. It is now a business park and the rails remain, waiting to be used once again. Russ Hallock photo.

Enderlin Station After the Shortcut

Here is a look at the Enderlin station in the late 1950's. Even after the Erie abandoned the shortcut, the few miles from Vails Gate Junction to Enderlin were kept to serve Cornwall Coal and Supply, who acquired the station. The building remained preserved incredibly well after the railroad left with the station sign intact. The latest reference to this small section of trackage is from the year 1963 when the clearance of the NYO&W bridge located north of there is listed in the EL timetable. Sometime after that, the track was removed back to Vails Gate Junction, only to be re-installed shortly after due to the opening of Tarkett facility in Vails Gate. The station contented to stand until 2013 when it suffered a small fire and was torn down a year after. Cornwall Coal and Supply continues to operate at the same location and the trackage to Tarkett remains silent today. Joyce Sternitzke photo.

Washingtonville Station After the Railroad

Here is a look at the Washingtonville station circa 1984. The Erie sold the building to noted artist E.J. McLaughlin who turned the building into depot antiques. When this photo was taken, the last Erie Lackawanna freight ran five years ago and business was slowing down. The station remained in good condition through the 1980's, yet the freight house behind it was burned in 1986. The station, having been vacant for a considerable amount of time, suffered two fires in the early 1990's. The second one in 1992 destroyed the structure and city officials removed the building. The site is now an open lot behind the depot strip mall in Washingtonville. Russ Hallock photo.

Salisbury Mills Station Grounds

An overview of the Salisbury Mills station grounds and Clove Rd. crossing circa 1971. The station had already had one fire by this point and would not stand for much longer. The branch also only saw weekly service by this point and would be removed in a little over ten years. The area is now completely covered by brush and only a walk into the woods would allow you to find the station site. Photo credits to Joyce Sternitzke.

Washingtonville Trackage Grounds

A look at the Washingtonville trackage grounds in the year 1971. Mother nature is beginning to overtake the team tracks as the branch has only eight more years of it's life. The station and freight house would be located behind us as this is looking south towards Greycourt. The site today is open with most of the buildings in view still standing. Photo credit to Richard Maske.

Track Car at Blooming Grove

It's 1982, and service on the Newburgh Branch is coming to a close. Russell Hallock and the enterprise tracker crew stop to take a picture at the Tuthill road. This was once the sight of much action as the old station was here. That was over sixty years ago and it will only be two more years until the branch itself will be only a memory. The building behind if the former Sheffield creamery, which would be torn down in ten years. Photo taken by Russell Hallock.

The NYO&W Bridge

Erie Lackawanna 447 (Ex Erie 447) pulls the "Newburgh Haul" over the former New York, Ontario and Western Right of Way. This is the only known picture of this bridge with a train, but the bridge still exists and looks the same as here. Photo from the Denis Carpenter collection.

The Salisbury Mills Flats

A shot of the Newburgh Local at the flats in Salisbury Mills, 1972. It would not be even ten more years when the last freight would travel over the Newburgh Branch and just over ten years before the last piece of railroad equipment would travel over the branch. Credits to Russ Hallock.

The Ski Trains

This is a "Ski Train" (as they were called) standing just short of the Moodna Viaduct. This is usually where the train unloaded, then ran into Newburgh to be turned and serviced. Engine 2753 is a K-4b Pacific (built by Badlwin in 1923 as a K-4a, rebuilt by Hornell in 1929 as a K-4b. These are not USRA Pacifics, they were the K-5's); note it has received a secondhand Berkshire tender. The date is March 10, 1940 and the photographer is Bob Collins.

Mantrap at Salisbury Mills

Probably the most iconic picture on the Newburgh Branch, this shot shows Erie Lackawanna 8431 (Ex Lackawanna 8431) pulling the 1964 rail fan trip over the Orrs Mills Rd. crossing in Salisbury Mills NY. There are many other shots similar to this but none are as great as this one. Credits to the Russ Hallock collection.

Central Valley Square

A look at town square in Central Valley NY just after the Graham Line was completed. You can see that the station has now been moved up the hill and a concrete wall takes it's place. Today, the scene looks the same except for the tree in the center which was recently removed. Credits to the Woodbury Historical Society.

The Dupont Branch

Here is a shot of Erie Lackawanna RS-2 829 midway on the Dupont branch in Newburgh NY. This was called the Dupont branch because it once served the Dupont plant at the other end of Newburgh. At it's height, the branch serviced about 13 industries in northern Newburgh and the last one closed in 1988 leaving the siding intact but abandoned. Photo refits to Russ Hallock

437 and 438 at Newburgh Yards

A shot of Erie Lackawanna 437 and 438 coming i to Newburgh's Water St. yard to conduct switching in the winter of 1973. Today, only one track remains compared to the many of that time. Photo credits to Russ Hallock.

Wreck Train at the Renwick St. Bridge

An Erie railroad wreck train moving over the Renwick St. Bridge in the 1940's to assist a wreck in West Newburgh. This bridge has hardly changed from this picture and still strands today. Credits to Robert McCue for the photo.