Anyone interested in abandoned Rail Ways?
February 1st, 2019, 10:23 AM
#1
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Location: Nassau County, NY
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Anyone interested in abandoned Rail Ways?
Last edited by zeeke; February 1st, 2019 at 10:40 AM. Reason: I think it's the old NY Central. It goes through Forest Park, Queens, NY
February 1st, 2019, 11:13 AM
#4
Jeff
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Grand Blanc, MI
Posts: 1,027
Wow, that's crazy to see those lines with the tracks still in place. In Michigan, most abandoned lines we see around here have had the rails pulled out. They often get reused as walking trails and bike paths.
February 1st, 2019, 11:19 AM
#5
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People have taken property over on some parts of this line. Made parking lots out of them. Obviously no one has built on them. I'm wondering who has the ownership for this line. Quick research says it was built by the Long Island Rail Road 50 years ago to service Rockaway Beach. 5 miles of track left to be reclaimed to the earth. There have been proposals to make it a park. Hmm... a park within a park. I wonder what they will do to all the "squatters" who've made paved parking lots out of some of this land.
Last edited by zeeke; February 1st, 2019 at 11:26 AM.
February 1st, 2019, 01:13 PM
#6
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Seneca Falls, NY
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I can't believe that no one's stolen the rail for scrap yet
I work for a bridge demo contractor. Depending on the scrap prices RR Bridges are pretty much the only type of bridge we'll remove for scrap value.
I work for a bridge demo contractor. Depending on the scrap prices RR Bridges are pretty much the only type of bridge we'll remove for scrap value.
February 1st, 2019, 02:02 PM
#10
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Forest Ranch Ca.
Posts: 7,717
Most scrappers won't/ can't buy railroad iron unless it comes with a permit. Things may have changed lately but in the olden days it would keep the scrappers from steeling the tracks from out from under their trains. Interesting pictures.... Thanks ....Tedd
February 1st, 2019, 02:16 PM
#11
Olds Fever
Join Date: May 2011
Location: New York (Upstate)
Posts: 4,442
I am not surprised to see all that abandoned track... Rail usage in NY has reduced drastically over the years... I know of several very large rail yards used back in the 50's & 60's, now as far as I know, it has minimal use if any... In this area where steel and manufacturing industry has been substantially reduced, there is just no need to support the rails...
February 2nd, 2019, 06:16 AM
#13
Just an Olds Guy
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
It would be counter productive in cost terms to try to salvage that steel with all the trees that need to be removed first. Pretty interesting pictures. I wonder when those tracks were last used? Some of those trees look to be a good 50-70 years old.
February 2nd, 2019, 06:29 AM
#14
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Location: Seneca Falls, NY
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Trees aren't a big deal either when you have a shear. As long as the trees fits in the throat of the shear they work on wood too
Last edited by allyolds68; February 2nd, 2019 at 06:32 AM.
February 2nd, 2019, 06:34 AM
#15
Just an Olds Guy
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
I guess that would work. So why are so many tracks just left behind instead of salvaged? I know that locally when rail lines are abandoned the tracks are pulled. Like with Weezers comment, the land is often reclaimed for other purposes.
February 2nd, 2019, 08:47 AM
#16
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: central Indiana
Posts: 5,244
I use to snowmobile in the UP years ago back when I had disposable income. I recall spending a week in Copper Harbour, there was a OLD train sitting near a large bridge crossing a river. The train had clearly been there a long time, most of the track had been pulled up around it. It wasn’t far from the snowmobile trail, and people we free to climb on it and look around it. I’m sure I have pictures of it somewhere.
On a a side note, with the uncertainties of fuel prices, I’m kinda surprised rail hasn’t made a comeback in shipping. I always heard water and rail was the most efficient way to ship large or heavy freight. Here in central Indiana there are many abandoned rails, I remember as a kid there was always a freight train somewhere holding up traffic. There use to be Continental Steel that had many tracks bringing scrap iron to be recycled into nails, fencing, wire, etc, the Chrysler transmission and Casting plants had freight trains bringing in scrap aluminum for casting into all kinds of things, Haynes International making stainless and exotic metals for aerospace or other industries, now it’s all done by truck. I’m sure there is lots of economic reasons why rail hadn’t made a comeback. People are always looking to save a penny.
On a a side note, with the uncertainties of fuel prices, I’m kinda surprised rail hasn’t made a comeback in shipping. I always heard water and rail was the most efficient way to ship large or heavy freight. Here in central Indiana there are many abandoned rails, I remember as a kid there was always a freight train somewhere holding up traffic. There use to be Continental Steel that had many tracks bringing scrap iron to be recycled into nails, fencing, wire, etc, the Chrysler transmission and Casting plants had freight trains bringing in scrap aluminum for casting into all kinds of things, Haynes International making stainless and exotic metals for aerospace or other industries, now it’s all done by truck. I’m sure there is lots of economic reasons why rail hadn’t made a comeback. People are always looking to save a penny.
February 2nd, 2019, 09:27 AM
#17
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Location: Seneca Falls, NY
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I use to snowmobile in the UP years ago back when I had disposable income. I recall spending a week in Copper Harbour, there was a OLD train sitting near a large bridge crossing a river. The train had clearly been there a long time, most of the track had been pulled up around it. It wasn’t far from the snowmobile trail, and people we free to climb on it and look around it. I’m sure I have pictures of it somewhere.
On a a side note, with the uncertainties of fuel prices, I’m kinda surprised rail hasn’t made a comeback in shipping. I always heard water and rail was the most efficient way to ship large or heavy freight. Here in central Indiana there are many abandoned rails, I remember as a kid there was always a freight train somewhere holding up traffic. There use to be Continental Steel that had many tracks bringing scrap iron to be recycled into nails, fencing, wire, etc, the Chrysler transmission and Casting plants had freight trains bringing in scrap aluminum for casting into all kinds of things, Haynes International making stainless and exotic metals for aerospace or other industries, now it’s all done by truck. I’m sure there is lots of economic reasons why rail hadn’t made a comeback. People are always looking to save a penny.
On a a side note, with the uncertainties of fuel prices, I’m kinda surprised rail hasn’t made a comeback in shipping. I always heard water and rail was the most efficient way to ship large or heavy freight. Here in central Indiana there are many abandoned rails, I remember as a kid there was always a freight train somewhere holding up traffic. There use to be Continental Steel that had many tracks bringing scrap iron to be recycled into nails, fencing, wire, etc, the Chrysler transmission and Casting plants had freight trains bringing in scrap aluminum for casting into all kinds of things, Haynes International making stainless and exotic metals for aerospace or other industries, now it’s all done by truck. I’m sure there is lots of economic reasons why rail hadn’t made a comeback. People are always looking to save a penny.
February 2nd, 2019, 09:35 AM
#18
Randy C.
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Albany, OR
Posts: 3,245
My grandfather was a rail logger and he took me and my brothers on several train rides (both steam and diesel locomotives) in the 1950s to early 1960s. When he was taking us places in his car, he would point out the abandoned railways and bridges (usually only the abutments were remaining with the bridges) which we also note to this day when my brothers and I are going somewhere together. The old rail line from Toledo, OR to Siletz, OR, where we got to ride in the steam locomotives, is now the main highway and the various "loops" off to each side of it are the old highway. We've also taken time out to trace the old rail line (some of the rails are still there) from Coquille, OR, all the way to Powers, OR, a line that grandpa would regularly put us on the diesel and steam locomotives to take the empty cars back to Powers after the logs were dumped off in Isthmus Slough just south of Coos Bay, OR. Those are memories that my brothers and I will always cherish. It's amazing when we look at the old 8mm videos of us riding on those locomotives - something that would never happen nowadays because of liability issues. I guess we were just expendable back in those days!
Randy C.
Randy C.
February 3rd, 2019, 07:49 AM
#19
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Location: Nassau County, NY
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Mike I'm shocked that tunnel wasn't loaded with homeless especially in that area of the Bronx. We had a train fire there a few years back. Tough to get there rigs in and out. Other than responding to that fire I never realized those tracks where there. We usually cross train with CSX in the Hunts Point yard on tank cars. Are you going to be working that project?
February 3rd, 2019, 07:55 AM
#20
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We had ConRail by us as kids, I think CSX owns the tracks now. I think that line went to the Brooklyn Army Terminal back in the day. We used to climb the Hell Gate Bridge back then too. Atlantic Rail, although light still runs the Long Island freight. There are a few yards and lines on the Queens Brooklyn Boarder, not sure who that is but it could be Atlantic.
February 3rd, 2019, 08:09 AM
#21
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Location: Seneca Falls, NY
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Mike I'm shocked that tunnel wasn't loaded with homeless especially in that area of the Bronx. We had a train fire there a few years back. Tough to get there rigs in and out. Other than responding to that fire I never realized those tracks where there. We usually cross train with CSX in the Hunts Point yard on tank cars. Are you going to be working that project?
I was surprised there weren’t any homeless too. I think it was so cold that Thursday that most were in shelters. They don’t usually give me any problems. I don’t bother them and they don’t bother me.
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