Re: (erielack) Newburgh Branch(s)

[Erieberk_@_wmconnect.com]

Ken,  I hope I can answer your questions satisfactorily, although I'm not 
quite sure if I understand them.  By the Woodbury station located above Route 32, 
do you mean north of (as "above"), or are you asking about elevation?  It 
would not be north of Rt. 32 since this highway runs north and south.  It was in 
the general vicinity of where the present line (Graham Line) crosses over the 
road on that high trestle we discussed.  At that time, that area was know as 
Woodbury Falls (on political maps -- not by the railroad).  

Yes the line that passes overhead on Rt. 32 on the high trestle is the Graham 
Line and that's active.  However, I might not be understanding you right when 
you ask if this line curves to the right.  As you are driving north on Rt. 
32, the line will come in from the right side and curve left over bthe highway.  
I believe I mentioned that is currently being used by both Metro North and 
NS.  If you have your scanner on with the railroad's frequency, you should here 
the Woodbury detector (dragging equipment detector)  just west of that 
vicinity if there's a train passing through that area (if that detector is still 
working).    

During the years when both lines co-existed, they both crossed Rt. 32 in that 
Woodbury Falls area and stayed on the west side of  Rt. 32 from that area 
north (by map), with the Newburgh Branch staying west (by map) of the Graham Line 
until  reaching Houghton Farms, .where they crossed each other and the Branch 
continued up through Mountainville and up to Vails Gate Junction.  Houghton 
Farms (on the Newburgh Branch was located east (south by map) of Mountainville 
and had been called that from the mid 1880's.  Before that time, in the 
1870's, Houghton Farms was known simply as Valley.  Don't forget, back when both 
lines co-existed there was no NY Thruway.  I believe the Graham line may have 
been realigned with the building of that super-highway.  BTW, in addition to the 
Newburgh Junction to Vails Gate Junction portion of the Branch, my local 
public TT's show the Greycourt to Vails Gate Junction portion in place as far back 
as 1879, continuing up through New Windsor, West Newburgh and finally 
Newburgh.  While I have many earlier TT's in my collection, they're mostly thru-trains 
(NY - Chicago) or other branches.  Ray     </HTML>


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