Hudson Line

The railroad portion of Grand Central Terminal is accessed through the main concourse, probably one of the most easily-recognized interiors in the world. The building has recently been renovated to its as-built design. This is most noticeable on the ceiling of the terminal, where a painting depicting constellations had been painted over for years.

Grand Central's upper level features 29 tracks surrounding island platforms, as follows (from west to east): 41/42, 39, 40, 38, 37/36, 35/34, 33/32, 30/29, 28/27, 26/25, 24/23, 21/20, 19/18, 17/16, 15/14 and 13/11. The lower level's tracks are numbered in the 100s and are arranged in platforms as follows: 117, 116, 115, 114/113, 112, 111/110, 109/108, 107/106, 105, 104/103, 102/101. Formerly, long distance trains to places like Albany, Boston, and Chicago operated from the upper level, and local commuter trains used the lower level. Now that all long-distance trains are concentrated at Penn Station, the tracks are used interchangeably for all of Metro-North's services.

Departing by train from Grand Central, the tracks combine to a four-track trunk line through a tunnel under Park Avenue. Along the tunnel are three former stations, located at 59th Street, 72nd Street , each with two side platforms and four tracks, and 86th Street, which had two side platforms on four tracks. These are now used for storage and emergency exits. See Brennan's Page for more information on the closed stations in the tunnel

The tunnel portal is at 97th Street and we rise to a full viaduct by 99th Street, the structure being full concrete tie and ballast construction.

An abandonment station is found at I10^th Street , which had four tracks and two side platforms. We arrive at 125th Street, recently restored to original appearance. Tracks four and two share the west island; tracks 1 and 3 share the east island. Tracks one and two are on the "express" side of the platforms. This is the last transfer point for all three lines. The station is on a viaduct.

Having left the Harlem and New Haven lines behind, we continue our ride northward and arrive at the first stop, Morris Heights, which has one island platform between two of the three tracks. The outside track bypasses the station. The Putnam Line ran to our east. The station is near grade and has the exit going up to the street. The next two stations are University Heights (The Putnam Line ran to our east) and Marble Hill, both resembling Morris Heights. At Marble Hill, the exit is at the south end via a small footbridge to the street. This stations is nestled neatly between the Henry Hudson bridge to the west and the Broadway bridge to the east. It's a short walk from Marble Hill to the IRT Broadway Line station at 225^th Street. Next up is Spuyten Duyvil, which has two island platforms and four tracks. The exit is via footbridge at the north end. This station is directly beneath the Henry Hudson Bridge.

Between here and Yonkers, the tracks hug the Hudson River's left bank extremely tightly. Occasionally there are places that indicate that piers or other structures had formerly been located between the tracks and the river but these are long gone and the river has encroached closer and closer to the tracks in certain places.

Mount Saint Vincent followed and is abandoned. It had two side platforms and four tracks

Riverdale, the next station, has two wall platforms and four tracks, the center tracks being "express tracks" for non-stop and Amtrak trains. There is a crossover. Remains of a former, now non-electrified, track are to the west of the Manhattan-bound platform. Ludlow is next and resembles Riverdale with the exception of an extended low platform at the north end.

Yonkers is next, a four track, two island platform station. Exit is via stairs down to the street at both north and south end of the platform. Nearby here is the Kawasaki assembly plant currently tasked with delivering the R142 subway car.

Glenwood follows with three tracks and two wall platforms. There is a crossover. Greystone, a scenic gem, follows, also three tracks and two wall platforms and a crossover. Hastings is next and resembles Greystone. Dobbs Ferry is next and with the exception of a station house on the west side resembles the previous two stations. Ardsley follows. There is no station house and this station resembles Greystone station.

Irvington follows, with three tracks, two wall platforms and a crossover. There is an old low platform to the north of the existing high platform. Tarrytown station follows with one island platform serving tracks 2 and 4 on the east and a side platform serving track 1 on the west. The line narrows down to two tracks, and Philips Manor is next, with two tracks, one island platform and single exit and crossover.

The line reverts to four tracks and two wall platforms (center tracks being "express" and we arrive at Scarborough, another scenic gem. The next station, Ossining, is nearby the infamous Sing Sing State Prison-- we are truly "up the river!" Ossining station has four tracks, two island platforms and a crossover. Guard towers overlook the tracks. Stone walls topped with razor wire line the right-of-way.

Croton Harmon is next, and is the end of the electrified portion of the line. This station has eight tracks and four, with multiple exits and crossovers between the platforms. North of this station is a yard and maintenance facility, Metro-North's primary shops and servicing location. Passing the yard, the tracks combine back down to three. Two abandoned stations, Croton North and Oscawana followed.

An abandoned station is next: Crugers, which was a low platform local station with only a bus-type shelter marking its location. Next up is Cortlandt, built to replace Crugers and the next station, Montrose. Cortlandt has three tracks and one island platform serving the easternmost two tracks, the westernmost track being a bypass track. All that remains of Montrose station is piers, torn down after having been replaced by Cortlandt.

Peekskill is next, three tracks and one island servicing the westernmost two tracks (here, the easternmost track bypasses the station). North of the current station you can see two old low platforms which were ROA Hook station. Manitou is next and with very short platforms will be missed if you blink. The station has two low platforms of the bus-shelter variety.

Garrison is next, with two tracks and two wall platforms with a crossover. Across the Hudson River, we can easily see West Point, the U.S. Military Academy. An older station is north of the current station; the old station house on the west side of the tracks is now a theater.

Cold Springs is next, with two wall platforms, two tracks and a crossover. The old station is to the north of the current station and features two low platforms. Breakneck Ridge is next; another very short low platform station with two tracks. All there is to the station is a small wooden step up! Beacon is next, which has three tracks, one island platform (between the easternmost two tracks) and one wall platform with the track on the east side. North of here, the Beacon Line entered.

We arrive at Poughkeepsie, the end of the Metro-North Hudson Line, but a through station for Amtrak. This is a major facility that is undergoing full restoration. At present, the platform arrangement is as follows, from west to east: Low wall platform for track 5, track 3 shares an island platform with track 1, and finally track 2, served by a wall platform. Crossovers connect all tracks. I did not find any evidence of track 4. Amtrak trains continue north of this station; Metro-North extension plans have been dropped due to public opposition. The Hudson line rates 4 stars.