Port Jervis, NY
This page will cover the Port Jervis, New York area. Originally a Erie Railroad facility, it is now owned by Metro-North and is used primarily as base of operations for the Metro-North west of the Hudson services. The equipment used is a mix of Metro-North and NJ Transit. Since the cars are basically the same, consists can be a mix of both agencies. The classic Erie station remains and is restored for use as a visitors center and the local Chamber of Commerce. Port Jervis makes for a great day trip from the New York City/North Jersey area. Trains run seven days a week and one can usually find about a 90 minute layover between trains to explore or have lunch.
The classic Erie station. Trains no longer board here, but the new station is a few steps away. The open area to the right was once part of a large yard complex. Port Jervis was once a major point on the Erie. Freights were yarded here for classification before heading to Maybrook. Maybrook is where the large New Haven yard was located for most interchange traffic heading to or from New England.
The historical marker in front of the station.
A view looking west from a local road overpass shows how large the freight yard once was. As of 2011, the only freight activity through this area are the noctural Susquehanna trains between Little Ferry, NJ and Binghamton, NY. Because NJ Transit limits when freights can move over their tracks, these trains are restricted to night-time.
Here is a gallery of images from my visit, by train of course, to Port Jervis during the summer of 2010.
As you can see, both NJ Transit and Metro-North equipment mix it up here. That GP40 is a former Jersey Central unit built in 1968. The classic EMD F40 units also are present.
Despite the many changes over years, one can always find some hidden, or not so hidden treasures around. Parked at the site of the now long gone roundhouse, these two classic engines bring back a bit of the past. The 833 is a true Erie survivor. Once used by the Erie for its long distance trains and later relegated to commuter service out of Port Jervis. This unit eventually became part of Conrail's executive train. It has now been restored to its original Erie two-tone green colors. Sadly, it does sit outside in the weather. The RS-3 is not an original Erie engine, but has been painted in Erie-inspired colors by the New York and Greenwood Lake Railway. This unit was based near Passaic in northern New Jersey, but has been moved here to Port Jervis.
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Images from the 1970's have been added to the Erie-Lackawanna page, Click Here to view them ( scroll down )