#garrisonny

Garrison Landing: Thirty-Eight Years Apart Poughkeepsie bound trains of Metro North make their station stops at Garrison, New York, thirty-eight years apart. This is directly across the Hudson River from West Point. The Hudson Line of Metro North was formerly of the New York Central.

In the fall of 1988 I relocated from Brooklyn to Garrison for a few years. I would take the train from Garrison Landing to Grand Central Station every day. Being suddenly in the country, I became a very active birder in my spare time, joining the local chapter of the Audubon Society.

Garrison Landing: Thirty-Eight Years Apart

Once again we are following New York Central's Water Level Route; the cement milepost tells us we are precisely fifty miles from Grand Central Terminal, in Garrison, New York.

In the contemporary image above we see a northbound Amtrak train (going away from us, with an additional locomotive on the tail end) after having sped through Garrison Landing.

The vintage photograph has a city-bound commuter train of Metro North (coming toward us) approaching Garrison through the short tunnel there just north of the station. The engineer is sitting in the end of the passenger car (or cab-car) on the south end of the train.

Metro North runs all trains to Grand Central Terminal with locomotives on the north end of their consists, so it's not always easy to tell which direction these trains are moving in still images. Additionally: Amtrak trains sometimes have locomotives on each end (as is the case above), which can further cloud how a viewer might perceive the direction of travel of their movements.

On the re-photography aspect: I couldn't match the angle here as the bridge on which I was standing had been moved significantly: to the north and higher as well.

The EMD FL9

In a series of posts, let's look a this unique unit, designed specifically for Grand Central Terminal and the tunnels leading to it (under Park Avenue from 97th all the way down to 42nd Street). Please see the first of three posts for details of this unique design built by EMD.

In this third post we first have a going-away shot of a Metro North commuter train kicking up the fallen leaves at Manitou. One can see the Bear Mountain Bridge in the distance. Metro North always ran with the locomotives on the north end of their trains, pulling when northbound, and pushing when southbound.

The second image, of a New York bound Amtrak train, was taken from the top of Bear Mountain itself, on the west side of the Hudson River; Bear Mountain Bridge can be seen in the foreground. The train has just blown through Manitou, which is between Peekskill and Garrison.

While we're here, let me put in an image that actually came just prior to the first one above: that Metro North train approaching Manitou.

Garrison Landing: Thirty-Eight Years Apart In the top (recent) image we see an inbound Metro North train (with Conrail heritage unit), on the right, passing a northbound Amtrak train on the left. In the vintage photograph a commuter train of Metro North, is being powered by an FL9. In each photograph, the commuter train is moving away from us, approaching the station—note the marker lights are lit as opposed to the headlight in each case.

Metro North runs all trains to Grand Central Terminal with locomotives on the north end of their consists, so it's not always easy to tell which direction these trains are moving in still images. Additionally: Amtrak trains sometimes have locomotives on each end (as is the case above), which can further cloud how a viewer might perceive the direction of travel of their movements.

I've always loved how the light on the vintage Metro North locomotive reveals its form (in the second shot). In the past, I've posted about the interesting model of locomotive from EMD: if you are interested, search the term, "FL9" to learn more about that intriguing locomotive that was designed for use in Grand Central Terminal specifically.

On the re-photography aspect: I couldn't match the angle here as the bridge on which I was standing had been moved significantly: to the north and higher as well.

Guinan's Store, Garrison Landing

In another time-comparison diptych, we see images made 34 years apart. Guinan's Store and Pub was an institution in Garrison, New York. I had the privilege of getting a cup of coffee and the New York Times every morning before taking a train on the Hudson Line down to Grand Central Terminal (then walk a mile to a photo studio).

The store and pub closed as Guinan's in 2008, but became a restaurant for a time in this century—though may now be closed as well as I write this. There are articles in the NYT and a local newspaper that discuss the well-earned "institution" moniker, but I couldn't get past paywalls. I did find some information to share on this blog.

Back in the late eighties and early nineties I would purchase my cup and paper from the proprietor himself, James Guinan, who was an authentic Irishman. One can read his obituary here.

Osborn Castle

Above are images made of, and from, the Osborn Castle, in Garrison, New York (thirty-four years apart). Built in 1881, this intriguing structure overlooking the Hudson River Valley was the summer residence of William H. Osborn, President of the Illinois Central Railroad. The color view was made from the Desmond-Fish Library. Interestingly, one of the Fish family, Stuyvesant, was also President of the Illinois Central Railroad, after Osborn's tenure.

As for the second image, I was able to take a drive up to The Castle, as it was known to me, for some environmental event back in 1992. I was an active member of the local Audubon chapter and so privy to this gathering. In that rather soft black and white frame (in which I turned a negative into a positive slide), West Point can be seen in the distant upper left side of the frame. Storm King and Breakneck Ridge are looming on either side of the Hudson River behind that.

Arnold's Flight

When I lived in Garrison, New York, for a relatively brief time in the late 80s and early 90s, I noticed this historical plaque at some point. After actually reading what it said, I began to realize how much history was all round me in this area of Hudson Valley.

Arnold had the rank of major general in the Continental Army under Washington; he was given command of the West Point fortress. Working with British Major John André, he was planning to hand it over to the British when the plot was discovered. André was captured and executed while Arnold escaped and was rewarded by the British.

A tiny sampling of other historical things in the area: West Point was placed at a particular place along the Hudson River for strategic reasons, and the Hudson River, as a passage way, was extremely important. While the town of Garrison is not named due to a garrison being there, it was named after a Lieutenant from the Academy across the river. And something really interesting: huge chains were stretched across the river here (near current day Bear Mountain Bridge and further north at West Point) to thwart British ships sailing up the Hudson during the American Revolutionary War.

Too late in life I wondered why I had not studied History in college; I now understand why, when an academic position opens in that department, there are literally hundreds of applicants eagerly vying for the job. And I though fifty or seventy-five in the Art Department was a lot.