nycsubway.org: Metro-North Harlem Line (2024)

Metro North-Harlem Line train at Bronxville. Photo by Peter Ehrlich, September 2006.

We begin our tour of the Harlem Line north of 125th Street. We leavethe Metro-North Hudson Line behind andcontinue northward, sharing a four-track line with theMetro-North New Haven Line. Harlem Linetrains serve all stations along the line between 125th Street and theNew Haven turnoff. (New Haven line trains stop only at FordhamStation, usually operating on the "local tracks" but skipping allother stations).

Melrose. Four tracks and two wall platforms. Thestation is in an open cut, which is partially covered. A new platformhas been constructed on the outbound (northbound) side. The inbound(southbound) platform is covered by an apartment building built overthe tracks using "air rights" granted in the 1960s.

Tremont. Four tracks and two wall platforms. The southend is located in a cut while the north end is elevated and includes acrossover.

Fordham. Four tracks, two wal platforms. Served byHarlem and New Haven trains. The south end is covered while the northend is near grade with a crossover.

Botanic Gardens. Four tracks and two wall platforms witha crossover. This station has recently been renovated, the formercrossunder having been sealed. The area to the east of the station hasbeen beautified by the nearby Botanic Gardens.

Williams Bridge. Four tracks and two wall platforms witha crossover. This station is in a slight cut. A short walk from hereis the Gun Hill Road station of the #2 & #5 subway lines.

Woodlawn. Four tracks and two wall platforms. Justbeyond this station, the Metro-North New Haven Linesplits off (although New Haven trains do not stop atthis station).

Wakefield. Two island platforms and three tracks. Thisis the last station within New York City. The western island isserved by a track on the west side of that platform. A fence separatesthis island from the eastern island, which has a track on bothsides. There is a crossunder at this station.

Mount Vernon West. Two island platforms and threetracks. The center track can be served by either platform. This seemsto be the standard for the three track service on this line.

Fleetwood. Two island platforms and three tracks, with acrossover bridge.

Bronxville. Two tracks and two wall platforms. Themission-style station has a crossover and a very wide median betweenthe tracks, in which it appears that two more tracks could be added.

Tuckahoe. Two tracks, two wall platforms and acrossover.

Crestwood. Three tracks, one island platform (the eastplatform) and one wall platform serving the westernmost track. Thisstation's west side is an embankment while the east side is slightlybelow grade at the south end and low embankment at the north end.

Scarsdale. Two tracks and two wall platforms, with acrossover bridge.

Hartsdale. Two tracks and two widely separated wallplatforms with a crossover. The space between the two tracks lookslike more tracks or an island platform could be added.

White Plains. Two tracks, one island platform (east) andone wall platform (west). There is an old low platform at the southend.

North White Plains. Three tracks, two island platformsand a crossover. The North White Plains yard is nearby.

Valhalla. Two tracks and an island platform. The eastplatform also features an old low platform.

Mt. Pleasant. Two very short wall platforms and twotracks.

Hawthorne. Two tracks with an island platform. Theoriginal low platform is located on the east side.

Pleasantville. Two tracks, one island platform.

Chappaqua. Two tracks, one island platform. The eastplatform has an original low platform.

Mount Kisco. Two tracks, one island platform and one lowwall platform on the east side which is now in commercial use.Starting north of Mt. Kisco, Interstate 684 parallels the line on theeast side and a reservoir is to our west.

Bedford Hills. Two tracks, one island platform.

Katonah. Two tracks, one island platform.

Golden's Bridge. Two tracks and an islandplatform. There is an old low platform on the west side.

Purdy's. Two tracks and an island platform, with an oldlow platform and station on the west side.

Croton Falls. Two tracks and an island platform.

Brewster. Two tracks and an island platform.

Southeast (formerly Brewster North). Two tracks and anisland platform with a yard to the south. This is the end of theelectrified service.

Dykemanns. Closed in 1968. The only evidence of thisstation is a low concrete bus shelter and sign on the east side. Northof this station the line has only one track up to and includingWassaic.

The next station is Patterson with the platform on thewest followed by Pawling with the platform on theeast. Appalachian Trail is next and has a very shortplatform on the east side. Metro North has long-range plans to improvethis station. Next up is Harlem Valley-Wingdale withthe platform on the east and Dover Plains, the long-timeend of the line with the platform on the west.

We now come to the May 2000 extension of the line, which added twostations, first being Tenmile River, with a shortplatform on the east side. The last station follows,Wassaic, with a short platform on the east side. Thereis a small yard to the north of the station, which is near the base ofthe mountains in a scenic valley. There is talk of further extensionsto this line but no information has been found at the time of thiswriting.

Photo locations: 138th Street, 143rd St., Melrose, Tremont, 183rd St., Fordham, Botanical Garden, Williams Bridge, , Woodlawn, Wakefield Jct (MNRR Harlem/New Haven), Wakefield, Mount Vernon West, Fleetwood, Bronxville, Tuckahoe, Crestwood, Scarsdale, Hartsdale, White Plains, Holland Ave. (Abandoned), North White Plains, North White Plains Yard, Valhalla, Mt. Pleasant, Hawthorne, Pleasantville, Chappaqua, Mount Kisco, Bedford Hills, Katonah, Golden's Bridge, Purdy's, Croton Falls, Brewster, Brewster Yard, Southeast (formerly Brewster North), Dykemanns, Towners-Rt 164 Grade Crossing, Patterson, Pawling, Appalachian Trail, Harlem Valley-Wingdale, Dover Furnace Road Overpass, Dover Plains, Tenmile River, Wassaic, (Misc/Unknown)

By Peggy Darlington.