Traveling by Rail from Grand Central Depot in New York City to Pelhamville in 1875
Upon completion of the Fourth Avenue Improvement, what was it like to travel from Grand Central Depot at 42nd street in New York City to Pelhamville Station, the tiny little wooden railroad station that once stood about where today's Pelham National Bank building stands at one Wolfs Lane in the Village of Pelham? Although, obviously, the landscape and structures through which trains passed have changed tremendously, the experience of commuters and travelers riding the railroad from Grand Central Depot to Pelhamville in 1875 was surprisingly similar to that of today's travelers.
Travelers departed from the old Grand Central Depot, a magnficent railroad cathedral built in 1871, that once stood on 42nd Street before the construction of today's Grand Central Terminal built between 1903 and 1913 and opened in 1913 at a cost of more than $2 Billion in today's dollars. One account describes Grand Central Depot as follows:
"The head house containing passenger service areas and railroad offices was an "L" shape with a short leg running east-west on 42nd Street and a long leg running north-south on Vanderbilt Avenue. The train shed, north and east of the head house, had three innovations in U.S. practice: the platforms were elevated to the height of the cars, the roof was a balloon shed with a clear span over all of the tracks, and only passengers with tickets were allowed on the platforms (a rule enforced by ticket examiners). The Harlem, Hudson, and New Haven trains were initially in different stations that were adjacent to each other, which created chaos in baggage transfer. The combined Grand Central Depot serviced all three railroads."
Source: "Grand Central Terminal" in WIKIPEDIA - The Free Encyclopedia (visited Mar. 13, 2016).
Another account of Grand Central Depot, published in 1875, said:
"[Upon entering, one views its] grand arches, its magnificent scope, and its elaborate yet substantial finish. All that railroad experience and architectural skill could suggest have been here combined to meet the convenience of the traveler, and give to New York City the most complete railway station in America, or, it may be, in the world. The building was first thrown open to travel in 1871, and is 690 feet in length by 240 feet in width. The height of the truss supporting it is 94 feet, the width 200. Here daily, there come and go an average of 116 passenger trains, while the magnitude of the entire business, passenger and freight, transacted by the companies using the Depot may be inferred from the fact that in all they occupy 21 acres of ground in and about it. The waiting rooms and ticket offices of the Company we shall find to be of the most commodious and convenient character."
Source: Homes on the Sound For New York Business Men: A Description of the Region Contiguous to the Shore of Long Island Sound, Between New York and New Haven, Also a Statement of the Inducements There Offered the New York Business Men for the Purchase of a Suburban Home Within Easy Reach of the City, pp. 7-18 (NY, NY: George L. Catlin, 1875).
The three images below depict various views of Grand Central Depot from which passengers departed for Pelhamville during the 1870s.
Engraving of Grand Central Depot at 42nd Street Published in 1875.
(NY, NY: George L. Catlin, 1875). NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.
Undated Post Card Issued as a Souvenir by the New York
Recorder: "GRAND CENTRAL DEPOT, 42D STREET."
Photograph of Grand Central Depot in 1880. Source:
WIKIMEDIA Commons. NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.
The Pelhamville Station was located about fifteen miles from Grand Central Depot. Three railroad lines departed from Grand Central Depot at the time: the Harlem, Hudson, and New Haven lines, although only the New Haven line ran through Pelhamville. It ran 22 trains daily through Pelhamville. In 1875, it took trains on the New Haven line 38 minutes to travel between Grand Central Depot and Pelhamville Station.
Only Known Depiction of the Pelhamville Station Replaced
by The Pelham Train Station that Stands Today.
Source: A Remarkable Railroad Accident, Scientific American,
Jan. 16, 1886, Vol. LIV, No. 3, cover and pp. 31-32.
NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.
A bell rang in Grand Central Depot when a train was ready to depart. So-called "Ticket Examiners" ensured that only passengers with tickets were permitted on the train platforms.
Once the "Fourth Avenue Improvement' was completed, the experience of commuters and travelers headed to Pelham is fairly well documented. Indeed, a real estate brochure published in 1875 and quoted at the end of today's article described a trip along the New Haven line to Pelhamville. (The quote is followed by a citation and link to its source.) Once a train departed from Grand Central Depot, it traveled through a "cut" into the ground that varied from nearly street level to about 15 feet below street level.
At 56th Street, the train entered an iron beam tunnel that extended to 67th Street, traveling beneath today's Park Avenue. The iron beam tunnel descended deeper and deeper until it reached a depth of 25 feet below street level at 67th Street. At 67th Street, the tunnel evolved from an iron beam tunnel to a brick tunnel, descending an additional 3 feet to 28 feet below street level at 71st Street.
From 71st Street the tunnel became an iron beam tunnel again. There, the brick tunnel ended and changed again to an iron beam tunnel that continued to 80th Street. There, where the tunnel rose slightly to a level about 20 feet below street level, the tunnel changed again to a brick tunnel that then descended to a depth of about 31 feet below street level at 91st street where it entered an older railroad tunnel cut into the rock, thereafter rising until the train emerged from the tunnel at 96th Street into an open cut that covered two blocks until 98th Street when the train burst out of the cut and onto a granite "viaduct" that was necessary because there the ground descended rapidly.
One account at the time described the grand viaduct as follows: "This substantial and imposing structure, built of gneiss rock, with arched openings of brown sandstone at the intersection of each cross street, extends from 98th to 116th streets, attaining at 104th street a height of 30 feet from the avenue on either side." (See below for citation).
At 116th Street, the train entered another cut over which each cross-street crossed on bridges and continued to the massive iron railroad bridge at 133rd Street to cross the Harlem River onto the mainland.
Express trains made the run from Grand Central Depot to the Harlem River in about six minutes. Local trains made stops at smaller depots located at at 59th Street, 72nd Street, 86th Street, 110th Street, and 125th Street and, thus, took a total of about 11 or 12 minutes to reach the iron bridge over the Harlem River.
Once the train crossed onto the mainland, it passed station stops that are familiar today to any Pelham commuter or rail traveler: Melrose, Morrisania, Williams Bridge, and Woodlawn to name a few before reaching the first stop on the mainland at Mount Vernon, the settlement adjacent to Pelhamville. Three minutes after the stop in Mount Vernon, the train stopped next at Pelhamville.
An account published in 1875 and quoted more extensively and cited below described what train passengers saw upon their arrival in Pelhamville as follows:
"The country about this station is high and rolling, abounding in delightful villa sites. Just to the north of the railroad is the ancient village from which this station derives its name, while scattered here and there on the adjacent knolls are to be seen the elegant country seats and residences of numerous prominent and wealthy New Yorkers. There are an Episcopal church and public school in Pelhamville, in addition to which residents find themselves within easy proximity to the religious and educational facilities of Mount Vernon on the one hand, and of New Rochelle on the other. . . ." (See below for citation.)
Detail from Vignette Included on Debenture Issued by The
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company
Depicting New Haven Line Train as It Looked in About the
1870s. NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.
Debenture Issued by The New York, New Haven and
Hartford Railroad Company. NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.
* * * * *
"THE ROUTE, VIA GRAND CENTRAL DEPOT.
We enter this mammoth structure from Forty-second street, and view with untiring delight its grand arches, its magnificent scope, and its elaborate yet substantial finish. All that railroad experience and architectural skill could suggest have been here combined to meet the convenience of the traveler, and give to New York City the most complete railway station in America, or, it may be, in the world. The building was first thrown open to travel in 1871, and is 690 feet in length by 240 feet in width. The height of the truss supporting it is 94 feet, the width 200. Here daily, there come and go an average of 116 passenger trains, while the magnitude of the entire business, passenger and freight, transacted by the companies using the Depot may be inferred from the fact that in all they occupy 21 acres of ground in and about it. The waiting rooms and ticket offices of the Company we shall find to be of the most commodious and convenient character. But, there! the bell sounds, and we must be aboard. This is our train, here on the right. Now we are seated, the bell rings again, and off we go!
And now, as we move slowly out from this great Depot, Fourth avenue stretches away in an unbroken line to the Harlem river at 133d street, just eight-eight blocks distant. And here we first catch a glimpse of the magnificent engineering work, known as the Fourth Avenue Improvement, designed to furnish a system of railway communication between the Grand Central Depot and the Harlem river, entirely distinct from and independent of the city's thoroughfares. This gigantic undertaking, rendered necessary by [page 7 / page 8] the rapid northward growth of the city, and the demands of travel, was begun on the first of July, 1872, has given employment to as many as 2,000 men at one time, and will, it is contemplated, be completed by the first of September in the present year (1875). Projected by the lamented Engineer of the New York and Harlem Railroad Company, Isaac C. Buckhout, the faithful carrying out of the design has by his death devolved upon a competent successor, Mr. F. S. Curtis. The total cost of the improvements will reach about $6,400,000.
Prior to the completion of this work, trains are temporarily run upon tracks laid as is most convenient. We propose, however, here to give a brief sketch of the roadway along the line of Fourth avenue, as it is to be when completed. From 45th to 56th streets it passes through a cut varying in depth from nothing to 15 feet. At 56th street we enter an iron beam tunnel, extending to 67th street. Above this tunnel, on each block, is a park, enclosed by iron railings, while ventilation is furnished by openings, one on each block, measuring 20 x 150 feet. At 67th street, where we are at a depth of 25 feet below the avenue level, the iron beam tunnel is succeeded by another of brick, with five circular ventilators, 10 feet in diameter, to each block, and extending to 71st street, where we are 28 feet below the avenue grade, and where the iron beam tunnel system begins again, and continues thence to 80th street. Here a depth of but 20 feet below the avenue renders the brick tunnel again necessary as far as 91st street, there being 3 ventilators 20 x 25 feet each to the block. At 91st street, 31 feet below the avenue grade, we come to the old rock tunnel, familiar to travelers by this line. Fifteen feet away on each side of this tunnel, which admits of the passage of a double track, additional single track tunnels have been opened, extending from 91st [page 8 / page 9] to 95th streets, where the three converge into one, forming a tapering arch 28 feet in height and 68 feet in width. The walls continue to converge, however, beyond this point to 96th street, narrowing down the tunnel at its upper or northern end to precisely 50 feet. Emerging here from the great subterranean passageway which we have thus traversed for a distance of forty blocks, we run through an open cut two blocks further to 98th street, and then shoot out suddenly upon the great stone viaduct rendered necessary at this point by a rapid descent in the avenue's grade. This substantial and imposing structure, built of gneiss rock, with arched openings of brown sandstone at the intersection of each cross street, extends from 98th to 116th streets, attaining at 104th street a height of 30 feet from the avenue on either side. At 116th street we enter a cut again, spanned by bridges at every street crossing, and entending thence to the iron bridge over the Harlem river at 133d street.
We have thus cursorily sketched the route by which, when completed, rapid steam transit is to be afforded between the Grand Central Depot, the upper end of the Island and points beyond. In fact it is expected to reduce the running time of express trains between the river and the depot from 15 minutes to about 6, and that of local trains to 11 or 12 minutes, including stops at the depots, which are to be established at 59th, 72d, 86th, 110th and 125th streets. The outer track on each side is to be used for the passage of local trains. The two center tracks on the other hand will be exclusively used for the running of express trains, under which head are to be included all trains departing for or arriving from points on the New York and New Haven road.
And now crossing the Harlem River, that ancient stream, immortalized by Washington Irving as the watery grave of Anthony Van Corlear, the valorous trumpeter of Knicker- [Page 9 / Page 10] bocker days, we find ourselves in what was until recently a part of
WESTCHESTER COUNTY. . .
We [Page 11 / Page 12] are now in the newly annexed district, generally known as North New York. But a square or two below are the wharf and depot which mark the terminus of the Harlem Branch Railroad, connected, as before stated, by boat with Fulton Slip, and forming a junction with our main line at New Rochelle. That route we hope to follow up more closely hereafter. For the present, we hurry on over the main line, through North New York, Melrose and Morrisania successively, each of them laid out in streets already well built up with city stores, dwellings and churches, and promising at no distant day to rival in life and activity the older wards of the metropolis through which we have previously passed. At 170th Street, we reach the northern limit of the system of numbered streets of New York, and crossing the Morrisania line enter the town of West Farms. We pass first Tremont, then Fordham, with St. John's College to the right on the shaded hillside, next Williams Bridge, then skirt the eastern border of Woodlawn Cemetery, the Bronx river on our right, and finally crossing the latter, comme to our point of departure fromm the line of the New York and Harlem Railroad, which up to the present moment we have traversed. For some distance beyond this the two roads run parallel to each other and but a short distance apart. First we pass through Washingtonville, and then making a sudden curve to the eastward, find ourselves at our first stopping place, [Page 12 / Page 13]
MOUNT VERNON.
(13 miles from Grand Central Depot. 23 trains daily. Time, 35 min.) . . .
[Page 17]
PELHAMVILLE.
(15 miles; 22 trains daily. Time 38 min.)
The country about this station is high and rolling, abounding in delightful villa sites. Just to the north of the railroad is the ancient village from which this station derives its name, while scattered here and there on the adjacent knolls are to be seen the elegant country seats and residences of numerous prominent and wealthy New Yorkers. There are an Episcopal church and public school in Pelhamville, in addition to which residents find themselves within easy proximity to the religious and educational facilities of Mount Vernon on the one hand, and of New Rochelle on the other. Just to the south of the railroad, and for some distance eastward of the station, contiguous to it is the valuable estate known as Huguenot Heights, extending through to the Boston Boulevard, and which, in conjunction with Pelham Manor, lying beyond that thoroughfare is the property of an Association, which, under the management of Messrs. Stephens Bros., 187 Broadway, N.Y., has been developed into one of the most attractive pieces of suburban real estate to be found anywhere in the vicinity of New York. Availing themselves of the advantages offered by high ground, a natural drainage, and a magnificent forest growth, the owners of this property have, by a skillful system of engineering, rendered [Page 17 / Page 18] every portion of it accessible by roads and avenues, and thus brought into the market hundreds of building sites which the seeker for a suburban home within easy distance of New York cannot afford to pass by unnoticed.
The region adjacent to Pelhamville station teems with facts of traditionary and historic interest. Most of them, however, are so intimately interwoven with the history of what is known as 'Pelham Neck,' the adjacent region southward to the shore of the Sound, that it is proposed to defer their narration until the description of the latter, under its appropriate heading of Pelham Manor on the Harlem River Branch.
Beyond Pelhamville station we skirt the borders of Huguenot Heights, on our right, with the magnficent estate of Genl. Lathers on our left, and presently find ourselves at New Rochelle Junction, our connecting point with the Harlem River Branch. . . ."
Source: Homes on the Sound For New York Business Men: A Description of the Region Contiguous to the Shore of Long Island Sound, Between New York and New Haven, Also a Statement of the Inducements There Offered the New York Business Men for the Purchase of a Suburban Home Within Easy Reach of the City, pp. 7-18 (NY, NY: George L. Catlin, 1875).
Labels: 1871, 1875, Grand Central Depot, New York New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company, Pelhamville Train Station, Railroad, Transportation
posted by Blake A. Bell @ 4:23 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home