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

Station By Station

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

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

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

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

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

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

Woodlawn. Four tracks and two wall platforms. Just beyond this station, the Metro-North New Haven Line splits off (although New Haven trains do not stop at this station).

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

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

Fleetwood. Two island platforms and three tracks, with a crossover bridge.

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

Tuckahoe. Two tracks, two wall platforms and a crossover.

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

Scarsdale. Two tracks and two wall platforms, with a crossover bridge.

Hartsdale. Two tracks and two widely separated wall platforms with a crossover. The space between the two tracks looks like more tracks or an island platform could be added.

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

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

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

Mt. Pleasant. Two very short wall platforms and two tracks.

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

Pleasantville. Two tracks, one island platform.

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

Mount Kisco. Two tracks, one island platform and one low wall platform on the east side which is now in commercial use. Starting north of Mt. Kisco, Interstate 684 parallels the line on the east 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 island platform. There is an old low platform on the west side.

Purdy's. Two tracks and an island platform, with an old low 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 an island platform with a yard to the south. This is the end of the electrified service.

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

The next station is Patterson with the platform on the west followed by Pawling with the platform on the east. Appalachian Trail is next and has a very short platform on the east side. Metro North has long-range plans to improve this station. Next up is Harlem Valley-Wingdale with the platform on the east and Dover Plains, the long-time end of the line with the platform on the west.

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

Photo Gallery

Five Random Images
Image 20052 (67k, 520x359) Photo by: Jason R. DeCesare Location: Fordham	Image 48056 (243k, 864x574) Photo by: Peter Ehrlich Location: Pawling	Image 48061 (205k, 864x574) Photo by: Peter Ehrlich Location: Pawling	Image 86493 (193k, 1044x788) Photo by: Paul Pesante Location: North White Plains Yard	Image 88308 (240k, 864x569) Photo by: Peter Ehrlich Location: Golden's Bridge