24-02-24 PHOTOS: Croton-Harmon

In recent years where I have found myself with expiring Amtrak Companion Coupons I wind up hastily arranging an Amtrak trip with whichever friend will put up with me to whichever destination we can cram into a single day. In 2024 figured I had never taken the opportunity to poke around the Croton-Harmon Metro North station and with Amtrak stopping there it seemed like a pretty good choice of destination. You can view the entire set of photos here ( mirror ).

With an early AM departure from Baltimore, I wasn't really awake enough for photos until I hit Penn Station and was in the process of connecting to an Empire Service train to Croton-Harmon. Power on my train that day was P32AC-DM #712, which was situated next to NJT ML cab car #7019 and across from ALP-46 #4659.

About 40 minutes later our Empire train #281 had deposited us a Croton and continued on to Albany and Niagara Falls.

Croton-Harmon marked the northern extent of electrified service under the New York Central and featured both a yard and shoppe facilities for both the electric locomotives and MU's. All through passenger service would undergo a power change at Croton until the availability of FL9 dual mode engines from the New Haven RR rendered the practice unnecessary in the mid-1970's. A vestige of these 20th century operations can be seen in the presence of a main line double slip ladder connecting the northern end of the station platforms to the ready service MU yard.

The ready service yard had a representative mix of M7A and 1983 vintage Budd M3A MU equipment.

The NY Central era HM (HarMon) tower still has been repurposed, sporting both new windows and Mets fans.

A GCT bound train from Poughkeepsie was next to arrive with Shoreliner cab car #6125 leading and New Haven P32AC-DM #231 pushing.

The pre-modern yard layout tends to involve a lot of shuttle moves.

Croton-Harmon locals would also use the ladder to get in to the yard directly.



The road bridge over the yard once provided a vantage point for photographs of S, P and T motors lined up behind the Harmon electric shoppes. Unfortunately the historic complex, built between 1907 and 1928 was replaced with a featureless white structure.

M7 #4051 sitting outside the shop building.

Looking south from the bridge one could spot MNRR P32AC-DM #212 on the fuel pad.

A northbound Poughkeepsie train was next to pass by on track #3 with New haven P32AC-DM #230 leading and Shoreliner III cab car #6318 on the rear end.

M7 #4085 sitting next to P32AC-DM #224 in the south yard.

MNRR M7 #4119 with the employee access bridge over the yard in the background.

Although my train was originating at Croton, a diesel set led by Shoreliner I #6101 was pulled out of the yard instead of a train of M7 MU's.

After departure I spotted a young railfan getting some photos at Dobbs Ferry.

The Shoreliner cab car allowed for a reasonable amount of forward view and I shot this video between High Bridge and 125th St.



#6101 at the upper level bumper block at Grand Central.

R62 #1941 on Grand Central shittle service.

At Penn Station, some of the portions under renovation had construction walls with Amtrak themed murals on them like this with the replacement portal bridge.

Returning from NYC I spent the night in South Jersey, encountering PATCo rebuild cars #1060 and #1068 on my way back to Philly.

It was a beautiful day and I captured the progress on the new 2301 JFK Blvd. While its great for Philly to build new railfan oriented housing, this specific project kind of involved the destruction of a public park.

I'll wrap things with with Amtrak ACS-86 #619 under 30th St Station.

Next time tune in for a special set of photos that only occurs once every four years.