I love being places that are meant for lots of people when
there is no one around. Getting in to some place before it opens or at an off
hour. I also like trains. So when I had an hour to kill while the Amazing Ms. D had an appointment, I
took advantage of being near the Spuyten Duyvil Metro North station on a Friday
morning to walk around and take some photos.
The Spuyten Duyvil is
a short tidal estuary that connects the Hudson River with the Harlem Ship Canal
separating the north end of Manhattan from the Bronx. Named by the Dutch,
Spuyten Duyvil translates to “Spouting Devil” and a reference to the rough
waters caused by the tides. Today it serves as the northern end of the Harlem
River, and a short cut for boats that want to travel from the Hudson River to
the Long Island Sound.
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| Looking at the Spuyten Duyvil from the train platform |
The Sputen Duyvil is crossed by two bridges in this area, The Spuyten Duyvil Train bridge and the Henry Hudson Bridge, which carries the Henry Hudson Parkway high above the water.
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| The Henry Hudson Bridge |
The Spuyten Duyvil Station is part of the Hudson River Line
of the Metro North commuter rail system. This line runs from Grand Central
Terminal to Poughkeepsie NY and runs at water level along the Hudson River. It
is one of the most beautiful train rides in the United States, and my favorite.
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| Diesel engine means that this train is heading to Poughkeepsie |
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| Electric train means this train comes from Croton-on-Harmon |
I have taken this line 20 or so times, either on Metro North, or in one of the
Amtrak trains that also use it. Those include and the Empire Service to Albany,
service to Toronto and Montreal and the famous Lake Shore Limited. The Amtrak
service comes from Pennsylvania Station and crosses the Spuyten Duyvil on the
Spuyten Duyvil Bridge, a turntable bridge that sits at water level. I can sit
for the entire trip glued to the window, as long as I am on the Hudson River
side.
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| The Spuyten Duyvil Bridge |
An empty train platform is haunting. It is a place designed
to handle dozens of people getting on and off the train. But mid-day in January
there were few people around. Being alone on the platform gave me a chance to
really look around at the surroundings. Being on a train platform always
catches my eye because it just reminds me of traveling, especially the tracks
that just go off to the distance.
I also love the signs along a railway. New or old, they
bring my mind to another time. Maybe it is because the conventions have not
changed in over a century.
There is also a park that travels along the northern side of the track. The Spuyten Duyvil Shorefront Park has a series of paths through the trees, marsh and undergrowth along between the houses of Spuyten Duyvil and Metro North tracks.
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