there are tracks on the west bank of the hudson. why aren't they being used for commuter service? (New York: home)

[thefarcommuter]

if you look at a map, there are train tracks (two in most places, four in others) that go all the way up to albany. apparently, this did see commuter service until the late 50s with stops in all of the major New York cities on the west bank of the hudson river (tappan, nyack, haverstraw, west point, newburgh, kingston, etc).

these tracks are still there. why the heck aren't they being used today? home values could skyrocket if that side saw commuter service with a connection over the tappan zee or a tunnel under the hudson to connect it with the hudson line. 'metro north' west shore. currently, people have to take ferries over to connect to the east side of the hudson for metro north. what a waste of time when there are tracks are already there. there is always talk about how there should be more rail, but all of this infrastructure already exists!

[ckhthankgod]

There are tracks being used, but they aren’t right next to the Hudson River: MNR Map

[2nd trick op]

The line to which the OP refers is commonly known as the "West Shore line", and it has a long and complicated history:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Shore_Railroad

It saw a fair amount of local passenger traffic up until the general meltdown of all passenger service in the late Fifties. and access to Manhattan via ferry service from Weehawken. The Penn-Central merger and the coming of Amtrak brought major changes. Freight formerly handled via he moribund New Haven system and interchanged via Maybrook and Campbell Hall, NY or floated across New York Harbor now moved via Albany, which considerably increased congestion. Safety risks also increase when passenger trains, with higher speeds but more-frequent stops, have to share trackage with up-to-two mile-long, 15,000 ton freights, which take longer to stop, start. and attain normal operating speeds,

As a result, service on the Eastern Shore, both via Metro North and beyond to Albany, is predominately passenger, while that on the West Shore is exclusively for freight.

[Wells5]

Originally Posted by 2nd trick op

The line to which the OP refers is commonly known as the "West Shore line", and it has a long and complicated history:

It's now called the "River Subdivision" of the CSX railroad (its current owner) and is strictly for freight.

[thefarcommuter]

Originally Posted by Wells5

It's now called the "River Subdivision" of the CSX railroad (its current owner) and is strictly for freight.

what a waste! there were 30+ stations on that line! many of station buildings are still there.

[Wells5]

Why doesn't the new "Mario Cuomo Bridge" (YUK) have a provision for commuter trains? Without a ready means of getting to the east side of the Hudson, commuter trains running on the river division wouldn't make sense.

[thefarcommuter]

Originally Posted by Wells5

Why doesn't the new "Mario Cuomo Bridge" (YUK) have a provision for commuter trains? Without a ready means of getting to the east side of the Hudson, commuter trains running on the river division wouldn't make sense.

this was the original plan.