ger trains from upstate New York to bypass Grand Central Terminal in 1991.


The section below 30th Street be-


came derelict and overgrown. Wild grasses, shrubs, and sumac had taken root, creating a real life “urban jungle.” Those who knew how to gain access would wander amongst the rusty rails and wildflowers. Much of the area along the waterfront remained a light industrial warehouse district, though nearly all of the commercial piers had closed by this time.


Rebirth on the West Side


Community activist and rail buff Peter Obletz purchased the lower two miles of the West Side Line from Con- rail for $10.00 in 1984, hoping to start what would have been the most unique tourist railroad operation in America. Held back by litigation and a lack of funding, custody of the tracks returned to Conrail five years later. The Metro- politan Transportation Authority had briefly considered acquiring the right of way for future transit use, but these plans never came to fruition. Calls for complete demolition soon followed, yet the ultimate responsibility remained with the railroad. The non-profit Friends of the High Line was formed in 1999 to advocate for creative reuse of the abandoned rail


RIGHT: The views along the High Line range from concrete canyons to lush passages such as this grove of trees near West 22nd Street. BELOW: Railroad tracks have been reinstalled along some sections as a visual reminder, but don’t try to take your speeder down these nar- rowly-spaced rails. OTTO VONDRAK PHOTOS BELOW: Old and new combine in this north- ward view at West 18th Street, bordering the “Meatpacking District” and the Chelsea neighborhood in Manhattan. STEVE BARRY PHOTO


42 AUGUST 2013 • RAILFAN.COM


For more information, visit the High Line Park web site at www.thehighline.org


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