UniChris

A little hint at the bottom margin of the official Putnam County Trailway map sent me looking, and it seems that at least on paper there exists a "Maybrook Trailway" not quite connecting to the Putnam Trailway in Brewster, and running southeast to the CT line at Danbury.

It even has a very official looking brochure from the county.

But does it actually exist?

It's not on Google maps. Metro North owns the rails which are still in existence, and plans to preserve the ability to use them, so I did find mention of a fence having been put up to separate the remaining rails from trail users.

This is a southeastern portion of the same Maybrook rail line a northwestern portion of which forms the Duchess County Trailway up to the Walkway over the Hudson, though there do not seem to be any concrete plans to build the intervening portion.

Would be fun to do those last 6 miles and have ridden from NYC into CT.

(Though now that I look again, it's also most of another 6 miles on roads from where the trail would hit the state line, to the Metro North station in Danbury)

Steve B.

The legend on the bottom of the link, indicates some of it's under construction, some under design, dated 2013.

I was under the impression that part of the Maybrook line, from Beacon and Fishkill, was still in use by freight trains, which is why Duchess ended the DCT path in Hopewell Junction. I was also aware that this line, or parts of it thru CT, was due for path conversion.

But a good find and maybe somebody who lives up in the Brewster/Danbury area knows.

TravellingFool

I needed to run over to Danbury today (I'm in Northern Westchester) so the mrs and I a look. Hadn't paid attention and realized I had no clue as much was planned as indicated. The short answer is a couple of short sections are paved and available, but generally no, it's not open.

The section that goes from Maybrook to the Putnam Trailway is partially paved but fenced off with "No Use" types of signs.

Starting from the north on Maybrook it's just overgrown dirt from the top to Tonetta Lake Ave.
It's paved and open from Tonetta Lake Ave to Peacable Hill Road it seems (didn't walk the whole section).
There's no bridge south of Peacable Hill Rd so that's impassable
It's paved and open from Allview Rd to approx 684
Nothing is available from 684 to Danbury line - no improvements to the side of the tracks at all.

The interesting thing is the two sections that are paved and open have signs of being very fresh - bolts on the handrails for the step that lead up from the road are shiny. The fences are clean and bright. Things like that.

If it gets completed it'll actually be pretty nice i think.

UniChris

Thanks for the on-site report! I'll admit that I usually pull into Brewster a bit worn out and late in the evening to go poking around.

What would be really great is if Connecticut builds their part and effectively extends the SCT+NCT+PUT to end at Danbury Metro North... but I'm not holding my breath.

Or for that matter if NY builds the Maybrook to connect through to the piece by Poughkeepsie - riding all the way up the Walkway Over the Hudson from the city would be amazing.

debade

I think the timing is 2018 but don't take that to the bank. Metro-North owns the line to the CT line. The Housatonic RR owns the line beginning in CT. I have been encouraging the development of the trail to downtown Danbury. If that happens, one day (I will not be around to ride it), it will link to the Norwalk River Valley Trail. In Norwalk a rider will have the choice to ride to NYC or Montreal.

Danbury is without bicycling infrastructure, except a few bike racks; there are no signs, paths, bike lanes, etc. The Mayor has pushed back on biking for over 10 years. The current police chief does not seem to be interested.

Having said that, the current leader of City Center is a supporter and likes the idea of the Rail-with-Trail to downtown from the CT/NY line. He is actually looking at a bike share program which I think is pre-mature but good to know, I am not the only one trying to promote bicycling in Danbury.

This is likely more information then you were expecting. Given I do not know your interest, I will stop here and be happy to respond to any of your questions.

UniChris

Thanks for the info, and for your efforts on the Danbury portion which sounds like it's going to be a lot harder to achieve. It would be tempting to argue about all that awaits once the connection is made (Danbury to the Middle Branch Reservoir would be scenic and relaxed, down to the Croton Reservoir Bridge more determined but still something many could do) and in a way you get direct access to the most scenic parts. But unfortunately, NYC's own end of the putnam rail trail is the perfect example of how having a great trail to the city limits doesn't necessarily get people locally inspired by the opportunity for city residents ready to be tapped by building (or in our case, fixing) the last little bit.

So probably my nearer term interest in the Maybrook would simply be to "have ridden from NYC to Connecticut" - even if only to a put a foot over the line and then head back to the train in Brewster. Sounds like that might be more possible next year. And yes, I really hope it doesn't dead end at a chain link fence 10 feet short of the state line.

For that matter it's been a few weeks now since I've made it up to Brewster, as I've shifted focus from doing one way rides with train return towards trying for round trips partway up - Yorktown made a nice 100km, but I'm not sure how much further I'll manage to loop this season. Finally rigged a cycle computer this evening for some brief experiments and discovered my pacing is instinctively erratic as while I'm comfortable cranking right along at a pace which would work, I keep habitually and unthinkingly slowing to a rate where I run out of daylight, especially if I've gotten going faster than need be and reached crank wobble territory, so my next ride will probably just be about steadiness not distance. Of course that all files under "unicycle problems" rather than Maybrook Trail.

The ride I might still try to do in CT this summer would be to take the train to New Haven and ride up the canal trail to Massachusetts... but that's also a different topic.

Hmm, returning to the Maybrook, I just looked up the Housatonic RR and their page is full of plans or dreams to run trains from Massachusetts down to Danbury, west on what we're calling the Maybrook to Southest then either cross platform transfer or even actually into Grand Central with a Metro North crew. I guess I support that in concept... but I'd like the trail, too. From what I've heard, the NY portion now has a fence between the line that still has tracks, and the part that will be rail trail. Wonder if they can do that on the CT side too. Or if the Housatonic RR's plans would require turning the trail back into a track. But it looks like while the Maybrook line comes within 500 feet of the Southeast station, the actual rail connection to the Harlem line is a bit north - not sure if they'd build a new connection or go north and then reverse back into Southeast.

debade

Lots here. The HR does want to add a consumer line to the Berkshires. That would tie into the Western New England Greenway. A perfect opportunity for a Rail WITH Trail. We'll see.

The ride from Brewster to Danbury, at CT state line is not terrible on the roads. HWY 6 is busy but a wide shoulder.

Good luck.

UniChris

Something that struck me as odd: the Housatonic's trackage, and I assume the Maybrook, aren't 3rd rail electric, are they?

So how would they get the proposed direct service into Grand Central? I don't think they'd be allowed to run a diesel into those tunnels, at least not habitually. Engine change at Southeast like Amtrak does for the Vermonter at New Haven, only to one with 3rd rail shoes rather than a pantograph? Building a platform at the closest approach of the Maybrook and letting people walk the 500 feet to MNR at Southeast starts to look rather more practical. They could even build a covered walkway in case of rain ;-)

I kind of assume that when MNR uses the trackage to shuttle work train equipment between the Harlem and Danbury lines they're pulling it with a diesel they probably keep around for that kind of thing, just as the NYC subways have some diesel switchers for work trains.

Edit: nevermind, Metro North isn't electrified north of Southeast either. They either have you change to a normal electric multi-unit train for the ride into the city, or use dual-mode locomotives hauling cars.

FinnfromFordham

It looks like they are trying to pull together for 2020 the maybrook trail from brewster to hopewell. The bridge from Putnam trailway to maybrook is gonna be tough to get done for many reasons. Soon you'll be able to ride from NYC, up to Brewster, over to Hopewll, up to and over the Walkway in Poughkeepsie, over to New Paltz and then upto Rosedale and Kingston. Check the metro north website, they have announced meetings for the public and have a plan in place. I cannot post the link b/c I'm new on this thread

Steve B.

The meetings were today and tomorrow:

MTA | news | Nov. 13 & 14: Public Meeting Held on Proposed Beacon Line Rail Trail in Putnam and Dutchess Counties

What a terrific route, even if it swings a bit north to get around the hills.

They also need to make the connection between the trail heading to New Paltz to the Wallkill Trail. Currently the Ulster County extension of the Walkway Over The Hudson ends in a park just east of New Paltz.

arbee

Thanks for reviving this thread, and thanks @Steve B. for the link and details.

Any word from either NY State or MTA about a finagle to permit rails-with-trails where the rail r-o-w crosses the state’s Green Haven prison NE of Stormville? (For those who want a visual, OpenStreetMaps

https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=14/41.5816/-73.7193

is more helpful than Google Maps.)

TravellingFool

Was in the area today so did a quick recon. Little if any meaningful difference to what I posted about 18 months or so ago other than some new signage, with one exception. There are signs of new construction between Putnam Ave and North Main in Brewster. This the spot that has to span the active Metro North tracks. If you look at the Empire State Trail documentation there are two different means to do this in the diagrams. One looks like they literally intent to span the tracks (a bridge? they certainly wouldn't allow a grade level crossing of an active rail line). The other suggests they'll have people go down Putnam, cross the tracks using Rt6, then come back up North Main. That would be sub-optimal as well since that intersection isn't great for cars as it is, and would be even worse for bikes or pedestrians. Or perhaps one is short term while the longer term solution is created. The construction at this spot certainly looks like they are prep'ing to come over the tracks directly but it's not clear just how yet.

The seeming lack of progress is probably logical. The EST documentation said 2019 is heavily weighted to engineering and design issues, there are a lot of bridges and underpasses that need to be rebuilt (or built period) and they called out areas with drainage issues to solve for. 2020 was indicated as more heavily weighted toward construction. I haven't seen anything in the past 12 months or so that indicates if they are on schedule, ahead or behind.

I'll keep watching this though. The idea that the link from Brewster to Hopewell Junction isn't all that far away is pretty appealing.

UniChris

Seems like the Brewster to Hopewell piece is getting closer, with the contract nearing the final stages of approval and a goal of finishing by the end of 2020.

https://web.mta.info/mta/news/books/p...0830_mnrli.pdf

Moerdler wants to basically extend the Hudson River Greenway up the river into the Bronx. That would of course be a wonderful thing to have as well, but seems like it is going to take some more doing to turn into a feasible plan. And it would only connect to the Old Croton Aqueduct trail, which isn't really in "greenway" condition.

UniChris

Hitting the end of the Putnam Trail extension where the trail is separated by a fence from residual rail with full sun at 2pm on a roundtrip century (vs my more typical just-after-dusk one-way), I did realize a potential downside of the whole Maybrook rail-with-a-trail plan: no shade

I don't actually know what the state of the neglected miles of the Maybrook between Southeast and Hopewell Junction are, but if the rails are still at all serviceable or construction has any mind to that, I'd expect it won't have a closed forest canopy above the way a lot of traditional rail trails almost do decades since the last train went through.

Even on a relatively cool day, even hiding under my helmet brim shade, the going was definitely tougher early afternoon than in the early morning or evening hours.

TravellingFool

I posted this to another thread as well, but better twice than not at all. The deck from the last public info session (June) got posted and includes a high level planned construction schedule for the Maybrook. Link here: https://maybrooktrailway.org/wp-cont...une-2019-1.pdf

UniChris

I'm eager to see this happen and optimistic, but according to that schedule they were supposed to already break ground. Wonder if that happened.

Really hope to be riding it in 2021; I want my one-way century!

TravellingFool

The answer to "did that happen" is.....yes! Was in that area today so did a side trip and took a look. There's grading work that's clearly done at the intersections of Pumphouse Rd in Brewster, the Southeast Town Park, and both Routes 312 and 311. That's essentially the entire length of what they called Stage 5, the first section to be built out. Long way to go (including bridges to repair) but they're moving on it.

I'm still unclear on what the plan is to connect the Putnam Trail to the Maybrook is. The slide deck drawings suggest city streets in Brewster but that's a lousy intersection even for cars. Actually I think I'll email the project team and ask. If I get a response I'll post it here as well.

UniChris

Wow! That's great news.

My impression is that there's going to be about a mile missing, not too different from the current gap between the new end of the Put and the train station, presumably once you get to North Main street you'd go north instead of south until you find a way to get over to the stub of the Maybrook that's already existed for a few years, maybe via Crosby? That would be exactly a mile from the end of the Put.

Unfortunately I get a sense that the former talk (and I think at one point even a bid request?) to build a bridge to get across the south end of the rail yard more directly seems to have fallen off the near term agenda.

Which intersection did you mean? I agree the one where Carmel Ave meets North Main isn't great, though I usually end up there in the evening with little traffic. And that bridge could use some work. I'm typically "done" enough by then that I walk that particular spot. Actually I only bother with those hassles and go into Brewster itself if taking the train back - hope I may get up there on a round trip tomorrow but in that case I just turn around at the end of the Put rather than going over that last hill.

TravellingFool

Yes, North Main at Carmel Ave is what I meant, sorry I wasn't clear about that. Its only a couple hundred yds or so on Carmel Ave (Rt 6) to N Main that would be the primary concern. Frankly to avoid crossing Rt 6 twice I'd probably just stay on the sidewalk to make life easier (and safer).

On another note, when you go up N Main there is direct access to that section of the Maybrook from an entry path that's already in place, next to Kobacker's Market, just before you get to Crosby. Easy as can be.

arbee

There'll be no direct / off-road / trail link, I'd guess. Though there is pavement from Putnam Av to where the Putnam line's tracks end in the Metro North yard, I doubt that'll ever be open to the public. Notionally, continuing through the yard and crossing the tracks on Prospect Hill Rd is just that: notional.

Clarified in your subsequent reply, the stub / access point (shown on Open Street Map) east from North Main Street to the Maybrook Trail

https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=16/41.4025/-73.6195&layers=C

between Brewster and Southeast is consistent with what the trail brochure from June 2013 labels "To Putnam Trailway".

(And BTW, thanks for posting the link to the June 2019 brochure!)

UniChris

Nice, that shows it much better than gmaps, and shows how nice it would be to go straight across.

I wonder if they still use the wye? Its really too bad that bridge across the active line seems no longer in the plans, it would be a lot shorter, and it would be nice to avoid climbing that big hill with the houses and funeral home.

UniChris

Anyone have any sense how Maybrook Trailway construction is going?

TravellingFool

Here's the Empire State Trail - September Update for the overall program. Summary is they are saying everything is on schedule for overall completion but less clear is if the intermediate milestones are on track. Seems likely they are though. I do go through that area periodically and I'll take a look at the next opportunity to see what can be seen.

Steve B.

Found this site today, apparently they are well under way on the Hopewell to Brewster shared rail trail. Seems they are retaining the rail line and adding a trail along side. Completion is a year out, so Jan. 2021.

https://maybrooktrailway.org/

Remarkable as I had no idea they had even started.

Will run 25 miles from Brewster to Hopewell and from what I see on the website will be gravel.

My math tells me 49 miles from south end of Van Cortland Park to Brewster, 47 up to the Wallkway over the Hudson, 10 over to New Paltz (part on road, about 4 miles), than 22 up to just south of Kingston on the Walkill. 128 miles or so.

arbee

North of Melrose (in The Bronx) it's the only link between all of Metro North's divisions. It rarely sees use, but rarely is more frequent than never.

Thanks for the link.