NYC High Line

Author: Kevin Wong

The High Line is a 1.45 mile (2.33 km) former elevated freight railroad along Manhattan's West Side from West 34 Street near Javits Center to Gansevoort Street in the West Village. Built by the New York Central in the early 1930s, it served industries on the far West Side, with the route running into many industrial buildings. It became part of Penn Central in 1968, before Conrail ran the last train over the route in 1980. Some customers had their own private siding on the line, while others used the St. John's Park freight terminal at the route's south end between Clarkson and Spring Street. Most freight on the line was fresh and frozen meat, produce, baked goods, prepared foods, as well as parcel freight/package express and US Mail. Customers included Merchants Refrigerating Co., Nabisco, Armour, Swift & Co., Wilson Meats, Bell Telephone, Manhattan Refrigerating, Cudahy Packing and Spear & Co and the USPS Morgan Parcel Post Building. The St. John's Park freight terminal at the south end was used by customers including Borden, Colod, Libby, Sealright, Shannon Bros, Magazine Shippers, Woolworth, Universal Carloading and Western Carloading. The section south of Bank Street and the St. John's Park freight house terminal was abandoned in the 1960s, and the portion between Gansevoort and Bank Streets was torn down in 1990-93. Future plans involve converting the currently surviving High Line viaduct into a park and trailway. For more information on the High Line, visit Friends of the High Line at www.thehighline.org