NJ&NYRR
Passenger service on this suburban line ran from Pavonia Station, Jersey City to Haverstraw Village with the line being completed in 1888. The freight division served the Mt. Ivy quarry and the Garnerville Print Works with direct service. This line has operated continuously for over 160 years and is now known as the Pascack Valley Line terminating in Spring Valley.
In 1870, the NJ&NY was completed through to the Town of Haverstraw, with all the stations completed north to West Haverstraw by 1873. The Haverstraw depot and yards were completed in 1888 with stations and yards at West Broad Street. Until the opening of the Jersey City and Albany Railroad in 1879, this was the only railroad in North Rockland.
Mount Ivy Depot was located west of the Palisades Parkway just south of now Route 202. The heavy traffic in crushed stone from the traprock quarry made Mt. Ivy one of the busiest stations on the line. The line continued north past Gurnee Lake and was an active freight line well into the 1950’s.
The spur line into Letchworth Village was built in 1911 terminating at the power station. This freight only spur took coal, foodstuffs, and general freight while all passenger service to the institution was from Thiells Station.
Thiells Station was located at the corner of now Rosman Road and Langschur Court. The right of way under Rosman Road is visible today and the overpass continued over the creek to now Thiells-Mt. Ivy Road. This was the highest point on the line at 285 feet above sea level. Doodlebug passenger service continued into Thiells for many years after both Haverstraw and West Haverstraw were closed to passenger service.
Today, the line still visibly follows the Minisceongo Creek east crossing both the creek and now Suffern Lane continuing to the junction with the Stony Point Branch at Central Highway in Garnerville. The junction was in the area north of Railroad Avenue with the branch line following now Central Highway. The Stony Point branch was never completed and ended in a field at now Rt 210.
Garnerville had extensive sidings serving the Print Works. Just up the hill from West Haverstraw station, Railroad Avenue was a busy commercial area that supported many more full time workers than the brickyards ever did.
The Line continued east from Central Highway behind the Garnerville Elementary School through the fields crossing Chapel Street between the Church and the rear exit to Helen Hayes hospital north of West Railroad Avenue.
West Haverstraw Depot was at the Corner of now 9W and Railroad Avenue. Until 1888, West Haverstraw Station was the terminus of the railroad with regular stage coach service to Haverstraw.
Completed in 1888, the line continued diagonally southeast from West Haverstraw and crossed under old Route 9W behind Dunkin Donuts today and then followed the Minisceongo Creek east under the West Shore Line. A grade crossing was on Samsondale avenue at the old Esso station, with spur lines into the Peck yard, up the beach and to the dock.
After crossing under Broadway at Brennan’s Bridge Haverstraw Station and Yards terminated at West Broad Street.
