While the good majority of service on Metro-North is operated by Electric Multiple Unit cars, the railroad’s dashing diesels handle the rest of the load – largely in the unelectrified territories of the Upper Hudson Line, Upper Harlem Line, and the Danbury and Waterbury Branches. West of Hudson service, operated by New Jersey Transit, is also dieselized, carrying passengers through New Jersey and into New York’s Orange and Rockland counties. Arguably, it is this diesel territory that is likely considered Metro-North’s most beautiful. Spots like Port Jervis’s Moodna Viaduct, views of the Hudson Line from the Bear Mountain Bridge, and the Harlem Line’s Ice Pond all fall into this category.

Here’s a photo gallery of some of Metro-North’s dynamic and dashing diesels, most of which were captured within the past few weeks (although a few are favorites from last year) on the Harlem, Hudson, and Port Jervis Lines of Metro-North. Enjoy!


 
  
 
   
  
 
  
   
  
   
  
 
  
The Moodna Viaduct at sunset

10 Responses

  1. Jeff Morris says:

    Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous photos. How have you managed to be in all those places in just the last few weeks?

    • Emily says:

      Thanks, Jeff! The Port Jervis line shots were all from last year, but the rest (except for 3 – the NH genesis at Breakneck, Spuyten Duyvil and Dover Plains sunsets) aren’t super hard to get in a short amount of time on the Hudson and Harlem Lines. Hudson Line is a lot easier… Harlem Line you really have to plan.

  2. Fred Nangle says:

    This is just breathtaking work – what you do with the sky and the landscape is really, really wonderful.

  3. Steve Vasko says:

    They are all great but I really love the last shot!

  4. adkjoe says:

    Great story! The Hudson Line has always been my favorite, especially when I worked for MN.

  5. William Hays says:

    Great stuff! Of course I miss the Alco RS-3s and the FL-9s. I was lucky enough to be in Peekskill, a few years ago, and saw the retro-painted FL-9 in NYC ‘Lightning Stripes’. Handsome loco, that was.

  6. Dan Cluley says:

    Great shots. :) That paint scheme works better on the GEs than anything Amtrak has tried.

  7. Christopher Stephans says:

    Sad that Long Island Rail Road had to cave to politics and order those problematic dual powered locomotives of theirs, rather than just buy GEs.

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