An overpass found along rarely used train tracks that run from Long Island City to Fresh Pond Junction — Photos by Diego Cupolo. + launch slideshow to see the rest>>
In recent years, new development has been paving over New York City’s industrial landscape at a feverish pace. While a chapter of the city’s manufacturing past is lost with each razed warehouse and every sunken loading dock, one area in the greater Bushwick hinterlands, criss-crossed by rarely-used train tracks, remains relatively untouched and serves as a time capsule of North Brooklyn’s industrial heritage.
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The tracks snake through Williamsburg, Bushwick and Maspeth, carving large swaths of open space in neighborhoods not known for their parks. Once inside, visitors experience complete isolation as they walk by graffiti-covered factories, abandoned rail cars and countless stained mattresses. While the tracks, in their current state, may seem like a garbage-packed wasteland of little use, they once played a significant role in local commerce and continue providing freight service to the area’s industries.
The portion of rails running across Morgan Avenue used to be part of the Long Island Railroad Bushwick Branch, which provided passenger service from a recently-demolished train station at Montrose Avenue and Bushwick Place to a junction with the LIRR Montauk Branch near Flushing Avenue and Rust Street in Maspeth.
Beginning in the 1860s, local residents could use the Montrose Depot to get to Manhattan Beach and the Williamsburg ferry docks on the East River. Passenger service ended in the 1920s due to low ridership and the tracks were designated for industrial use. Today, the New York and Atlantic Railway operates the rail lines and they occasionally see a passing freight train.
Following the Bushwick Branch east leads the adventurous under ominous industrial complexes and dark overpasses that provide shelter for homeless people. The tracks continue until Fresh Pond Junction, where locomotives’ thundering engines still shake the ground. From here, the tracks split into several directions, including lines to Jamaica Station and Long Island City.
The southern branch continued to operate until the early 1980s, said John Dereszewski, a Bushwick historian and former Community Board 4 leader. Several industries, including a lumber yard in the lot that is now occupied by Food Dimensions near Wyckoff and Woodbine, were its last significant users.
“At one time, they would unload livestock from the trains and walk them to slaughterhouses in the area,” Dereszewski said. “Can you imagine that?”
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The last time the Bushwick Branch made headlines was when a runaway locomotive plowed through five cars before bursting into flames near the Varick Avenue crossing in early 2004. Workers at the Fresh Pond rail yard mistakenly left the empty train unhitched, causing it to roll downhill across Metropolitan Avenue — luckily, the accident did not cause any fatalities.
Exploring the Bushwick Branch can be risky and going alone is not recommended. Easy access points to this vast stretch of industrial history and urban decay can be found anywhere the train tracks intersect with roads — the Varick Avenue crossing near the Jefferson L stop is a good place to start. Lastly, it’s best to go during winter months to reduce the chance of disturbing any homeless people… and their big, scary dogs…
Dresden February 2nd, 2009 at 9:57 am
Good place to
get some thinking done.
Jeremy Sapienza February 2nd, 2009 at 10:54 am
I made this journey with some friends last year, but it was summer so it was full of bums and their scary dogs. We saw a lot of creepy shit in there, and felt like escapees from some underground world when we hopped over the wall at Fresh Pond to the surprise of people waiting for the bus there. There are definitely some dangerous parts but it’s worth the experience.
ricmac01 February 2nd, 2009 at 1:00 pm
That slideshow journey is AMAZING!
Ingo Hart February 2nd, 2009 at 4:24 pm
What fabulous photos Diego, very good job and I especially liek the heightened colors. Our neighborhood has so many interesting layers.
miked February 2nd, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Very very interesting. Nice work!
Tony T February 2nd, 2009 at 7:04 pm
This was my playground back in the 70′s. It’s hardly changed.
Diego February 2nd, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Thanks everybody – this article was a pleasure to write and the area is an urban photographer’s dream.
Samuli February 3rd, 2009 at 3:55 am
nice photos, man.
any idea why those places are left alone there, u know, nice looking industrial are, are there not anybody who could find some use for those parts of city…?
Jeremy Sapienza February 3rd, 2009 at 9:49 am
Sure, people could reuse these areas, but the city won’t let them because they are guided by a fantasy that New York is a city of manual laborers and not thinkers. They are zoned for industry, and even if no industry wants the space, you are not allowed to reuse the space another way. Eventually, much of them will likely be reused illegally as residential space, and over time they will be legalized.
andrei February 3rd, 2009 at 4:24 pm
nice work diego, takes a lot of balls to be walking through such areas, nice effort keep up the good work
junior 161 February 7th, 2009 at 3:34 am
this spot is iight during the day at night its a different story…
my boyz got chased by female cops on these tracks,
not as sweet as you think
truth
Hilton February 16th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
That article is awesomely written and photographed! Right on!!