User:Mitchazenia/Erie Railroad Main Line (New York Division)

The main line of the Erie Railroad began in Jersey City, New Jersey at Pavonia Terminal and the first 87.3 mi of the alignment to Port Jervis, New York was deemed the New York Division. The alignment along the New York Division went through only three cities west of Jersey City and New York City: Passaic, New Jersey, Paterson, New Jersey and Middletown, New York. The first tracks were laid through the area during the stretch of 1846–1851, when the Erie was finished completely. 39 stations lay between Pavonia Terminal and Port Jervis, where the Delaware Division continued northward to Binghamton, New York.

After the Erie and competitor Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad merged to make the Erie-Lackawanna Railway, the alignment of the Main Line in Passaic and nearby Clifton was realigned to the Boonton Branch. The Erie-Lackawanna dissolved into Conrail on April 1, 1976 and most of the Main Line between Hoboken Terminal (Pavonia Terminal was closed in 1958) and Port Jervis was soon turned over to Metro-North Railroad and New Jersey Transit. Since then, the portion from Guymard, New York to Harriman, New York has been closed down in favor of the nearby Graham Line. Currently, sixteen of the forty-one stations built are still used today, including Port Jervis.

Pavonia Terminal and Rutherford
The Erie Railroad trains started at Jersey City, New Jersey's Pavonia Terminal, built in 1887 after tearing down the original. The station's design was constructed of word by architect George Archer, who designed the station with similarities to the House of Parliament in London, England. Here, people could catch ferries such as the Arlington or the Jamestown to get to New York City. Pavonia Terminal had eleven tracks serving several different subsidiaries of the Erie and its main line. In 1956, the railroad consolidated efforts and moved most trains to Hoboken Terminal, run by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad. Until its closing in 1958, Pavonia Terminal still ran Northern Branch and New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad passenger trains. The movement of most trains to Hoboken also caused use of the ferries to plummet. As a result, the Arlington did its last run at 6:30 pm on December 12, 1958 from Pavonia Terminal to Chambers Street Ferry Terminal and no ferries ran afterwards. The current-day Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) rail service that runs from Newark, New Jersey to the World Trade Center had a stop known as Erie, but was closed in 1954 by the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad. After sitting dormant for several decades, the new PATH service reopened the station and named the station Pavonia/Newport, however, the tiles marking "E" in the station remain, hinting back at the former name.

After main line trains departed Pavonia Terminal, the trains crossed under the Bergen Arches, headed through Croxton Yard and soon turned to the northeast, where they crossed the Hackensack River on HX Draw. HX Drawbridge was a bascule bridge was built in 1910 and was 0.5 mi long. The bridge is used to this date, currently maintained for New Jersey Transit's Bergen County Line and Pascack Valley Line trains. Next to the drawbridge was HX Tower, a two-story concrete block tower constructed in 1915 with an interlocker built four years prior to control the bridge. The bridge and nearby tracks had a speed limit of only 30 mph, where the two tracks expanded to four. After crossing the Meadowlands, riders on the main line entered Rutherford, New Jersey, where it soon entered the Rutherford-East Rutherford station. The station, geographically located on the border of Rutherford and East Rutherford, was built in 1895 as a type-VII brick and stone structure. The station also served students at then nearby Fairleigh Dickinson University. After continuing northbound out of Rutherford-East Rutherford, they soon ran into Rutherford Junction (BJ), which then served as the junction of the main line and the Bergen County Railroad, an Erie subsidiary, now the Bergen County Line for New Jersey Transit. The main line here forked westward along separate tracks just north of BJ Tower, constructed in 1897 at Erie Avenue in Rutherford was designed of concrete, similar to HX, and housed a thirty-lever interlocker to control trains onto either line. Despite the NX Drawbridge and Tower on the Newark Branch, BJ was one of the lowest pay rates on the Erie Railroad.

Carlton Hill to Passaic
After trains left Rutherford Junction, the main line continued westward along Erie Avenue through Rutherford for a short distance, soon crossing the County Route 507 (Jackson Avenue) and entered the next station along the main line, Carlton Hill. Carlton Hill station was first built in 1888 as an irregular-shaped Type IV station on the western section of Jackson Avenue. The station, consisted of two low-level platforms, two tracks and a freight siding for the nearby Royce Chemical and Standard Bleachery. During daily service, the station served in the morning as a ticket agency for the station's commuters and a yard-checking station in the afternoon for Royce Chemical. Before 1963, this was the second station on the main line, but in accordance with the Passaic Plan, the next several stations were closed and Carlton Hill became a branch from Hoboken and Rutherford, deemed the Carlton Hill Branch. Trains continued on this branch until July 1966, consisting of mostly deadhead trains and a limited amount of Carlton Hill-Rutherford-Hoboken set of stops. Carlton Hill was closed in 1966 and soon demolished. Royce Chemical has also since gone out of business.

After Carlton Hill, the main line continued westward through Carlton Hill and soon approached the Passaic River, which was crossed by a two-track swing drawbridge. This drawbridge, designated BE Draw, was first constructed in 1892 across the Passaic, but needed a major restructuring in 1908. BE Drawbridge was different than most of the drawbridges on the Erie, as the accompanying tower was atop the bridge rather than on the tracks nearby. Also, this bridge ran on steam energy, and including a large boiler to keep it running. BE Drawbridge employees were required to obtain New Jersey's Blue Seal, indicating their proficiency at operating boilers and steam equipment. Employees were also required to possess knowledge of general railroad operations. The bridge was swung open when the Passaic Plan went into effect in 1963, and sat unused. The mayor of Passaic, New Jersey then wanted to offer the bridge for free for anyone who wanted to remove it. After BE Drawbridge, trains entered their third main line station, Passaic Park. Passaic Park was directly to the west of BE, built originally in 1888 as a Type-IV design. This in turn was replaced in 1922 with a Spanish tile roof station made of concrete and stone. the station had two platforms, one with the main building and one with a small waiting shelter. Trains used Passaic Park station until the Passaic Plan went into effect on April 2, 1963. Because of its location, the old station is currently under the right-of-way for New Jersey Route 21.

Continuing westward through Passaic, the Erie began to lower from its elevated line at Passaic Park into the downtown portions of Passaic, where trains ran on city streets. The first station to cross in the city was Harrison Street, constructed before 1909 as a Type-IV regular shape station. Trains continued westward along Main Street, crossing Monroe Street, where the tracks entered the downtown Passaic station. Passaic station was originally a large Type-IV station built in 1883. The station served the city and its development well, but as the automobile age came to be, the city government wanted the Erie's two-track mainline removed. The Erie and city of Passaic could not come to a deal to remove it, and made a deal to rebuild the Passaic station in 1952. The new station was made of brick rather than wood, and consisted of two asphalt platforms for the two tracks. However, when the Erie and Delaware, Lackawanna and Western merged, the city of Passaic returned to the new Erie-Lackawanna, who now shared a nearby branch for Passaic and Clifton along the DL&W's former Boonton Branch. On April 2, 1963, trains were rerouted onto the Boonton Branch, and that day, a track removal ceremony was held in both Passaic and Clifton to signify the event. Prior to this, trains continued eastward along the main line through Passaic, soon passing through the small Harrison Street station, another Type-IV built similarly to Prospect Street. The station was removed as well by the time of the Passaic Plan, but also consisted of a coal house and closet for railroad usage.

Clifton and Paterson
After trains departed Passaic's Harrison Street station trains continued to the northwest, crossing the city line and into Clifton, New Jersey. The tracks through Clifton, unlike Passaic, ran on a fill, one story higher than street level. The tracks crossed through the city, reaching the Clfiton station, made of brick in February 1953. The 1953 station was a replacement constructed as part of the original deal with Passaic, replacing the former Type IV built in 1889. The station had two platforms, associated with its large brick agency and westbound passenger shelter. The station, although only eleven years old was closed on April 2, 1963 for the activation of the Passaic Plan. As a result, the ceremonies occurring in Passaic also occurred in Clifton. Continuing eastward, tracks crossed under U.S. Route 46 and the Garden State Parkway before beginning a parallel along Railway Avenue in Paterson, where trains entered their next main line station, Lake View. The Lake View station consisted of a short building, constructed in 1885, one asphalt platform on the eastbound side. The Lake View station, similarly to Passaic Park, was not replaced during the 1953 building replacement spree in Clifton and Passaic. The station was the final closed on April 2, 1963 during the Passaic Plan en-action, and although the station building no longer stands, the tracks do remain in town.

Trains continued northward through Paterson, passing Getty Avenue Yard, a large yard through South Paterson. During the Passaic Plan, a new alignment of the main line was routed along the Erie's Newark Branch, creating the new South Paterson station, a one-platform and shelter station. This station did last to New Jersey Transit's time of running the railroad, but was closed during the 1980s. Trains continued along the mainline into the downtown region of Paterson, entering the Market Street station. The specially designed building was constructed in 1897, and soon was elevated throughout the city. The station consisted of two platforms and station building, two stories above street level. Paterson station remains in use to this date for New Jersey Transit, and many bridges along the elevated line still mark "ERIE". Trains continued even further through Paterson, elevated above the city and soon reached the River Street crossing, where trains reached their last station in the city, River Street-Paterson. River Street station was first constructed at grade as a Type-IV building in 1877 and was raised two stories above track level when the tracks were raised. The station had a furance below street level and although trains have stopped serving the station, the stairs to the platform and the platform landing do remain in place of River Street. Following River Street, trains continued northward and departed Paterson into Hawthorne.

Hawthorne, Glen Rock and Ridgewood
As trains departed River Street station, they headed on the elevated main line paralleling River Street and East 11th Street until reaching the Passaic River once again and crossing into the town of Hawthorne. In Hawthorne, the tracks return to ground-level, crossing over County Route 504 (Wagaraw Road), where it also crossed the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad alignment. After the railroad junction, the main line of the Erie entered the Hawthorne station, a two-platform, two-track station off Washington Street. Hawthorne had a large brick design building that has since been demolished. New Jerey Transit trains still use Hawthorne for a train stop and is due to get a second one on nearby Diamond Bridge Avenue on the new Passaic-Bergen Rail Line as well. As trains departed Hawthorne, they continued northward, crossing under Lincoln Avenue and New Jersey Route 208. As the main line approached Ferndale Avenue in the town of Glen Rock, New Jersey, for a time, they also entered the Ferndale station, which boasted a large turntable. Trains continued northward, reaching downtown Glen Rock, where trains entered the Glen Rock station. One of two stations in Glen Rock (one was also present on the Bergen County Line, the station had 2 asphalt platforms and a stone frame design building built in 1914. The station building, still used to this date by New Jersey Transit, stands on the southbound side (to New York).

Trains continued northward out of Glen Rock station, following to the west of Valley Road and soon Broad Street in Glen Rock before crossing into Ridgewood, where the line met with the Bergen County Railroad at Ridgewood Junction (WJ). Ridgewood Junction was similar to HX Drawbridge back in Secaucus, an interlocking tower built of concrete in 1910. The interlocking provided trains the power to either take the main line or Bergen County Railroad southbound towards HX. The tower had a 42-lever controller built in 1903. From there, Main and Bergen County Railroad trains continued northward through the town of Ridgewood, crossing Ackerman Avenue and paralleling South Broad Street until entering the Ridgewood station. Ridgewood station was built in 1918 as a special Spanish-style building of wood, stucco and brick veneer. The station was 62% owned by the village of Ridgewood and the rest by a subsidiary of the Erie. The station had 3 platforms, two sides and one island with intertrack subways between the three. From that point, people could take either Bergen County Railroad or Main Line trains. The Ridgewood station is also used by New Jersey Transit to this date, and is in the process of receiving high-level platforms.

Ho-Ho-Kus, Waldwick and Allendale
After trains departed the Ridgewood station, they crossed Franklin Avenue at-grade and began to progress on a northeastern path through Ridgewood and soon Undercliff. Originally, Undercliff had its own station, about where current-day Downing Street is located. The tracks continued northward, turning to the northwest on a large bend, entering the Ho-Ho-Kus station near First Street and Red Rock Court. Ho-Ho-Kus station was one of the newer on the Erie mainline, built in 1952 of river stones and a tile roof. The station also had an irregular eastbound waiting shelter, constructed in 1909. Due to the building's location, the Erie had to improvise on rules to depart. Trains had to wait for the extinguishing of a special yellow light to depart, since that made it known no passengers were still boarding the train. This special light was only active and performed at Ho-Ho-Kus station, which is to this day used by New Jersey Transit. Trains continued northward through Ho-Ho-Kus, crossing Brookside Avenue and soon turning northwestward near the Franklin Turnpike (County Route 507). Soon afterwards, the main line entered Waldwick, passing Prospect Street, where trains entered the Waldwick station. Waldwick station was originally built in 1886 with a Type-IX wood-frame station. The station had two platforms and an intertrack subway to connect both platforms. Waldwick station is used by New Jersey Transit and the station is still used as a museum rather than a train depot.

Trains continued northward out of Waldwick station, crossing through the town of Waldwick near the Franklin Turnpike. Soon after, the trains crossed WC Tower. WC Tower, a wood-frame tower built in 1890, was made to connect the main line to a late-night staging yard at Waldwick. WC had a 34-lever interlocking machinery, a pioneer when it was added, but quickly becoming an antique. The tower also had only two shifts, so at the end of the second shift, it was placed on automatic, making it easy to drive into the yard. Although no longer used by New Jersey Transit to use for a yard, the rickety old tower was restored in 2004 and has since become a railroad museum. From WC, trains continued northward, crossing Chestnut Street and entering Allendale. Soon after crossing Orchard Street, the trains entered the Allendale station. Allendale station was a two-platform station, with a passenger station built on the eastbound side in 1878. The station depot also included a freight station and was also a Railway Express Agency, made to handle special goods, delivered on the railroad. Allendale station continues to be used as a train station for New Jersey Transit, although is unused indoors.

Ramsey, Mahwah and Suffern
After trains continued northwestward out of Allendale, crossing over Crescent Avenue on a railroad bridge built during the Great Depression to eliminate a grade crossing. Indented with the letters ERIE in the side of the bridge, the former railroad's name continues to be shown on the bridge. Trains continued northward, bending out of Allendale and into Ramsey, where the line paralleled Ramsey Country Club and entered Erie Plaza. In Erie Plaza, trains entered the Ramsey station. The station at Ramsey, an irregular Type-IX stucco depot constructed in 1868, was the second-to-last in New Jersey. The station had to asphalt platforms to handle four tracks through town. The station also had R Tower at the site, a 19-lever interlocking machine to serve Tracks 3 and 4 on the main line built in 1898, but was later dismantled. Ramsey station still is used by New Jersey Transit as their Ramsey-Main Street station, and is the oldest active Erie Railroad station in New Jersey Transit's territory.

As trains departed the Ramsey station, they continued northward, crossing Main Street and Gertzen Plaza before entering Finch Park as a two-track line. The main line continued northward, crossing under New Jersey Route 17 in Ramsey (now the site of New Jersey Transit's Ramsey-Route 17 station, constructed in 2004.) The line continued northward through Ramsey before crossing into the town of Mahwah, where it returns to its parallel with the Franklin Turnpike. Soon paralleling Railroad Avenue, the trains entered the Mahwah station. Mahwah station was built in 1915 of stucco on a wood-frame in the similar Spanish-style design used at Ridgewood and Passaic Park. The 1915 building was built on new trackage through Mahwah, replacing the Type-IV station built in 1871, which continues to stand, preserved by the town. The 1915 building continues to service New Jersey Transit to this date, and was the last station for the Erie in New Jersey.

After the Mahwah station, the Erie Railroad main line continued northwestward, paralleling the Franklin Turnpike and soon U.S. Route 202 through Mahwah. A short distance after crossing U.S. Route 202, the main line crossed the state line from New Jersey into New York. The railroad continued to parallel U.S. Route 202 through now Suffern, New York, crossing Maple Avenue, where they entered the Suffern station. Suffern was a newer station on the Erie main line, built in 1941 to replace an older structure built before 1909. The station had two asphalt side platforms, and four main line tracks. The station was elevated from street level and received around thirty trains today, and a special private school train to Tuxedo, where it picked up local students for home. The station continues to serve passengers as part of New Jersey Transit and Metro-North Railroad's Port Jervis Line. Soon after, the main line continued its northwestward trek through Suffern, passing the junction of U.S. Route 202 and New York State Route 59 and crossing under the New York State Thruway. The overpasses of the northbound Thruway was also the site of SF Tower, a two-story interlocking tower built in 1898. SF Tower's purpose was to interlock trains between tracks for the main line and nearby Piermont Branch to Piermont, New York. The tower had a 36-lever interlocker built by Saxby & Farmer in 1911. SF Tower also had to be held up on large wood timbers due to an unstable foundation leaning towards Ford Lead (a spur to the Ford Motor Company plant in Mahwah). This disruption was caused due to the construction of the Thruway nearby. Suffern Tower remained in use until the switch allowing for automatic track adjustment was put on automatic adjustment at Hoboken in 1987.

Hillburn, Ramapo, Sterlington and Sloatsburg
After crossing through SF Tower, the Erie Railroad continued northward, paralleling New York State Route 59 into the community of Hillburn, just northwest of Suffern. Hillburn was the site of a former station built in 1887. The station at Hillburn was of the same designed used at Suffern station, a common Type-IV bulding, but of smaller design. The station no longer stands. Continuing north of Hillburn station, the Erie main line continued northward, paralleling New York State Route 17 (the Orange Turnpike) through the town of Ramapo. The route soon entered the Ramapo station, built in 1868 and of Type-IV design. The station was long game, but the hot box detector still remained into the 1970s. After continuing the parallel of NY 17, the Erie Railroad continued into the area of Sterlington. Sterlington was the former site of a station. The station was built in 1865 when the Sterling Iron and Railway Company was founded to build a 7.6 mi spur from the then New York & Erie to the mines in what's now Sterling Forest. The junction, deemed Sterlington Junction, was situated about 1 mi north of Ramapo.

Although the station was closed by 1958, the history at Sterlington was not over for the Erie Railroad. On the morning of August 11, 1958, train 50, led by Engine 859, heading eastbound from Newburgh Junction (NJ) tower, was directed to take the westbound track between NJ and SF. This was done to bypass the freight running on the eastbound track. Train 53, a 5:00 AM train from Hoboken, led by Engine 1402, was continuing westbound to make the stop at Sloatsburg at 6:56 AM, and crossed SF Tower, where a towerman failed to stop the westbound train. The two commuter engines for train 50 and train 53, collided head-on at 6:47 AM. Both trains were moving at about 20 mph, and when both engines made contact, five people were killed, including two passengers. 35 others were also injured in the wreck.

As trains on the Erie continued north from Sterlington, they soon rounded a large curve and entered the village of Sloatsburg. Near Mill Street and Muncipal Plaza, trains entered the Sloatsburg station. Sloatsburg was a Type-VIa station with a two-story brick facade with a tin roof. The style of the building, built in 1868, according to the railroad's 1920 engineering report, is a Type 6A style, with dimensions of 17' x 29.5' x 19'. The station was large, although by ca. 1971, had been down to the portion on the northbound side of the platform. The station depot was later demolished, but Sloatsburg station continues to see service to this date as for the New Jersey Transit/Metro-North Railroad commuter line. The Sloatsburg station served well for the nearby Greenwood Lake, with a stagecoach leaving the station three times day. The stagecoach was mainly inhabited by fishermen on their way to Greenwood Lake. The station was equipped to host as base for the XG Radio from SF Tower in Suffern.

Tuxedo, Southfields, Arden and Harriman
After trains depart the Sloatsburg station, the trains crossed Ballard Avenue and continued northward through Sloatsburg, crossing under Seven Lakes Drive. The trains crossed the county line into Orange County, New York, which it remained on for the rest of the New York Division. Now paralleling New York State Route 17 (the Orange Turnpike), the main line entered the town of Tuxedo Park, where it crosses through downtown and into the Tuxedo station. Tuxedo was built by the Erie in 1885 in an irregular-type structure in the center of the town, 39 mi north of New York City. The station continues to stand to this date, receiving train service from New Jersey Transit and Metro-North Railroad. Tuxedo station was restored in 2009 to what's believed the original color scheme used by the Erie. Trains continued northward through Tuxedo, leaving and weaving along New York State Route 17 through the town of Tuxedo until crossing New York State Route 210 and through Harriman State Park before entering the hamlet of Southfields. In Southfields, the main line trains enter the Southfields station near current-day Station Road. The Southfields Station was a Type-IV depot built in 1900 and was served by many of the trains that also served Tuxedo. However, the station was not retained for usage after closing, and the structure was later demolished. Further north, trains continued north accent through Southfields, passing the nearby Red Apple Rest, a roadside rest stop on Route 17. Train crews who wished to grab food to eat at the Red Apple had to signal Newburgh Junction tower that they were parking the train and departing. This was so the trains could be redirected on the other tracks. The Red Apple also installed a gate from the main line to the restaurant. The Red Apple Rest does stand, but is currently abandoned and condemned.

Trains continued northward from the Red Apple Rest and continued northward out of Southfields. The main line continued northward, crossing under Arden House Road into the former Arden estate. There, the trains entered the Arden station. Arden station was built originally in 1868 as an Erie Railroad Type-IV depot. The station was located near the Harriman family estate and served the area. The station depot however, was in the right-of-way for the then-planned New York State Thruway. As a result the old station was demolished and a new building was constructed for Arden station. At this time, however, the Erie Railroad chose to close the agency in the new structure. The old station agent, a friend of Governor Averill Harriman, who got the Postmaster General to give the station agent a job as the Arden postmaster. The station building, which continues to stand to this date remained a post office for a very long time. The station is off the side of the current Port Jervis Line and Arden Station Road. Continuing northward, trains along the mainline continued northward out of Arden through the out reaches of Harriman State Park and into the community of Harriman, New York, where it continued to parallel Route 17. A short distance later, trains entered the Harriman station. Harriman station was a Type-IV station designed in 1910 after the demolition of the former Turners Station. Turners Station was the decrepit replacement to a three-story hotel/depot built in 1835. The station burned in 1873. Turners Station was a one-station depot that shared as a barber shop.

The station was rebuilt in 1910 and renamed Harriman after the famous Edward Harriman. The station building continued to serve the Erie and the Erie Lackawanna. The station site is no longer used, as it was demolished in 2006 after the Harriman building inspector asked Norfolk Southern to fix it up or demolish it. The station was demolished in May 2006, 94 years after its construction.

Monroe, Oxford, Greycourt and Chester
After trains departed Arden station, the line split in two. Trains that continued northward through Central Valley and Woodbury Falls via the Graham Line and eventually into Newburgh Junction. Newburgh Junction, designated telegraph call "NJ", served as the interlocking tower for freight wishing to use the Graham Line. The Graham Line was constructed in 1912 as a high-speed freight line to get around the slow speed of the main line. During the time, Newburgh Junction Tower was constructed as a concrete base for track transfer. The tower however was given control in Hoboken Terminal and the station was demolished during the 1970s. The station headed northwestward through Harriman, soon crossing directly through the village. The main line continued westward, paralleling nearby New York State Route 17M, passing Mountain Lakes and entering the community of Monroe.

Trains that followed the former Main Line would come into Harriman (formally the village of Turner), originally marked by the Harriman Inn destroyed by a fire in the late nineteenth century. A station house, completed sometime in the early part of the twentieth century, marked the site until its demise in 2006. Though the station was moved to its current location along Route 17M in April, 1983, the tracks in Harriman were used for freight until the early 2000's because of its close proximity to the Nepera Chemical Plant. Following Harriman, trains moved into Monroe, the main line paralleled Spring Street and before crossing over Mapes Place, entered the Monroe station. Monroe station was a Type V station built in 1913 and was the first elevated above street level since Mahwah station in New Jersey. The station house was destroyed by an electrical fire in July of 1978, however the station remained in use until April, 1983 when Metro-North permanently switched all railway service to the former Erie Graham Line. Monroe station marked 50 mi from New York City. Trains continuing on the main line crossed Mapes Place and continued westward through downtown Monroe, soon turning northward and crossing under New York State Route 208. The tracks continued to parallel Route 17M for several miles, until entering Oxford, New York at Craigville Road. Trains crossed through Oxford, serving the local station, built around 1841.

After crossing Craigville Road and heading through Oxford, the Erie main line continued northwestward into the community of Greycourt, New York where it entered the former Greycourt station. Greycourt station was built in 1889 as a junction station and interchange yard for the main line, the Newburgh Branch (to Newburgh, New York) and the Lehigh and Hudson River Railroad. The main line continued, turning to the west a short distance later, entering Chester and its namesake station at Railroad Avenue. Chester station was built as a Type V station, similar to Monroe in 1914. The station had a tile roof and was of wood frame with a porte cochere. In 1842, the first agent at the station in Chester persuaded the railroad to work with local dairy farmers to get milk to New York City via rails. The station, now a museum, continues to stand to this date, although does not receive passenger train service. The Herritage Trail, used for recreational purposes, is located along the former tracks of the ex Erie Mainline from Monroe to Goshen, passing by the old Chester station. .

Goshen, New Hampton and Middletown
After Chester, the Erie Railroad's main line continued westward, crossing under New York State Route 94 and paralleled Hambletonian Avenue. After beginning a parallel with New York State Route 17M once again, the main line was right near the Southern Tier Expressway for a long stretch after Chester. At South Street in the southern end of Goshen, the main line curved northward and into downtown Goshen. After crossing New York State Route 207 and Main Street, the station entered the Goshen Station. Goshen station was a special design station built in 1866 out of brick with a wood-framed slate roof. The station also served as the temporary western terminus for the Erie during its early years when construction was halted in 1841. The building had two asphalt platforms, one of which had a siding cross through it, along with an old freight house, designed as a Type IV building in 1905, with an ice house and stock pen, built in 1901 and 1912 respectively. All but the freight house was gone by 1967. The Goshen station has since been restored and is now in use as the Goshen Police Department.

After Goshen the main line continued westward, intersecting with the old Electric Railroad. The route turned southwestward then jumped northwestward, crossing New York State Route 17 outside of Goshen. The railroad continued northwestward, paralleling County Route 50 and New York State Route 17M through the local farms and into New Hampton. There, trains entered the former New Hampton station. New Hampton station was built in 1843, serving as the post office and the train station for the Erie as a special design station. New Hampton was renamed from Hampton on March 15, 1891. The station itself was demolished during the early months of 1960. After New Hampton, it was not long after a northwestern stretch that railroad entered its next large destination, Middletown, New York. Through Middletown, the Erie Railroad main line soon met up with the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad, a former subsidiary, continuing into the Main Street station, the first of two in Middletown. Main Street station provided transfers between both railroads, along with the New York, Ontario and Western Railroad. The Main Street station stands to this date, located on Main Street (County Route 67) after Railroad Avenue. A short while later, the Susquehanna forked to the north, while the Erie main curved back westward along its way through Middletown. After crossing North Street, trains entered the namesake Middletown station. The Middletown station was an irregular Type VIII station built by the Erie Railroad in 1896. The station had a large pair of platforms, one with concrete surrounded the station depot, while a long asphalt platform paralleled the New York-bound tracks. The station continues to stand to this date, serving as the Thrall Library and has been restored, although the tracks have not been used since 1984.

Howells, Otisville, Graham and Port Jervis
After trains departed Middletown's main station, they turned to the north, crossing New York State Route 211 and New York State Route 17M (West Main Street) and paralleled the former, leaving the city soon after. After crossing Ingrassia Road, the line began a parallel to the Graham Line once again, crossing into the community of Howells, New York. At McGinn Road, the Erie main line enters the Howells Station. Howells Station was a large building, with a short wooden platform next to the tracks. The primary job of the Howells station agent was to serve the milk shipments that came through. The station at Howells is now the site of the Howells fire department. After Howells, the route continued southwest, paralleling NY 211, soon crossing under the highway.