#hudsonhighlands

[railwayhistorical]

Bear Mountain Bridge: Thirty-Four Years Apart One of my favorite places to go when I lived in the Hudson Highlands was this wonderful bridge spanning the Hudson River. The top image was taken recently while the bottom two are from thirty-four years ago.

The peak visible in all views is called Anthony's Nose, which is located on the east side of the Hudson River. That is another place I enjoyed while living in the area as it was a good spot for searching out migrating hawks in the fall—and boasted fantastic views of Bear Mountain, Iona Island, and the Hudson Valley generally.

Three images by Richard Koenig; two taken in in 1992 with the first being made on May 31st 2026.

[railwayhistorical]

Hudson River and Sugarloaf: Thirty-Seven Years Apart

Here are two views of the Hudson Valley and Sugarloaf made looking northward from the middle of the Bear Mountain Bridge. In both views a southbound Amtrak train, on the former New York Central, contributes action to the scene. The vintage image shows a Rohr Turbo train having just sped through Manitou on what appears to be a hot and humid day. I chose to blur the train in the recent shot as it was getting quite dark at the time. When I lived in this area decades ago, I hiked to the top of Sugarloaf more than once. This was, most likely, in a quest to see birds along with a wonderful view of West Point, and the Hudson Valley generally.

Two images by Richard Koenig; taken in 1989 and May 31st 2026.

[railwayhistorical]

Hudson River and Sugarloaf: Thirty-Seven Years Apart

Here are two views of Sugarloaf and the Hudson Valley made looking northward from the middle of the Bear Mountain Bridge. In both views a southbound Amtrak train, on the former New York Central, contributes action to the scene.

This is the daylight version of what I put up five posts prior. The vintage image shows a Rohr Turbo train having just sped through Manitou on what appears to be a hot and humid day.

As stated before, when I lived in this area decades ago, I hiked to the top of Sugarloaf more than once. This was, most likely, in a quest to see birds along with a wonderful view of West Point and the Hudson Valley.

Two images by Richard Koenig; taken in 1989 and May 31st 2026.

[railwayhistorical]

Osborn Castle

Above are images made of, and from, the Osborn Castle, in Garrison, New York (thirty-four years apart). Built in 1881, this intriguing structure overlooking the Hudson River Valley was the summer residence of William H. Osborn, President of the Illinois Central Railroad. The color view was made from the Desmond-Fish Library. Interestingly, one of the Fish family, Stuyvesant, was also President of the Illinois Central Railroad, after Osborn's tenure.

As for the second image, I was able to take a drive up to The Castle, as it was known to me, for some environmental event back in 1992. I was an active member of the local Audubon chapter and so privy to this gathering. In that rather soft black and white frame (in which I turned a negative into a positive slide), West Point can be seen in the distant upper left side of the frame. Storm King and Breakneck Ridge are looming on either side of the Hudson River behind that.

Two images by Richard Koenig; taken in 1992 and May 31st 2026.

[railwayhistorical]

Along the Hudson River This is simply a wonderful spot on the face of the earth—we’re north of Cold Spring, New York, along the Hudson River, at Breakneck Ridge. Metro North still stops here, mainly for the benefit of hikers who want to explore the rugged landscape in this area (known as the Hudson Highlands). The “station” stop is just south of where the first photograph was taken with a few trains making stops each way, each day on the weekend. The land mass visible behind the southbound train in the first image is called Pollepel Island, and the structure thereon is called Bannerman Castle. The second photograph was taken the same afternoon at the same location—but looking south. It shows a Metro North commuter train headed north, most likely headed for Poughkeepsie. Also visible in the image, across the river, is the dramatic and massive form of Storm King Mountain. The model of locomotive, seen in both photographs, is interesting as well—the EMD FL9 was a unit designed specifically to be used for New York’s Grand Central Terminal—the destination for these trains at the time. [I believe all Amtrak trains traveling the water-level route currently end up at Penn Station now.] This unique engine is diesel-electric but also has a pick-up “shoe” for the electrified third-rail. This way the diesel prime-mover could be shut off or at least idled when in the tunnels under Madison Avenue and in the bowels of the massive terminal itself. Two images by Richard Koenig; taken in August of 1988.

[railwayhistorical]

Castle Rock Estate

This wonderful estate is near Garrison, New York; the area is known as the Hudson Highlands. I have two images here when I visited the main house in the early 1990s some some event or party.

When standing on the veranda of the main house (seen in image one), one can take in a fantastic view (image two) of the Hudson River with West Point as well as the gap between Storm King Mountain and Breakneck Ridge—sometimes called the “wind-gate”.

When I lived in the area, I had no idea this was built by a railroad tycoon, William H. Osborn, who held the position of president of the Illinois Central Railroad, along with other achievements.

Two images by Richard Koenig; taken in the early 1990s.

[railwayhistorical]

Bear Mountain Bridge

Here’s a series of images surrounding Bear Mountain Bridge, which is located in the Hudson Highlands. This wonderful and scenic area is about forty-five miles north of New York City, situated on the Hudson River.

The first image was taken from atop Bear Mountain itself, which is on the west side of the river; we’re looking down on the elegant bridge and the surrounding countryside. That’s Hessian Lake, near the bottom of the frame.

The second and third pictures have us crossing the bridge, moving from the west side to the east, with Anthony’s Nose looming high above in the background. The fourth and fifth images were taken from atop that stony mass, with a view back down toward the bridge, and another looking toward the south with Iona Island. I used to climb Anthony’s Nose every fall for the purpose of watching hawks; for an explanation of who Anthony might be, please go here.

The final image was taken from that ridge south of Iona Island, looking back north over the island with the Bear Mountain Bridge in the background. It should be said that the Appalachian Trail—which stretches from Georgia to Maine—traverses the bridge here in the wonderful Hudson Highlands.

Six images by Richard Koenig; taken circa 1992.

[railwayhistorical]

West Point, In Situ

Here are a couple of images of West Point and the Hudson River—one taken from either side of that waterway. The first shot shows West Point as seen from the east side of the river, from a bit south of the village of Garrison.

The second shot, perhaps taken from atop Bear Mountain, has us looking up the Hudson River northward. In it, one can see some structures of West Point, on the west side of the river; Breakneck Ridge on the east side (where the double railroad tunnel is located); Pollepel Island, with Bannerman Castle upon it; and finally, the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, well upriver.

Two images by Richard Koenig; taken between 1990 and 1992.