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Showing posts from December, 2014

Walking the Railroad Tracks

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Yesterday, I took to an abandoned circuit of railroad tracks that pass through Wappingers \ Hopewell Junction. I only ventured about a mile into the tracks before becoming immersed. At parts, I found old gas cans, un-potted plants, and parts of discarded railroad ties. While hiking around and studying the layout of objects, I couldn't help but begin to see stories in my head of when the tracks were built. In doing some quick research, it appears that these tracks originally belonged to the Erie Lackawanna Railroad,  constructed between 1832 to1851 (Almost a 20 year project! - Ref -   http://www.american-rails.com/erie-lackawanna.html ), and was designed to run from Piermont, New York to Dunkirk, New York. According to the available notes, over a hundred years into operation, it seems that most of the routes belonging to Erie Lackawanna Railroad were abandoned in the 1970's (Ref -  http://www.hurricanescience.org/history/storms/1970s/agnes/ ). Hurricane Agnes (1972) wrought heav

A Short Day in the Park

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I took a walk around the Wappingers Rec Center today, which appears to be under some clearing maintenance. I honestly wasn't sure what I would find today, but a few gems glimmering in the morning sunshine surprised me. It was warmer than the last couple of adventures; I got by with only one pair of socks. However, the temperature still constituted my fanciful gloves and all the other accoutrements. I'm hoping to visit the railroad tracks on my next adventure! For now, you can follow on my Flickr feed -  https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/129003675@N04/15391840473/ Thanks for reading!