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5 Abandoned Railroads In The U.S. That Will Give You Chills

James St. John/Wikimedia

Abandoned railroads are easily at the top of the list for many people who love to wander their surroundings, take pictures of interesting places, and create video content. Thankfully, the U.S. has thousands of them. We may not tell you about all of them, but we have picked out five that promise an interesting combination of creepiness and beauty. Read on to find out which railroads made our list.

The High Line in New York

Dansnguyen/Wikipedia

The high line, an elevated viaduct, welcomed its first train in 1933, but decades later, interstate trucking drastically reduced its use. Two years before it finally shut down, it delivered only two carloads of cargo weekly. Today, it has been turned into a linear park. The efforts put into making the park a beautiful place have aided the beauty of this former rail line, which is so popular that millions visit it yearly.

Cumberland and Pennsylvania Railroad in Maryland

Jerry and Roy Klotz MD/Wikipedia

It was primarily a coal hauler and operated in Western Maryland. The Consolidation Coal Company owned it until 1944 when the Western Mainland Railway bought it. C&P ran from Cumberland to Piedmont in West Virginia and was headquartered in Mount Savage. In 1954, the W.V. seemed to start giving up on a part of the railroad. Today, some of its parts in Piedmont are still in use, and many of the shop buildings at Mt. Savage and the station in Frostburg are still standing.

Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal in New Jersey

Ingfbruno/Wikipedia

This terminal, built in 1889, replaced an older one from 1864. During its 78 years of operation, it serviced various railroads, including the Reading Railroad and the Lehigh Valley Railroad. Along with Exchange Place, Weehawken, and other terminals, it lined the Hudson Waterfront back in the 19th and 20th centuries. In April 1967, it was closed. The terminal and its facilities have had several uses since its closure, including filming the 1968 movie Funny Girl.

Saluda Grade in North Carolina

Bigskybill/Wikipedia

The steepness of the Saluda Grade Railroad is one reason no one will forget it in a hurry. A part of it elevated 606 feet in less than three miles, but it had to be done so that people and goods could move to and from the growing mountain communities. Derailments and crashes followed, and innovations to improve safety came after. However, the railway had to pack up in 2001, and today, there are plans to make it a rail trail.

Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge in New York

Mfwills/Wikipedia

The project took twelve years to complete and stands as one of the greatest bridges of its century for Poughkeepsians and transportation. The bridge was necessary so that coal from Pennsylvania could get to New England. In May 1974, a fire damaged some of the deck; the bridge has gone unused since then. Today, it is known as the Walkway over the Hudson. It reopened in October 2009 and is currently used by pedestrians and people using rollerblades and bicycles.

Written by Castillo Rancon

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