The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has issued formal Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) that would revitalize a little-used rail line that runs east-west across Dutchess and Putnam Counties, N.Y. The line, owned by MTA’s Metro-North Railroad, is not currently used for passenger train service.
The line, known as the Beacon Line or the Maybrook Branch, connects with Metro-North’s Hudson Line at Beacon, proceeds east through Fishkill, Hopewell Junction, and Stomville, and connects with the Harlem Line north of Southeast. Although not part of the RFEI, the Beacon Line continues into Connecticut where it connects with Metro-North’s Danbury Branch and Waterbury Branch.
“Perhaps there are ways that the line could be put to use for the benefit of the public that are outside of our mandate as a public transportation agency,” said Joseph Giulietti, Metro-North Railroad president. “We want to find out how much interest there is in this real estate and what ideas folks may have that could lead to the revitalization of the line.”
The MTA issued the RFEI to seek ideas that would help preserve the line for current or future rail operation, limit Metro-North’s ongoing maintenance and upkeep costs of the line, support economic development and public use, and generate revenue for Metro-North.
The RFEI is available at the MTA’s website. Responses are due by November 18, 2016.