9. Port Morris Branch Train Tracks
The Port Morris Line train tracks in the Bronx were built in 1842. They were once nicknamed the “Mott Haven Swamp” for the water accumulated in the rail corridor; most notably, the Department of Environment Protection removed 625,000 gallons of water from a one-mile section of the corridor in December 2009. In recent years, the city has renovated the area allowing pedestrians to walk through the tracks. Consequently, the track beds have continued to host homeless encampments and be filled with graffiti.
Though the Department of Environment Protection’s efforts made the Port Morris Line train trakcs more accessible, the area is still largely littered with trash and rubble. Around 2015, talks of turning the tracks into a subway line connecting The Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens arose. However, the plan never came to fruition. There has also been talk of converting the area into a “Lowline Park.”
For more Abandoned NYC, check out 10 abandoned places to discover in Manhattan, 10 abandoned places to discover in Queens, 10 abandoned places to discover in Brooklyn, and 30 abandoned places to discover in New York City!