Metro-North Unveils Newest 'Heritage' Locomotives in Series

As Hudson Valley residents, we are pretty lucky to have access to train transportation as a means of navigating the area, and especially for travel into the city or upstate. For many of us, it may be an asset that we take for granted, that we can hop on the train and be in the heart of NYC in just about 90 minutes.

The next time you use MTA Metro-North, perhaps you might notice something different about the train you board...

MTA Metro-North Railroad via Facebook

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6th Locomotive in MTA Heritage Series Unveiled

On February 28th, a new Metro-North 'Heritage' engine took it's inaugural voyage, running four different routes across NYS tracks and showcasing a new, yet vintage wrap design.

MTA Metro-North Railroad via Facebook

The Heritage Engine 222, the sixth locomotive in the Heritage Series, has a 'special design that was used until 1954 along the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad.'

The newly launched locomotive No. 222 was actually a restore that was completed over the past several months featuring an olive green and dandelion yellow vinyl which was actually the theme used 70 years ago on the New Haven Railroad.

What Is The Heritage Series?

Launching in 2023 as a celebration of 'Metro-North's 40 years of public service,' the Heritage Series has been honoring the railroads that 'independently operated commuter rail services' that now make up what we know as the Hudson, Harlem and New Haven Lines.

MTA Metro-North Railroad via Facebook

Metro-North Railroad President Catherine Rinaldi shared the following sentiments about the initiative, and specifically the No. 222 locomotive:

The Heritage Series honors and educates Metro-North customers about the railroad’s rich history. We hope our customers enjoy the addition of the vintage colors of the then New Haven Railroad and that the new locomotive sparks some curiosity about the predecessor railroads that paved the way for Metro-North.

MTA Metro-North Railroad via Facebook

To learn more about the other locomotives that have hit the tracks as part of the Heritage Series, click here.

These Upstate NY Train Stations are Certified "Historic!"

There is just something about an old train station. And Upstate New York has an abundance of them, reaching back to the infancy of train transportation in America.

This gallery looks a selection of train stations that have been listed on the official National Register of Historic Places. And for good reason. They have beautiful classic architecture, several have remained active as Amtrak stations now into the 21st Century, and others have morphed into museums. All are worthy of a visit from you, whether you are a "rail head" or not. They are beautiful and very interesting!

Gallery Credit: Chuck D'Imperio