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CSX highline — Description

When people hear "CSX High Line," they are usually referring to either the active CSX freight railway in Philadelphia or the former Manhattan freight line CSX donated to New York City.1. Philadelphia, PA: The Active CSX High LineKnown officially as the West Philadelphia Elevated, this active 8,140-foot railroad viaduct runs through West Philadelphia and the University City district.History: Built in 1903 by the Pennsylvania Railroad, it was specifically engineered to allow freight trains to bypass the busy 30th Street Passenger Station and surrounding rail yards.Features: It features one of the longest brick arch bridges in the United States (incorporating 30 brick arches).Usage: Unlike New York's park, this 50-foot-high elevated trestle is highly active, carrying CSX and Canadian Pacific freight trains over street-level city blocks and above Amtrak's Keystone Corridor.2. New York, NY: The Converted "High Line" ParkNew York's globally famous High Line is a 1.45-mile elevated public greenway on Manhattan's West Side.History: The structure was originally built as the West Side Elevated Line by the New York Central Railroad (which later became part of Conrail, and subsequently, CSX).CSX's Role: Freight trains carried goods directly into warehouses and factories (like the Nabisco plant) until the line was abandoned in 1980. CSX played a pivotal role in preserving the historic structure by donating sections of the viaduct to the City of New York between 2005 and 2012 for the purpose of creating a public park.Today: It is managed by Friends of the High Line and is completely pedestrianized, functioning as an elevated urban park featuring thousands of plant species.