After 1910 and before his death in 1913, J. P. Morgan arranged for the consolidation of  many smaller lines into the mighty New York Central Railroad. Unlike The Hudson and New Haven branches,  The Harlem/Putnam was  single track, non electrified and not very profitable line. At first,  it had run from just north of New York City up through the rural country between the Hudson River on one side and the shore of Long Island Sound.  Until Morgan’s consolidation, The line petered out south of The State Capitol,  requiring a change of trains  to complete the trip.

Here is a picture my father took of the train he rode on the trip  from Briarcliff Manor into the City and his job as an investigator with the newly formed Department of Welfare during the Great Depression.

On the Putnam Division New York Central R.R., near Briarcliff Manor NY