The High Line

In 1929 New York constructed a 13 mile elevated train line, which was used to remove freight trains from 105 street level crossings (which had awful fatality records), so the trains could run above the streets.

As freight traffic dropped off, parts of the line closed in the 1960s, and the entire line closed in 1980. It became overgrown and an eyesore and locals demanded it be demolished. Two guys set up a group to lobby for it to be turned into a high line park instead, and in 2004 they got new Mayor Michael Bloomberg to agree, and the High Line was born.

It’s currently a one mile long walk, scores of metres above the city, so you get elevated views, and some lovely scenery. It has become one of the most popular features of New York City, and was a visionary idea to turn the lines into a park – rather than demolish them.

You can still see the original rail lines, with the gardens planted over them.

At some stages you walk on the old lines themselves.

The high line is near the Hudson River, down by around 12th Street.

You get some good views of the streets.

A lot of flowers nad plants growing up there.

All along the High Line, they have chairs, stools, sun beds etc that you can sit or lie on. Also a fair number of food and drink stalls.

A statue of Colin Powell. Many artworks up there also.

Some sections have lawn to sit on.

Is a very cool experience to be walking so high up through a mile long park. It opened in 2009, and a second section opened in 2011 and a third and final section including the old railyards is under design at the moment.