Taking up where the Boston, Hartford, & Erie (BH&E) idea left off, the New York & New
England (NY&NE) proposed a railroad from New England through Dutchess County to Fishkill
Landing (present day Beacon). At Fishkill Landing the NY&NE would exchange via ferry with
the Erie at Newburgh and thus be able to transport coal from the coal fields of
Pennsylvania and other commodities from areas to the west.
By 1881 the NY&NE had completed its line from Waterbury Connecticut to a connection with the
Newburgh, Dutchess, and Connecticut (ND&C) at Hopewell via Danbury and
Brewster. From Hopewell to Wiccopee Junction, in present day Beacon, the NY&NE leased the
ND&C. At Wiccopee Junction the NY&NE built a spur toward the river at Fishkill Landing.
Thus a through interstate railroad through Dutchess County was finally built.
It is at this time that Hopewell became a junction.
Visit the past of Hopewell by viewing the old pictures.
The map to the left shows the Dutchess County lines in 1895.
The map is pieced together from two sections of a larger map that had the southern portion of
the area covered here in an inset. The map below is from a web
site that discusses the History of the Western Part of New Haven
