The abandoned Cedar Hill Rail Yard was once one of the largest railroad classification yards in America. At its peak during World War II, this yard handled more than 5,000 railroad cars per day. But today, most of it sits abandoned in the woods being reclaimed by nature.

Filmed/Edited by Jason Allard
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Additional Footage by:
David Lawlor | https://rb.gy/s9oxrq
Suthi Seneth | https://rb.gy/mfs2fq
Refractualism | https://rb.gy/f4hgzh

Resources to Check Out:
Friends of Cedar Hill Yard on Facebook | https://rb.gy/6ugchi
Original Cedar Hill Yard Facility Plans | https://rb.gy/qbbv5g

Music By:
WaveyyBeats | https://rb.gy/pcsrlk
Beats by Con | https://rb.gy/ndq16d
Dexter Yu | https://rb.gy/exmuzo
Arcane Beats | https://rb.gy/ka8p2l
Moneo | https://rb.gy/dlvn9t
DWNLD | https://rb.gy/v2by3u
Knox | https://rb.gy/ejkt9s
Unknown Instrumentalz | https://rb.gy/wopy7g
Elevated Productions | https://rb.gy/768e90
ezy | https://rb.gy/o8k7vy

Scattered through the woods are remnants of the original yard and it’s a pretty gnarly sight. Not just because of the abandoned history, but because in 2020 a tornado with winds speeds over 100mph ripped through here. Trees were uprooted, light towers were toppled, and debris was scattered through the trails.

We’ll get into this rail yard’s decline into what you see today, which happened through the 1960s and 70s, and involved everyone’s favorite topic, MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS. But for now here’s what you need to know: Portions of this rail yard are still in operation. Today CSX remains the owner and main operator at Cedar Hill Yard. Amtrak also has a presence here and occupies the portion of the yard west of the river. Some of these tracks are leased to other companies, but all you need to know is that if you in these zones, you go straight to jail.
The abandoned part sits between these two active sets of tracks.

I can’t stress just how massive this yard used to be…so let me throw some numbers at you.

According to a 1928 issue of Railway Age magazine, there were once 14 yards at Cedar Hill with a capacity of 15,000 rail cars. The yard covered 880 acres and was a mile and a half at its widest point.

If you’re thinking, why was this abandoned? then I’m really glad because I would love to tell you.

The transition to road transport in the 1950s is what started the decline, with 1958 being its last profitable year, ironically thanks to significant business hauling concrete for highway construction. Much of the yard began to fall into decay following the New Haven Railroad's bankruptcy in 1961. This article from the New York Times includes an interview with a former head of the railroad, who summed up what was happening saying ;I guess the basic trouble is just the evolution in transportation that is going on. The railroad replace the old stagecoach and river barge lines. Now it is being replaced by the bus and truck.”

This bankruptcy led to deferred maintenance in the yard, and this place started to decline. In 1968 A newer train yard was built in Selkirk New York, pulling service away from Cedar Hill.

In 1969, bankrupt New Haven Railroad was merged into newlyformed Penn Central Transportation Company, which inherited the yard and further shut down operations here due to growing expenses and shrinking service. A series of fires in the yard and on major connecting lines further hampered traffic here, and just a year later Penn Central declared bankruptcy damn is this place cursed??

In 1976 Penn Central merged with Conrail, who put in work repairing this rail yard. Oh yeah, try today’s equivalent of $13.6 mil on tracks and ties in 1976 alone. Business was decent here but not like the old days.

In 1978 Amtrak joined the western side of the yard, and in the 1980s the section we’re exploring was abandoned as we know it today.

In 1999, CSX purchased Conrail’s lines continues to operate here. That’s the quick history and it brings us to today, hunting for a giant polar bear in what used to be the biggest rail yard on the east coast. It’s a familiar story as industry and technology advances, the old ways are left behind and if they aren’t repurposed or demolished, then they’re just abandoned….and we get to go find them.

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