New York, NY: 1937 Office/NYC St. John's Freight Terminal and the High Line (HiLine)

(Satellite, the building went south from Clarkson Street to Charlton Street.)

 

History's Mirror posted
Step into 1937 New York City! The St. John's Freight Terminal, built by the NY Central RR, was a bustling hub of activity. This massive four-block-long terminal had 8 tracks, accommodating 227 train cars, and operated almost 24/7.

Sam Colacurcio: For many years they had a full size tractor trailer on the roof as a display. Also, you can see the air vent bldg for the Holland Tunnel off to the right [in the background beyond the pier buildings].

Nichita Sandru: In 2006 the former terminal building was being used by Merryll Lynch as temporary offices during the rebuilding of their offices in the World Financial Center. I worked there as a contractor. You could see that it had been used as a rail terminal - reinforced 3rd floor and columns distributed with spaces for the tracks.

Stephen Williams: Nichita Sandru it's now Google HQ. [I could believe East Coast Headquarters.]

Glenn Brown shared

 

A better exposure.

History's Mirror posted

In 1937, the St. John’s Freight Terminal at 550 Washington Street opened as a modern freight handling hub for the New York Central Railroad. Replacing an older facility established by the Hudson River Railroad under Cornelius Vanderbilt, the terminal marked the southern end of the elevated freight line now known as the High Line. Stretching nearly four city blocks, the massive structure featured eight parallel tracks and could hold up to 227 freight cars at once. Around the clock, goods like meat, eggs, produce, and dry commodities were offloaded directly from railcars into the terminal’s vast storage and distribution areas.

The terminal's strategic waterfront location and direct connection to the city’s rail network made it a critical component of Manhattan’s industrial economy for decades. However, by the 1970s, the rise of interstate trucking and changing logistics practices rendered the High Line and its terminal obsolete. St. John’s fell into long-term vacancy and disrepair, a relic of a bygone industrial age.

Today, while the popular High Line park stops short at Gansevoort Street, the actual line once continued south along Washington Street to Clarkson and West Houston Streets. The St. John’s site is now being redeveloped by Oxford Properties into a massive mixed-use complex.

New York History USA posted

The High Line, New York (1950)

The High Line in 1950 was a freight rail line running above the streets of Manhattan’s West Side, threading through factories and warehouses as it delivered meat, produce, and manufactured goods. The elevated tracks cut through buildings, allowing trains to pull directly inside for unloading a unique feature of the industrial landscape. Steel girders framed the sky above, while workers below moved crates, barrels, and boxes along loading docks. Unlike today’s park-like setting, this version of the High Line was gritty and utilitarian, serving as a vital artery in New York’s distribution network. The air was thick with smoke, diesel, and the echo of iron wheels. Though largely unremarked upon by the public, it quietly supported the city's economic engine.

Dave Pember shared

Douglas Lowing: Heavyweight cars. Now I don't feel bad about mixing consists.

Philip M. Goldstein: No passenger service - it was a New York Central officials special (business heads, local government, press)

http://members.trainweb.com/bedt/indloco/nycmanhattan.html

A different exposure.

History's Mirror posted
In 1950, the High Line ran directly through the Nabisco Factory at 14th Street and 9th Avenue, serving as a vital artery for the company’s bustling manufacturing operations. Freight trains moved raw ingredients like flour, sugar, and chocolate into the factory, then carried finished products out to destinations across the city and beyond. The factory’s brick exterior was alive with activity, as workers often leaned out of open windows to watch trains rumble just feet away on the elevated tracks. This seamless integration of rail and industry showcased the clever use of urban space in mid-century Manhattan. The High Line was more than just a railroad; it was an engineering marvel that blended function and form, allowing goods to move efficiently without disrupting street-level traffic. Long before the area became known as Chelsea Market, the site was a hub of production and logistics, vital to New York City’s economy. The photo captures a moment when industry and infrastructure worked hand in hand, shaping the urban landscape in ways that still echo today.

Ilya Fayer: But the train cars are passenger cars, not freight... I wonder why that is, I don't think High Line carried passengers...

Bob McCue: Ilya Fayer company sponsored railfan trip?

Edward Bommer commented on Bob McCue's comment
Yes, the NY Central ran the one in the above photo in the 1930's, shortly after completion of the High Line. A tri-power GE locomotive was used with about 10-12 coaches. The trip covered the entire line, end to end and back again.

The northern block between Clarkson and Houston Streets has been removed, and the remainder has been extensively remodeled.

Street View, Jul 2022

This 2017 view caught the full length of the building. They have filled in the holes were the tracks entered the building.

Street View, Aug 2017

Comments on the above post indicate that this was the southern terminus of the High Line. This map confirms that there used to be piers down here per the historic photo above. And the building is important enough that the cartographer marked it even though it is in a red area.

1955/58 Jersey City Quad @ 24,000

John Wright posted

The southern end of the High Line in Manhattan. At one time it extended ten blocks south of here, passing through buildings along the way. 

The entire structure was stripped down with all toxins removed, then rebuilt to look like an abandoned overgrown railroad track.

Robert Montanye commented on John's post
It used to travel a lot farther than the 6 miles it has left.

Jeffrey D. Felzenberg: Robert Montanye I had always thought that the HiLine was freight only. Your photo of the passenger cars proves me wrong. Can you explain???

John Wright: Jeffrey D. Felzenberg That photo was from a railfan trip in the 1950s and it was never used for regular passenger service.

Robert Montanye commented on his comment

John Wright commented on his post
The High Line replaced freight trains in the streets on “Death Avenue” scene of many accidents. Trains were led by “West Side Cowboys” on horseback.

JP Volare commented on John's post