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Alex Prizgintas presents 'The Harriman Incline'

| 21 Oct 2016 | 01:10
    Alex Prizgintas is seated on his own growing railroad, a tool cart which stands between a concrete whistle post (left) and a mile marker from Craigville, N.Y. (right) in his backyard. His newest acquisition can be seen leaning against the whistle post — the Harriman station sign which he was able to get from a dealer from Ontario, Canada.
    Alex Prizgintas is seated on his own growing railroad, a tool cart which stands between a concrete whistle post (left) and a mile marker from Craigville, N.Y. (right) in his backyard. His newest acquisition can be seen leaning against the whistle post — the Harriman station sign which he was able to get from a dealer from Ontario, Canada.

GOSHEN — Alex Prizgintas, a junior attending Monroe-Woodbury High School and a resident of Central Valley, will speak at Goshen's Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame on Tuesday, Oct. 25, as part of its dinner series.
Alex's topic: one of Orange County's little known and shortest railroad - The Harriman Incline.
Alex has an unusual passion for local history.
“My first introduction to the history of railroads may have started with Lionel Trains, but today it has spread to so much more,” he said.
Indeed, if you visit Alex at his home, you will be greeted by railroad artifacts, dairy bottles and vintage local bricks.
“The Hudson Valley has a rich history of transportation and industry that grew together hand-in-hand," Alex said. "More than 2,000 dairies once thrived in Orange County and together with the railroads that came through here in the 1840s spread the richness and wealth of our region’s milk to New York City. Sadly, only 40 dairies remain today and much of the railroads that once served the region are also gone.”
The Harriman Incline transported visitors and supplies up the mountain to Arden House, E.H. Harriman’s expansive estate. The lecture will feature more than 100 images that tell the story of Harriman’s arrival in Orange County, the purchase of more than 2,900 acres of land, and the arduous planning and execution of Arden House as well as some of the surrounding properties.
“The cut for the incline railroad can still be seen when you travel west on the Quickway and is one of the remaining clues about the history of our region,” explained Alex.
The event runs from 6 to 9 p.m..
The Harness Racing Museum is located at 240 Main Street in Goshen.
For more information, call 845-294-6330.