It’s easy to forget that beyond the tourist- and greenery-covered High Line, there are still 300 yards of old, rusting train track. This last patch of decaying NYC railway will soon be turned into the final stretch of the super-successful park — but for now, they’re home to a little-known outdoor gallery.
Right now, the trail is home to a show by the sculptor Carol Bove, entitled Catepillar, but it’s part of a perennial art initiative within the park. These, having gone up in April of last year, will be replaced by different works within the next few months.
Even if the artwork doesn’t grab your interest, the view from the last remaining secluded piece of High Line is unlike any other in the city. Overlooking Hudson Yards, the stretch gives a wide view of the midtown skyline as a backdrop to more commuter trains in one place than you’ve ever seen in your entire life:
In many ways, this is last remnant of the old neighbourhood. At the end of the tour, you can see the Coach tower being built over the High Line. And at the end of 2014, the new High Line at Hudson Yards will be complete, transforming a piece of infrastructure that once served the bustling heart of New York’s manufacturing prowess.
In short, go check this urban artifact while you can.
