Railroads and Rooftops

2002 Harrison (New Haven Line) Metro-North Railroad

“Railroads and Rooftops” consists of 12 faceted glass panels: four panels in the dormer windows of the station house and four panels in each of the two elevator towers. In the dormer windows, artist Tova Snyder expressed the importance of the train through the landscape of downtown Harrison. For the top sections of the two elevator towers, Snyder created images depicting commuters and trains, with one tower showing contemporary scenes and the other depicting corresponding scenes in a historical context. During her research into the history of Harrison, Snyder discovered the vital role the railroad played in the development of the community, often helping determine whether a town grew or declined. The railroad helped create downtown Harrison and brought immigrant workers who became part of the community.