▁north bound ▁one , ▁and ▁the ▁nearby ▁team ▁track . ▁There ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁third ▁track ▁in ▁the ▁opposite ▁side ▁working ▁as ▁a ▁partial ▁fre ight ▁yard . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁H ack ens ack ▁and ▁New ▁York ▁Rail road ▁ ▁The ▁original ▁alignment ▁of ▁the ▁Fair mount ▁Avenue ▁station ▁date ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁char ter ing ▁of ▁the ▁H ack ens ack ▁and ▁New ▁York ▁Rail road ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 6 ▁by ▁David ▁P . ▁P atter son ▁of ▁Hill sd ale ▁and ▁other ▁local ▁invest ors . ▁ ▁Their ▁intent ▁in ▁creating ▁the ▁rail ▁line ▁was ▁to ▁help ▁maintain ▁a ▁steam - power ed ▁train ▁line ▁in ▁the ▁P asc ack ▁Valley ▁and ▁have ▁future ▁amb itions ▁to ▁build ▁the ▁system ▁north ward . ▁Const ruction ▁on ▁the ▁new ▁ ▁long ▁line ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 6 , ▁with ▁trains ▁heading ▁from ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁to ▁the ▁Pass a ic ▁Street ▁station ▁in ▁H ack ens ack . ▁Although ▁H ack ens ack ▁was ▁not ▁a ▁large ▁hub , ▁there ▁were ▁several ▁rail ▁lines ▁serving ▁the ▁city , ▁including ▁the ▁New ▁Jersey ▁Mid land ▁Line ▁( now ▁the ▁New ▁York , ▁Sus que h anna ▁and ▁Western ▁Rail road ) ▁with ▁stops ▁at ▁Main ▁Street ▁( at ▁the ▁Mer cer ▁Street ▁intersection ) ▁and ▁at ▁Pro spect ▁Avenue . ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 8 6 0 s , ▁service ▁was ▁extended ▁to ▁north , ▁termin ating ▁at ▁Es sex ▁Street . ▁Although ▁most ▁H ack ens ack