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Sloatsburg (Metro-North station)
Encyclopedia
The Sloatsburg Metro-North
station
serves the residents of Sloatsburg
, New York
, via Port Jervis Line
commuter trains to New York City
via Hoboken
, 35.4 miles (57 km) away, and Secaucus Junction
. The estimated travel time to Hoboken Terminal
is about 50 minutes on express trains. It is the least-developed station anywhere on the Metro-North system to receive regular daily service. It is located just south of a grade crossing
and consists of short concrete platforms
, and a shelter. There is limited parking available nearby.
Construction of the Sloatsburg station dates back to the 1830s, when the station was built along the Erie Railroad
. The station served the line heading to Port Jervis
northward, along with a stagecoach to Greenwood Lake
three times a day. The station was populated by fishermen on their way to the lake, but has been the site of several accidents. These calamities include a derailed milk train in 1843 and a fatal accident between the train line and several mules and their owner in 1855. The station became part of Metro-North in 1983, when the service was created. The station was listed under a revitalization plan in 2005 to help serve its commuters.
, -74.1913°W
. It is accessible from the New York State Thruway
(I-87) at Interchange 15A, and drivers have to follow the nearby New York State Route 17
to Municipal Plaza, where the station is visible. There are connections to other places, via the Transport of Rockland
Route 93 and Short Line Bus Routes 17M and 17MD. However, these are not accessible at the station, but at the nearby State Route 17 (also known as Orange Turnpike). There is also one taxicab service to Sloatsburg called Sammy's Cab.
was constructed through Sloatsburg from 1836 to 1841, helping with the prosperity of the village, along with its population. The station was also near the Sterlington one, but it never served of great importance. The Sloatsburg station building was built in 1868 as a two-story brick facade with a tin roof. The style of the building, according to the railroad's 1920 engineering report, is a Type 6A style, with dimensions of 17' x 29.5' x 19'. The station was equipped to host as base for the XG Radio from Suffern Tower (SF) in Suffern. The Sloatsburg station served well for the nearby Greenwood Lake
, with a stagecoach leaving the station three times day. The stagecoach was mainly inhabited by fishermen on their way to Greenwood Lake.
The station has been the site of several major accidents involving locomotives. In 1843, the Sloatsburg station was the site of a large accident by train full of milk bottles. On December 31, 1855, the railroad's Cincinnati Express was thrown off the tracks near the Sloatsburg station, when it tried to avoid a countrymen and his four mules, who were crossing the tracks. Three of the mules were killed and mutilated by the train, while the fourth died soon after. There was no damage to the cars or injuries to the passengers. In the early days of August 1856, a girl by the name of McGraff was injured by an oncoming train near the station after carelessly walking onto the tracks. The parents, who were in a poor state financially, was given $45 (1856 USD) in return for their troubles from the Board of Directors in nearby Goshen
. On February 21, 1858, a train heading southbound experienced an accident when a brakeman, John Freeland, fell off the train and was run over. Freeland's legs were severed in the incident, and one arm was broken. They hurried Freeland southbound on a nearby train, but died by the time the train reached Paterson, New Jersey
towards the hospital.
The station is also close to the original entrance gate to Sloatsburg's Cappamore Farm. The house in the nearby mountainside was built around 1900 as an estate for Nicholas T. Brown, a local alderman
from Paterson, New Jersey
. This estate and farm gave a panoramic view of the countryside around Sloatsburg. The house was demolished during the construction of the New York State Thruway
in 1956. The steel bridge over the Ramapo River
and the wooden bridge over Sloat's Millrace were removed as they had become hazardous. Today, all that remains are the stone pillar entranceway, and a walking trail to the nearby Sloat's Dam
. The gatepost
s are listed on the National Register of Historic Places
along with the remaining mill and dam structures since they used the same stonework.
In 2005, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
announced plans to renovate the train station. This, along the village's plans to revitalize the entire village of Sloatsburg, was thought to give the bland train station a more traditional look. This would include adding a roof to protect commuters and visitors from the elements, such as rain or snow, handicap-accessible ramps for wheelchairs, better lighting, more seats for people to wait, and a heated shelter. (A shelter exists, but is not heated). The village also wants to use a $50,000 grant from the state
to construct a large municipal parking lot near the station. This would get more people to use the station, as because with the lack of facilities, the station is under-used. The preliminary design was made by Jeff Livingston, an architect on the Sloatsburg Revitalization Committee.
The station's layout is of a large extent a piece of the village itself. Unlike most train stations, where the parking lot is near the station itself, Sloatsburg's lot is near the locally-named Hardware store on Mills Street. This parking lot has 80 parking spaces, most of which is to handle commuters. There are no meters for use of the parking lot, but riding is only free on weekends. The station has one ticket machine for travelers to use. It accepts debit cards, cash, and credit cards. The station is operated by the village of Sloatsburg instead of Metro-North. There is a shelter and one platform for commuters to use.
The station is on average an hour and 24 minutes from Port Jervis, and 1 hours and 3 minutes from New York City. The Sloatsburg station, along with other nearby stations (Tuxedo, Harriman, or Suffern) on the Port Jervis lines also serve numerous hiking trails in Harriman State Park and Bear Mountain State Park
.
Metro-North Railroad
The Metro-North Commuter Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, or, more commonly, Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service that is run and managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , an authority of New York State. It is the busiest commuter railroad in the United...
station
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
serves the residents of Sloatsburg
Sloatsburg, New York
Sloatsburg is a village in the town of Ramapo in Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located east of Orange County, New York and sits at the southern entrance to Harriman State Park. The population was 3,117 at the 2000 census...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, via Port Jervis Line
Port Jervis Line (Metro-North)
The Metro-North Railroad Port Jervis Line is a predominantly single-track commuter rail line running from Suffern, New York to Port Jervis. At Suffern, the line continues south into New Jersey as NJ Transit's Main Line....
commuter trains to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
via Hoboken
Hoboken Terminal
Hoboken Terminal is one of the New York Metropolitan area's major transportation hubs. The commuter-oriented intermodal facility, is located on the Hudson River in Hoboken, New Jersey...
, 35.4 miles (57 km) away, and Secaucus Junction
Secaucus Junction
The Frank R. Lautenberg Secaucus Junction Station is a major commuter rail hub in Secaucus, New Jersey...
. The estimated travel time to Hoboken Terminal
Hoboken Terminal
Hoboken Terminal is one of the New York Metropolitan area's major transportation hubs. The commuter-oriented intermodal facility, is located on the Hudson River in Hoboken, New Jersey...
is about 50 minutes on express trains. It is the least-developed station anywhere on the Metro-North system to receive regular daily service. It is located just south of a grade crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
and consists of short concrete platforms
Railway platform
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
, and a shelter. There is limited parking available nearby.
Construction of the Sloatsburg station dates back to the 1830s, when the station was built along the Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
. The station served the line heading to Port Jervis
Port Jervis, New York
Port Jervis is a city on the Delaware River in western Orange County, New York, with a population of 8,860 at the 2000 census. The communities of Deerpark, Huguenot, Sparrowbush, and Greenville are adjacent to Port Jervis, and the towns of Montague, New Jersey and Matamoras, Pennsylvania face the...
northward, along with a stagecoach to Greenwood Lake
Greenwood Lake
Greenwood Lake is an interstate lake approximately seven miles long, straddling the border of New Jersey and New York. It is located in West Milford, New Jersey and Greenwood Lake, New York ....
three times a day. The station was populated by fishermen on their way to the lake, but has been the site of several accidents. These calamities include a derailed milk train in 1843 and a fatal accident between the train line and several mules and their owner in 1855. The station became part of Metro-North in 1983, when the service was created. The station was listed under a revitalization plan in 2005 to help serve its commuters.
Location
The Sloatsburg Metro-North station is located at the intersection of Municipal Plaza and Mills Street in the village of Sloatsburg, at 41.1565°NLatitude
In geography, the latitude of a location on the Earth is the angular distance of that location south or north of the Equator. The latitude is an angle, and is usually measured in degrees . The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole has a latitude of 90° north , and the South pole has a...
, -74.1913°W
Longitude
Longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds, and denoted by the Greek letter lambda ....
. It is accessible from the New York State Thruway
New York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
(I-87) at Interchange 15A, and drivers have to follow the nearby New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17 is a state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States...
to Municipal Plaza, where the station is visible. There are connections to other places, via the Transport of Rockland
Transport of Rockland
The Transport of Rockland is the bus system for Rockland County, New York, providing service along major routes in Rockland County, as well as connections to Clarkstown Mini-Trans in Clarkstown, Spring Valley Jitney in Spring Valley, the Bee-Line Bus System in Westchester as well as connections to...
Route 93 and Short Line Bus Routes 17M and 17MD. However, these are not accessible at the station, but at the nearby State Route 17 (also known as Orange Turnpike). There is also one taxicab service to Sloatsburg called Sammy's Cab.
History
The Erie RailroadErie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
was constructed through Sloatsburg from 1836 to 1841, helping with the prosperity of the village, along with its population. The station was also near the Sterlington one, but it never served of great importance. The Sloatsburg station building was built in 1868 as a two-story brick facade with a tin roof. The style of the building, according to the railroad's 1920 engineering report, is a Type 6A style, with dimensions of 17' x 29.5' x 19'. The station was equipped to host as base for the XG Radio from Suffern Tower (SF) in Suffern. The Sloatsburg station served well for the nearby Greenwood Lake
Greenwood Lake
Greenwood Lake is an interstate lake approximately seven miles long, straddling the border of New Jersey and New York. It is located in West Milford, New Jersey and Greenwood Lake, New York ....
, with a stagecoach leaving the station three times day. The stagecoach was mainly inhabited by fishermen on their way to Greenwood Lake.
The station has been the site of several major accidents involving locomotives. In 1843, the Sloatsburg station was the site of a large accident by train full of milk bottles. On December 31, 1855, the railroad's Cincinnati Express was thrown off the tracks near the Sloatsburg station, when it tried to avoid a countrymen and his four mules, who were crossing the tracks. Three of the mules were killed and mutilated by the train, while the fourth died soon after. There was no damage to the cars or injuries to the passengers. In the early days of August 1856, a girl by the name of McGraff was injured by an oncoming train near the station after carelessly walking onto the tracks. The parents, who were in a poor state financially, was given $45 (1856 USD) in return for their troubles from the Board of Directors in nearby Goshen
Goshen (village), New York
Goshen is a village in and the county seat of Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 5,676 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport,...
. On February 21, 1858, a train heading southbound experienced an accident when a brakeman, John Freeland, fell off the train and was run over. Freeland's legs were severed in the incident, and one arm was broken. They hurried Freeland southbound on a nearby train, but died by the time the train reached Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
towards the hospital.
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
from Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
. This estate and farm gave a panoramic view of the countryside around Sloatsburg. The house was demolished during the construction of the New York State Thruway
New York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
in 1956. The steel bridge over the Ramapo River
Ramapo River
The Ramapo River is a tributary of the Pompton River, approximately 30 mi long, in southern New York and northern New Jersey in the United States.-Course:...
and the wooden bridge over Sloat's Millrace were removed as they had become hazardous. Today, all that remains are the stone pillar entranceway, and a walking trail to the nearby Sloat's Dam
Sloat's Dam and Mill Pond
Sloat's Dam and Mill Pond is located between Waldron Terrace and Ballard Avenue in Sloatsburg, New York, United States. The 200-foot–long concrete dam creates the mill pond north of it by impounding the Ramapo River....
. The gatepost
Gatepost
A gatepost is a structure used to support gates or crossbars which control entry to an area, such as a field or driveway.- Purpose :If the gatepost is utilitarian in purpose then gateposts will be made as strictly functional structures; however as part of the 'advertisement' of the status of the...
s are listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
along with the remaining mill and dam structures since they used the same stonework.
In 2005, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York)
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York is a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the U.S...
announced plans to renovate the train station. This, along the village's plans to revitalize the entire village of Sloatsburg, was thought to give the bland train station a more traditional look. This would include adding a roof to protect commuters and visitors from the elements, such as rain or snow, handicap-accessible ramps for wheelchairs, better lighting, more seats for people to wait, and a heated shelter. (A shelter exists, but is not heated). The village also wants to use a $50,000 grant from the state
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to construct a large municipal parking lot near the station. This would get more people to use the station, as because with the lack of facilities, the station is under-used. The preliminary design was made by Jeff Livingston, an architect on the Sloatsburg Revitalization Committee.
Station layout, structure, and services
The station is on average an hour and 24 minutes from Port Jervis, and 1 hours and 3 minutes from New York City. The Sloatsburg station, along with other nearby stations (Tuxedo, Harriman, or Suffern) on the Port Jervis lines also serve numerous hiking trails in Harriman State Park and Bear Mountain State Park
Bear Mountain State Park
Bear Mountain State Park is located on the west side of the Hudson River in Orange and Rockland counties of New York. The park offers biking, hiking, boating, picnicking, swimming, cross-country skiing, cross-country running, sledding and ice skating...
.