Amtrak Loneliest depots

I have never boardered the train at Port Kent but the ferry ride between Port Kent and Burlington is a delightful experience.

I have had the pleasure of both the ferry ride and boarding the train. In fact, the ferry ride was for the purpose of getting to the train. My grandfather lived in S. Burlington and was a bit of a foamer, so a ferry to Ft. Kent and a round trip to/from Ticonderoga station was the order of the day for my first Amtrak ride.

Barstow, even though it is in the city itself, it is a bit isolated from the rest of the city. That city isn't the nicest in general. On top of that, I would not want to miss a train there.

Barstow Ca grew around the the I-15 and I-40 Junction,and the several Truckstops in that city as well as that freight yard and Diesel Shop built
by ATSF. The "Tourist Trap" Shops followed as did an "Outlet Mall" in the south end of the City.

Also Barstow was shared station stop for UP passenger trains.

Although not currently in use, I'd nominate Borie WY as the 'lonlinest depot'. It's in the middle of nowhere, no buildings nearby, etc. Amtrak's California Zephyr used to stop there daily many years ago before being routed via the D&RGW route over the Rockies. It still passes by when the train gets detoured for a variety of reasons.

Arborwayfan wrote:Last time I rode through Green River most of the "platform" was just stray ballast.

There is now a concrete platform.

R&DB wrote:Thurmond, WV should make that list. Population 5, Cardinal 3x a week each way.

I just rode through there on 8/1 and was going to say the same thing, based on what I heard the person on the PA say about the town. Look at these boarding stats: http://www.greatamericanstations.com/st ... nd-wv-thn/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Del Rio Tx,Has a paved platform,a border town with Mexico,was the "Smoking stop" for Sunset Ltd. at some point in time.

Yuma Az, popular during "Snow Bird" season,but otherwise lonely,basicly station remains,platform is concrete with access from an underpass like
tunnel,ex SP Station was destroyed by fire and leveled.

ryanov wrote:I just rode through there on 8/1 and was going to say the same thing, based on what I heard the person on the PA say about the town. Look at these boarding stats: http://www.greatamericanstations.com/st ... nd-wv-thn/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That is an amazing read. I never realized just how isolated that station truly is.

There's a post office there that's basically boarded up that's apparently been closed since 1995. It was a neat place to have passed through. We did stop there, though the manifest said that no one was to get on or off there -- the only such stop of the trip (I happened to see it while we were stopped in Indianapolis).

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/d ... 804159001/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Windsor Locks, CT is a fairly safe town but the Amshack isn't really within an easy walk of anybody. There are a few houses more or less across the tracks but the closest business is about 100 yards. (CT is not the far west and Daniel Boone would laugh at me...but it feels isolated).

At Windsor Locks you can walk down to the locks. They are rather narrow.

Backshophoss wrote:Del Rio Tx,Has a paved platform,a border town with Mexico,was the "Smoking stop" for Sunset Ltd. at some point in time..

I "drove around" Del Rio in the Googlemobile. That's "big city" when compared with Sanderson, which I also "drove through".

But when Mr. Weaver originated this topic, it appeared the intent was to identify stations located "in the middle of nowhere". Green River UT, I think, has 'em topped.

Photos I took of Thurmond in December 2012. Didn't see any sign of life except a railroad work crew.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/91362799@ ... res/381mcD" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ryanov wrote:

R&DB wrote:Thurmond, WV should make that list. Population 5, Cardinal 3x a week each way.

I just rode through there on 8/1 and was going to say the same thing, based on what I heard the person on the PA say about the town. Look at these boarding stats: http://www.greatamericanstations.com/st ... nd-wv-thn/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As it turns out, I, too, went through Thurmond on #51 last Wednesday. I always enjoy my trip through there as it was 'dated looking' until recently. In fact, it was so dated looking, it was used as the site for filming of the movie 'Matewan' in 1987 about the coal miners strike of 1920 that turned into a battle ground for the union. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matewan I only recall seeing the movie once on TV, perhaps a year or so after it was released. I wouldn't mind seeing it again if it's ever shows up.

Over 14 years of Driving a Class 8 truck passed many times thru Sanderson+,Del Rio when running a load to/from Laredo Tx.
Saw Sanderson decline into a Ghost Town,Del Rio rolls up the Sidewalks at night!
Green River is a lively town compared to these 2 !