East Cleveland Ohio Station

I am looking for information on the NYC/NKP station in East Cleveland, Ohio that was built in connection with the electrification of Cleveland Union Terminal in 1930. I am specifically interested in information on the station layout and when it was phased out along with any memories of its use and operation. Although there are some great books on the Cleveland Union Terminal, I have found little on East Cleveland except for some photos of trains on the upper platforms. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

The Station was in the vicinity of Superior and Euclid Aves., but actually fronted on Emily Ave. where it curves from Euclid to Superior.

The brick station building and parking lot were on the east side of the elevated right-of-way. The interior was one large, high-ceilinged room which provided a waiting area and news stand. Ticket windows and stationmaster's office were on the west side of the interior.

In the SW corner of the station there was a subway under the right-of-way which led to a stairway to each platform. There was no west entrance to the subway. Each platform also had a baggage elevator, and a platform waiting booth.

Not sure pf the closure date, but the vacant building stood for several years before being demolished for a car dealership.

Hope this helps.

In case you haven't seen them. . . .

The following link will take you to a page of clickable thumbnails of the East Cleveland station under construction in 1929. Unfortunately, they're only exterior shots. I've never managed to find any interior photos of the place, which closed circa 1960, although I have no idea when it was demolished.

http://images.ulib.csuohio.edu/cdm4/res ... START=1,61


. . . and yes, my parents named me after the station, since "Schenectady" was too difficult to spell.

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Thanks for the info and photo references. I have been able to find only one photo of the interior of the station. It was in the special supplement the Cleveland Plain Dealer issued on CUT June 29, 1930. It shows a 2 story waiting room with double-sided benches similar to those used at CUT. By the way the supplement refers to it as the "New Euclid-Superior Station." My own recollections of it are as a kid in the late 40's and early 50's meeting my father as he arrived in the early evening from New York City on the Empire State Express behind one of those beautiful electric engines. By the time I was ready to head east for college in the early 60's, the station was closed and I had to use CUT. I always wondered if the opening of the Cleveland Rapid Transit in 1955 had anything to do with the station's demise. I also wonder if there had ever been a substantial commuter business at the station into downtown Cleveland.

When I traveled with my family from New York to Cleveland during the 1950s to visit relatives, we always stepped off the train at East Cleveland (my grandparents lived a minute or two away). I have a clear recollection of walking along the platform, coming down the stairs, and waiting by the baggage window to pick up our suitcases.

Other than that, my memories are a blur -- although it's funny that the station, like Cleveland Union Terminal, was less than 30 years-old at the time. Both seemed much more ancient.

However, I do recall that few passengers seemed to use the East Cleveland station even then. Factor that in along with the effect of the Rapid Transit, plus the New York Central and Nickel Plate's dwindling roster of trains (and the fact that the City of East Cleveland was already in the early throes of disappearing down the toilet), and it's no surprise that the place was shut down.

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I would also like some information on this station. Thank you for any info on East Cleveland.

cforssi wrote:I would also like some information on this station. Thank you for any info on East Cleveland.

Anything specific that we have not already covered in this thread?

-otto-

I remember visiting there as a young man in 1965. The station was there but closed. I walked around the area coming from the Rapid Transit station and saw it in it's glory. About 10 years later, I took a trip to Cleveland on the Lakeshore Ltd from NYC to Cleveland and visited the site again. It was completely torn down and a Ford dealership was on the location. I was stunned to see this. I have been researching the station but have come up with little except in this site and a scant others. Is there any pictures available with the interior of the station? How about the stairs and subway leading to the tracks? Does anyone have any other photos to share? Thank you in advance and I love this website! Charles