Erie and Lackawanna ferry terminals at 23rd St. Manhattan

Hello all--I am looking for any information on the Erie and DL&W ferry terminals on the Hudson at W. 23rd Street in Manhattan. They were part of an impressive complex of ferry terminals located where Chelsea Piers are today. From north to south stood Erie, DL&W and Jersey Central terminals with a big cobblestone plaza out front, and before 1936 there were New York Railways trolley tracks in the plaza. These structures were similar to the Lackawanna Hoboken terminal with huge arched windows and lots of fancy trim. The Lackawanna terminal also had a clock tower somewhat similar to the one in Hoboken.
I'm interested in these structures as I'm working on an N scale trolley module based on this area. I'm only doing the plaza with the street sides of the terminals as flats. Right now I'm kitbashing a big European station into a compressed, "close enough" flat of the Erie terminal but I'd like to represent all three. Pictures of this awesome complex are rare for some reason, and it only seems to show up in the background of NY Railways trolley shots. Any help from Erie and DL&W fans would be appreciated. Thanks, John

jaystreetcrr wrote:Hello all--I am looking for any information on the Erie and DL&W ferry terminals on the Hudson at W. 23rd Street in Manhattan. They were part of an impressive complex of ferry terminals located where Chelsea Piers are today. From north to south stood Erie, DL&W and Jersey Central terminals with a big cobblestone plaza out front, and before 1936 there were New York Railways trolley tracks in the plaza. These structures were similar to the Lackawanna Hoboken terminal with huge arched windows and lots of fancy trim. The Lackawanna terminal also had a clock tower somewhat similar to the one in Hoboken.
I'm interested in these structures as I'm working on an N scale trolley module based on this area. I'm only doing the plaza with the street sides of the terminals as flats. Right now I'm kitbashing a big European station into a compressed, "close enough" flat of the Erie terminal but I'd like to represent all three. Pictures of this awesome complex are rare for some reason, and it only seems to show up in the background of NY Railways trolley shots. Any help from Erie and DL&W fans would be appreciated. Thanks, John

John: Part of the reason for the paucity of photographs is the fact that ferry service to the 23 Street Terminal ceased at the end of 1946. I was able to come up with some pictures and information. There is a book titled "Railroad Ferries of the Hudson and the Stories of a Deckhand" by Raymond J.Baxter and Arthur G.Adams. It was published by Lind Publications of Woodcliff Lake, NJ in 1987 and there has been a least one re-printing. You might be able to obtain this book through Barnes and Noble or Amazon. It has the following pictures.

Page 53: CNJ 23 Street Terminal, land side, old postcard view.

Page 92: Erie 23 Street Terninal, land side

Page 130: Lackawanna 23 Street Terminal, land side including the clock tower.

It is a very good book with many black and white photographs. The book is an excellent read but I would caution you to double check any facts as there were a few mistakes in the narrative.

Larry, RedbirdR33

Larry: Thanks for the lead on the book. I'll try and track it down. I did more research online and didn't come up with much that I hadn't seen already. The best two shots of the complex that I've seen, which may be the ones in the book, are by the avant-garde photographer Berenice Abbott. In the mid 1930s she did a Changing New York series that took in a lot of old stuff as well as all the new skyscrapers and such. She has two great shots, one of the Lackawanna side with the clock tower and another closeup of a NY Railways car with the Erie façade in the background. She also did shots of other ferry terminals, Penn Station, Elevated stations, etc.
My N scale model is limited by the Euro-station I'm kitbashing. Big arched windows, an ERIE sign on top, some New Jersey Ferries billboards and a lot of fancy trimmings, and paint it all copper green....close enough. No way would I attempt to scratchbuild this, and the obscurity works in my favor. I recall in Railroad Model Craftsman a couple of years ago someone did an approximation of the Lackawanna Hoboken terminal, thought I'd saved the copy but can't find it.
I'll try and post some pictures when I have something to show. Thanks again...John

I don't have it handy, but there are Manhattan photos in the series "The Next Station Will Be..." I believe in the NY&NJ edition, I think that was volume II. The ERIE sign from the street side is definitely in the photo.... thinking it dates from about 1910.