West Shore Newburgh Station

The NYC West Shore brick station in downtown Newburgh is being rehabilitated by a private developer, in the hope of renting it as commercial space. After several arson attacks, it appeared that the station would be doomed to a wrecker's ball.

The work is well along, and the restoration will be historically accurate on the exterior. West Shore followers might want to take a look, possibly combining it with a stop at the Highland Falls passenger station (original 1883 NYWS&B). Note that the Highland Falls station is on private property, so common sense must be used.

Anyone interested in seeing some photos, please email off-line.

Kevin Cunningham

Want to see what's going on with the Newburgh Station?

Today's Wallkill Valley Times (a local weekly paper) carried a 3/4 page article concerning "Candlelight Tours" being held the Sunday, December 13 from 1PM - 5PM,by the Historical Society of Newburgh Bay and the Highlands.

The article leads with a prominent photo of the Newburgh Train Station facade, and the story actually centers on the restoration of the station:

"A particular treat this year is the West Shore Train Station, currently undergoing renovations. New owner Ray Yannone will decorate the station in the style of Christmas in the 1940's, complete with a ten-foot Christmas tree and a 24' O and N gauge model railroad courtest of the Olde Newburgh Model Railroaders' Club." Further discussion of the restoration, and the intent to have the station open for occupancy in Spring 2010. Nice article!

Tickets for the Tours, which include more than a dozen other historic properties in Newburgh, are available from the Historical Society:

http://newburghhistoricalsociety.com/Ev ... FHOMES2009

Any pictures of Before and During to go with the After shots when it's done?

D/

Anyone got any recent pics? I hear the station is "ready for business" whatever that business may be!

-otto-

Not a great pic because I could only take it in the morning:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/russnelson/4361236996/

RussNelson wrote:Not a great pic because I could only take it in the morning:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/russnelson/4361236996/

WOW, I had no idea that it looked this good with the work that has apparently been completed or nearly completed. The last
time I worked this line in the summer of 1982, the station looked like hell to put it bluntly. I am glad that it has been
preserved and fixed up, may it have a long and bright future.
Noel Weaver

In an unrelated posting for the NY State list, I had stumbled across this webpage, with a couple small views of the station, as well. Looks quite nice!

http://orrmillspublishing.com/contact_us

Drove by the station this afternoon and there are signs up. It is going to be a Pizza shop and a Playhouse.
Steve Kijak

http://www.rrplayhouse.org/

The West Shore was once a player in the commuter market as well, but Weehawken-Manhattan ferry service ended in May 1959, and all trains were discontinued in December 1959. The last through trains from Albany were discontinued in June, 1958. The NYC also had trains to Oneonta.
Previously the NYO&W also operated passenger trains to the Catskills, but that service was discontinued on September 10, 1953, and the entire RR abandoned in the spring of '57.
In 1966, some other Erie-Lackawanna lines also abandoned passenger service, the Northern Branch (just east of the West Shore), the Greenwood Lake Branch (to Wanaque-Midvale), and the Sussex Branch to Branchville.
It's great to see this historic station being restored.
As a teen, I took a few shots (mostly along the line in NJ), but I added a few old O&W shots which were sold to me, and an old 1947 timetable scan here:
http://viewoftheblue.com/photography/rail/o_w.html

Next trip up I definitely plan on railfanning the station. How much rail traffic goes by the station? It's on the West Shore line, right?

Jeff Smith wrote:Next trip up I definitely plan on railfanning the station. How much rail traffic goes by the station? It's on the West Shore line, right?

There is a lot of train traffic through here even in the daytime unless there is a curfew for track work. Late afternoons and evenings and Friday, Saturday and probably Sunday might be your bet bets.
Don't miss the walkway over the Hudson upstream at Poughkeepsie, you'll be glad you did that one too.
Noel Weaver

Hi all!

I'm the Executive Director of the new non-profit Railroad Playhouse performance venue at the historic West Shore train station in Newburgh. We anticipate an opening event in November (pending building inspection)! Please visit our website at www.rrplayhouse.org to join our mailing list or to make a contribution! We're starting our educational outreach initiatives in the Newburgh schools and we're have performance events planned for December that we plan to announce soon. We welcome any railroad enthusiasts! We're planning on railroad-themed photo exhibits and we welcome any other suggestions for railroad-themed events.

Thanks for the mention!

Sincerely,

Jen Soloway
Executive Director
Railroad Playhouse
www.rrplayhouse.org
Donations accepted at https://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/con ... onate/3288