Anderson Street (NJT station)
Encyclopedia
Anderson Street Station is a New Jersey Transit
rail station on the Pascack Valley Line
. The station is one of two rail stations in Hackensack
, New Jersey
, United States, and is located at Anderson Street near Linden Street. The Essex Street
station is also located in Hackensack. This line runs to Hoboken Terminal
with connections via the Secaucus Junction
transfer station to New Jersey Transit one-stop service to New York Penn Station
and to other NJ Transit rail service. All normal schedule trains service this station seven days a week, except for the Metro-North Railroad
Express trains to Spring Valley, New York
.
The station house was built in 1869 (and opened on September 9, 1869) by the Hackensack and New York Railroad on a track extension from Passaic Street in Hackensack. The station was turned over to the Erie Railroad
in 1896 and New Jersey Transit in 1983. The next year, the station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The station building, which was 139 years old, was destroyed in a three-alarm fire and explosion at 5:55 a.m. on January 10, 2009. At the time the station house was the second-oldest (active service) in New Jersey (second to Ramsey's Main Street station). The station building was also the site for the Green Caboose Thrift Shop, a charity gift shop maintained by a branch of the Hackensack University Medical Center
from 1962 until the station depot burned in 2009.
Express routes to Spring Valley
, all trains serve the Anderon Street station, and there is nearby access to the 175 and 770 New Jersey Transit bus lines. The station is 18 minutes from Secaucus Junction
, 21 minutes from Hoboken Terminal
and is 39 minutes from Spring Valley.
and have future ambitions to build the system northward. Construction on the new 21 miles (33.8 km) long line began in 1866, with trains heading from New York City
to the Passaic Street station in Hackensack. Although Hackensack was not a large hub, there were several rail lines serving the city, including the New Jersey Midland Line (now the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad) with stops at Main Street (at the Mercer Street intersection) and at Prospect Avenue. During the 1860s, service was extended to north, terminating at Essex Street
. Residents from the Anderson Street area donated $2,600 (1869 USD) to have a new station depot constructed along new tracks heading northward. Although most Hackensack and New York trains ended at Passaic Street, service was extended northward on September 5, 1869, when that stop was abandoned in replacement for Anderson Street. Just next year, service was extended northward on the Hackensack and New York Railroad Extension Railroad to Cherry Hill (now North Hackensack / New Bridge Landing) and onto Hillsdale
.
The Anderson Street Station had a wood siding with a shingled roof, two brick chimneys off the roof and two asphalt platforms in both directions. The station also had a garage door on the southern side of the building. No official style of architecture was mentioned for Anderson Street in the 1920 Final Engineering Report due to lack of design. Nearby, a wooden watchman's shanty was constructed near the team track. The station had two tracks run through it (one main track and a team track) and had a rail crossing between tracks. By 1870, the tracks had been extended northward to Hillsdale
, and public service began on the line on March 4 of that year. Trains terminated at Hillsdale with fare of only $0.75 (1870 USD), but just one year later, the extension northward. The service was extended northward to the community of Haverstraw, New York
, and in 1896, the rail line was leased by the private company to the Erie Railroad
.
) sold off the station building to become the site of the Green Caboose Thrift Shop, and repainted a teal green color. The nearby watchman's shanty, closed on Sundays, were repainted to tan and green with a red roof. The team track was also being dismantled by this point. Later, in 1972, the station experienced minor changes, with the Green Caboose Thrift Shop remaining in service the station building being repainted by the Erie Lackawanna a dark green (with the Erie Lackawanna's red doors). The nearby watchman's shanty was not repainted, remaining the railroad's common red color and the team track had been long removed, with no remains were noticeable.
In 1976, the Erie Lackawanna was combined with several other railroads to create the Consolidated Rail Corporation
, who continued maintenance of the New Jersey and New York Line for the next seven years, until the newly-formed New Jersey Transit
took over the station in 1983. On March 17, 1984, the station building, now 114 years old, was added to the New Jersey Register of Historic Places
and by that June, the station was added to the National Register of Historic Places
. The station building was restored in 2001 by contractors from Jablonski Building Conservation Incorporated in Midtown Manhattan
, who had experience restoring train stations. The building conservation repainted the old station's wooden siding yellow and the bay windows to a brand new brown on the station's ground-level platform.
, Ridgefield Park
, Bogota
and South Hackensack
. Service on the Pascack Valley Line had to be stopped indefinitely until they could demolish the unsafe site of the former station building and inspect the area to allow train usage. Hackensack city manager Stephen Lo Iacono was notified of the fire and deemed it a "devastating loss for the community." At 11 a.m., city officials were digging up the area around the station to stop the gas line near the new station. The Green Caboose Thrift Shop, a charity gift shop run by a ladies auxiliary of the Hackensack University Medical Center
which was housed in the station, received a major blow after the explosion, which destroyed all their merchandise. The Green Caboose has since moved to Orchard Street in Hackensack. On February 7, 2011 an application was filed to remove the destroyed structure from both the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places, to prevent a person from constructing a new station that would not be considered "historic". On May 18, 2011, the station was removed from the National Register and its listing with the 51 other stations in the original 1984 package.
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
rail station on the Pascack Valley Line
Pascack Valley Line
The Pascack Valley Line is a commuter rail line operated by the Hoboken Division of New Jersey Transit. The line runs north from Hoboken, New Jersey through Bergen County and into Rockland County, New York, terminating at Spring Valley. Service within New York is operated under contract with...
. The station is one of two rail stations in Hackensack
Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States, and is located at Anderson Street near Linden Street. The Essex Street
Essex Street (NJT station)
Essex Street, known as Hackensack during the Erie Railroad era, is a New Jersey Transit rail station on the Pascack Valley Line. The station is one of two rail stations in Hackensack, New Jersey and is located at Essex Street, three blocks from Polifly Road. The Anderson Street station is also...
station is also located in Hackensack. This line runs 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...
with connections via the Secaucus Junction
Secaucus Junction
The Frank R. Lautenberg Secaucus Junction Station is a major commuter rail hub in Secaucus, New Jersey...
transfer station to New Jersey Transit one-stop service to New York Penn Station
Pennsylvania Station (New York City)
Pennsylvania Station—commonly known as Penn Station—is the major intercity train station and a major commuter rail hub in New York City. It is one of the busiest rail stations in the world, and a hub for inbound and outbound railroad traffic in New York City. The New York City Subway system also...
and to other NJ Transit rail service. All normal schedule trains service this station seven days a week, except for the Metro-North Railroad
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...
Express trains to Spring Valley, New York
Spring Valley, New York
Spring Valley, incorporated on July 9, 1902 is a village spanning the Town of Ramapo and Town of Clarkstown in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Nanuet; east of Airmont and Monsey; south of Hillcrest and west of West Nyack...
.
The station house was built in 1869 (and opened on September 9, 1869) by the Hackensack and New York Railroad on a track extension from Passaic Street in Hackensack. The station was turned over to 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...
in 1896 and New Jersey Transit in 1983. The next year, the station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The station building, which was 139 years old, was destroyed in a three-alarm fire and explosion at 5:55 a.m. on January 10, 2009. At the time the station house was the second-oldest (active service) in New Jersey (second to Ramsey's Main Street station). The station building was also the site for the Green Caboose Thrift Shop, a charity gift shop maintained by a branch of the Hackensack University Medical Center
Hackensack University Medical Center
Hackensack University Medical Center is a 775-bed non-profit, research and teaching hospital located seven miles west of New York City, in Hackensack, New Jersey, providing tertiary and healthcare needs for northern New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area...
from 1962 until the station depot burned in 2009.
Station layout and services
The Anderson Street station is located at the intersection with Anderson Street and Linden Avenue in Hackensack. The station has one track running through it, with one lone asphalt side platform appearing on the northbound side. The station has a nearby parking lot at the same intersection, with fifty parking spaces maintained by Park America (under lease from New Jersey Transit). Two of these fifty parking spaces are handicap accessible, although the station itself is not. These parking spots are permit-only, but are free to use on evenings and weekends. The station is located in New Jersey Transit's fifth fare zone, but tickets must be purchased on board the train as there are no ticket vending machines at the station. Except for the Metro-North RailroadMetro-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...
Express routes to Spring Valley
Spring Valley (Metro-North station)
Spring Valley is a Metro-North Railroad station and terminus of New Jersey Transit's Pascack Valley Line. The station is in Spring Valley, New York, at Main Street, 1/8 mile from Route 59...
, all trains serve the Anderon Street station, and there is nearby access to the 175 and 770 New Jersey Transit bus lines. The station is 18 minutes from Secaucus Junction
Secaucus Junction
The Frank R. Lautenberg Secaucus Junction Station is a major commuter rail hub in Secaucus, New Jersey...
, 21 minutes from 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...
and is 39 minutes from Spring Valley.
Hackensack and New York Railroad
The original alignment of the Anderson Street station dates back to the chartering of the Hackensack and New York Railroad in 1856 by David P. Patterson and other investors. Their intent in creating the rail line was to help maintain a steam-powered train line in the Pascack ValleyPascack Valley
The Pascack Valley is the name for a region of New Jersey, United States, contained within Bergen County. It is named for the Pascack Brook, which defines the valley...
and have future ambitions to build the system northward. Construction on the new 21 miles (33.8 km) long line began in 1866, with trains heading from 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...
to the Passaic Street station in Hackensack. Although Hackensack was not a large hub, there were several rail lines serving the city, including the New Jersey Midland Line (now the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad) with stops at Main Street (at the Mercer Street intersection) and at Prospect Avenue. During the 1860s, service was extended to north, terminating at Essex Street
Essex Street (NJT station)
Essex Street, known as Hackensack during the Erie Railroad era, is a New Jersey Transit rail station on the Pascack Valley Line. The station is one of two rail stations in Hackensack, New Jersey and is located at Essex Street, three blocks from Polifly Road. The Anderson Street station is also...
. Residents from the Anderson Street area donated $2,600 (1869 USD) to have a new station depot constructed along new tracks heading northward. Although most Hackensack and New York trains ended at Passaic Street, service was extended northward on September 5, 1869, when that stop was abandoned in replacement for Anderson Street. Just next year, service was extended northward on the Hackensack and New York Railroad Extension Railroad to Cherry Hill (now North Hackensack / New Bridge Landing) and onto Hillsdale
Hillsdale (NJT station)
Hillsdale Station is a New Jersey Transit rail station on the Pascack Valley Line. The station is in Hillsdale, New Jersey and is located at Broadway and Hillsdale Avenue....
.
The Anderson Street Station had a wood siding with a shingled roof, two brick chimneys off the roof and two asphalt platforms in both directions. The station also had a garage door on the southern side of the building. No official style of architecture was mentioned for Anderson Street in the 1920 Final Engineering Report due to lack of design. Nearby, a wooden watchman's shanty was constructed near the team track. The station had two tracks run through it (one main track and a team track) and had a rail crossing between tracks. By 1870, the tracks had been extended northward to Hillsdale
Hillsdale (NJT station)
Hillsdale Station is a New Jersey Transit rail station on the Pascack Valley Line. The station is in Hillsdale, New Jersey and is located at Broadway and Hillsdale Avenue....
, and public service began on the line on March 4 of that year. Trains terminated at Hillsdale with fare of only $0.75 (1870 USD), but just one year later, the extension northward. The service was extended northward to the community of Haverstraw, New York
Haverstraw, New York
Haverstraw is the name of two locations in Rockland County, New York:*Haverstraw, New York, a town*Haverstraw , New York, a village located entirely within the townIt may also refer to:*West Haverstraw, New York*Haverstraw Bay*Haverstraw Indians...
, and in 1896, the rail line was leased by the private company to 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...
.
Erie Railroad station and restoration
After the leasing of the New Jersey and New York Railroad to the Erie Railroad, the history of Anderson Street station remained rather quiet, with minor changes to the station building and site occurring over the next sixty years. The Erie had repainted the station to a common green and white Erie Railroad paint scheme. By 1964, there were new asphalt pavement platforms on both the northbound main track and the southbound team track, crossing gates had been installed and the paint scheme was fading to a darker green. By September 1966, the Erie Lackawanna (a merge of the Erie Railroad and Delaware, Lackawanna and WesternDelaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was a railroad connecting Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, rich in anthracite coal, to Hoboken, New Jersey, , Buffalo and Oswego, New York...
) sold off the station building to become the site of the Green Caboose Thrift Shop, and repainted a teal green color. The nearby watchman's shanty, closed on Sundays, were repainted to tan and green with a red roof. The team track was also being dismantled by this point. Later, in 1972, the station experienced minor changes, with the Green Caboose Thrift Shop remaining in service the station building being repainted by the Erie Lackawanna a dark green (with the Erie Lackawanna's red doors). The nearby watchman's shanty was not repainted, remaining the railroad's common red color and the team track had been long removed, with no remains were noticeable.
In 1976, the Erie Lackawanna was combined with several other railroads to create the Consolidated Rail Corporation
Consolidated Rail Corporation
The Consolidated Rail Corporation, commonly known as Conrail , was the primary Class I railroad in the Northeast U.S. between 1976 and 1999. The federal government created it to take over the potentially profitable lines of bankrupt carriers, including the Penn Central Transportation Company and...
, who continued maintenance of the New Jersey and New York Line for the next seven years, until the newly-formed New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
took over the station in 1983. On March 17, 1984, the station building, now 114 years old, was added to the New Jersey Register of Historic Places
New Jersey Register of Historic Places
The New Jersey Register of Historic Places is the official list of historic resources of local, state, and national interest in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The program is administered by the Historic Preservation Office of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.The register was...
and by that June, the station was added to 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...
. The station building was restored in 2001 by contractors from Jablonski Building Conservation Incorporated in Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
, who had experience restoring train stations. The building conservation repainted the old station's wooden siding yellow and the bay windows to a brand new brown on the station's ground-level platform.
Station building fire and explosion
At approximately 5:55 a.m. on January 10, 2009, the station building for Anderson Street caught fire and ruptured two propane tanks, which caused the building to explode. Two nearby cars were damaged as well. The three-alarm fire destroyed the building, and causing damage to nearby apartment complex. Twelve fire companies were called to battle the blaze, including fire stations from TeaneckTeaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County....
, Ridgefield Park
Ridgefield Park, New Jersey
Ridgefield Park is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The population was 12,729 at the 2010 United States Census. Of 566 municipalities statewide, Ridgefield Park is only one of three with a village type of government in New Jersey, along with Loch Arbour and Ridgewood.The...
, Bogota
Bogota, New Jersey
As of the 2010 Census, Bogota had a population of 8,187. The median age was 38.6. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 61.0% White, 9.4% Black or African American, 0.8% Native American, 9.8% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander, 14.8% some other race and 4.1% reporting...
and South Hackensack
South Hackensack, New Jersey
South Hackensack Township is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 2,378....
. Service on the Pascack Valley Line had to be stopped indefinitely until they could demolish the unsafe site of the former station building and inspect the area to allow train usage. Hackensack city manager Stephen Lo Iacono was notified of the fire and deemed it a "devastating loss for the community." At 11 a.m., city officials were digging up the area around the station to stop the gas line near the new station. The Green Caboose Thrift Shop, a charity gift shop run by a ladies auxiliary of the Hackensack University Medical Center
Hackensack University Medical Center
Hackensack University Medical Center is a 775-bed non-profit, research and teaching hospital located seven miles west of New York City, in Hackensack, New Jersey, providing tertiary and healthcare needs for northern New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area...
which was housed in the station, received a major blow after the explosion, which destroyed all their merchandise. The Green Caboose has since moved to Orchard Street in Hackensack. On February 7, 2011 an application was filed to remove the destroyed structure from both the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places, to prevent a person from constructing a new station that would not be considered "historic". On May 18, 2011, the station was removed from the National Register and its listing with the 51 other stations in the original 1984 package.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Bergen County, New Jersey