.gif)
Chatham (NYCRR station)
Encyclopedia
Union Station served the residents of Chatham, New York from 1887 to 1972 as a passenger station and until 1976 as a freight station. It was the final stop for Harlem Line trains. It had originally served trains of the Boston and Albany Railroad
, then the New York Central Railroad
and the Rutland Railways. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
and currently serves as a bank branch. It no longer serves as a train station, although the rail line it is alongside of is still active.
(east of Albany) and Chatham. The Harlem Extension of the New York and Harlem Railroad
was built to Chatham by 1869. By late 1870 a series of company mergers led to the formation of the Boston and Albany Railroad (B&A). In 1881 the B&A hired Henry Hobson Richardson
to design several stations for the railroad. Richardson died unexpectedly in 1886 and the remaining station design work was transferred to the Boston based architecture firm of Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge
. They designed the Chatham Station which was opened for service along the B&A's Boston to Albany line in 1887. The Richardsonian Romanesque
building features a Dutch gable
roof with wide eaves and colonnade
porticos that extend out east and west along the tracks over the low platform. The walls are made of lightly colored rusticated
stone with window and door frames, sills, and lintel
s of contrasting brownstone
. A prominent bow window
faces trackside and once was used as part of the stationmaster's office.
The New York Central Railroad
(NYCRR) took over the B&A in 1900. The station house was originally staffed by a ticket agent, but the ticket office was closed by the NYCRR in 1960. It remained as an active station for passenger service until March 22, 1972. Under the aegis of Conrail, the station was closed in March 1976 when freight operations from Ghent
to Millerton
were terminated.
Conrail utilized the station for storage in the mid-1970s. In 1977, the freight railroad attempted to sell the station and surrounding land for $85,000. Chatham Union Station is currently owned by the National Union Bank of Kinderhook.
Service on the Rutland ended in 1953; tracks were dismantled shortly thereafter. The removal of the NYCRR's Harlem Line trackage south of Church Street followed 30 years later. Boston and Albany Railroad
trackage remains in place and is currently used by CSX Transportation
. The line was single-tracked by Conrail in the late 1980s.
Chatham Union Station has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
since May 1, 1974. In addition to active freight service, Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited
long-distance train passes through Chatham without stopping.
The station house was renovated and reopened in 1999 to serve as a branch of the National Union Bank of Kinderhook. Currently, the Harlem Valley Rail Trail
Association has plans to extend the trail along the right-of-way in front of the site of the former station.
Boston and Albany Railroad
The Boston and Albany Railroad was a railroad connecting Boston, Massachusetts to Albany, New York, later becoming part of the New York Central Railroad system, Conrail and CSX. The line is used by CSX for freight...
, then the New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
and the Rutland Railways. The building is listed on 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...
and currently serves as a bank branch. It no longer serves as a train station, although the rail line it is alongside of is still active.
History
Before the station house was built rail service to Chatham started on December 21, 1841 when the first portion of the Albany and West Stockbridge Railroad was put into service between GreenbushGreenbush, New York
Greenbush, New York may refer to a few places in the U.S. state of New York:In Rensselaer County:* East Greenbush, New York, a town** East Greenbush , New York, a hamlet within the town* North Greenbush, New York, a townIn Rockland County:...
(east of Albany) and Chatham. The Harlem Extension of the New York and Harlem Railroad
New York and Harlem Railroad
The New York and Harlem Railroad was one of the first railroads in the United States, and possibly also the world's first street railway. Designed by John Stephenson, it was opened in stages between 1832 and 1852 between Lower Manhattan to and beyond Harlem...
was built to Chatham by 1869. By late 1870 a series of company mergers led to the formation of the Boston and Albany Railroad (B&A). In 1881 the B&A hired Henry Hobson Richardson
Henry Hobson Richardson
Henry Hobson Richardson was a prominent American architect who designed buildings in Albany, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and other cities. The style he popularized is named for him: Richardsonian Romanesque...
to design several stations for the railroad. Richardson died unexpectedly in 1886 and the remaining station design work was transferred to the Boston based architecture firm of Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge
Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge
Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge was a successful architecture firm based in Boston, Massachusetts, operating between 1886 and 1915, with extensive commissions in monumental civic and collegiate architecture in the spirit and style of Henry Hobson Richardson....
. They designed the Chatham Station which was opened for service along the B&A's Boston to Albany line in 1887. The Richardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque is a style of Romanesque Revival architecture named after architect Henry Hobson Richardson, whose masterpiece is Trinity Church, Boston , designated a National Historic Landmark...
building features a Dutch gable
Gablet roof
A gablet roof or Dutch gable is a roof with a small gable at the top of a hip roof. The term Dutch gable is also used to mean a gable with parapets....
roof with wide eaves and colonnade
Colonnade
In classical architecture, a colonnade denotes a long sequence of columns joined by their entablature, often free-standing, or part of a building....
porticos that extend out east and west along the tracks over the low platform. The walls are made of lightly colored rusticated
Rustication (architecture)
thumb|upright|Two different styles of rustication in the [[Palazzo Medici-Riccardi]] in [[Florence]].In classical architecture rustication is an architectural feature that contrasts in texture with the smoothly finished, squared block masonry surfaces called ashlar...
stone with window and door frames, sills, and lintel
Lintel (architecture)
A lintel can be a load-bearing building component, a decorative architectural element, or a combined ornamented structural item. It is often found over portals, doors, and windows.-Structural uses:...
s of contrasting brownstone
Brownstone
Brownstone is a brown Triassic or Jurassic sandstone which was once a popular building material. The term is also used in the United States to refer to a terraced house clad in this material.-Types:-Apostle Island brownstone:...
. A prominent bow window
Bow window
A bow window is a curved bay window. Bow windows are designed to create space by projecting beyond the exterior wall of a building, and to provide a wider view of the garden or street outside and typically combine four or more casement windows, which join together to form an arch.Bow windows first...
faces trackside and once was used as part of the stationmaster's office.
The New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
(NYCRR) took over the B&A in 1900. The station house was originally staffed by a ticket agent, but the ticket office was closed by the NYCRR in 1960. It remained as an active station for passenger service until March 22, 1972. Under the aegis of Conrail, the station was closed in March 1976 when freight operations from Ghent
Ghent (NYCRR station)
Ghent was a former NYCRR train station that served the residents of Ghent, New York.-History:The station catered to a local community that had a substantial industry during the era of the NYCRR. The train station was originally opened in 1905, when the New York Central Railroad created tracks up...
to Millerton
Millerton, New York
Millerton is a village in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 925 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined...
were terminated.
Conrail utilized the station for storage in the mid-1970s. In 1977, the freight railroad attempted to sell the station and surrounding land for $85,000. Chatham Union Station is currently owned by the National Union Bank of Kinderhook.
Service on the Rutland ended in 1953; tracks were dismantled shortly thereafter. The removal of the NYCRR's Harlem Line trackage south of Church Street followed 30 years later. Boston and Albany Railroad
Boston and Albany Railroad
The Boston and Albany Railroad was a railroad connecting Boston, Massachusetts to Albany, New York, later becoming part of the New York Central Railroad system, Conrail and CSX. The line is used by CSX for freight...
trackage remains in place and is currently used by CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
. The line was single-tracked by Conrail in the late 1980s.
Chatham Union Station has been listed on 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...
since May 1, 1974. In addition to active freight service, Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited
Lake Shore Limited
The Lake Shore Limited is a daily passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States. The train runs between Chicago and Albany, NY, where it divides into two sections that provide thru-service to New York and Boston...
long-distance train passes through Chatham without stopping.
The station house was renovated and reopened in 1999 to serve as a branch of the National Union Bank of Kinderhook. Currently, the Harlem Valley Rail Trail
Harlem Valley Rail Trail
The Harlem Valley Rail Trail is a paved rail trail on an abandoned portion of the New York and Harlem Railroad, north of the Metro-North Railroad Harlem Line terminus in Wassaic. It is owned by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation...
Association has plans to extend the trail along the right-of-way in front of the site of the former station.