Croton North station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Croton North
West and south elevations, 2009
Location	1 Senasqua Road, Croton-on-Hudson, Westchester County, New York 10520
Platforms	1 side
Tracks	4
History
Opened	September 29, 1849
Previous names	Collaberg Croton-on-Hudson (–April 28, 1963)
Former services
Preceding station New York Central Railroad Following station Crugers toward Peekskill Hudson Division Croton toward New York Oscawana toward Peekskill
Croton North Railroad Station
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in New York Show map of New York Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	1 Senasqua Road, Croton-on-Hudson, New York
Area	2 acres (8,100 m2)
Built	Ca. 1890
Architect	New York Central Railroad
NRHP reference No.	87001458
Added to NRHP	August 27, 1987

The Croton North station is an old train station in Croton-on-Hudson, New York. It was built by the New York Central Railroad around 1890. This station is no longer used for trains.

In 1987, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical building. Even though it's now used as offices, it still looks much like it did long ago. It's a great example of train stations from that time. Two old Pullman passenger train cars from the 1930s are also parked nearby.

What Does Croton North Station Look Like?

The station property is about 2 acres (8,100 m²) big. It is located next to active railroad tracks. These tracks are used by Metro-North commuter trains and Amtrak passenger trains. CSX Transportation also uses them for freight trains.

The station building is a one-story brick building. It has a sloped roof covered with asphalt shingles. The roof has wide overhangs, which are supported by large wooden brackets. These overhangs used to shelter passengers waiting for trains.

Inside the Station

The inside of the station has been changed to office spaces. However, many parts of its original design are still there. The main entrance is at the front, where a covered area once allowed people to get out of carriages or cars. This area is now enclosed.

The Old Train Cars

Just north of the station, you can see two old Pullman-Electric passenger cars. These cars were built in the 1930s. They still have their original seats and luggage racks inside.

These cars were not actually used on the tracks here. They belonged to the New York and Erie Railroad and ran in New Jersey. But because they are from the same time period, they help tell the story of the station. They are considered an important part of the historic site.

History of Croton North Station

The first train stations built in this area were small, cottage-like wooden buildings. They were built in the mid-1800s. As train travel grew, these small stations were no longer big enough.

Around 1860, the New York Central Railroad started building new, larger stations. These new stations were often made of brick. They showed how important railroads were becoming to the economy. Croton North station is one of these older brick stations.

Later, around the late 1800s and early 1900s, train stations changed again. Cars were becoming popular, and roads were improving. Railroads started building more fancy stations. Famous architects like Warren and Wetmore, who designed Grand Central Terminal, created some of these.

Design of Croton North Station

While some stations were designed by famous architects, the Croton North station was designed by the railroad's own engineers. It has many features common to stations of its time. These include the sloped roof with wide eaves to protect passengers.

The station also has some features of the Queen Anne style. This style was popular for homes back then. You can see it in the curved north end of the building and the way the windows are placed. The use of special bricks and carved wooden brackets also shows this style.

These design choices also made the station very practical. The layout made it clear where the waiting room and ticket office were. The covered entrance and platform canopy kept travelers dry when moving from a car to the train.

Station's Later Years

The Croton North station stopped being used for train service in the 1960s. For a while, it was empty and not cared for. In 1984, it was renovated and turned into office space. This project did not change the station's look much.

In 1986, a short new section of track was added north of the station. This was so the two old Pullman cars could be parked there. Today, the building is used by an electrical contractor and an architect.