East Stroudsburg station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids East Stroudsburg
Location	Bridge Street, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Owned by	Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Rail Authority
Line(s)	Lackawanna Cut-Off
Tracks	1
Construction
Parking	228 spaces (proposed)
Other information
Station code	82 (D&LW)
History
Opened	1856
Closed	January 5, 1970
Former and proposed services
Preceding station Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Following station Analomink toward Buffalo Main Line Delaware Water Gap toward Hoboken Proposed services Preceding station NJ Transit Following station Analomink toward Scranton Lackawanna Cut-Off Delaware Water Gap toward New York Penn Station or Hoboken
East Stroudsburg Railroad Station
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
The East Stroudsburg station in July 2010, in the process of demolition.
Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Crystal Street, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Area	0.2 acres (0.08 ha)
Built	1856
Architectural style	Queen Anne
NRHP reference No.	80003572
Added to NRHP	June 27, 1980

The East Stroudsburg train station is a historic building. It was built way back in 1856 by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad. This station served both East Stroudsburg and Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.

Locally, people often called it the Dansbury Depot. This was because a restaurant used to be in the building. The station is located on Crystal Street in East Stroudsburg. Train service to East Stroudsburg stopped on January 5, 1970. This happened when the Erie Lackawanna Railway stopped running its Lake Cities train.

Today, there's a plan to bring back train service. NJ Transit wants to extend its service to a rebuilt East Stroudsburg station. Currently, trains from the Steamtown National Historic Site use the tracks for fun trips.

History of the East Stroudsburg Train Station

A train schedule from 1961 showing stops in East Stroudsburg.

The East Stroudsburg station was once a busy place. Many passenger trains used to stop here. First, it was used by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad. Later, it was used by the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad.

Some of the famous trains that stopped here included the Lake Cities. Other trains were the Owl and the New York Mail. There was also the Twilight and the Pocono Express. The most famous train was the Phoebe Snow.

Saving the Station Building

Why the Station Was Important

The area around Stroudsburg is near Interstate 80. This highway connects the Pocono Mountains to Northern New Jersey and New York City. This highway often gets very crowded. The old train line, called the "cutoff", runs next to I-80. Many people thought it could help reduce traffic if trains ran on it again.

A Fire and a Fight to Save It

On October 26, 2009, a fire damaged the station building. In July 2010, a local developer planned to buy the station. He wanted to tear it down and build a new apartment building. This news surprised many people in the community.

Many groups started to try and save the historic station. They joined together as the "Save the Dansbury Depot Citizens Group." They asked local leaders for time to find a solution. They also tried to talk with the new owner. Their Facebook page grew to over 3,600 members. These members helped by going to meetings and donating money.

Dr. Joseph Mattioli, who owned Pocono Raceway, even promised $500,000 to help. A judge stopped the demolition for a few days. But another judge soon reversed that decision. Demolition began, even with many people protesting.

The Station's New Home

The East Stroudsburg station in May 2015, after being moved and restored.

Even though demolition started, the oldest part of the station was saved. A group called The Eastburg Community Alliance helped make a plan. They decided to move and fix up the station.

The station was temporarily moved to a public parking lot. This was on the eastern side of the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Rail Authority tracks. It waited there for a new concrete base. By summer 2011, the station was placed on its new, permanent foundation. This new spot is across the tracks from where it used to be.

Workers began restoring the station. They wanted it to look like it did when the Lackawanna railroad used it. The side of the station that now faces the tracks is the same side that originally faced them. The station was simply turned around.

The station is very close to the Lackawanna Tower. Another local group is also working to preserve this tower. Even though the DL&W railroad is no longer in business, one track is still used. It runs from Stroudsburg west to Scranton. The Delaware–Lackawanna Railroad uses this track for freight trains. Scranton is also home to Steamtown National Historic Site. Tourist trains from Steamtown use this track for trips to Stroudsburg. The crossing signals have been updated to be safe.

The original site of the station now has the new apartment building. The old platform shed, which was part of the station, is now an extension of this new building.

Future NJ Transit Station

New Jersey Transit (NJT) is a train company that serves the New York City and Philadelphia areas. NJT has bought the old DL&W train path. They have started to put down new tracks at the eastern end of the line. Their goal is to rebuild the tracks all the way to Stroudsburg.

As part of this plan, NJT wants to build a new station in East Stroudsburg. This new station would be just south of the old station site. It would be located between the track and Crystal Street. The plan includes 228 parking spaces and one platform. The station would be about 80 miles (129 km) from New York City. It would be part of the new Lackawanna Cut-Off line.