Kingston station (Rhode Island) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kingston, RI
Kingston station building and platforms in May 2017
Location	1 Railroad Avenue West Kingston, Rhode Island United States
Coordinates	41°29′02″N 71°33′39″W / 41.4840°N 71.5607°W / 41.4840; -71.5607
Owned by	State of Rhode Island
Line(s)	Amtrak Northeast Corridor
Platforms	1 side platform 1 island platform
Tracks	3
Connections	RIPTA: 64, 66
Construction
Parking	150 spaces
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Architectural style	Stick/Eastlake
Other information
Station code	Amtrak: KIN
History
Opened	June 1875 (current station)
Rebuilt	May 31, 1998 October 30, 2017
Traffic
Passengers (FY2019)	174,747 (Amtrak)
Services
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Former services Preceding station Amtrak Following station Shannock toward New Haven Beacon Hill Wickford Junction toward Boston South Preceding station Penn Central Following station Kenyons toward Westerly Westerly–​Providence local 1971-1979 Wickford Junction toward Providence Preceding station New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Following station Kenyons toward New Haven Shore Line Wickford Junction toward Boston
Kingston Railroad Station
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
NRHP reference No.	78000018
Added to NRHP	April 26, 1978

Kingston Station is a historic train station in West Kingston, Rhode Island. It sits on the Northeast Corridor, a busy railway line. The station was built in 1875 by the New York, Providence and Boston Railroad. It replaced older stations that had been there since 1837. Today, most Northeast Regional trains stop here. In the past, Kingston also had commuter train services to cities like Providence and Boston. The MBTA is even thinking about extending its commuter service to Kingston in the future.

History of Kingston Station

The Station's Early Years

Kingston station in 1875

The New York, Providence and Boston Railroad opened its tracks in November 1837. Since the tracks didn't go through the main village of Kingston, a new village called West Kingston grew up around the train station.

The current Kingston station has been used continuously since it opened in June 1875. For many years, Kingston Station also served the Narragansett Pier Railroad. This line connected Kingston to Narragansett Pier, an 8.5-mile trip that took about 20 minutes. Passenger service on this line ended in June 1952. Later, in 2000, the old train tracks were turned into the William C. O'Neill Bike Path, which is now a popular trail for biking and walking.

Changes in Train Service

An Acela Express train passing through Kingston at 150 mph

By the 1960s, Kingston station mainly had regional train service between Boston and New York City. In May 1971, Amtrak took over most long-distance train services. For a while, a state-funded commuter trip ran from Westerly to Providence, stopping at Kingston. This service ended in June 1977.

Later, from 1976 to 1978, Amtrak ran a local train called the Clamdigger from Providence to New Haven, which stopped at Kingston. This was replaced by the Beacon Hill train in April 1978. However, due to fewer passengers, the Beacon Hill stopped running in October 1981. After that, Kingston only had long-distance train stops.

The station was recognized as an important historical place on April 26, 1978. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places as the Kingston Railroad Station.

After a fire damaged the station on December 12, 1988, a group called "The Friends of Kingston Station" helped save and restore the building.

Most Northeast Regional trains stop at Kingston, but Acela trains usually do not. Kingston is on a special section of track where Acela Express trains can go very fast, up to 150 miles per hour! Signs and announcements warn passengers about these fast-moving trains. Sometimes, in emergencies, Acela trains might stop at Kingston because it has high-level platforms that make it easy for passengers to get on and off.

The Railroad Museum

For some time, half of the Kingston station building was home to the Rhode Island Railroad Museum. This museum was run by the Friends of The Kingston Railroad Station. It was open on Sunday afternoons and showed old items from Rhode Island railroads. A special part of the museum was a working model train set that showed Kingston as it looked in 1948. The museum later closed because the station needed more space for passengers due to more people using the trains. This area was then updated to be a second waiting room with places to sit and plug in devices.

Station Upgrades and Expansion

New high-level platforms being built in January 2016

In 2009, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) asked for money to add a new track and platform at Kingston. This would allow more local trains to stop there, possibly including future MBTA Commuter Rail trains.

On June 29, 2015, Amtrak and local leaders started a big project to expand the station. This project replaced the old, lower platforms with new, higher platforms that are easier for everyone to use, including people with disabilities. They also added a 1.5-mile-long third track. This new track allows fast Acela Express trains to pass through the station without stopping, while Northeast Regional or future commuter trains are stopped at the platforms.

The construction also included adding drainage, retaining walls, and poles for the overhead wires that power the trains. The inside of the station building was also renovated. This project cost $41 million. A large part of the money came from a federal grant, with RIDOT and Amtrak providing the rest. The station renovations were officially finished on October 30, 2017.

Future Commuter Train Service

Kingston is one of only three stations on the Northeast Corridor in this area that is served only by Amtrak trains. It does not currently have local commuter train service. In 1994, a report from RIDOT said that the Northeast Corridor was the best route for commuter trains in Rhode Island. Another report in 1994 thought that Kingston-Providence commuter service might start by 1999.

In 2001, RIDOT looked at plans for commuter train service from Westerly to Providence, with stops at Kingston, Wickford Junction, and T.F. Green Airport. They considered making it an extension of existing train lines or a new service. However, later reports did not discuss extending service further south than Wickford Junction. Commuter service to T.F. Green Airport began in December 2010, and to Wickford Junction in April 2012. The idea of extending commuter service to Kingston is still being discussed.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Washington County, Rhode Island