Lyons station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lyons
The station at Lyons in September 2020. The station depot, built by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, is seen behind the canopy.
Location	4 Lyons Road, Basking Ridge, New Jersey 07059
Owned by	New Jersey Transit
Platforms	1 side platform
Tracks	1
Connections	Lakeland: 78
Construction
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Station code	712 (Delaware, Lackawanna and Western)
Fare zone	14
History
Opened	January 29, 1872
Rebuilt	December 15, 1930–1931
Electrified	January 6, 1931
Key dates
October 23, 1918	Station shelter burned
Traffic
Passengers (2017)	385 (average weekday)
Services
Preceding station NJ Transit Following station Basking Ridge toward Gladstone Gladstone Branch Millington toward New York Penn Station or Hoboken
Former services Preceding station Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Following station Basking Ridge toward Gladstone Gladstone Branch Millington toward Hoboken
Lyons Station
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in Somerset County, New Jersey Show map of Somerset County, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Area	0.2 acres (0.081 ha)
Built	1931 (1931)
Architect	D.T. Mack
Architectural style	Tudor Revival, Mission Revival/Spanish Revival
MPS	Operating Passenger Railroad Stations TR
NRHP reference No.	84002805
Added to NRHP	June 22, 1984

Lyons is a train station in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. It is part of the New Jersey Transit system. The station is located along the Gladstone Branch of the Morris & Essex Lines. It helps people travel to and from south Basking Ridge. It also serves nearby areas like The Hills and Liberty Corner.

History of Lyons Station

Building the Station

Lyons station was built in 1931. It was constructed by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad. The station was built to serve a new medical center in Lyons. This medical center opened in 1930.

The Lyons station was the very last one built by this railroad company in New Jersey. It was also the second-to-last station depot they built overall. Only a station in Syracuse, New York was built later in 1941.

Station Design and Features

The station building stands on the north side of the single train track. It has a special design that mixes two styles: Tudor Revival and Mission Revival. An architect named D.T. Mack, or someone from his team, designed it.

The building is made of brick and stucco. It has fancy limestone decorations. These decorations look like carved flowers at the ends of the roof. The station also has large doors on the right side. These were used for moving freight. On the far end of the platform, there is a decorative brass arch.

Because of its unique design and history, the station building is very important. It was added to the New Jersey Register of Historic Places on March 17, 1984. It was also listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 22, 1984.

Restoring the Station

In 2014, Bernards Township applied for money to fix the station. They wanted to repair the building's walls and structure. They received a grant of $103,000 for these improvements.

Later, in November 2015, they got a second grant. This grant was for $96,580 from the Somerset County Historic Preservation Commission. It was used to restore the station building and its canopy.

Work on the station canopy began in January 2016. In late 2017, restoration started on the station building itself. Old cream-colored paint was removed from the outside. This revealed the original brick and stucco underneath. In June 2018, the station building received a fresh layer of stucco.

Station Layout and Facilities

Platform and Accessibility

Lyons station has one side platform. Most of the platform is low to the ground. However, there is a special mini-high platform and ramp. This ramp is at the eastern end of the station. It makes the station accessible for passengers with disabilities. This means Lyons is one of the few stations on the Gladstone Branch that people using wheelchairs can easily use.

Station Building and Services

The station building is open only on weekdays. You can visit it from 5:05 AM to 1:05 PM. There is a short break from 9:50 AM to 10:20 AM.

You can find two Ticket Vending Machines (TVM) next to the station building. There are also racks where you can park your bicycle. To the left of the building, there is a small outdoor area with benches. This is a nice spot to wait for your train.

Parking at the Station

There are two parking lots at Lyons station. A railroad crossing at each end of the station helps you reach the far parking lot.

The parking lot right next to the platform has 95 spaces. The town owns this lot, and you need a permit to park there. The other parking lot is farther away. It has 236 spaces and is owned by Park America. You can use this lot for both daily parking and permit parking.