Newark station (Delaware) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Newark
Newark station in April 2012
Location	10 Mopar Drive, Newark, Delaware United States
Coordinates	39°40′13″N 75°45′11″W / 39.67028°N 75.75306°W / 39.67028; -75.75306
Owned by	DART First State
Line(s)	Northeast Corridor
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	4
Connections	DART First State: 10, 33, 46, 302 Cecil Transit: 4, 5 UNICITY: N1, N2 James F. Hall Trail
Construction
Parking	380 spaces
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Station code	NRK (Amtrak)
Fare zone	4 (SEPTA)
History
Opened	1877
Electrified	January 28, 1935 (ceremonial) February 10, 1935 (regular service)
Traffic
Passengers (2018)	13,614  1.33% (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station Aberdeen toward Norfolk, Newport News or Roanoke Northeast Regional Wilmington toward Boston South or Springfield Preceding station SEPTA Following station Terminus Wilmington/​Newark Line Churchmans Crossing toward Temple University
Former services Preceding station Amtrak Following station Elkton toward Washington, D.C. Chesapeake Wilmington toward Philadelphia–Suburban Preceding station Pennsylvania Railroad Following station Iron Hill toward Washington, DC Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad Ruthby toward Philadelphia
Newark Passenger Station
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location	429 S. College Avenue, Newark, Delaware
Area	0.1 acres (0.04 ha)
Built	1877
Architect	S. T. Fuller
Architectural style	Late Victorian, High Victorian
MPS	Newark MRA
NRHP reference No.	82002346
Added to NRHP	May 7, 1982

Newark station is a train station located in Newark, Delaware. It serves two main train lines: Amtrak's Northeast Regional trains and SEPTA's Wilmington/Newark Line Regional Rail trains. The station is part of the busy Northeast Corridor, which is a major railway line in the eastern United States.

Train Services at Newark Station

A SEPTA train at Newark in 2018

The Newark station is the last stop for SEPTA's Wilmington/Newark Line trains on weekdays. However, these trains do not run to Newark on weekends or holidays. The SEPTA service in Delaware is supported by DART First State, a local transportation agency.

Amtrak's Northeast Regional service at Newark station is limited. On weekdays, there is usually one train going in each direction. On Thursdays and Fridays, there's an extra northbound train, and on Fridays, an extra southbound train. On weekends, the station sees three trains in each direction.

The station is located at Mopar Drive and South College Avenue. If you arrive by train, you can walk a few blocks north to reach the University of Delaware or the shops and restaurants on Main Street. There's a large parking lot with 380 spaces, which is often used by people who park their cars and then take the train to places like Wilmington, Delaware, or Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The James F. Hall Trail also runs along the north side of the train tracks.

History of Newark Station

The original station building was built in 1877 by an old train company called the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad. This building is right next to the southbound train platform. In the past, it also had train lines connecting to other towns like Pomeroy, Pennsylvania, and Delaware City, Delaware.

Today, the old station building is home to the Newark Historical Society and is not used as a train station anymore. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 7, 1982, which means it's recognized as an important historical site. The building has a unique "T" shape and features fancy Victorian details, like decorative brackets and special brickwork.

Station Upgrades and Future Plans

In 1986, the city of Newark decided to get money from a special state fund to buy and fix up the old station. On March 27, 1987, Amtrak officially gave the station building to the city. By September, experts were hired to plan the restoration. The work included fixing the ticket booths and waiting rooms on the first floor, updating offices upstairs, and rebuilding the covered areas outside. SEPTA train service was extended to Newark in 1997.

In 2012, the station received a new federal grant (money from the government) to make it a modern transportation hub. This project included building new platforms, removing dangerous crossings where roads meet tracks, improving the nearby train yard, and adding new ticket machines.

More track upgrades are happening to allow more trains to run between Newark and Wilmington. This involves rebuilding parts of the tracks and adding a third track to a 1.5-mile section of the line.

There have also been talks about extending the MARC commuter rail service from Maryland to Newark. This would connect Newark to major cities like Baltimore and Washington, D.C.. Currently, there's a bus connection between Newark and Baltimore, but an extended MARC train would be a direct link. In 2020, local lawmakers suggested a plan to add commuter train service between Newark and Perryville, Maryland, which would connect MARC service with SEPTA at Newark. This plan aims to give Delaware residents another way to travel to Baltimore and Washington, D.C., without relying only on Amtrak.

On July 17, 2017, construction started on a big project to add new tracks, platforms that are easy for everyone to use, and a brand-new station building. Important people like Governor John Carney, U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons, and U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester attended a special ceremony to mark the start of the work.

The first part of the project added more parking spaces and changed the intersection near the station. The second part will build the new station building, which will have restrooms, a waiting area, and bike parking. A covered bridge for people to walk over the tracks is also planned. The new station will have a special platform between two tracks, allowing two trains to be served at the same time. On May 30, 2018, another ceremony was held for the new station building, with Governor Carney and Senator Carper present. This project will help SEPTA expand its service at the station and could even allow MARC service to extend from Maryland.

• Amtrak – Stations – Newark station (Delaware)

Images for kids

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  The original Newark station building in April 2012