Tottenville station explained

Tottenville
Style:Staten Island Railway
Type: Staten Island Railway station (rapid transit)
Address:Arthur Kill Road and Bentley Street
Tottenville, Staten Island
Coordinates:40.5125°N -74.2523°W
Connections: NYCT Bus:
Accessible:yes
Platforms:1 island platform
Tracks:5 (3 not for passenger service)
Structure:At-grade
Code:522
Opened:June 2, 1860[1]
Other Services Header:Former services
Other Services Collapsible:yes
Map State:collapsed
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Custom:
Shape:none
Line:none
Marker:rail-metro
Zoom:15

The Tottenville station is a Staten Island Railway rapid transit station in the neighborhood of Tottenville, Staten Island, New York City. Located near Main Street and Arthur Kill Road, it is the southern terminus on the main line and the southernmost railway station in both New York City and New York State.

History

The station opened on June 2, 1860, with the opening of the Staten Island Railway from Annadale to Tottenville. Eight shipyards were located at this location in the 1880s.[2] From the year 1860 to 1885, the locomotives of the Staten Island Railway were maintained and repaired at Journea's Shipyard and at Tyrell's Machine shop. A ferry was operated by the Staten Island Railway from 1867 until 1948 that ran across the Arthur Kill to the Perth Amboy Ferry Slip in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. The ferry service dated back to the 1700s and ended on October 17, 1963.[3] There are remains of the old slip to the ferry near the end of Bentley Street, which is now a dead-end street blocked by a Jersey barrier.

The station was destroyed on September 3, 1929 after a fire burned the station down. The fire was attributed to the third rail short circuiting. The two 550foot-long platforms were destroyed as were five train cars being stored near the station. The damage was estimated to cost $200,000. Passengers using the Perth Amboy Ferry were forced to use the nearby Atlantic station instead.[4]

Derailments

On December 26, 2008 at 6:27 a.m., an empty train was pulling into this station to accept passengers for its a.m. rush hour run to St. George when it ran into the bumper block and subsequently derailed. An investigation revealed that the engineer, Kim Canady, fell asleep at the helm, having stayed up late the night before to celebrate Christmas with her family.[5]

On May 29, 2014 at 6:36 a.m., another empty train hit the same bumper block in the station, and the train's engineer and conductor were injured.[6] [7]

Station layout

This is a grade-level station with two tracks and an island platform. There are three tracks to the east of the platform for storing trains. All five tracks end at bumper blocks at their south ends. The station color is orange.

During rush hours, this station is served only by express trains from St. George. Local trains from St. George terminate at Great Kills.

MMezzanineOverpass to exit/entrances at Elm and Utah Streets
P
Platform level
Northbound toward
(demolished:)
Northbound toward
(demolished:)
Storage tracksNo passenger service →
No passenger service →
No passenger service →
Street levelExit/entrance to Bentley Street

Exits

The south end is ADA-accessible via a ramp to Bentley Street and a tiny parking area. The 1930s head house is used by SIRTOA employees only. The roadway leads to the end of Arthur Kill Road. The north end is accessible via passageway and overpass, south to Main Street, and north to Ellis Street.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: SIRT The Essential History . Irvin Leigh and Paul Matus . 5 . December 23, 2001 . March 3, 2009.
  2. Book: Bommer. Edward. Stations and Places Along the Staten Island Rapid Transit. 2003. November 19, 2015.
  3. News: Perth Amboy Ferry Makes Its Last Run . September 5, 2019 . . October 17, 1963 . 1. Newspapers.com.
  4. News: $200,000 TOTTENVILLE FIRE.; Transit Line Station Damaged and Six Coaches Burned.. September 4, 1929. The New York Times. December 24, 2017. en-US. 0362-4331.
  5. News: Train derailment at Staten Island Railway station cost city MTA more than a half-million dollars . Maura . Yates . Staten Island Advance . April 30, 2009 . July 15, 2011.
  6. News: Staten Island Railway train derails in Tottenville, injuring 2; service interrupted. Grunland. Maura. May 29, 2014. SILive.com. December 24, 2017. en-US.
  7. Web site: Staten Island Railway Train Derails, Injuring 2 Workers, Officials Say. Gardiner. Aidan. May 29, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140530012237/http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20140529/tottenville/staten-island-railway-train-derails-injuring-2-workers-officials-say. May 30, 2014. dead. May 29, 2014.