Wassaic (Metro-North station)

Infobox Station
name=Wassaic
style=MNRR Harlem
logo=
logo_size=


image_size=
image_caption= Wassaic during the weekend evening commute
address=Route 22, 6/10 of a mile north of the Hamlet of Wassaic, Amenia, NY.
line=
other=Shortline Bus
Dutchess LOOP (Route 9)
platform=
tracks=1
parking=
bicycle=
passengers=
pass_year=2006
pass_percent=0
opened=2000
rebuilt=
ADA=yes
code=
owned=
zone=10
services=

The Wassaic Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of Wassaic, New York (part of Amenia) at the northern terminal of the Harlem Line. Trains leave for New York City every two hours, and about every 30 minutes during rush hour. It is 82 miles (132 km) from Grand Central Terminal and travel time to Grand Central is approximately two hours, eleven minutes.

The station consists of a single platform, on the east side of the single track line. Metro-North also has a small rail yard just north of the station, to store locomotives and cars used for peak service.

This station is the first/last station in the Zone 10 Metro-North fare zone.

History

The first Wassaic train station was about 1/2 mile south of its current location and was situated in the actual town section of Wassaic. The station operated by New York Central Railroad served the surrounding village area, as well as towns even as far as Connecticut. In 1974 NYCR abandoned service north of Dover, and cut a track piece to prevent trains moving northbound. Wassaic, at milepost 81.33 was the northernmost point of the freight operation by Conrail on the Harlem. The name "Wassaic" comes from the Indian word, "Washaick" which means a narrow valley that is squeezed between two hills. The Ten Mile River and the Wassaic station both had to twist and turn around mountains in order to squeeze the track through.

Freight service was provided for mainly two industries in Wassaic, the Tri-Wall Container Coporation and Maxxon Mills Feeds. A furnace was located nearby and an early hotel, "The Wassaic House" was erected in 1851, following the construction of the railroad.

The physical end of the track is located just north of the current Wassaic yard, at mile post 83.68, there is no track or railroad past that point, but the roadbed which is still visible, is slowly being reclaimed by nature. Some 45.8 miles (35.9%) of track have been removed in two stages following some bitter court battles.

In 2000 Metro-North Railroad rehabbed the tracks that existed north of Dover Plains and constructed new platforms.

Former Stations

Past Wassaic, the following stations once existed while under control of the New York Central Railroad;
*Amenia
*Sharon
*Coleman's
*Millerton
*Mount Riga
*Boston Corners
*Copake Falls
*Hillsdale
*Craryville
*Martindale
*Philmont
*Ghent
*Chatham

External links

* [http://as0.mta.info/mnr/stations/station_detail.cfm?key=174 Metro-North Railroad - Wassaic]
* [http://www.subwaynut.com/mnr/wassaic/index.html The SubwayNut - Wassaic]