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The Northern Branch

Train Stations Still Standing

Page added 2006. Last Updated February 2009. Copyright © 2006, 2009 Lewis Bogaty

Only five of the Northern Branch train stations (and one freight house) remain standing today. They can be found in Englewood, Tenafly, Demarest, Closter, and Piermont. The Englewood station, on Depot Square north of Palisade Avenue, had several incarnations as restaurants and now serves as a studio. The renovated Tenafly station recently opened as a cafe. The Demarest station has also been restored. The Closter station, off Demarest Avenue, at 1 Station Court, on the west side of the tracks, is a private home. A dilapidated building across the tracks from the former station was the freight house. It is now used for storage. The Piermont station survived years of decay. As we hear the story, a relative of the woman who last served as station master still lived in the station for many years. It then stood empty for some time. Only recently (in 2004) after long years of legal proceedings, the station was purchased by the town of Piermont, and a restoration was planned. Five years later, the exterior renovation appears to be complete, and work continues on the interior. 

Englewood
 

Above: C777 heads north past the former Englewood station,
led by an SD 40-2 leased from Helm Financial. October 28, 2004.

Tenafly
 

The Tenafly train station
Above: The restored Tenafly station was designed in High Victorian Gothic
by architect Daniel T. Atwood and opened in 1874. It is now owned by the Borough of Tenafly
which completed the restoration in 1994.  C777 is led south by a leasing engine on July 29, 2004.

Below: Southbound on October 11, 2004. The former station is located
on Railroad Avenue, just north of Clinton Avenue in the center of town.

Demarest
 

Above: The historic Demarest train station, viewed from the street on October 12, 2004.
Built in 1872 of Palisade stone quarried on the Demarest farm, the station was considered
the “handsomest station on the line.” It was named for State Senator Ralph S. Demarest,
a director of the Northern Railroad. The present borough adopted the same name when it was
incorporated in 1903.

Below: The station and the train, from the trackside, lost in the splendor of autumn's colors. October 28, 2004.
The Demarest Station can be found by taking Route 501 to Hardenburgh Avenue.

Above: C777 is led south by a GP 40-2 engine still in Conrail paint. October 12, 2004.
 

Above: C777 is southbound on October 28, 2004.
 

Closter
 

Above: The former Closter train station, now a private home, is located between
Demarest Avenue and High Street, viewed on January 20, 2009.
 

Above & Below: The old freight house on the east side of the tracks stands opposite the former station.
The view (above) is looking north toward High Street. January 20, 2009.

Piermont

Above & Below: Located at mile 25, the Piermont station was awaiting renovation when we photographed it
in the fall of 2004. The track north of the New York border has been turned into a hiking trail.
This spot provides views of the Hudson River and Tappan Zee Bridge far below.
The station is located off Ash Street in Piermont.

Above & Below: The restored Piermont Station as it looked on February 15, 2009.

Below: The Erie mile post for mile 25 still stands just north of the Piermont station.

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