Sharon station (New York Central Railroad)

The Sharon station was one of two former New York Central Railroad (NYC) stations that served the residents of Amenia, New York via the Harlem Line.

Sharon
An early postcard of Sharon station
Location	396 Sharon Station Road Amenia, NY, 12501
Coordinates	41.8834°N 73.5196°W
Tracks	1
Other information
Fare zone	12
History
Opened	Mid-1870s
Closed	March 20, 1972 (passenger service);[1] March 27, 1980 (freight)
Former services
Preceding station New York Central Railroad Following station Amenia toward New York Harlem Division Coleman's toward Chatham

History

Former Sharon station site, circa 2009

This station was named for and served the nearby town of Sharon, Connecticut. Despite its name, Sharon Station is not actually located in Sharon but is located over the state border and catered to the residents of Sharon. It was a much closer commute to Sharon Station than to the Danbury station to the south.

Depending on the source, Sharon station began serving both passengers and freight in either 1873 or 1875. It was one of the stations on the Harlem Line to serve the Berkshire Hills Express and other limited stop trains that went from New York City all the way to Pittsfield, Massachusetts and North Adams, Massachusetts in the Berkshires.[2][3] Such through trains were replaced by shuttle transfers in 1950.[4]

Service ended in March 20, 1972[1] and freight only until March 27, 1980 when Conrail abandoned service on that segment of the line. The station building was damaged by a fire in 1997, but was bought by a local family and restored.[5] Sharon Station still exists today and has been converted into a residence, while the railroad line was converted into the Harlem Valley Rail Trail.[6]

References

1. Layton, Preston (March 21, 1972). "PC Ends Run, Strands Riders". New York Daily News. p. 22. Retrieved December 5, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "New York Central Railroad, Tables 6, 98". Official Guide of the Railways. National Railway Publication Company. 64 (9). February 1932.
3. "New York Central Railroad, Tables 11, 90". Official Guide of the Railways. National Railway Publication Company. 71 (3). August 1938.
4. New York Central June 1950 timetable, Table 42
5. "Harlem Valley Rail Trail: The Trail, Mechanic Street in Amenia to Coleman Station in the Town of North East". Archived from the original on 2013-10-23. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
6. Harlem Valley Rail Trail map

External links

• Photographic tour of Sharon Station

The Harlem Valley Rail Trail now uses the line that served Sharon station until 1980.