The City of New Rochelle informed Metro-North of its intention to close the bathroom at the New Rochelle train station on December 1st. In a meeting on December 15th, representatives of the railroad urged city officials not to do that. New Rochelle officials told Metro-North that the bathrooms are frequently vandalized and are in bad shape and need capital investment.
“In November 1968, our predecessor railroad sold the station building to Trio Investors Corp. of NYC,” said Metro-North spokesperson Marjorie Anders. “In the deed, the sellers required the buyers to keep the restroom open, cleaned and maintained.” Anders said the deed also retained for the railroad a ticket office and waiting area.
According to Metro-North officials, sometime thereafter the sale to Trio, the City of New Rochelle took ownership of the train station and maintenance became the responsibility of the city’s Department of Development. The city has been maintaining it ever since.
Metro-North stressed that they have never paid rent to the city or anyone else for those spaces and is not in a position to pay for this.
“We are considering our options,” said Anders.
There are eight New Haven Line stations in New York State. Those with bathrooms are Mount Vernon, Pelham, Larchmont, Harrison Rye and Port Chester. New Rochelle joins Mamaroneck as the only station on the line in New York without a bathroom. Metro-North is not responsible for any station facilities in the state of Connecticut. About 2,200 people get on the train at New Rochelle on a typical weekday morning.
So let me get this straight
With 2006 statistics marking daily ridership at over 4000, coupled with Amtrak customers, a tenant cafe, an enhanced Inter Modal Trans Center and not a pot to piss in?
This is an utter embarrassment.
No. It is business as usual
No. It is business as usual in New Rochelle. Just another example of how out touch the leadership is with city residents.
Wonderful. New Rochelle
Wonderful. New Rochelle proves once again it can’t handle even simple problems.
What i don’t understand is
What i don’t understand is that City hall has been paying for private security for years now and I can’t ever remember a problem occuring there. Moreover, I have walked in that building many a time when the security guards were not at their posts.
Why not end the security at City Hall and utilize that security at the train station where there is more need for it. Wouldn’t this cut down on vandalism?
Also, if anyone ever used the train station in Stamford, CT, they will note that there arem security guards AND bathrooms there and that the police make regular visits there.
I wonder if MetroNorth would consider setting up a police substation in NR?
Security guard
The security guard is very un professional. He treats visitors as if they
Were trespassers. Not a very good impression. Like everyone
else they get to lax in doing their job. Needs a uniform and a
tie. Good idear on the MTA substation
Police Substation in NR Train Station
I have asked the police department to use the old taxi office that is vacant. I was told this would never happen. Perhaps if the police got out of their cars when on duty at the train station, we would all feel a little safer.
Why have we not heard from the police commissioner?
I have seen a few city officials at the train station and they walk around and never walk inside the station. Remember that this is the year that we will be voting for the mayor and some council members. They will be at the train station in full force and I am sure Nita Lowey will be there as well. See if they want to get involved or will they give us some political bull?