 New York-Penn, NY | Northeast Regional | Stamford, CT  |
New Rochelle is the station just north of the junction where Amtrak joins the New Haven Line at "Shell". The full interlocking for Amtrak joining the New Haven Line isn't until north of the station so Amtrak trains, both stopping and passing through the station, must stop at the island (normally Grand Central-bound) platform. This full interlocking between the four tracks just north of the station "Shell" is home to a small 3 track New Rochelle Yard so a few peak hour trains (4 originate in the AM Peak, 2 in the PM peak) terminate at New Rochelle. Otherwise off peak service is from the standard every 30-minute local trains to Stamford with New Haven-bound Express trains skipping the station. Many Amtrak Northeast Regional trains stop at the station, with all Acela Express trains and the Vermonter skipping the stop (although they have to deadhead slowly past the island platform due to the interlocking situation).
Amtrak began stopping in the station in 1987, relocating its Westchester County suburban station along the Northeast Corridor from Rye. In 1988 the station's historic 1888 depot caught fire and gutted most of the station's roof, but it was given a historically accurate restoration and reopened on March 1, 1991. The depot is a long building with second story dormer windows and is painted a red and cream color scheme. A modern parking garage with 5 levels opened next to the depot in 2004, the ground floor of the garage contains the New Rochelle Transit Center, with 4 Lanes (each able to accommodate two stopped buses) serving 9 connecting Bee-Line bus routes.
The station itself has unique track layout, with what are today 4 tracks, with space for 5 tracks, a second express track removed at some point after 2005. From the west is a side platform for Grand Central-bound trains, this is followed by an express track, next is an empty track bed that once contained a second express track. The final two tracks stop at an island platform used by all Connecticut-bound Metro-North and all Amtrak trains.
The platforms are slightly offset from each other, with the side platform running slightly farther south than the island platform. The northern ends of the platforms begin with access from the overpass of North Avenue. Here a staircase leads directly down to the island platform, while the side platform has a gentle ramp down to between the start of the platform and the parking garage. This ramp finally reaches the side platform at the opposite end of the parking garage and by the restored historic depot.
Inside the depot is the station cafe and a still open ticket office (open from mornings to evenings with two shifts on Weekdays, and for one morning shift on weekends). Streetside of the depot is a taxi loop and small kiss n ride/accessible parking lot. Just south of the depot is the stations accessible pedestrian bridge with a staircase and elevator from each platform leading up to the bridge. This bridge also leads to a direct entrance at bridge level beyond the island platform to Station Plaza South. The platforms end beneath the bridge of Memorial Highway (with no further platform access) which immediately passes over the New England Thruway (I-95) which runs just west of the railroad line. Both platforms are canopied for a few car lengths near the enclosed pedestrian bridge, with canopies fully covering the area between the depot and side platform.
Photos 1-22: 6 June, 2006; 23-52: 10 September, 2012; 53-54: 4 April, 2013; 55-60: 5 April, 2013
Pelham 