 Rhinecliff, NY | Adirondack | Croton-Harmon, NY  |
| Ethan Allen Express | ||
| Empire Service | ||
| Maple Leaf | ||
| Lake Shore Limited |
Poughkeepsie Station is the northern terminus of Metro-North Service and located just a block from the Hudson River. It is a Metro-North Station that retains a lot of its New York Central Heritage and a $7 million ARRA funded restoration is wrapping up that will be finished in November 2011. The platform canopies are even at the original height of when the station just had low-level platforms in their original days. This makes the now high-level platforms feel a bit claustrophobic. The station has four tracks within the station itself although these become three just south of it. This track 5 ends just south of the station and has no platform except the remains of its original low-level one, this platform is controlled by a manual switch and used primarily by CSX freight trains to bypass the station. The other three tracks have an island platform for the middle two (basically fully canopied) and a shorter side platform for track two, this one is not fully canopied and a bit wider in places. North of the station, the platforms ramp down to track level and there is a small engine maintenance area with what look like fueling pads. The Push-Pull Diesel Electric Metro-North trains always run with their engines on their north ends that provide the station's all hourly service (with a slight bit more during rush hours). This makes the stop by far Metro-North's most frequent diesel line and terminal.
For access to these two platforms the main way is via a staircase and elevator in the middle that lead up to the historically restored overpass, with windows that open and wooden paneling. This leads to the large historic station house just beyond track 5 at one end that feels like a bit of a mini Grand Central and was designed by the same architect. It has a high vaulted wooden ceiling, a staffed Metro-North ticket office, restrooms, Quick-Track Machines for the only Amtrak ticketing services (cash fares can be paid on board without penalty), and a snack bar. There are lots of wooden benches with lines of lights above the benches in the rest of the hall. The station house leads out to a nicely restored facade with a restored New York Central Railroad sign boldly in front out to the car/loop for passenger pick-up and drop off. Unfortunately the facade is partially blocked by the bridge that takes US-9's expressway above the station. There is a pedestrian walkway that leads south from the station house to Main Street's bridge across the tracks and down to the waterfront. There is an additional staircase from here down to the southern end of the island platform. The otherside of the central overpass connects to the third floor of a modern 3 story-parking garage that rests between the station and the riverfront park. The entire area between the station and the Hudson River is this parking garage or a parking lot just south of the station.
All photos unless otherwise noted were taken on 13 July, 2011
