Fordham station

The Fordham station, also known as Fordham–East 190th Street station, is a commuter rail stop on the Metro-North Railroad's Harlem and New Haven Lines, serving Fordham Plaza in the Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx, New York City. The platforms are situated just below street level and feature two expanded side platforms that serve eight cars each, on the outer tracks. The station building sits above the tracks on the Fordham Road (East 190th Street) overpass, and still bears the name New York Central Railroad on its facade. The station is among the busiest rail stations in the Bronx.[3][4]

For the station in England that closed in 1965, see Fordham railway station.
Fordham
A New Haven Line train bypassing Fordham
Location417 East Fordham Road, Fordham, Bronx, New York
Coordinates40.861534°N 73.890561°W / 40.861534; -73.890561
Owned byMetro-North Railroad
Line(s)Harlem Line
Platforms2 side platforms
Tracks4
ConnectionsNew York City Bus, MTA Bus, Bee-Line Bus at Fordham Plaza Bus Terminal
Construction
Disabled accessYes
Other information
Fare zone2
History
OpenedMarch 1, 1841[1]
Electrified700V (DC) third rail
Passengers
2007201,968 (yearly) (MNRR)
20186,746 (weekday)[2] (MNRR)
Rank5 of 124[2]
Services
Preceding station Metro-North Following station
Tremont
towards Grand Central
 Harlem Line Botanical Garden
towards North White Plains
Harlem–125th Street
towards Grand Central
 New Haven Line Mount Vernon East
towards Stamford
Stamford
towards New Haven or New Haven State Street
Former services
Preceding station New York Central Railroad Following station
183rd Street
toward New York
 Harlem Division Botanical Garden
toward Chatham

History

The New York and Harlem Railroad laid tracks through Fordham as far back as 1841, and a station is known to have existed shortly afterwards.[5][6] The New York and Harlem was bought by the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad in 1864. A March 17, 1848 agreement gave the New York and New Haven Railroad trackage rights over the NY&H from Williamsbridge south into New York City. NY&NH was merged with the Hartford and New Haven Railroad to form the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad in 1872, and the trackage rights along the Harlem Division remained intact. This aspect of the line would prove to be of little importance to the station until the next century. Throughout the late-19th Century, the Harlem Division was widened and rebuilt into an open cut line as part of a grade elimination project, and Fordham Station was one of several in the Bronx that were rebuilt with a station house on a bridge over all four tracks, including Melrose, the former Morrisania and Tremont stations.[7][8] The reconstruction of the Harlem Line in this area lead to the creation of Fordham Plaza.[9]

The station building in 2013
The new Fordham Plaza entrance, across Fordham Road from the station building, in 2020

Two major milestones of the early 20th Century brought an increase in ridership to the station. The Metropolitan Elevated Railway (later acquired by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company) extended the Third Avenue Elevated Line to Fordham Station, bringing a rapid transit connection on July 1, 1901. Pelham Avenue station was the northern terminus of the line until it was extended to Bronx Park Terminal ten months later. As a result, the Third Avenue Railway also began to operate from Fordham Plaza converting it into the major transit hub that it is to this day. Due to the popularity of football games between the Fordham Rams and Yale Bulldogs in the 1920s, joint service between the New York Central Railroad and New York, New Haven and Hartford was moved from Woodlawn station to Fordham, where it remains.[10]

As with other NYC stations in the Bronx, the station became a Penn Central station once the NYC & Pennsylvania Railroads merged in 1968. Penn Central acquired the New Haven Railroad in 1969, thus transforming the station into a full Penn Central station. However, because of the railroad's serious financial distress following the merger, commuter service was turned over to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in 1972. To make matters worse, the connection to the Fordham Road–190th Street station as well as the rest of the IRT Third Avenue Line was eliminated in 1973, although the station still had a major mass transit connection in the form of Fordham Plaza. The station and the railroad were turned over to Conrail in 1976, and eventually became part of the MTA's Metro-North Railroad in 1983. Metro-North extended the platforms to handle longer trains in the 1990s, and removed the luncheonette and other local businesses that operated from the station.

Major changes to Fordham station were completed on November 22, 2016. The renovation's scope included a new entrance leading directly to Webster Avenue and 193rd Street, a new permanent artwork, and a rebuilt northbound platform. The northbound platform was widened from being just under ten feet wide to being 19 feet wide. This was made possible with the acquisition of property from Fordham University. At the north end of the southbound platform a ramp was installed. Both platforms received rehabilitated elevators, new LED lighting, new benches and canopies, real-time information monitors, and public address systems.[11]

In 2018, work was completed on a new interlocking to the north of the station, which was expected to increase reliability and capacity on the line. This project cost $29.9 million.[12]

Service

Most service is provided to Grand Central Terminal by local Harlem Line trains from and to North White Plains. These trains run at least every half-hour. However, during the reverse peak (outbound mornings and inbound evenings), express trains to and from Southeast also serve this station. On early weekend mornings and late evenings, a few express trains to and from Southeast stop here as well.

The station is partially served by off-peak local New Haven Line trains to and from Stamford, and some peak trains. It is the only station in the Bronx that New Haven Line trains serve daily. Until 2019, New Haven Line trains to Grand Central could only discharge passengers, while trains to Connecticut could only pick up passengers. Grand Central-bound trains may stop at Fordham to discharge passengers; those going to and from Grand Central had to use the Harlem Line. This is due to Metro-North's operating agreement with the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CDOT), which dates to the 19th century.[13] Beginning April 14, 2019, passengers heading to and from Grand Central can also travel on New Haven Line trains. This was a result of an agreement reached with CDOT, under which revenue from tickets between Fordham and Manhattan would be split between Metro-North and CDOT.[14][15]

The Fordham station is the busiest reverse-peak commutation station in the United States. Over 3,000 passengers traveling outbound on an average weekday, more than ten times the reverse-peak-commuter number in 1982. In addition, it is the busiest Metro-North station in the Bronx and the third-busiest station outside Manhattan.[11][16]:178 (PDF p. 3)

This station is located in Zone 2.

Neighborhood

This station is adjacent to the western end of the Rose Hill campus of Fordham University. It is part of the Fordham Plaza complex which is served by several Bronx and Westchester bus routes. The area is a commercial hub with many shops, especially along Fordham Road going west (known as "Fordham Center"). One Fordham Plaza, an office building with several shops, is located on the southeast corner of Fordham Road and Third Avenue, across from the bus terminal.[17][18]

Station layout

This station has two high-level side platforms each eight cars long.[19]:9 Both are accessible via stairways from the station building and from Fordham Plaza. There are also elevators from each platform to the station building.

G Street level Exit/entrance and buses
P
Platform level		 Side platform, doors will open on the right
Track 4 ←      Harlem Line toward Grand Central (Tremont)
←      New Haven Line toward Grand Central (Harlem–125th Street)
Track 2 ←           Harlem Line and New Haven Line express service does not stop here
Track 1 ←           Harlem Line and New Haven Line express service does not stop here →
Track 3 ←      New Haven Line toward Stamford (Mount Vernon East) →
←      Harlem Line toward North White Plains (Botanical Garden) →
Side platform, doors will open on the right

Fordham Plaza Bus Terminal
See also: List of bus routes in the Bronx and List of bus routes in Westchester County, New York

The following bus routes serve the Fordham Plaza area. Most routes serve the plaza directly, but the Bx1, Bx2, and Bx34 local buses and the BxM4 express bus stop on or near Grand Concourse several blocks west.

Route Stop location Origin Destination via notes
NYCT Bus
Grand Concourse and Fordham Road Mott Haven Riverdale 3rd Avenue, 138th Street,
Grand Concourse, Mosholu Parkway,
Sedgwick Avenue, 231st Street
Mott Haven Kingsbridge Heights 3rd Avenue, 149th Street, Grand Concourse,
Mosholu Parkway, Sedgwick Avenue
Fordham Road and Third Avenue Riverdale West Farms Broadway, Kingsbridge Road,
Fordham Road, Southern Boulevard		 Originally the Bronx and Van Cortlandt Parks Crosstown Line streetcars until January 24, 1948.
University Heights Pelham Bay or Orchard Beach Fordham Road, Pelham Parkway
  • Late nights, operates entire route between Inwood and Co-op City
  • Summers, operates to Orchard Beach
Inwood Co-Op City 207th Street, Fordham Road, Pelham Parkway
Fordham Plaza Bus Loop
to The Hub or Manhattanville
 125th Street, Willis Avenue, Third Avenue
Fordham Plaza (on Third Avenue)
to Port Morris/Mott Haven
 St. Ann's Avenue, Prospect Avenue, Crotona Avenue
Fordham Road and Third Avenue Castle Hill Bedford Park Castle Hill Avenue, Unionport Road,
White Plains Road, Fordham Road,
Kingsbridge Road, Goulden Avenue		 Midday and late evening service terminates at Valentine Avenue near the Fordham Road Subway station.
Valentine or Bainbridge Avenues and Fordham Road Valentine Avenue and Fordham Road Woodlawn Bainbridge Avenue, East 233rd Street
Webster Avenue and Fordham Road The Hub Williamsbridge Melrose Avenue, Webster Avenue Originally the Webster and White Plains Avenues Line streetcars until June 26, 1948.
The Hub Williamsbridge Melrose Avenue, Webster Avenue Began 2013. Replaced Bx55 (which replaced the IRT Third Avenue Line in 1973) north of Fordham Plaza.[22]
MTA Bus
Grand Concourse and Fordham Road Midtown Manhattan Woodlawn 5th & Madison Avenues, Grand Concourse, Bainbridge Avenue, Katonah Avenue Former Liberty Lines Express bus.
Bee-Line Bus
60
 East 189th Street and Third Avenue (southbound) or Fordham Road and Third Avenue (northbound)
White Plains TransCenter
 Boston Post Road, Palmer Avenue, Mamaroneck Avenue
61
Port Chester
 Boston Post Road, Fifth Avenue, Halstead Avenue U-Turns at NY-CT line
62
 Fordham Road and Third Avenue Fordham Road Subway station (at Valentine Avenue) White Plains TransCenter Boston Post Road, New England Thruway, Westchester Avenue Express to White Plains

Bibliography
  • Hyatt, Elijah Clarence (1898). History of the New York & Harlem Railroad. Retrieved May 21, 2020.

References
  1. Hyatt 1898, p. 14.
  2. METRO-NORTH 2018 WEEKDAY STATION BOARDINGS. Market Analysis/Fare Policy Group:OPERATIONS PLANNING AND ANALYSIS DEPARTMENT:Metro-North Railroad. April 2019. p. 5,6. Fordham totals reflect Harlem Line trains only [3,246] ... Fordham totals reflect New Haven Line trains only [3,500]
  3. Miller, Stephen (August 28, 2014). "City Begins to Reclaim Space for Pedestrians at Fordham Plaza". Streetsblog. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  4. "INVENTORY OF DECKING OPPORTUNITIES OVER TRANSPORTATION PROPERTIES Final Report: 6.1: TRANSIT AND RAILROAD OPEN CUTS: BRONX B" (PDF). nyc.gov. New York City Department of City Planning. September 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
  5. "Fullfilment of the Remarkable Prophecies Relating to the Development of Railroad Transportation," by Henry Whittemore—1909 (Catskill Archive)
  6. "The traveler's guide to the Hudson river, Saratoga Springs, lake George, falls of Niagara and Thousand islands; Montreal, Quebec, and the Saguenay river; also, to the Green and White mountains, and other parts of New England; forming the fashionable northern tour through the United States and Canada," By John Disturnell (1864)
  7. Tour of the Harlem Line - Melrose
  8. Melrose Station, in the late 1800s
  9. Fordham Plaza, c. 1920 (Charles Warren's Third Avenue El Gallery)
  10. Station Reporter web-site: Harlem Line Archived March 7, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  11. "MTA | news | Upgrades Include a More Spacious Platform, New Entrance, Artwork, Wider Stairway, Modernization of Station Elements". www.mta.info. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  12. Meeting of the Metro-North Railroad Committee March 2018 (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. p. 54.
  13. Jaccarino, Mike (May 18, 2009). "Wait for train in vain: Fordham riders vent: Metro-North won't let them on New Haven line". Daily News. New York. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
  14. "MTA Metro-North Railroad Opens New Haven Line Trains for Travel Between Fordham and Manhattan". mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. February 25, 2019. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
  15. Toussaint, Kristin (February 26, 2019). "Metro-North announces start of New Haven line service between Bronx and Manhattan". Metro US. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  16. "Sustainable Communities in the Bronx: Existing Stations: Fordham" (PDF). nyc.gov. New York City Economic Development Corporation. April 15, 2011. pp. 174–191. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
  17. "Appendix A: Major Trip Generators in the Bronx and Queens" (PDF). nyc.gov. New York City Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  18. Slattery, Denis (July 1, 2014). "Management company puts the grind on average Joe after Starbucks opens Bronx location: The owner of a newsstand inside One Fordham Plaza has been barred from selling java or tea since the corporate coffee chain opened in June, according to office workers". Daily News (New York). Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  19. "Metro-North Railroad Track & Structures Department Track Charts Maintenance Program Interlocking Diagrams & Yard Diagrams 2015" (PDF). Metro-North Railroad. 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  20. "The 3rd Avenue Corridor". The Bronx Journal. March 27, 2013. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  21. "3d Avenue El Closes Saturday; Fleet of 60 Buses to Replace It" (PDF). The New York Times. April 22, 1973. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  22. bx41 sbs starting in june 2013 in mta board meeting packet pages 7.6-7.16 Archived October 4, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
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