Opened in 1860: The railroad crossing at New Dorp | Then and Now

New York’s Staten Island — When the Staten Island Railway began service between Vanderbilt’s Landing and Eltingville on April 23, 1860, the New Dorp station opened. In 1889, real estate developers Hughes and Ross renovated the New Dorp Train Station with the goal of building a station to attract prospective homeowners, according to Historic Richmond Town.

In Historic Richmond Town, on the south side of Center Street, next to Tysen Court, is the historic railroad station that serviced the New Dorp district. It was originally located close to what is now known as New Dorp Plaza, which is Rose Avenue and 6th Street. The station was relocated to Historic Richmond Town in 1965 after being constructed in 1889. The grade crossings in New Dorp, Staten Island, were removed between 1965 and 1968.

In 2023, two elevators were installed at the existing New Dorp train station, making it ADA-accessible. All previous accessible Staten Island stations have ramps, but this one is the first on the borough’s sole train route to have elevators. The station walls are also adorned with exquisite glass artwork created by Keri Sheheen.

(Staten Island Museum Collection) New Dorp Railroad StationAdvance of Staten Island

September 9, 1964. Looking west toward Rose Avenue, this is a diagonal view of the New Dorp Railroad Station. Cars are parked on both sides of South Railroad Avenue, which is in the foreground and is also known as New Dorp Plaza, originally 6th Street. Platforms are seen on both sides of the tracks at right; the railroad station is a two-story wooden structure with a broad porch roof at center. Around 1965, the guard house and New Dorp Railroad Station buildings were relocated to Historic Richmond Town. (Source: Richmond Town Historic)Richmond Town’s historic district

Around 1906, the New Dorp Rapid Transit Station. (From the Staten Island Museum Collection).Advance of Staten Island

Google Maps, 2024, the present-day New Dorp Train Station.Advance of Staten Island

The train station in New Dorp on December 19, 2024. The station walls are decorated with exquisite glass artwork by Keri Sheheen.(Jan Somma-Hammel/Staten Island Advance)Advance of Staten Island

The train station in New Dorp on December 19, 2024. The station walls are decorated with exquisite glass artwork by Keri Sheheen.(Jan Somma-Hammel/Staten Island Advance)Advance of Staten Island

The train station in New Dorp on December 19, 2024. The station walls are decorated with exquisite glass artwork by Keri Sheheen.(Jan Somma-Hammel/Staten Island Advance)Advance of Staten Island

The train station in New Dorp on December 19, 2024. The station walls are decorated with exquisite glass artwork by Keri Sheheen.(Jan Somma-Hammel/Staten Island Advance)Advance of Staten Island

The train station in New Dorp on December 19, 2024. The station walls are decorated with exquisite glass artwork by Keri Sheheen.(Jan Somma-Hammel/Staten Island Advance)Advance of Staten Island

The train station in New Dorp on December 19, 2024. The station walls are decorated with exquisite glass artwork by Keri Sheheen.(Jan Somma-Hammel/Staten Island Advance)Advance of Staten Island

More Vintage Content on SILive

• Wolfes Pond Park: A gem in every season | Then and Now

• The Washington Hotel 1949 postcard shows a lost Staten Island gem | Then and Now

• From dance halls to fast food: The transformation of one Staten Island intersection | Then and Now

• Revisiting Robert Moses s impact on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge

• Richmond Road in Concord spanning 80 years | Then and now

Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!