Abandoned Train Station | Rhode Island
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- čas přidán 20. 03. 2021
- A ghost station is a place that trains pass by or under without ever stopping. They used to be bustling transportation hubs, but now sit quietly and for the most part forgotten. This is one of those ghost stations, and it’s a big one, located in Rhode Island.
Filmed/Edited by Jason Allard
Additional Footage by Dave Lawlor | rb.gy/sixwzy
My website: www.UncomSenseMedia.com
Follow me on Instagram: @Uncomsense
Drone: DJI Mini 2 Fly More Combo
Main Camera: DJI Osmo Pocket w/ Freewell lens attachments
Secondary Camera: Sony A7S III w/ Sigma 24-70mm
Editing: Final Cut Pro X w/ custom plugins
Music By:
Elevated Productions | rb.gy/768e90
WaveyyBeats | rb.gy/pcsrlk
DWNLD | rb.gy/v2by3u
Knox | rb.gy/ejkt9s
Unknown Instrumentalz | rb.gy/wopy7g
Additional photos by:
Providence Journal Archives
Pawtucket Times Archives
This station was built in 1916 at the peak of of industrial and population growth in this area, and it followed a fresh type of design. This one was built with pedestrian safety in mind, with the tracks constructed below and station above. This way you couldn’t just wander onto the tracks.
The station itself was designed by F.W. Mellor. architect for the New Haven Railroad. Mellor oversaw the railroad's early-twentieth-century reconstruction program, and even worked on Grand Central in New York City.
This beauty is 30,000 square feet, made up of brick and granite… and lemme tell you, it was poppin back in the day.
70,000 - that was the average number of passengers per month at this place…with up to 79 trains passing through every day. The crazy part was that this was all local traffic - lines stopping here didn’t go to the major hubs. You’d have to transfer down the line in Providence if you wanted to do that.
Don’t believe the hype? In 1952, Dwight Eisenhower even stopped here on his campaign trail. That alone tells you the draw this place had at one point.
The station sits above what is known today as Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor. It was a major social hub, so of course it had a lot to offer. If we check out the original floor plan, you can see it’s got two levels; the upper level housed the massive waiting room along with a barber shop, restaurant, ticket office, and baggage areas. The lower level is the outdoor track level with two island platforms providing access to all four tracks.
The reason it closed in 1959 was because it was already falling into disrepair…and that just continued, even with the new owners and a flea market in the 70s. By 1981, when service and all activity here completely stopped, it was in even worse shape.
There were efforts to save this place. In 1984 the station was considered for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, but The Review Board voted unanimously to de-fer consideration of the prOperty pending the performance and report of a study of the railroad station’s structural integrity. So it was denied, the station was cleaned up a bit and inspected… There is good news though - In 1997 was labeled a "significant property" and has been formally determined eligible for listing in the National Register, which does provide it some protections.
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NOTE: In the voiceover I said Amtrak closed the ticket office in 1959. I misspoke and should have said New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company. When Amtrak did become owners of the line in the 1970's, they also refused to resume service at this station. Thanks for watching.
Many thanks for your attention on this matter.
AMTRAK didn't even exist until 1971. So, who was the owner of the track at the time? Probably either The New Haven, or maybe the Boston & Maine?
Yeah that stuck out like a sore thumb. 1959 was still New Haven, PC in 1968.
Ah ha makes sense bc I thought that 1950s still had trains
@@alexclement7221 went from New Haven then to Penn Central then Conrail then finally B&M. Amtrak never operated out of the station, just owned the line.
This is a brilliant portrayal of a fascinating building that is a relic of a bygone railway age. I have never visited Rhode Island but the station is of great interest to me. The US should not have abandoned its trains and stations in the way it did. In Japan, it would still be in use today. Greetings to New England from North West England.
Exactly. It would also have served the purpose of maintaining the interstate highways as *defense* highways. You can't defend a nation or quell a rebellion if the expressways are all clogged with traffic.
Amen. Create jobs. Build high speed rail. Save lives. It won't come without a fight. The automotive and oil robber baron mafia as well as the airline industry are bullies and lobby against anything rail related. It's time to fight back. A rail pass at a mere fraction of what I pay to own a vehicle and all of it's expenses.
in the northeast, we have TONS of trains. subways, commuter rails, Amtrak, freight trains.
the commuter rail passes right through there, between boston and providence. it's just the fuckin ghetto over there. theres TONS of abandoned buildings and open air drug and prostitution markets over there. My first apartment was in that neighborhood a few years back. one bedroom apartment for 400 a month. it was a complete crack neighborhood. the city declared bankruptcy.
Providence still has service but from a different station along the same line.
Sad, I went there a few times when I was little, in the 50s, with my Grandmother to take the train to NY City, my Grandfather worked for the New Haven R.R. back then, they were so good to me...Thank you for the video...
My boyfriend and I were homeless a few months back and stayed in that building, when you went into the bathroom part and said it was actually the cleanest part of the building, that's where we were staying inside. My boyfriend cleaned the floor so we had a clean place to sleep, and he even put those pieces of wall inside that cart in there..we slept in there for a few weeks..he swept the floor and picked up all of the glass on the floor. The first night we stayed in there we stayed in the baggage room near the bathroom, and it rained and we got flooded and had found the bathroom didn't flood so we kept dry..we slept in there without masks on...
how's it going for you now? hope everyone is staying safe as possible
They should turn that into a museum for ri’s transportation history
Our infrastructure in America needs to be rebuilt or built from the ground up. We don't need more train museums. We need more car museums, because trains are the future. And cars should be an outdated thing from the past.
@@torquetrain8963 well I meant across the board all forms of transportation for ri only
It would make a pretty good mixed used retail/office development.
@@torquetrain8963 Gotta disagree. I’m a railfan myself but the viability of intercity trains just isn’t there, at least in most of America. Very unfortunate, but highways and airlines have largely replaced the train in many areas. It’d be a huge task to get Americans to revert back to rail travel.
@@t700e what about the thousands of accidents every day. All the road rage and congestion? All the expense to own ,insure, and maintain a car? Road taxes? Pollution. The list goes on and on and on. In a nation with over 350 millon people car centric ism is nothing short of insanity. No excuses, sorry. I stand my ground. Airlines and auto along with big oil threaten and lobby against anything rail related wherever you go. Pisses me off even here in Boise, that the downtown depot is a museum instead of an active station.
I remember the flea market. We used to go! This is not far from the church and school we grew up attending. The vandalism is due to the fact that its in one of the poorest cities,if not the poorest city in R.I....it's all so sad.
as a rhodeisland i can confirm that it is a sketchy city
Very very sad. People now don't know how many trolley and rail lines and trains there were prior to the 1950s
When automobile industry payed to buy and immediately destroy all local stations and tracks, to make people buy cars
Very sad
Now the country is a shithole
That happened in L.A. with the destruction of the streetcar system in favour of buses made by GM, whose president, Alfred Sloan, had earlier opposed the fitting of safety-glass to cars (to prevent death and disfigurement of the occupants during pile-ups) because the new glass would eat into those profits. What a guy !
@@qjtvaddict The national crooks-in-charge have orchestrated the build-up of a colossal debt-burden to go on the backs of Leona's 'little people'. It's been said that ex-President Trump made use of some $900,000,000 in aid from the public purse towards his New York property schemes.
normally that’s true but this time it had nothing to do with that, the company was criminally run into the ground by executives forcing a mass closure of dozens of stations and branch lines...
I have always wanted to see the inside of this Station. Thank you 🙏
Me too.
I remember the station well growing up in Central Falls in the 1960's and 70's. In 1993 (or 1994, sorry, it's been a while) we cleaned up part of the station, creating a mythical Santa Clause's workshop where welfare children came in every few minutes, on Christmas Eve, sat on Santa's lap, and received the one gift they only dreamed of receiving. Such a sad site to see how it has gone into such decay.
Outstanding!!! Well Done!! One correction, Amtrak did not close this building in 1959. Amtrak did not yet exist, Amtrak was created in 1971 by Act of US Congress. This station was owned and operated by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company, and it was that railroad that closed the main building.
Accurate!
Accurate fact about New Haven RR closing it. They were hitting rock bottom at the time with passenger service.
he’s confusing when service at the station ended with when the building closed...Amtrak owned the tracks but never operated commuter trains even though it was in service for nearly a decade alongside Amtrak
I’m
Not even American and I came to say the same thing.
My husband's grandparents home is within walking distance. We've visited a few times and I've taken occurs of the outside. I really wondered what the inside looked like. I'm shocked at how bad it is. It's no wonder no one wants to take a chance at fixing it. It's sad but in America we don't take the time to preserve as much history as we could. Really great video.
I never understood why people like to destroy things. Imagine if everyone showed respect and worked to preserve things instead. I grew up in Pawtucket and remember this building well. Thanks for the great video.
Make a helluva concert venue - with a story to tell.
Love your videos! The music, the vibe, the way they are edited. Always so well done. Also really cool and super informative. Answering all the questions I’ve always had! Thank you!
My first job was just a few buildings down from here back in high school, early 2010s. I always wondered when it became abandoned because it looks so run down. Thanks for the video, love learning more about our state!
WOW, I have family who live in Pawtucket and I visit when I can and I never knew this was there.
This is what I’ve been waiting for!! Great Job Jason!!
That's so depressing. I remember, in the late 80's or early 90's, Central Falls and Pawtucket, joined forces and dropped a ton of tax payer money into fixing the place up as an event space. The flea market was the big event that took place but they were also trying to do weddings and other gatherings. Didn't last long and sad to see how far it has fallen since then.
Another great one, thanks Jason. I love it when you go inside abandoned places. Too bad about this one, yes something needs to be done to stop others from just walking into this station. Thanks for the graphics and photos so at least we know what it used to look like.
Jason, I’ve just discovered your channel and it’s excellent. Not just the great drone footage. Many (most?) abandoned channels provide little or no information or context about what it is we’re looking at. Your research is excellent. The graphics are super-clear and add detail to what time has erased. Finally, your presentation and voice-overs are just terrific with a very personal touch, like you’re telling the story directly to me. So, 10 out of 10. I’m in Victoria, Canada but you have me interested in abandoned Rhode Island. You’re a gifted filmmaker and you could have quite a future ahead. 👍
I love when you do train things nice job man!!!!!
Me too!
I have only traveled under that train station once or twice and barely gave it notice. I had thought that the station was to be incorporated into the "new" Pawtucket commuter rail station, and it's sad that they chose not to.
I don't see a use for the structure. As you pointed out, the cost to rehab the building far outweighs the structures usability, but then I look at the Attleboro commuter rail station where the Southbound station has been repurposed as a law office and cordoned off from the rail line. Perhaps some private investor will look at the building as prime real estate for commercial office space? Who knows?
Stanley burgers ... they are the best ... now I’m hungry!
I lived right off of Broad Street in the early 90s. This place was beyond dangerous to venture into back then. There was also an abandoned drive in movie theater down the road that had old trailers on the property. My friends and I went in one of those trailers one day, as we would from time to time, and we found a mattress that was literally covered in blood. I always made it home when the street lights came on.
love these abandoned videos. the history part is so interesting
I love your POV and the feel of your videos!!! Keep up the great work!!
Awesome video man i love it, so unfortunate what the station has came to now.
That first main building at 5:38 if someone who had money bought that and turned it into a skatepark I think would make money. Would be a sick place for lots of things
Just went there yesterday with my friends
Excellent video!!! Loved your creative use of transitions❤️
homeless call that 'home'. it's better than nothing... thank you for posting this!
Great video, enjoyed the historical photos/info. I'm a fan of post-industrial ruins and anything with rusty rails. Always fun to imagine what is was like in their heyday.
Awesome that you revisited this place!
This channel is a hidden gem! The video is extremely well done! Subscribed!
I lived around the corner for a number of years. It would be great if they could convert it to a heritage museum for the surrounding Blackstone Valley towns. It would bring business and visibility to CF and the surrounding area. They have got to have the will and vision for the property. I see hope and opportunity.
I really enjoyed watching this, your cinematography was really well done for this video.
Great Job ! much respect on this project !
Love your work, thanks!
this place would make a really cool Railroad museum! :)
Absolutely love this!
Wonderful narration and videography. However, the real gem in this production is the editing. It’s engaging and fun with a sense of “being there” infused. Love the work. Just subscribed. Looking forward to more.
As ALWAYS JASON ! VERY INTERESTING Dear ! Keep up the GREAT WORK !!
So sad, something as appealing as this place must have been and now just left to fall apart. I'm surprised the trains still run below. It would be nice to see it saved like some are being reused. Nice video.
Love this video I grew up in CF and work for the Railroad. This place is very interesting I hope it gets restored one day.
Really nice job. Good that you've done this. Very sad to see, of course.
I'm a fan of trains and railroads. It saddens me to see abandoned stations and even worse when when I see graffiti and damage to the building. I like what you do and just subscribed to your channel.
Awesome video!!! This channel is great!!
Its crazy...i live in this state and had no idea there were so many awesome places to visit. Keep up the good work. I love ur videos
the editing is so good omg
Bro !!!!!!!! All the extra editing is amazing!!!!! Your voice is perfect also !!!! My first video I’ve watched of yours .
Great video Jason. Grandparents literally live down the road from there in Pawtucket and I always wanted that place to be fixed up somehow.
Ah, my buddies and I went there at night years and years ago. Cool to see it in the daytime.
Worcester did refurbish and reopen its Union Station at great cost about twenty years ago - I remember it from the 1970's as a wreck. It has led to a renaissance of the surrounding area, although the rest of Worcester is still in decline. They've hitched their star to commuters to Boston who are looking for cheap housing. But downtown Worcester has a long way to go.
only one of the two platforms got renovated, the old P&W/New Haven/B&M platform is still derelict
Nice work. Really enjoyed it. Congratulations.
Fantastic video! I stopped here on a US road trip but just took photos of the outside. Thanks for the insights and history information! Cheers from Switzerland
I remember my mother selling at that flea market. Good memories but it looked old back then too.
Wow !!!!!! Amazing video !!!!!!
About 20 years ago, I lived just a couple miles to the north in Cumberland and never knew this place existed. Sad story, but great video!
Just found your channel and this was pretty good
Awesome Job With This Video!!!
Back when I had a place up in Providence, id take the train to Boston all the time, and it was always interesting to see what became of this station, since you'd see it pass each time
Great work!
Very Nice !!!!
I am someone who has been inside that flea market and the very early '80s with my grandfather
Awesome video!!
Like the video very much .Hope more to come .Take care
Per usual I'm blown away by the production. Let's link up soon and do some cool collaboration! Abandoned motorcycle stuff sounds tight! 🤙🏼🤙🏼
Ya ok pal
As a "vandal" lol in the 80s from CF, I've got a few stories about this station. We'd found homeless sleeping there multiple times, some teens holding some sort of seance with candles and whatever, and the most bizarre was the dead cats and a couple dogs strung up in there. 🤯
Awesome editing
Just found this on Reddit. I live less than 5 minutes from here on Cross. This is awesome I always wondered about its history. Can’t wait to watch your other videos! Subscribed!
Hey thanks for watching - you have some nice history right down the street there
Yep... I was in it as a young child! Remember using platform beneath station with my Mom.
Great video !!!
The northern wing of the train-station (where CVS is located) was used as a church, at one point.
Enjoyed it very much - as a train enthusiast and using commuter rail from Providence to Boston for years, I passed under that, always hoping it would reopen. Would have been interesting if the Acela has passed underneath at 10:30 and at what speed instead of the regular commuter train. First video and you made a subscriber out of me.
Very good video, I was raised across the street from the building! And remember how it looked 😢 yes I agree Seal it up .
Dope channel keep up the good work ty for the info of our state
i’ve been waiting for this too 😂😂 love this place
we got screamed at by a hobo tho
I grew up in the Pawtucket of the 1950s. I heard that the people who took it over in the 1960s-1970s claimed to want to renovate it but instead stripped-out all the valuable marble on the walls and floors then abandoned the place. The people I knew, Pawtucket cynics all, thought that was always the plan- stip and abandon.
That was really cool, I enjoyed this tour and documentary! I had no idea such a huge abandoned station existed over the Northeast Corridor. Although it will never be a train station again, I hope they'll find some use for it.
A large station exists overhead at Hyde Park on the Shoreline. Not as big as Pawtucket-Central Falls.
It’s under construction now it’s coming back
Great work sir
Another great job. Well done.
The new MBTA project subjects this as a station to be rebuilt!!!! CANT WAIT
welp i guess I'm wrong but the MBTA website said it was gonna be rebuilt
it’s not a T project, it RIDOT and they never said it was being rebuilt: just service restored to the two cities.
A fascinating story, that I didn't know about. Too bad about this place.
My Dad and I visited the flea market a few times, but we expected the place to be torn down in a year or two. Strange how it outlasted him.
I used to live down the road from here and i remember going to the flea market with my mom when i was about 3 or 4. I remember a gas station in front of it to. So sad
I worked across Broad St. from 89 -97, looking at the station every day. Always wondered what the inside looked like. Sad. Great video, though.
I discovered this place when I stopped at the CVS next door. The architecture was very striking and It's kinda heartbreaking it's in such a state of disrepair.
Cool story just found your channel don’t live far from this station and always gave me the creeps driving by it
I've also paid homage to the station by featuring outside photos of it for the cover of my 1st book from a couple of years ago.
let me just say as a rhode islander this is the only channel ive ever seen even MENTIONING rhode island unironically 💀
I went in there about 5 years ago and you're right, even in that time it has become a lot more damaged from what it looks like in your footage. Did you go to the clockroom or creepy coal room? great vid!
Thank you random CZcams recommendation! Beautifully shot, carefully researched, and incredibly edited video! Excited to binge through the rest of your videos :)
I used to walk and ride by this place a lot between 1959-1972, sad to see it's only gotten worse.
I only just saw this in person a year ago briefly, I def want to explore it.
Nicely done sir. subscribed
Michigan Central is having it's turn. Hopefully this one will be next. Beautiful railroad stations like this deserve to be preserved. Even if they aren't record breakers like Michigan Central.
Great video Jason I’ve been thinking about getting some footage from here I only live a couple of miles away
Excellent video. One note- Amtrak didnt initially abandon the station in the 1950s. That would have been the New Haven, which was already struggling financially by that time. In 1969 New Haven was essentially forced to merge with Penn Central as a condition of the merger of The New York Central and Pennsylvania Railroads themselves. Amtrak didnt exist until 1971 and didnt end up owning this corridor until 1976.
Good, concise history.
and it wasn’t abandoned until 1981, just the building closed. it was finally closed when state subsidies stopped funding service
They should do what Cincinnati did ,there old stations is a children's museum.Its a beautiful place going to waste
Add a station in the museum
The city should seal up the place before homeless move in and start a campfire that could get out of control.
god forbid the homeless take refuge in a disgusting run down place! they should be happy to sleep on the cold and dangerous streets, where they will likely be arrested by a random cop on frivolous charges!
@@deadcorpert619 you know what before they were on the streets they had a home it was called the insane asylum
@@qjtvaddict Didn't they close the big insane asylums and throw the inmates onto the streets to join Reagan's "welfare queens" ?
or folks like certain CZcamsrs break into it...