Blairstown station
| Company type | Former and proposed railway station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 1911 |
| Defunct | 1970 |
| Fate | Closed as passenger station; currently privately owned; planned reactivation |
| Headquarters | Blairstown, New Jersey , United States |
| Products | Passenger rail services |
Blairstown was among the trio of original Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad stops situated on the Lackawanna Cut-Off in the northwestern region of New Jersey. Constructed by the firm Hyde, McFarlan & Burke, the station commenced operations in 1911. Prominent passenger services such as the Lackawanna Limited—which was later renamed the Phoebe Snow—along with the Twilight/Pocono Express and Westerner/New Yorker, regularly made stops at Blairstown, which also facilitated commuter ticketing.
During the Erie Lackawanna Railway period, Blairstown distinguished itself as the sole station on the Cut-Off to remain operational, continuing service until January 6, 1970, when passenger operations ceased following the termination of the Lake Cities route. Subsequently, the facility was repurposed to accommodate radio broadcaster WHCY-FM until the 1990s and currently exists under private ownership.
Plans are underway to reactivate the station as part of New Jersey Transit’s Lackawanna Cut-Off Restoration Project, which seeks to reinstate rail service extending to Scranton, Pennsylvania. The envisioned station site is proposed to be situated between the existing track and Hope Road. In 2021, Amtrak identified Blairstown as a potential intermediate stop for a proposed New York–Scranton rail corridor.
Advancement in restoration efforts occurred on April 13, 2022, when NJ Transit authorized a $32.5 million contract dedicated to refurbishing the Roseville Tunnel and constructing a new Andover station, positioned approximately 14 miles east of Blairstown. This work is anticipated to conclude by late 2026. Additional track rehabilitation remains necessary on the segment between Andover and Blairstown.
External links
- Articles with short description
- Lackawanna Cut-Off
- Proposed railway stations in the United States
- Proposed NJ Transit rail stations
- Former Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad stations
- Railway stations in the United States opened in 1911
- Proposed public transportation in New Jersey
- 1911 establishments in New Jersey
- Blairstown, New Jersey
- Railway stations in the United States closed in 1970