Abandoned Train Station | Rhode Island

[@JasonAllard]

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.

[@mjarail]

Many thanks for your attention on this matter.

[@alexclement7221]

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?

[@woodalexander]

Yeah that stuck out like a sore thumb. 1959 was still New Haven, PC in 1968.

[@bushgamer]

Ah ha makes sense bc I thought that 1950s still had trains

[@bostonrailfan2427]

@@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.

[@AidanEyewitness]

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.

[@edwardmiessner6502]

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.

[@torquetrain8963]

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.

[@mattymatt6970]

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.

[@JBS319]

Providence still has service but from a different station along the same line.

[@jeffsmith2022]

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...

[@NinjagoDragonsRisingLeaks]

Wow

[@lja64]

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.

[@sumpeoplesuck]

Thank you for confirming that this is in Pawtucket. I went there and visited once to look at the graffiti

[@W2KB]

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.

[@davidlaroche4537]

Accurate!

[@davidlaroche4537]

Accurate fact about New Haven RR closing it. They were hitting rock bottom at the time with passenger service.

[@bostonrailfan2427]

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

[@andyrob3259]

I’m Not even American and I came to say the same thing.

[@vivaciousgal8708]

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.

[@MrScoopoo10]

as a rhodeisland i can confirm that it is a sketchy city

[@Cormak]

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.

[@stephenbastien9164]

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.

[@lysamarzo]

I have always wanted to see the inside of this Station. Thank you 🙏

[@firstchino]

Me too.

[@M.Arbogast]

They should turn that into a museum for ri’s transportation history

[@torquetrain8963]

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.

[@M.Arbogast]

@@torquetrain8963 well I meant across the board all forms of transportation for ri only

[@sid2112]

It would make a pretty good mixed used retail/office development.

[@t700e]

@@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.

[@torquetrain8963]

@@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.

[@xZOOMORPHICx]

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.

[@tomstuart3071]

Make a helluva concert venue - with a story to tell.

[@rrad8106]

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?

[@katerwaulie4499]

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!

[@meagan1304]

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!

[@stevescarpetti9556]

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.

[@railfanoliver4976]

I love when you do train things nice job man!!!!!

[@CANControlGRAFFITI]

Me too!

[@arizonaalchemy7572]

BEAUTIFUL JOB on this Jason ! Well done, sir ! I lived in Rhode Island in the 1980's , I remember exploring that old station before Eurbexing existed. That Beautiful Ceiling was still intact when we explored. Sad to see that gone. Thought for sure they would have demolished it. Kinda glad it is there because of it's Historical value. Thank You for expolring this site. I attended HALL INSTITUTE in Pawtucket, Architecture student back then. Umm, you have a New Subscriber !😊

[@necrailvideos8227]

This is what I’ve been waiting for!! Great Job Jason!!

[@drewstaples9648]

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

[@kevschillvibes_1322]

Awesome video man i love it, so unfortunate what the station has came to now.

[@charlesm.1638]

WOW, I have family who live in Pawtucket and I visit when I can and I never knew this was there.

[@Kal-El207]

Born and raised in Providence RI, never knew this. I moved. But when I visit, I’ll be checking this out.

[@sharongagnist6428]

homeless call that 'home'. it's better than nothing... thank you for posting this!

[@jeffisontheair]

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!

[@frankb5693]

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.

[@awizardalso]

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.

[@BB63]

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.

[@ELMS]

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. 👍

[@DerpyPossum]

this place would make a really cool Railroad museum! :)

[@jonnunez]

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!

[@JasonAllard]

Hey thanks for watching - you have some nice history right down the street there

[@1973noxqses]

My first girlfrend lived on Hores.

[@rebeccabrink3706]

Thank you random KZbin recommendation! Beautifully shot, carefully researched, and incredibly edited video! Excited to binge through the rest of your videos :)

[@j2themac778]

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.

[@covidzerodeaths5767]

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.

[@gfmeekins]

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.

[@soandso3080]

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

[@erinwilliams1197]

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

[@Coconut_Oceane]

love these abandoned videos. the history part is so interesting

[@JohnLobbanCreative]

Excellent video!!! Loved your creative use of transitions❤️

[@Kehwanna]

This channel is a hidden gem! The video is extremely well done! Subscribed!

[@LBM5283]

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.

[@PeterT1981]

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.

[@literallygrass1328]

Just found your channel and this was pretty good

[@DinoCon]

Idea for how to use it: an indoor garden/parkette/plaza. Replace the ticket window with a coffee bar, place some small restaurants in the wings on the left and right, have a small bookstore on the upper-level area there, have some small tables and benches in the hallways, fill up as much space in the lobby as you can with trees, bushes, flowers, etc, along with places to sit, plus free wi-fi for good measure, and you could have a very beautiful meeting/hangout place for people to spend their mornings and afternoons, particularly if it's nice and cool in the summer, and warm in the winter. You could also have a stage for hosting concerts and stuff. You wouldn't even need to connect to the trains downstairs!

[@philg56]

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.

[@atari_hmb]

YEah they shut down that bridge I don't remember when they shut that road down, but you know RI...takes them 1 million business days to repair a simple street light

[@x_.weenie._x]

Ah, my buddies and I went there at night years and years ago. Cool to see it in the daytime.

[@ccbsnyc]

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.

[@bostonrailfan2427]

only one of the two platforms got renovated, the old P&W/New Haven/B&M platform is still derelict

[@1462JWOOD]

Bro !!!!!!!! All the extra editing is amazing!!!!! Your voice is perfect also !!!! My first video I’ve watched of yours .

[@S33R333]

Dope channel keep up the good work ty for the info of our state

[@josephhines9118]

You've got a Roman Mars style to your narration. Excellent work btw

[@wunkewldewd]

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!

[@andrealynn7194]

Cool story just found your channel don’t live far from this station and always gave me the creeps driving by it

[@danamarcotteseiler7423]

Very good video, I was raised across the street from the building! And remember how it looked 😢 yes I agree Seal it up .

[@martinxplo]

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

[@ocsrc]

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

[@qjtvaddict]

Now the country is a shithole

[@None-zc5vg]

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 !

[@None-zc5vg]

@@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.

[@bostonrailfan2427]

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...

[@1973noxqses]

Pawtuckethad trolleys at one point I beleive

[@sonnysolan3327]

Great Job ! much respect on this project !

[@adamantturner5019]

I remember my mother selling at that flea market. Good memories but it looked old back then too.

[@iftheseoldbeastscouldtalk7796]

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.

[@bapjap]

Great video Jason. Grandparents literally live down the road from there in Pawtucket and I always wanted that place to be fixed up somehow.

[@OrlandoDiesel80]

I really enjoyed watching this, your cinematography was really well done for this video.

[@1462JWOOD]

Wow !!!!!! Amazing video !!!!!!

[@andrewstacey4868]

I love your POV and the feel of your videos!!! Keep up the great work!!

[@LongIslandCityLayout]

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.

[@ruffian2952]

A large station exists overhead at Hyde Park on the Shoreline. Not as big as Pawtucket-Central Falls.

[@craigbeats1498]

It’s under construction now it’s coming back

[@rebeccaellis6771]

As ALWAYS JASON ! VERY INTERESTING Dear ! Keep up the GREAT WORK !!

[@JailinAlarcon]

The northern wing of the train-station (where CVS is located) was used as a church, at one point.

[@utapao74]

I used to walk and ride by this place a lot between 1959-1972, sad to see it's only gotten worse.

[@dbeach4044]

Really nice job. Good that you've done this. Very sad to see, of course.

[@legofreak5769]

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.

[@jcishsjsksoo]

the editing is so good omg

[@bdassell]

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.

[@ruffian2952]

Good, concise history.

[@bostonrailfan2427]

and it wasn’t abandoned until 1981, just the building closed. it was finally closed when state subsidies stopped funding service

[@catherineriker3238]

Absolutely love this!

[@medwaymodelrailway7129]

Like the video very much .Hope more to come .Take care

[@davidlaroche4537]

Yep... I was in it as a young child! Remember using platform beneath station with my Mom.

[@toadscoper4575]

Awesome that you revisited this place!

[@jamesstallings2007]

Very Nice !!!!

[@steve52760]

Nice work. Really enjoyed it. Congratulations.

[@NERJ607]

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

[@bostonrailfan2427]

it’s not a T project, it RIDOT and they never said it was being rebuilt: just service restored to the two cities.

[@stopsign997]

Awesome video!!! This channel is great!!

[@jessbourassa8027]

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...

[@jennalovecraftreeves9679]

how's it going for you now? hope everyone is staying safe as possible

[@1973noxqses]

were there still tunels behind the walls in the bathroom?

[@markthomsen51]

Love your work, thanks!

[@Liberty-Justice4All]

I love your videos I'm from Rhode Island myself I was kind of hoping you'd make a video on the lad School in Exeter

[@rfletch62]

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.

[@peterdelestrez8880]

Thanks for a great video. Hope this grand building will be restored. Here's hoping. Why some morons had to deface and destroy is beyond me. This is a great place to explore.

[@fogdan]

Awesome Job With This Video!!!

[@artlover973]

Awesome editing

[@MattEastwood]

Stanley burgers ... they are the best ... now I’m hungry!

[@JohnSteel2973]

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. 🤯

[@trainsandtrams2020]

A fascinating story, that I didn't know about. Too bad about this place.

[@DaughterofaKing22]

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

[@scottbradford4130]

I used to live 5 minutes down the road from here and would skate by this place everyday multiple times and 8 outta 10 times I seen it heard kids messing around. Cops would run em out and a new group would come in 2hrs later. It's a shame they couldn't see the beauty in the place.

[@IlIIlMomo]

Just went there yesterday with my friends

[@1940limited]

Amtrak was created in 1971. The station was abandond in 1959, way before then. At least two of the tracks are still in use.

[@dekon70]

All three tracks are in use. Two by Amtrak and MBTA, and the other by Genesee & Wyoming RR(formerly Providence & Worcester RR)

[@1940limited]

@@dekon70 The rails looked rusty on one of the tracks, but it's great all are being used. The old station still sees action.

[@ruffian2952]

@@dekon70 There were 4 mains there until the 80s.

[@dekon70]

@@ruffian2952 Correct. With Conrail leaving the state and removing Northup Yard, the forth was removed.

[@ruffian2952]

@@dekon70 You have it. #1 and #3 ran along the north side of the yard, #2 and #4 ran on the south side of the yard. When westbound freights were working down at Silver Spring the Liners ran #3. The four mains ran from Boston Switch to Woodlawn to Charles Street (site of the enginehouse) to Promenade Street thence through the station. Reduced to two mains from Brayton Avenue to Cranston. #3 and #4 from Cranston to West Cranston. I think, though, that the P&W may have removed Northrup Avenue. Conrail was more dump and run. Penn Central reopened the hump at Northrup Avenue in 1969. At Silver Spring there was a stub track in between #1 and #2 used to catch cars that got away from the hump...pretty common. There were yards scattered throughout the Providence Terminal limits plus a short line accessed through the tower at Woodlawn.

[@ravenraz0rblade]

i’ve been waiting for this too 😂😂 love this place

[@ravenraz0rblade]

we got screamed at by a hobo tho

[@marlenyfranco8902]

Awesome video!!

[@cyanidechrist]

Another great job. Well done.

[@bril5057]

Watched several of your videos. Keep up the great work!

[@tobeyhr4011]

Great work!

[@dougfrombama9438]

Great work sir

[@stephenmac23]

I only just saw this in person a year ago briefly, I def want to explore it.

[@ernestmskinner]

Nice job. The only error was the station ownership- the station was owned by the NYNH&H railroad until 1968 and then PC and the PC estate until the property was ceded to Amtrak in the 1970s. IMO, the station is unrecoverable as a historic attraction and it should be demolished ASAP. Your video mentioned that someone should seal up the building to prevent access but I wish you would have made a stronger safety hazard warning. The open elevator shaft gave me chills as did the 25KV wires underneath the structure.