View source for Harlem–125th Street station

{{short description|Metro-North Railroad station in Manhattan, New York}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{for multi|the future Second Avenue Subway station named "Harlem–125th Street"|125th Street station (IRT Lexington Avenue Line)|other uses|125th Street (disambiguation)|and|Harlem station (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox station
| name = Harlem–125th Street
| style = MNRR
| image = Two trains at Harlem-125th Street station, December 2021.jpg
| image_caption = Two trains at Harlem–125th Street station in December 2021
| address = 101 [[125th Street (Manhattan)|East 125th Street]], [[East Harlem]], [[Manhattan]], [[New York (state)|New York]]
| coordinates = {{coord|40.8052|-73.9390|type:railwaystation_region:US-NY|display=inline,title}}
| line = [[Park Avenue main line]]
| other = {{rint|newyork|subway}} [[New York City Subway]]:<br />{{NYCS trains|Lexington|time=bullets}} at {{stl|NYCS|125th Street|Lexington}}<br />{{bus icon|12px|Local Bus}} [[New York City Bus]]: {{NYC bus link|M35|M60 SBS|M98|M101|M125}}<br />{{bus icon}} [[Columbia Transportation]]: {{columbia bus link|Intercampus Red Line|Intercampus Blue Line|Intercampus Green Line}}
| platform = 2 [[island platform]]s
| depth = 
| levels = 
| tracks = 4
| parking = 
| bicycle = 
| baggage_check = 
| opened = {{start date and age|1874}}
| closed = 
| rebuilt = 
| electrified = 700[[volt|V]] ([[Direct current|DC]]) [[third rail]]
| accessible = yes
| code = 
| owned = [[Metropolitan Transportation Authority]]
| zone = 1
| former = 
| passengers = {{rail pass box|system=Metro-North|pass_year=2018|pass_rank=3 of [[List of Metro-North Railroad stations|109]]<ref name="mta2018" />|passengers=8,052<ref name="mta2018">{{cite book|title=METRO-NORTH 2018 WEEKDAY STATION BOARDINGS|date=April 2019|publisher=Market Analysis/Fare Policy Group:OPERATIONS PLANNING AND ANALYSIS DEPARTMENT:[[Metro-North Railroad]]|page=6}}</ref>|<!--pass_percent=0-->}}
| pass_year = 
| pass_percent = 
| pass_system = 
| mpassengers = 
| services = {{Adjacent stations|system1=MNRR
  |line1=Harlem NWP|left1=Grand Central|right1=Melrose
  |line2=Harlem Southeast|left2=Grand Central|right2=White Plains
  |line3=Hudson main|left3=Grand Central|to-right3=Croton–Harmon|right3=Yankees–East 153rd Street
  |line4=Hudson main|left4=Grand Central|to-right4=Poughkeepsie|right4=Tarrytown
  |line5=New Haven inner|left5=Grand Central|right5=Fordham
  |line6=New Haven|left6=Grand Central|right6=Stamford
  |line7=New Canaan Branch outer|left7=Grand Central|right7=Greenwich|note-mid7=select weekday service
  |line8=Danbury Branch outer|left8=Grand Central|right8=Stamford|note-mid8=select weekday service}}
| other_services_header = Former services
| other_services_collapsible = yes
| other_services = {{Adjacent stations|system1=New York Central Railroad
  |line1=main|left1=138th Street|right1=New York
  |line2=Hudson Division|left2=138th Street|right2=New York
  |line3=Harlem Division|left3=138th Street|right3=New York|to-left3=Chatham|to-right3=New York
  |system4=New York Central and Hudson River Railroad|line4=Hudson Division|left4=138th Street|right4=110th Street|note-right4=Closed 1906
  |line5=Harlem Division|left5=138th Street|right5=110th Street|to-left5=Chatham|to-right5=New York|note-right5=Closed 1906
  |system6=New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
  |line6=main|left6=New York|right6=Mount Vernon
  }}
| map_locator = 
| embedded = {{routemap
|inline=y
|legend=track
|map=
numN330
vSTR!~MFADEg\vSTR!~MFADEg ~~ ~~ ~~ to {{stn|Melrose}} or [[Yankees–East 153rd Street station|Yankees–E 153rd St]]
dSTRf!~dNULg@g\dSTRf!~dNULg@g\dSTRf!~dNULg@g\dSTRf!~dNULg@g
vPSTR(M)\vPSTR(M)
vPSTR(M)\vPSTR(M)
vPSTR(M)\vPSTR(M)
vPSTR(M)\vPSTR(M)
vPSTR(M)\vPSTR(M)
dSTRg!~dNULf@f\dSTRg!~dNULf@f\dSTRg!~dNULf@f\dSTRg!~dNULf@f
vSTR!~MFADEf\vSTR!~MFADEf ~~ ~~ ~~ to [[Grand Central Terminal]]
|footnote=For further details on the track layout,<br />see [[Park Avenue main line#Line description]].<ref>{{NYCS const|trackref|van}}</ref>
}}
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-custom = {{Infobox mapframe |shape=none |line=none |marker=rail |marker-color=#000 |zoom=14 }}
}}

'''Harlem–125th Street station''' is a [[commuter rail]] stop serving the [[Metro-North Railroad]]'s [[Hudson Line (Metro-North)|Hudson]], [[Harlem Line|Harlem]], and [[New Haven Line]]s. It is located at East [[125th Street (Manhattan)|125th Street]] and [[Park Avenue]] in [[East Harlem]], [[Manhattan]], [[New York City]]. The station also serves as an important transfer point between the Metro-North trains and the [[New York City Subway]]'s [[IRT Lexington Avenue Line]] ({{NYCS trains|Lexington}}) for access to the [[Upper East Side]] of Manhattan. It is the only station besides [[Grand Central Terminal]] that serves all three lines east of the [[Hudson River]]. Trains leave for Grand Central Terminal, as well as to [[the Bronx]] and the northern suburbs, regularly.

The station was constructed along the [[Park Avenue main line]] of the [[New York Central Railroad]].

==History==

The current station was built in 1896–97 and designed by Morgan O'Brien, [[New York Central and Hudson River Railroad]] principal architect. It replaced an earlier one that was built in 1874 when the [[New York Central]] and the [[New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad]], the ancestors of today's Metro-North, moved the tracks from an [[Cut-and-cover|open cut]] to the present-day elevated [[viaduct]]. The original station on the site was built in 1844, when the trains ran at grade-level on what is now [[Park Avenue]]. That station was demolished to make way for the open cut.

In 1888, the [[United States Department of War]] began work on the [[Harlem River]] to allow for unrestricted shipping activity between the Hudson River and the East River and through the new Harlem River Ship Canal at 225th Street.<ref name=":24">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/02/19/realestate/streetscapes-park-avenue-railroad-viaduct-120-million-renovation-for-1897.html|title=Streetscapes/The Park Avenue Railroad Viaduct; A $120 Million Renovation for an 1897 Behemoth|last=Gray|first=Christopher|date=February 19, 1995|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 1, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name=":182">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/09/18/realestate/streetscapes-125th-street-station-metro-north-plans-new-makeup-not-plastic.html|title=Streetscapes: The 125th Street Station; Metro-North Plans New Makeup, Not Plastic Surgery, for a Beauty|last=Gray|first=Christopher|date=September 18, 1988|work=The New York Times|access-date=December 31, 2018|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> To remedy the situation, the Central opted to raise the bridge to {{Convert|24|feet|meters|abbr=}} above the water for $300,000.<ref name=":24" /> Due to political pressure, it had to raise the grade of its line north of 115th Street on a viaduct, raising the project's cost significantly.<ref name=":24" /> The Park Avenue Line's grade had to be raised to reach the higher bridge, and as a result, a new four-track steel viaduct was built between 132nd Street and 106th Street. Between 110th Street and 106th Street, the steel viaduct was to be placed atop the preexisting masonry retaining walls and fill. Between 115th Street and 130th Street, the viaduct was set to replace the open cut structure completed in 1875.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4yc3AQAAMAAJ&q=%22park+avenue+improvement%22&pg=PP23|title=Second Avenue Subway in the Borough of Manhattan, New York County: Environmental Impact Statement|date=2004|publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority|pages=G1-6, G1-7|language=en}}</ref> Since the line was to be raised on a viaduct, the stone viaducts and the bridges crossing it could be removed.<ref name=":17">{{Cite journal|date=April 28, 1894|title=The Park Avenue Improvement In New York City|url=http://www.catskillarchive.com/rrextra/nycrr01.Html|journal=Scientific American|volume=70|issue=17}}</ref> The 110th Street, 125th Street and Mott Haven stations were to be elevated as part of the project.<ref name=":212">{{Cite journal|date=May 4, 1895|title=The New Railway Entrance To Manhattan Island|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i4Y-AQAAMAAJ&q=The+Sunken+Tracks+to+Harlem&pg=PA414|journal=Harper's Weekly|publisher=Harper's Magazine Company|volume=39|issue=2002|page=414}}</ref> The railroad had threatened to eliminate the 125th Street stop after neighboring property owners threatened to sue and successfully delayed construction.<ref name=":182" />

On October 15, 1897, a spacious new station in Harlem was opened at 125th Street, replacing a small station in the old Park Avenue open cut located between 125th Street and 126th Street. The new station was built atop the old open cut and directly under the new Park Avenue Viaduct. The station was {{convert|30|feet|meters|abbr=}} higher than the old one.<ref name=":212"/> The platforms, which were built on the viaduct, were built to be {{convert|400|feet|meters}} long.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1897/10/08/102405218.pdf|title=A New Railroad Station.; To be Opened Soon at 125th Street by the Central and Harlem River Roads.|date=October 8, 1897|work=The New York Times|access-date=June 21, 2017|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Unlike the old station, which was a local stop, the new station was constructed with two island platforms to allow express trains to stop, with the local tracks curving outwards to make room for them.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1896/04/06/105746019.pdf|title=Railroad Station For Harlem: To be Built at Park Avenue near One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Street|date=April 6, 1896|work=The New York Times|access-date=December 31, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P90TAAAAYAAJ&q=The+first+was+to+raise+the+level+at+which+the+tracks+crossed+the+Harlem+River+to+twenty-five+feet+above+high+water%2C+so+as+to+avoid+frequent+and|title=Health and Pleasure on "America's Greatest Railroad.": Descriptive of Summer Resorts and Excursion Routes, Embracing More Than One Thousand Tours by the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad|date=1895|publisher=New York Central and Hudson River Railroad Company|page=75|language=en}}</ref> The station was designed by architect Morgan O'Brien, and consisted of three levels: the basement containing a section of the old cut not filled in, a waiting room at street level, and the elevated platforms. The original station platforms were discovered in the basement level in 1988 as the station was set to be renovated.<ref name=":182"/>

As with many NYCRR stations in New York City, the station became a [[Penn Central]] station once the NYC & [[Pennsylvania Railroad]]s merged in 1968. The New Haven Line and its branches would be acquired by Penn Central a year later, thus making it a full Penn Central station. Penn Central's continuous financial despair throughout the 1970s forced them to turn over their commuter service to the [[Metropolitan Transportation Authority]]. After the [[138th Street (NYC station)|138th Street]] in the [[Mott Haven, Bronx|Mott Haven]] section of the [[South Bronx]] was closed by Penn Central in 1972, 125th Street Station was the northernmost station to be shared by the Hudson and Harlem Lines. The station and the railroad were turned over to [[Conrail]] in 1976, and eventually became part of the [[Metropolitan Transportation Authority]] (MTA)'s Metro-North Railroad in 1983.

On April 14, 1986, Metro-North awarded a $500,000 contract to URS Inc. to design a renovation of the station. At the time, it was expected that the renovation would repair the station's leaky roof, install new windows, lighting, and doors, and replace its dilapidated platforms. URS was expected to issue a preliminary report on the condition of the wooden station structure and the steel viaduct, and on short- and long-term plans to rehabilitate the station. At the time, weekday ridership at the station was 420 on the Hudson Line, 500 on the Harlem Line, and 670 on the New Haven Line.<ref>{{Cite news|date=May 1, 1986|title=125th Street rail station to be rebuilt|work=The Daily Item|location=Port Chester, New York|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80671536/the-daily-item/|access-date=July 15, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

A six-year-long renovation of the 1897 structure was completed in 1999 and cleared out a century's worth of neglect and deterioration.<ref>{{cite news |title=Six Years in the Making, a Reconstructed Metro-North Station Opens in Harlem |first=Tina |last=Kelley |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/12/19/nyregion/six-years-in-the-making-a-reconstructed-metro-north-station-opens-in-harlem.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=December 19, 1999 |access-date=February 21, 2010}}</ref> The entire Park Avenue viaduct was replaced piece-by-piece without disturbing Metro-North service for the duration of the renovation. This reconstruction included the removal of the Nick Tower just south of the station. The Nick Tower was a control tower mounted over the tracks spanning the entire right-of-way.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/showpix?nsta=14209|title=Photos 1-2 of 2|website=Nycsubway.org|access-date=July 26, 2022}}</ref> The renovation is considered a replication, rather than renovation, of the original 1930s version of the station being that none of the original structure is visible to the public.

Under the 2015–2019&nbsp;MTA&nbsp;Capital Plan, the station, along with four other Metro-North Railroad stations, would receive enhancements as part of the&nbsp;[[Enhanced Station Initiative]]. Updates would include cellular service, Wi-Fi, USB charging stations, interactive service advisories, and maps.<ref name="MTA-MetroNorth-ESI-2017">{{cite web|url=http://www.mta.info/press-release/metro-north/metro-north-railroad-make-design-improvements-five-stations-under-enhanced|title=Metro-North Railroad to Make Design Improvements to Five Stations Under Enhanced Stations Initiative Program|date=2017-12-14|website=Mta.info|access-date=2017-12-17|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614071602/http://www.mta.info/press-release/metro-north/metro-north-railroad-make-design-improvements-five-stations-under-enhanced|archive-date=June 14, 2018}}</ref>

==Service==
The station is used for travel to and from suburbs north of New York City and the Bronx rather than travel to and from [[Grand Central Terminal]]. All off peak and reverse peak trains to or from Grand Central Terminal stop at Harlem. It is in the same fare zone as Grand Central Terminal, so customers pay the same fare whether traveling to Harlem or Grand Central, and may use either station.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://web.mta.info/mta/news/hearings/2017FareTolls/FaresMNR.html|title=Fares adopted by MTA Board on January 25, 2017, effective March 19, 2017 Harlem and Hudson Line Fares to/from Grand Central Terminal|date=March 19, 2017|website=mta.info|publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority|access-date=January 30, 2019|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190211032644/http://web.mta.info/mta/news/hearings/2017FareTolls/FaresMNR.html|archive-date=February 11, 2019}}</ref> Except for local Harlem and Hudson Line trains, northbound trains stop at the station only to receive passengers. Westbound New Haven Line trains and most inbound AM peak Harlem and Hudson Line trains stop only to discharge passengers. Other southbound Harlem and Hudson Line trains may leave five minutes early.

==Station layout==
There are two 10-car long high-level island platforms, each serving two tracks.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/2647944/Operations-Metro-North-Railroad-Track-Charts.pdf|title=Metro-North Railroad Track & Structures Department Track Charts Maintenance Program Interlocking Diagrams & Yard Diagrams 2015|date=2015|publisher=Metro-North Railroad|access-date=January 28, 2019}}</ref>{{Rp|1}} All of the tracks passing through the Harlem–125th Street station are reversible and can serve trains going in either direction. During rush hours, three tracks are typically assigned to the peak direction, with the remaining track serving the reverse direction.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NbYqQSQcE2MC&q=Metro-+North%2C+with+462+platform+tracks+at+Grand+Central+Terminal%2C+is+thus+able+to+use+three+of+its+four+Park+Avenue+tunnel+tracks+in+the+peak+direction.+Even+when+one+of+the+tunnel+tracks+was+%27+Other+typical+commuter+rail+headways+can+be+found&pg=PA98|title=Rail Transit Capacity|last1=Parkinson|first1=Tom|last2=Fisher|first2=Ian|date=1996|publisher=Transportation Research Board|isbn=9780309057189|page=98|language=en}}</ref>

==Future development==
[[File:Harlem - 125th Street New York Central Comfort Station; Front View.JPG|220px|left|thumb|The station's former New York Central Railroad comfort station across 125th Street, which has been abandoned for many years.]]
The south side of 125th Street below the station viaduct houses a long-abandoned former comfort station (restroom facility) and the block has long been a vacant lot attracting garbage.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ransom |first=Jan |date=January 2, 2014 |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/uptown/uptown-grand-central-slated-serious-makeover-article-1.1564903 |title=Harlem's Metro-North sketchy underbelly slated for $6M facelift |website=[[New York Daily News]] |access-date=January 14, 2014 |archive-date=January 15, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140115071153/http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/uptown/uptown-grand-central-slated-serious-makeover-article-1.1564903 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The New York City Economic Development Corporation announced in 2013 that they would work with a mix of public agencies and private developers to improve the area surrounding the station, long considered a blight on East 125th Street.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://edc.nyc/user/login?destination=/project/park-avenue125th-street-public-realm|title=Log in &#124; NYCEDC|website=Edc.nyc|access-date=July 26, 2022}}</ref>

In 2015, a nonprofit organization consisting of local small businesses, property owners and stakeholders called NHEMA (now Uptown Grand Central)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uptowngrandcentral.org/ |title=East Harlem Community, Culture, & Small Business |website=Uptowngrandcentral.org |date= |access-date=2022-07-14}}</ref> adopted this space as a NYC Department of Transportation community plaza, and ever since has programmed the space with activities including a year-round farmers market, pop-up shop featuring local small businesses, concerts, a mobile library and free exercise classes for the community.

Ridership at Harlem–125th Street station rose 55% between 2002 and 2013, much of which included [[reverse commute]]rs—city residents accessing jobs in the suburbs.

Phase II of the [[Second Avenue Subway]] is currently slated to end below the Metro-North station, with the subway tracks continuing west below 125th Street.<ref>{{cite web |last=Rubinstein |first=Dana |date=October 23, 2013 |url=http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/politics/2013/10/8533946/where-second-avenue-subway-going |title=Where is the Second Avenue Subway going? |work=POLITICO |access-date=January 14, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322132244/http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/politics/2013/10/8533946/where-second-avenue-subway-going |archive-date=March 22, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The line is being built deep to clear the double height [[IRT Lexington Avenue Line|Lexington Avenue Line]].
{{-}}
==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{Commons category-inline|Harlem–125th Street station}}
{{MNR links}}
*<!--[http://as0.mta.info/mnr/mstations/station_status_display.cfm?P_AVIS_ID=3 Upcoming northbound train departure times and track assignments from MTA]-->
*[http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/abandoned/125st.html Abandoned Stations: Harlem]
* [https://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=40.80495,-73.938921&spn=0.003906,0.013679&z=17&layer=c&cbll=40.80495,-73.938921&panoid=ZzFK7An1g4if7LgB6foppg&cbp=12,243.38,,0,1.4 125th Street entrance from Google Maps Street View]
* [https://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=40.804958,-73.938932&spn=0.003906,0.013679&z=17&layer=c&cbll=40.805034,-73.938984&panoid=6KX8deVh8-lVbEkk2ERMrA&cbp=12,13.67,,0,6.55 Station House on 125th Street from Google Maps Street View]
* [http://www.google.com/maps/@40.8051346,-73.9381942,3a,75y,249.57h,86.41t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-lqTIcjwDkkU%2FVSC96nsx5KI%2FAAAAAAABFw0%2Fx_uRvKJ9n3U!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh3.googleusercontent.com%2F-lqTIcjwDkkU%2FVSC96nsx5KI%2FAAAAAAABFw0%2Fx_uRvKJ9n3U%2Fw203-h101-n-k-no%2F!7i10240!8i5120?hl=en Platforms from Google Maps Street View]

{{MNRR stations navbox}}
{{NYC Main Line stations}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Harlem-125th Street (Metro-North station)}}
[[Category:1897 establishments in New York City]]
[[Category:Metro-North Railroad stations in New York City]]
[[Category:Former New York Central Railroad stations]]
[[Category:Railway stations in the United States opened in 1897]]
[[Category:Railway stations in Manhattan]]
[[Category:East Harlem]]
[[Category:Park Avenue|*]]