Train Access
Metro North Railroad, Poughkeepsie, New York
Dutchess County is fortunate to have two train lines – the Harlem Line in eastern Dutchess carrying Metro-North trains south to New York City, and the Hudson Line, running parallel to the River, carrying Metro-North trains south to New York City and Amtrak trains south and north to Albany and beyond. Train stations are shown on our Barriers to Reliable Access Map.
How walkable are our train stations?
As of the 2020 Census, over 7,000 residents lived within a half mile of a train station – about 60 percent of whom lived near the City of Poughkeepsie station. With a good sidewalk network, many of these residents can safely walk to the station if they choose. Of our nine full-service train stations, only four (Poughkeepsie, Beacon, Pawling, and Dover) have at least 20 percent sidewalk coverage within a half mile, which we find reflects decent walkability. While a few of the remaining Harlem Valley stations are in rural areas with little population nearby, the Rhinecliff and New Hamburg stations are notable for having populations nearby but almost no sidewalks.
How bikeable are our train stations?
Two of our stations are within a half mile of a rail trail: the Poughkeepsie train station on the Hudson Line and the Wassaic station at the end of the Harlem Line. The proposed Beacon Hopewell Rail Trail would add the Beacon train station to that list. However, there are not always safe or comfortable routes to bike between the train station and the rail trail.
Along with safe and convenient access to stations, train riders who bike also need a safe place to store their bicycles. We evaluated bicycle parking at train stations and found that only four stations, all along the Harlem Line, have bicycle storage lockers. Most of the other stations have bicycle racks. Adding secure long-term bike parking, especially at stations that see more bicyclists – such as Beacon and Poughkeepsie – could remove a major barrier for people who would like to use a bike for their trips to and from the train. For more on bike parking, see the Bicycle Parking section of our Walking and Bicycling Resources webpage.
How many of our train stations have bus connections?
Bus connections can greatly expand access to train stations, providing a first- and last-mile option for residents without a car and reducing the demand for limited parking at stations. Of course, this only works if the bus arrives when train passengers need it, so coordination of bus service and train schedules is critical. Even if bus schedules coordinate with train schedules, when a train runs late, buses must either wait (causing delays on the route) or miss the connection entirely. In Dutchess, four of our nine stations have bus service Monday to Saturday: Poughkeepsie, Beacon, Pawling, and Harlem Valley-Wingdale (the seasonal Appalachian Trail stop is also served by a bus route). However, bus schedules are not always aligned with train schedules, due to the frequency of train schedule changes.
County Public Transit has explored bus access to the Rhinecliff station, but a full-size bus cannot navigate the station’s access roads and there are no sidewalks between potential bus drop-off points and the station. An alternative model, such as microtransit, could be an option for such a challenging location. Our Connect Mid-Hudson Regional Transit Plan (.pdf) proposes a microtransit zone that would include the station.
Our Role
Based on this analysis, our role could include the following:
- Work with County Public Transit to improve access to train stations, either with fixed-route service or alternative transit models.
- Improve sidewalk access to train stations, and consider station access when evaluating priorities for federal, State, and County funding programs.
- Advocate for secure long-term bicycle parking, especially at the Beacon and Poughkeepsie stations.
- Work with the Town of Rhinebeck, NYSDOT, and Amtrak to improve access to the Rhinecliff station, considering walking, bicycling, parking, and potential options for bus service, such as microtransit.
BEEKMAN STREET IMPROVEMENTS
Based on recommendations from our Beekman Street Complete Streets Analysis, the City of Beacon is progressing improvements to Beekman Street – a main connector between the Beacon train station and Main Street. Improvements will include new sidewalks, bicycle lanes, crosswalks, and ADA-compliant curb ramps, along with streetscape improvements like new street trees, improving access to the train station and complementing a proposed housing development near the station.
BIKES ON TRAINS
On Metro North trains, standard size bikes are allowed on a first-come, first served basis if there is space, but are not allowed at rush hour or on holidays. Folding bicycles are allowed on all trains. Amtrak offers carry-on bicycle service but requires a reservation; folding bikes can be brought on the train as baggage.