(rshsdepot) Baldiwn, NY

["Bernie Wagenblast" <brwagenblast_@_home.com>]

The following comes from the July/August issue of "Along the
Track" the Long Island Rail Road employee newsletter.


Baldwin Station: Then and Now

A handbook published by the Long Island Rail Road at the turn of
the 20th century described Baldwin as "conveying to the traveller
a delightful idea of rural life."  The LIRR, in order to help
entice people to take a serious look at this bucolic area, even
offered a special on-dollar excursion fare from Long Island City.
Times change, of course, but efforts continue to maintain the
pleasing suburban character of this station.

First listed in LIRR timetables as Baldwinsville in 1867, then
Baldwinsville in 1869, and Baldwins in 1872.  The Baldwin we know
today, in name, finally came into being in the mid 1870's.
However, as we all know, change is constant.  For five years in
the 1890's Baldwin (the LIRR station, at least) was called
Millburn.  This change was made, much to the chagrin of some
locals, at the behest of then LIRR President Austin Corbin.
Public and political pressure eventually prevailed and the
station name was changed back to Baldwin in 1897.

The original brick station building, remodeled and modernized
several times since 1881 and located at the intersection of Grand
Avenue just north of Sunrise Highway, was finally demolished as
part of the grade crossing elimination along the Babylon Branch
in 1956.

Remodeling work on the ticket office and waiting room was
recently completed.  This included a new brick exterior, terrazzo
flooring, new tiled interior walls, two new ADA accessible rest
rooms, customer seats, and lighting.  In keeping with historic
tradition, architectural features were incorporated into the work
including brick arches around the doors and pre-cast head and
sills over and under the windows.  New staircases were also
installed.  Rehabilitation work on the platform level waiting
room is to be completed later this year.

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