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Satellite, a grocery store was built on the depot's land)
Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum
posted two photos with the comment:
THE RISE & FALL OF PITTSFIELD UNION STATION
Completed in 1914 to replace the original 1886 structure, Pittsfield Union Station was once an icon of the city. Double the size of it's predecessor, the Beaux Art masterpiece sported green veined Vermont marble, high arched windows and a facade of brick with white terra cota trim. Built to serve the Boston & Albany (New York Central) and New Haven Railroads, the final cost of construction was $400,000 - approximately $13 million dollars in today's terms.
As rail passenger traffic decline in the 1950s, so too did the station. In 1960, the New Haven Railroad moved to it's own freight house as a cost savings measure. In an attempt to save the structure, the New York Central offered the building to the city for purposes of a new city hall but local officials felt the estimated $400,000 to renovate the deteriorating building was too much. In May 1968 the Pittsfield Housing Authority, responsible for the city's urban renewal plan, put the demolition out to bid. A local construction company won the bid at $34,300, which included saving the mosaic tile city seal at the station's concrete entryway. The wrecking ball arrived in early July and by summers end the station was but a memory.
New Haven Railroad engineer Pete McLachlan captured the final scenes. Thanks to the efforts of The Falls Village-Canaan Historical Society, Inc. who digitized over 30,000 photographs Pete took throughout his career, the solemn last moments can not only be appreciated but learned from.
Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum
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Jim Kelling shared with the comment: "Pittsfield Massachusetts (demolished in 1968)." |
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| Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum commented on their post |
It appears that the New York, New Haven & Hartford terminated at this town.
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| 1959 Pittsfield West and East Quads @ 24,000 |
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