Great Train Stations in North America: 4

Jersey City NJ -- Central of New Jersey

For many years this structure, originally built in 1889 to replace an earlier out-dated one, meant for many people, the beginning of not just a train trip, but a whole new life. This was the closest rail station to Ellis Island, the first destination for so many immigrants into the United States during the latter half of the 19th century. This station was so close, it could be seen from the north-facing windows of the facility.

As the first station after Ellis Island, and as a way to commute across the water to New York City, it was a busy station. In its heyday, 1890-1915 it saw 30,000 to 50,000 people and 300 trains a day! But, the stations fortunes began to wane and it was all but abandoned when the State of New Jersey took it over and made it the centerpiece for Liberty State Park. In this new role it became a Visitor's Center, and the place where the ferry to the Ellis Island Historical National Park docked in New Jersey.

But still it stands as a reminder, that some stations represent a new beginning, a radical break from the past.