 Aberdeen, MD | Northeast Regional | Wilmington, DE  |
Newark, Delaware (pronounced New-ark, not New-erk like the major city in New Jersey) has seen minimal continuous railroad service since its historic Victorian depot opened in 1877. It always been an Amtrak Station although with infrequent service, with just the bare minimum of one to two trains per day along the Northeast Corridor. Today there are three Amtrak Northeast Regional Trains per day (Four Northbound trains on Sundays) that stop at the station.
Weekday SEPTA Regional Rail service (during basically rush hours in both directions only) began on September 2, 1997 with some trains extended from Wilmington. The station is also a terminus station that lacks a train yard As of Fall 2024, all trips except the first 5:52am trip from Newark that deadheads to the station, arrive in Newark, have a brief layover before returning to Newark and Philadelphia. There are three AM trips arriving between 6:15am and 8:46am and departing between 6:43am (plus the 5:52am trip that has deadheaded) and 9:12am. There are five PM rush hour round-trips that arrive between 3:35pm and 7:45pm and return to Philadelphia between 3:54pm and 8:05pm.
The station consists of two largely low-level side platforms along the four track Northeast Corridor. Wooden boarding crossings allow passengers to board trains on the middle express tracks, with a fence running down the length of the station between the middle tracks to discourage trespassing and passengers crossing the high-speed rail line.
The platforms are connected by green steps that lead up to what is the sidewalk, although on its own separate bridge (held up by the same supports) of College Avenue that crosses over the station, just west of the historic station house. This overall bridge is accessible via long approach ramps along College Avenue as they resume and become a sidewalk at each end of the bridge.
The northern platform is located just below (accessible by flights of six steps), the station's historic Victorian-era brick depot. This platform (with signs directing passengers) is exclusively used by Southbound Amtrak trains. This historic two-story building with tall eves and dormer roof windows along the second story is no longer in passenger use. The building now contains the Newark Historical Society's Newark History Museum (temporarily closed for renovations as of Fall 2024). Just beyond the historic depot the James F. Hall Trail, two-mile urban path that largely follows the Northeast Corridor through the city of Newark. The historic depot has its own access road but minimal parking.
The southern platform is used by northbound Amtrak trains and all SEPTA trains including these trains directly laying over in the station along the platform. This platform is accessible (exclusively to SEPTA trains) via a high-level mini-high platform beyond the western end of the platform that has a hydrologic edge (allowing it to be tipped up for greater clearance when not in use). There is a single bus shelter on this platform for waiting passengers.
Leaving this platform (other than via the steps up to the bridge) is via a path at the western end of the platform. This, along with a separate path to the accessible mini-high platform lead up to a small modern brick and concrete station building. This modern Thomas R. Carper Station opened in 2020.
Arriving from the platform, passengers first reach plenty of covered bike parking under an open porch that extends from the building. This is followed by a central indoor station area. Inside this waiting room (open and closed by a security guard during the times of SEPTA's rush hour trains) are two sets of simple metal benches (with armrests, hostile architecture), these are both along low tiled narrow counters that provide backrests and power outlets. The wall of the depot closest to the tracks contains restrooms and water fountains. There is also a small security office.
The southern end of the depot is most unique (and where the only door to the waiting room is). Here, a currently fenced off staircase, along with a not open yet elevator (with two doors on its first floor both to outside and inside the waiting room) both lead up to an upper landing. This upper landing currently has a false wall for an enclosed pedestrian bridge that will eventually lead across the tracks to a new and accessible Southbound platform. Construction on new high-level platforms for the station, and an accessible connection between the two platforms hasn't begun yet, but the modern station house already has the staircase and elevator needed to lead up to a modern pedestrian bridge.
The Thomas R. Carper Station building leads out to a Passenger Pick Up and Drop Off area, just beyond this is a single bus stop for connecting DART First State and Cecil Transit Elkton-Newark Connection. This bus route provides bus service, via a connection in Elkton, near the historic and abandoned train station along the Northeast Corridor, all the way to Perryville, Maryland where MARC Commuter Rail service from Baltimore and Washington, DC terminates.
The station doesn't have a larger DART first state bus hub because the main Newark Transit Hub is located a mile and a half-away in Downtown Newark, on the opposite side of the University of Delaware Campus.
The area beyond the depot leads back to a large 256 space parking lot. This park and ride lot (along with the bus loop) is exclusively accessible to vehicles from the south via Station Way that leads to Inspiration Blvd. Some greenfield lots seem primed for Transit Oriented Development with streets already mapped over them, along with the University of Delaware's modern STAR Health Sciences Complex just south of the station.
Photos 1-55: September 4, 2013; 56-88: September 5, 2013;
