Tottenville (Staten Island Railway)

Tottenville is the southern terminus of the Staten Island Railway, it is located near the southwestern tip of the island, a 42 minute ride from St. George according to the timetable. From 1867 (after the railroad opened in 1860) until 1963 this station connected to a car/passenger ferry to Perth Amboy, New Jersey with the railroad operating this ferry until 1948 (a different vendor operated it for its last 15 years). The Perth Amboy New Jersey Transit Railroad Station is only a mile away, but completely inaccessible because of the lack of this ferry and the fact the Outerbridge Crossing that indirectly replaced the ferry, opening in 1928 doesn’t have a pedestrian path. If a pedestrian path is ever built on the Outerbridge Crossing, Richmond Valley would be the closest SIR station to its entrance). The historic ferry dock in Perth Amboy has been restored to its 1904 appearance and added to the national register of historic places.

The Arthur Kill (body of water) is parallel to the track northern (western) side of the station platform, before curving around the station and is visible just beyond the bumper-blocks that mark the end of the line. Adjacent to the station are three additional tracks that make up the Tottenville Yard. The platform is a simple island platform with a simple steel canopy painted with a red-orange color that runs nearly the length of the platform.

There are two exits from the station. One at the foot of the platform with a path right along the Arthur Kill, this is accessed by a small ramp and leads past a small brick building that was once the station house. This entrance is ADA accessible, making the station ADA accessible. It leads to the end of Bentley Street. The other exit is at the other end of the platform and is an overpass across the tracks accessed from a narrow passageway that leads down between the tracks, extending the platform a bit of a distance before reaching a staircase up to the footbridge. This bridge leads to the intersection of Utah and Main Streets to the south and the end of Ellis Street to the north.
Photos 1-9: June 20, 2008;

Looking down the narrow island platform at Tottenville.

A Tottenville Station platform sign.

Another view down the fairly narrow island platform at Tottenville.

SIR R40 #462 stopped at Tottenville waiting to begin a trip back up to St. George

Approaching the very narrow passageway surrounded by fences that leads to an overpass across the traks at Tottenville.

Another view of just how narrow the exit at the northern end of the platform at Tottenville is.

Approaching the narrow staircase up to the overpass at Tottenville on the northeastern end of the platform.

A view off the overpass at Tottenville, the Arthur Kill is visible beyond the three tracks of the Tottenville Yard.

A staircase up to the overpass over to the island platform at Tottenville.