Another Tuesday, another Harlem Line station… I was a bit behind today, and I am glad I was able to keep up with the schedule, hehe. I’ve been hard at work with some new things for the site, which unfortunately requires me to draw a bit, and although my shoulder is feeling better, it was hurting after drawing too long. When I went for therapy I told this to my doctor… and he looked at me like I grew two heads. “A tablet what?” Later on he advised me to “not draw too much on your scrabble board.” I suppose he’d shit a brick if he saw a person walk in with an iPad. In other news I’ve upped the security on commenting here. I’ve gotten a bit fed up with thousands of spam comments a week, even though they go into a spam folder and don’t actually get posted. The additional spam blocker I’ve added (that prevents spam from ever getting submitted) warned me that there may be false positives. So if you ever make a comment that doesn’t get through, please let me know. Despite the fact that I really didn’t want to, I’ve also closed comments on articles more than 2 months old, which cut down on a lot of the spam.
Anyways, back to Fordham. Besides Harlem-125th Street, Fordham is one of the other Harlem Line stations that is shared. Both Harlem Line and New Haven Line trains stop here, and it is one of Metro-North’s busier stations. Much of the ridership at Fordham is made up of reverse commuters: folks that leave the city and head to jobs in Westchester and Connecticut. Over 6,000 reverse commuters head north on week days. The station itself is located below street level, with a portion of the platform being covered by the road above. Although it does have a ticket window and a small waiting room, I didn’t get too many photos since it was under construction when I visited. Construction on the platform will also be happening soon, as it was announced in July that Metro-North had purchased additional land to extend the platform, and a new canopy and shelter will be built.
Within close proximity to the station is Fordham University, as well as many shops. The station also serves as Metro North’s access point to the Bronx Zoo, as you can take a bus from the station to the zoo. Other than that, Fordham is not the most remarkable station… but here are some photos, enjoy!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Get off at Fordham Road to visit the Fordham Road shopping district — a center for urban fashion styles and hip-hop regalia. It’s a very lively area.
Also nearby (across from the Bronx Zoo) is the New York Botanical Garden:
“Enter the 50-acre native Forest and discover the largest remaining expanse of the majestic woodland that once covered New York City. With rustic paths that wind beneath magnificent American trees—some more than 200 years old—and past the Bronx River and its rushing waterfall, the Forest is magical when the mayflowers and trout lilies open in spring, when its cool shade provides relief from the summer heat, during fall’s kaleidoscope of orange, red, and yellow, and after a winter’s snowfall. A haven for bird watchers and nature lovers, the Forest offers a welcome respite from city life.”
True, but the Botanical Garden does have its own devoted station. I have to get over there!
Fordham not only connects the Harlem and New Haven, but until 1973 the 3rd avenue el ran right next to the station on the Fordham U (West) side of the station and then crossed the tracks to follow Webster Avenue north to Gun Hill Road. Interesting to see if it’s still there but on the North end of the Northbound platform the pilings and some of the structural steel for the el (and it’s branch off to Bronx Park), I’d be curious to see if it remains or if Metro North cleaned that up. Besides I don’t know of how many ticket windows will remain open in Metro North, they closed Yonkers (Great historic station) and replaced the station agent with a TVM.
Have you seen the garbage can there? I f you want to laugh look at the one on the NB side.
I think it’s a cool station once you go underneath the station house on the train heading towards Grand Central. Wasn’t there another entrance to the station from the other side of the street above where the Buses pick you up at that little depot area?
Maybe a long time ago, but it’s still a cool Metro North station.