By classic definition a Railroad station is the designated place where the railroad conducts its business. It may, or may not involve a structure.
Too often the station-building is confused for the station itself.
This may seem pedantic, but it leads to both linguistic problems and logistical complications.
Take the old New York Central station building at Garrison, New York. It’s now been repurposed as the Philipstown Depot Theatre. It still looks like a railroad station, but it isn’t one any more.
![](https://i0.wp.com/briansolomon.com/trackingthelight/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Garrison_Station_DSCF9232.jpg?resize=474%2C316)
![](https://i0.wp.com/briansolomon.com/trackingthelight/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Garrison_Station_DSCF9241.jpg?resize=474%2C711)
Today’s Metro-North Garrison station is nearby; this is a modern facility with an ugly overhead footbridge and high-level platforms. The old building is fenced off from the tracks with no access to the line.
![](https://i0.wp.com/briansolomon.com/trackingthelight/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Metro-North_Garrison_DSCF9227.jpg?resize=474%2C316)
Check out my book: Railway Depots, Stations and Terminals published by Voyageur Press.
Read a review of the book by clicking here: https://westernsreboot.com/2015/10/09/train-stations-celebrated-in-new-book/
I made these views using my FujiFilm X-T1.