Staten Island Railway

The Staten Island Railway (SIR) is a rapid transit line in the New York City borough of Staten Island. Owned by the Staten Island Rapid Transit Operating Authority (SIRTOA), a part of the larger Metropolitan Transportation Authority, it is run by the New York City Transit Authority Department of Subways. The railway runs all day, every day, connecting St. George and Tottenville along the east side of the island.

Even though there is no direct connection to the New York City Subway, passengers can get a free transfer to buses and subways, and the line appears on official New York City Subway maps. Many people who use the railway take the Staten Island Ferry to get to Manhattan. The trains are timed to match the ferry schedule, making it easy for commuters.

The railroad began in 1851 and reached Tottenville in 1860. Over time, it was run by big companies like the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Pennsylvania Railroad. Today, it is one of the few rail systems in the United States that operates around the clock. In 2025, about 18,400 people used the railway each weekday. The line uses special subway cars, mostly R211S, with R44s kept ready for any problems. Its main repair center is at the Clifton Shops, near the old Clifton station.

History

Main article: History of the Staten Island Railway

19th century

The Staten Island Rail Road started on August 2, 1851, after people from Perth Amboy and Staten Island asked for a train line between Tottenville and Stapleton. Cornelius Vanderbilt, who operated ferries between Staten Island and Manhattan, helped pay for it. The line reached Tottenville on June 2, 1860.

By 1880, the railway wasn’t working well, and New York State wanted to close it. Erastus Wiman started the Staten Island Rapid Transit Company and worked with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad to build a big train station and connect several ferry landings. Construction began on a line from Vanderbilt’s Landing to Tompkinsville in 1884, and it opened for passengers on August 1, 1884. In 1885, the line was leased to the B&O for 99 years. The North Shore Branch opened in 1886, and the Saint George terminal opened on March 7, 1886. More lines opened in the following years, including the South Beach Branch in 1888 and extensions to South Beach in 1893.

20th century

Improvements were made after the Pennsylvania Railroad took control in 1900. New York City took over the ferry and terminals in 1905 and built a new St. George Terminal for $2,318,720.

In the 1920s, the lines were electrified with third-rail power, similar to New York City subways. The first electric train ran on May 30, 1925. A branch along Staten Island’s West Shore was built in the 1920s to carry building materials for the Outerbridge Crossing bridge. The Port Richmond–Tower Hill viaduct, the nation’s largest grade-crossing-elimination project, was completed in 1937.

Ridership dropped from 12.3 million in 1947 to 4.4 million in 1949 as people switched to buses. About half of weekday trains were cut in September 1948, and night trains after 1:29 a.m. were cancelled. Service was slightly increased after public backlash. In 1953, passenger service ended on the North Shore Branch and the South Beach Branch due to competition from buses. Passenger service on the Tottenville Branch continued with city subsidies.

In 1956, work began on replacing the Arthur Kill swing bridge with a vertical-lift bridge, which opened in August 1959. Operation of the Tottenville line was turned over to the Staten Island Rapid Transit Operating Authority in 1971, and the line was purchased by the city of New York. The first six R44 cars entered service on February 28, 1973, replacing older cars. A station-rebuilding program began in 1985.

The MTA restored the line’s original name as the MTA Staten Island Railway (SIR) on April 2, 1994. On July 4, 1997, fares were eliminated for travel between Tompkinsville and Tottenville. Three afternoon express trains were added to the schedule on April 7, 1999. A section of the North Shore Branch reopened for passenger service to the Richmond County Bank Ballpark on June 24, 2001, but was discontinued on June 18, 2010. A new station building at Tompkinsville opened on January 20, 2010.

In the 2010s, officials demanded replacement of the railway’s aging R44 cars. The MTA ordered 75 R211S cars to replace the R44s. The first R211S cars entered service in October 2024, fully replacing the R44s by September 2025.

Current use

Passenger service

The Staten Island Railway has one main line that runs north to south. It has been separated from roads since the 1960s, except for a short part between Grasmere and Old Town stations, and from Pleasant Plains to Tottenville, the end of the line. The train station at St. George connects to the Staten Island Ferry. St. George has twelve tracks, ten of which are used for trains. Tottenville has a yard with three tracks.

The railway uses seventy-five R211S subway cars made by Kawasaki Railcar Manufacturing. These cars started service in October 2024. The line also has four BL20G locomotives for work service. Major repairs are done at Clifton Shops, and any extra work is done in Brooklyn.

Trains can go up to 45 miles per hour during regular service but slow down to 10 miles per hour on less used tracks.

Demetrius Crichlow has been the railway's leader since October 2024.

Accessibility

Only Dongan Hills, St. George, Great Kills, New Dorp, and Tottenville stations have been updated to help everyone, including those using wheelchairs. Two more stations, Huguenot and Clifton, are planned to get these updates.

Prince's Bay, Huguenot, Annadale, Great Kills, Dongan Hills, and Arthur Kill stations have places to park cars. The newest station, Arthur Kill, opened on January 21, 2017. It replaced Atlantic and Nassau stations.

Police

In 2005, the police for the Staten Island Railway joined the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department. This department started in 1998 and covers many train systems.

Fare

The fare for the Staten Island Railway is $3, the same as New York City subways and buses. You pay when you get on at St. George or Tompkinsville. If your trip starts or ends at these stations, you pay; otherwise, it’s free. You can pay with OMNY or MetroCards. Because of free transfers, many riders don’t actually pay a fare unless they need to transfer twice.

Before 1997, fares were collected by people on the train, but now turnstiles at Tompkinsville and new buildings make sure everyone pays.

In 2017, it was announced that MetroCards would be replaced by OMNY, a way to pay using phones, cards, or special cards. OMNY came to St. George and Tompkinsville stations in 2019. MetroCard sales stopped at the end of 2025, but existing cards can still be used.

Freight service

In the early 2000s, plans were made to reopen a rail line in New Jersey. In 2004, a project to bring back freight service on Staten Island and fix the Arthur Kill Vertical Lift Bridge was announced. Service started again in April 2007 to move containers from the Howland Hook Marine Terminal and other businesses. This service is part of the PANYNJ's ExpressRail system.

Future plans

People have talked about adding a new station in the Rosebank neighborhood. This station would help fill the big space between two existing stations, Grasmere and Clifton. Long ago, there was a station called Rosebank in that area, but it is no longer there.

There have also been ideas to connect the Staten Island Railway to the subway system. Some old plans, like the unfinished Staten Island Tunnel and a line along the Verrazzano–Narrows Bridge, never happened because of money problems, politics, and engineering challenges.

One idea from 2006 was to bring back train service on a part of the North Shore Branch between St. George and Arlington. This would need more studies and money, about $360 million. Some people thought bus rapid transit would be the best option because it would cost less and be easier to set up. However, as of January 2018, this project still did not have the money needed to start.

Branches and stations

Main article: List of Staten Island Railway stations

!Map of former and current passenger lines overlaid on a modern road map

Main Line stations

* Some local trains start at Huguenot during morning rush hours.

Stations on former branches

North Shore Branch

Main article: North Shore Branch

The North Shore Branch stopped carrying passengers at midnight on March 31, 1953. A small part of it is still used for moving goods, connecting to places like the Howland Hook Marine Terminal. This area also links to the Chemical Coast after crossing a special bridge. The North Shore Branch once served big companies and shipbuilders, and even had a special stop for a baseball team from June 2001 to June 2010. Plans were made in 2008 to bring the line back as part of a new light-rail idea, and work is happening to check if a fast bus line can use this old road.

South Beach Branch

Main article: South Beach Branch

The South Beach Branch started on January 1, 1888, and reached Arrochar, then later South Beach in 1893. It closed to passengers at midnight on March 31, 1953, and most of it was torn down. But some pieces are still left, like parts of old roads and bridges. One bridge over Robin Road in Arrochar is still standing, even though houses have been built around it.

Freight lines

Travis Branch

The Travis Branch, from Arlington Yard to Fresh Kills, runs along the island's West Shore. It was built in 1928 to help move goods for Gulf Oil and later expanded to serve a big power plant. In 2005, the line was updated and stretched to a transfer station at Fresh Kills, starting regular service there in April 2007.

Mount Loretto Spur

The Mount Loretto Spur was a smaller line used to bring goods and passengers to the Mount Loretto Children's Home. It stopped working in 1950, and the tracks were taken away in the 1960s and 1970s, but some wooden pieces stayed until the 1980s. Now, only an old coal bridge is left.

West Shore Line

South of the Richmond Valley station, a smaller line split off to help build the Outerbridge Crossing bridge. Later, it was used for a scrapyard. This line stopped working on June 14, 2011. Some parts of the old tracks are still there, hidden by plants.