Stunning abandoned train stations from all over the world. Part 2.

We continue to talk about abandoned train stations. If you missed it, the first part is here.

Helensburgh Railway Station, Australia

The Sutherland-Wollongong railway line was built in New South Wales between 1884 and 1886 to serve coalfields and farms. There are seven disused tunnels between the Falls and Otford, collectively known as the Helensburgh Tunnels, as well as the disused Helensburgh Station. The area is now popular with walkers, railroad enthusiasts and ghostbusters, and there have even been reports of a ghostly figure being seen in dark tunnels. They say it's Robert Hales, a miner who was hit by a train in 1895.

After being abandoned for many years, the tunnels were drained in 1995, and excavations were carried out on the site, and a large section of the original platform was found intact. Now that the tunnels are heritage-listed, they are famous for their colony of fireflies. However, they are currently closed due to flooding that occurred in May 2020, but if you ever find yourself in the area, keep an eye on the opening date.

Monte Romano, Italy

The old Monte Romano station is located on the abandoned railway line Orte Capranica-Civitavecchia, which was built to connect the seaport of Rome in the late 19th century. This connection was terminated in 1961. Today, the old railway track is used as a route by walkers and mountain bikers, and some of the beautiful but faded station buildings, such as Monte Romano, have been preserved.

La Petite Ceinture, Paris, France

The dilapidated and overgrown, forgotten railway line encircling Paris has an eerie beauty. It was a vital means of transportation for urban Parisians traveling by steam locomotives from 1862 to 1934, after which the network of tunnels, bridges and tracks turned into a wasteland. It has lain mostly forgotten for decades, invaded by weeds, wildflowers, urban wildlife and graffiti artists.

The once busy railway line, which also served steam freight trains, originally had 29 stations, but today there are only 17 left. It fell into disrepair with the advent of the underground Paris metro and the growing popularity of motor transport.

However, in 2007, the section between Port d'Auteuil and Gare de la Muette in the 16th arrondissement was opened to the public as an urban footpath. People can also follow nature trails along the sites in the 12th arrondissement and along the paths between Balard Square and Olivier de Serre Street in the 15th arrondissement. The last sections opened in 2015 in the 13th arrondissement and in June 2020 between Thionville Street and Lurk Street 2 bis.

Swanbourne Station, Buckinghamshire, England

No one has stepped onto the platform of this remote rural station in Buckinghamshire since 1968, although the buildings have remained abandoned and unused. The station, which is actually a mile from the village of Swanbourne, was on the Oxford-Bletchley line and was operated by the Buckinghamshire Railway when it opened in the 1800s.

The route was closed by the British Railways Board after the introduction of new diesel trains in the 1960s. The need for cross-country travel also decreased as passengers found it faster to travel through London than on the old University Line, which ran between Oxford and Cambridge. Take a look at the destroyed ticket office, and you will be able to look into the bygone era of railway travel.

16th Street Station, California, USA

The dilapidated historic landmark of West Auckland dates back to 1912 and is a fine example of Bozar-style architecture with its huge arched windows. At its peak, a significant railway station in the South Pacific saw about 400 trains passing through its tracks every day. But over the years, the appearance of transport has changed, and the number of passengers has decreased. The station was also badly damaged during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

The following years, the grandiose abandoned building was bought by the non-profit developer of affordable housing "Bridge". Now it is used as a film set and an atmospheric space for events, and large-scale reconstruction plans are being developed.

Danushkodi Railway Station, India

In this settlement, located on the southeastern tip of Pamban Island in Tamil Nadu, not only the railway station has been abandoned and destroyed. The entire village of Danushkodi was deserted after a powerful cyclone devastated the city and its buildings in 1964. According to some reports, up to 2,000 people died during the disaster.

Among the ruins of the city there is a once noisy railway station building, of which only part of the facade has been preserved. Unfortunately, the devastating cyclone caused a huge tidal wave that hit the oncoming train at Danushkodi, washing it away and reportedly killing all 115 people on board.

Metro station City Hall, New York, USA

Built in 1904 by renowned architects Hines and Lafargue, City Hall was the very first subway station open to the public in New York. Service was discontinued in 1945, as passengers found the nearby Brooklyn Bridge Station, which had access to both express and local tracks, more convenient. “The lost” city station is an incredible space that is surprisingly well preserved.

With its curved platform, vaulted tile ceilings, skylights and chandeliers still largely intact, the station may have been abandoned, but it remains a vital part of America's railroad history. Its track is still used as a turning point for Line 6, but the station is closed to the public. However, staff at the New York Transit Museum can usually book semi-regular guided tours of the abandoned station.

Colonia del Sacramento Train Station, Uruguay

One of the oldest cities in Uruguay, Colonia del Sacramento in the southwest of the country, is known for its cobbled historical center, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Among the fascinating old buildings of the city is this abandoned railway station with its faded and graffiti-daubed facade and overgrown tracks.

New Jersey Central Railroad, terminal building, USA

On the banks of the Hudson, the overgrown ruins of the New Jersey Central Railroad station building may not look very similar, but the station was once a thriving place through which millions of passengers passed. The Bush Railroad Shed, which still stands today, housed 20 tracks and was at that time the largest ever built.

Built in 1889, the New Jersey Central Railway Station was the beginning of a new life for many of its passengers. In fact, he welcomed as many as two-thirds of the Ellis Island immigrants as they drove through New Jersey to start their new lives. However, the Great Depression and the rise of motor transport put an end to the railroad age in the United States, and the station finally closed in 1967.