The Long Tradition of the Mad Vehicle Scramble at the Pelham Train Station Each Day

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"The more things change, the more they stay the same."

-- Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr in Les Guêpes, January 1849.

Social media, including the Mothers of Pelham (MOPs) and Dads of Pelham (DOPs) Facebook pages, frequently buzz with complaints of the daily mad scramble among vehicles and pedestrians jockeying for position as commuter trains from New York City arrive at Pelham Station on the New Haven Line.  Drivers waiting to pick up their harried commuters are park their vehicles in helter-skelter fashion, blocking access to station parking lots.  Harried commuters dart in and out of traffic without regard to crosswalks.  Unhappy drivers are stuck in long lines trying to exit the station.  Commuters race to waiting taxis only to learn that all are full.  Ah the joys of the Pelham commute!

Yet, such madcap hijinks have been part of the arrival at Pelham Train Station for nearly one hundred years (or longer)!  Indeed, a lengthy editorial appeared in a local newspaper nearly ninety years ago assailing local drivers who waited at the station for commuters without regard to the flow of traffic at a time when Pelham police routinely directed traffic in and out of the train station lots.  Indeed, the editorial suggested a host of safety improvements that it urged though many -- to this day -- have never been implemented.

During at least the late 1920s and 1930s, the Village of Pelham (Pelham Heights) Police Department had a police officer meet most late day arriving trains and direct traffic departing the station from the center of the intersection of the Connecticut-bound-side station exit, 1st Street, and Corlies Avenue.  The presence of the officer, however, seemed to make little difference, according to The Pelham Sun.

Among the complaints highlighted by the newspaper in its 1931 editorial were the following:

• Drivers eager to get away ahead of other machines parked too closely to the entrances, blocking incoming vehicles or forcing them to steer widely into the plaza.
  
• Incoming cars when trains arrive sped across the plaza in front of cars moving out.
  
• Latecomers parked across from the entrance to the plaza disregarding and blocking vehicles exiting the plaza.
  
• Two cars often parked in spaces measured for three vehicles.
  
• Motorists parked at right angles to, and in front of cars at the curb, often blocking the passage of three vehicles.
  
• Disorderly parking made it difficult for drivers to turn and back into parking places, thus adding to the confusion.
  
• When passing out of the plaza, motorists failed to signal and, thus, indicate to the traffic officer the direction in which they expected to turn; instead they cut across traffic going in opposite directions and blocked the intersection.
  
• First Street traffic failed to halt below the plaza entrances when cars were moving out; cars cut across the stream of traffice and halted before the officer, who is stationed at the center of the intersection.
  
• Although there is ample room to park cars at the easterly end of the plaza, cars were always "crammed at the westerly end of the plaza."

Of course, nearly ninety years later, the same could have been written about the commuter arrivals last night (and every night during the intervening ninety years).  

The more things change, the more they stay the same. . . . . 

Undated Postcard View of the Pelham Station on the New

Haven Main Line.  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

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"THE DEPOT PARKING PROBLEM
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The Cause

A survey conducted by The Pelham Sun during evening rush hours at Pelham depot this week shows that the situation has become serious mainly because of faults of motorists who meet incoming trains.  Eagerness to secure an advantageous parking place, or maintain the same one every evening; and anxiety to rush away regardless of the feelings of other motorists and pedestrians, is seen as the cause of traffic congestion.

The following facts were noted:  Although there is ample room to park cars at the easterly end of the plaza, cars are crammed at the westerly end of the plaza.  

Drivers eager to get away ahead of other machines park close to the entrances, making it necessary for incoming machines to steer widely into the plaza.  Women drivers hesitate to park against the fence at the top of the bank at the westerly end of the platform.

There is little semblance of order in parking.  Motorists unable to back their cars against the platform park at right angles to and in front of cars at the curb, often blocking the passage of three machines.

The disorderly parking makes it difficult for women drivers to turn and back into parking places, thus adding to the confusion.

The designated parking places are disregarded.  Two cars are often parked in space measured for three.

When trains arrive drivers start their engines and leave parking places to move along the plaza seeking passengers.

Incoming cars when trains arrive speed across the plaza in front of cars moving out.

Latecomers park across the entrance to the plaza disregarding machines moving out.  

Pelhamwood and North Pelham cars are parked on the Pelham Heights side of the plaza although there is ample room on the North Pelham side of the depot.

When passing out of the plaza, motorists fail to indicate to the traffic officer the direction in which they will turn; but cut across traffic going in opposite directions.

First street traffic fails to halt below the plaza entrances when cars are moving out; cars cut across the stream and halt before the officer, who is stationed at the center of the intersection.

A Solution

As a solution to the traffic problem at Pelham depot The Pelham Sun offers the following suggestion;

Construct a curbing at the top of the embankment at the westerly section of the plaza, against which motorists may park their machines in the same manner as is done against the platform.

Eliminate the freight station to provide ample room for motorists to turn their machines in a single curve.

Establish a manually operated signal light which will halt all traffic when pedestrians are crossing First street; permit traffic to pass off the easterly and westerly sections of the plaza alternately; halt first street traffic fifty feet from the plaza entrances when cars are leaving the plaza.  This semaphore will permit both passages to the plaza to be cleared without crossing traffic, and will keep incoming cars or traffic on First street and Corlies avenue from cutting into the outgoing traffic from the plaza.

Urge all motorists to observe parking regulations.

Urge that North Pelham and Pelhamwood commuters have their machines parked at the North Pelham side of the depot."

Source:  THE DEPOT PARKING PROBLEM, The Pelham Sun, Jun. 5, 1931, Vol. 22, No. 10, p. 5, cols. 2-3.

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