Mentor, Ohio NYC Passenger Station
Posted by: 
miatabug
N 41° 40.733 W 081° 20.289
17T E 471854 N 4614179
This Mentor railway station was used for the Twentieth Century Limited.
Waymark Code: WM1N5Z
Location: Ohio, United States
Date Posted: 06/06/2007
Views: 115
This is a train station with history associated with it. The station is located along the tracks of the famous New York Central Twentieth Century Limited tracks. In 1905 it became the scene of a fatal rail accident.
The 20th Century Limited began service in 1902. Sometime in the evening of June 21, 1905 a vandal forced a switch on the track at the depot. When the eastbound 20th century came through and hit the switch, the train derailed at the station. The combination car landed on the engine whose boiler exploded from the crash impact. In the end nineteen people died that evening. The crash caused a fervor over the speed of the engine. It's speed of 60 miles per hour was considered too fast for safe travel.
The station is intact, but much of its exterior has been clad to add seating space for restaurant businesses. At least two failed restaurants have been here in the past. It is currently in the process of being renovated again as a restaurant with volleyball courts added to the east side of the site. I have no older photos, but the parking lot configuration appears to have been the site of an old platform.
There is (was) a benchmark at the site. It was logged as recovered as recently as 2000. If it still exists, it is indoors now and out of site of the eating area. While in the parking lot, an old freight depot is visible to the north at coords (N 41 40.488 W 081 20.450)
My information for this page came from numerous internet sources.
Is the station/depot currently used for railroad purposes?: No
Is the station/depot open to the public?: No
If the station/depot is not being used for railroad purposes, what is it currently used for?:
The staion has been the site of sequential restaurants. It is currently being renovated as a restaurant.
What rail lines does/did the station/depot serve?: New York Central
Station/Depot Web Site: [Web Link]
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