Coatesville, PA (COT)

Ticket Revenue

FY 2011

$142,605

Station Ridership

FY 2011

14,981

Note: Fiscal year is from
October through September.

The current facility is an enclosed shelter on a platform.

Coatesville's train station is the oldest existing station along the Pennsylvania Railroad's Main Line. The two-story Italianate-style station was built in 1865 and still displays period windows, as well as arcaded passageways. An important part of Coatesville's architectural and industrial history as a steel producing center, the station building itself has been abandoned for more than 20 years, and was included in Preserving Pennsylvania's 2003 "Pennsylvania at Risk" report as one of that state's most endangered historic properties.

Since that time, city and regional officials have pushed forward planning for a major redevelopment of the station complex as well as the surrounding neighborhood and town, hoping to capitalize on recent growth in the area as well as generate new commercial, residential and transit expansion.

In 2003, the city of Coatesville received funding from the Knight Fellowship Program in Community Building to look at opportunities to revitalize the station's neighborhood along the principles of Smart Growth and New Urbanism. The goal was to create a program to "restore the station as the gateway to the historic, commercial and professional center of Coatesville." Citing changing demographics including an increase in population as justification for the project's timeliness, the report proposed the development of a new multi-modal interchange directly adjacent to the train station, which would be fully accessible and include a new bus depot, a taxi stop, cycle parking and lockers, a travel information center and a tourist information kiosk.

An expanded station, proposed retail storefronts and a new parking garage could potentially turn the area into a transit and commercial focal point. However, the timeline and costs of the project are significant. Currently, the area's only public commuter service is Krapf's Transit, a bus line that picks up a quarter-mile from the train station and connects with SEPTA.

Coatesville's history, in some ways, mirrors that of its train station. The economy of Coatesville used to be centered mostly on steel production, specifically as the home of Lukens Steel, which has since gone through several acquisitions to become the ArcelorMittal Steel Company. With America's general transition from a manufacturing economy to a service economy, Coatesville saw economic declines generally in line with those experienced others and became economically distressed. The train station closed, some business moved away from the city and crime rates rose.

Recently, however, the city and the region have been undergoing redevelopment as Chester County has become the beneficiary of increasing demands for residential, recreational and retail facilities. Coatesville's location near Philadelphia as well as its relatively low-cost and available property has made it a prime competitor for this expanding market.

As Coatesville and Chester County continue to grow and transform, renovation of the abandoned train station seems on the horizon, a fitting capstone to the area's resurrection.

Amtrak does not provide ticketing or baggage services at this facility.

Coatesville is served by an average of eight trains a day.

Amtrak's Keystone Service is financed in part through funds made available by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.