MTA Metro-North Railroad Reveals New Platform Shelter and Station Enhancements at Nanuet

On April 21, Metro North Railroad President Catherine Rinaldi announced the opening of the rebuilt platform shelter at the Nanuet Station,  dedicated in memory of Orrin Getz, Vice Chair of the Metro-North Railroad Commuter Council. The Nanuet Station is the Pascack Valley Line’s busiest station in New York, with approximately 600 daily customers prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The shelter welcomes riders with new benches with USB connections, LED lights, a fully glass enclosed waiting area, heating, a wooden ceiling, and exterior directional signs. The platform shelter has been redesigned in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and is equipped with communication and security enhancements, including  a new speaker and camera inside the shelter and Help Points – sleek metal enclosures that contain an emergency call box with a direct line to MTA Police Department (MTAPD). Additionally, as part of the MTA’s Customer Service Initiative, crews have installed a kiosk that displays real-time train departure information.

“A modern, attractive and clean station is an important part of the Metro-North customer experience,” said Metro-North President Catherine Rinaldi, “Part of that improved customer experience is largely owed to the efforts of Orrin Getz, a leading voice for all Metro-North riders, but especially for West of Hudson riders, being a Pascack Valley rider himself. The shelter has been deservingly dedicated to Orrin, in recognition of his accomplishments and years advocating for improved service on behalf of his community.”

“Orrin Getz dedicated decades of his life to advocacy on behalf of Rockland County commuters and is exactly why I asked for this shelter to be named in his honor,” said Rockland County Executive Ed Day. “Rockland County looks forward to continued collaboration with Metro-North and New Jersey Transit to further improve service on the Pascack Valley line and revitalize other stations in our County, because as we know, much, much more needs to be done for our beleaguered Rockland commuters.”

“On behalf of the Town of Clarkstown, we thank Metro-North for this much needed upgrade to the Nanuet Train Station,” said Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann. “The residents of Clarkstown and Rockland County appreciate the new communication, technology and security enhancements. I am so delighted that the new shelter is dedicated to longtime resident and transportation advocate, Orrin Getz. Over the years, Orrin committed countless hours to advocacy and his efforts directly resulted in improved service to the Pascack Valley line. This dedication is a true honor to his commitment to our community and his fellow commuters.”

“The beautiful shelter being unveiled today is a wonderful testament to Orrin Getz,” said Lisa Daglian, Executive Director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA (PCAC). “He was a staunch advocate for meeting the needs of all riders and wanted to be sure that everyone could access Metro-North, including riders with disabilities. The amenities included here will make waiting for the train less of a burden. A West of Hudson rider, Orrin constantly beat the drum for better and more service and improving communication between the Railroad and commuters. It is a very bittersweet moment that Orrin can’t be here to see this dedication – this shelter in many ways epitomizes his commitment to supporting his fellow riders.”

Both the station shelter work and the real time information upgrades and are funded through the MTA’s capital program. The shelter work was performed by Pleasant Contracting Corp., a Staten Island-based contracting company that participates in the MTA’s Small Business Mentoring Program.