Citizens Eyeing St. Davids Train Station for a Renaissance

Just one stop away from the new and improved Wayne train station lies a more quiet, residential stop. The St. Davids station, while having a healthy amount of riders in residents of nearby homes and commuters to nearby colleges, feels a bit ignored and looks just a little solemn and abandoned.

While Septa recently poured millions of dollars installing high-level platforms and making the Wayne stop handicap accessible all the while preserving its historic building and canopies, a group of local residents hope that St. Davids will get a little love, attention and funding for a renovation.

Consider this a start: South Wayne resident and longtime community volunteer Cheryl Tumola has earmarked the $500 honorarium she received from a recent Wayne Business Association award to go towards a project at the station via the .

Honorees of the annual Benjamin V. M. Wilson Award are awarded $500 from to donate to the local organization of their choice. On Thursday a small crowd gathered at St. Davids station to talk about the potential.

Tumola said she has been thinking about the need to improve the station for years as an active user of the rail line.

In the 1960s the station building was demolished. About thirty years ago there was a ticket office in the building constructed in its place. Later, it contained a post office. Now, it is home to a real estate office.

Train station property belongs to Amtrak and is leased by Septa, but Tumola believes that the land the building is on is privately owned.

And while the would-be historic building is long gone, the Radnor Historical Society has a list of things that could be done to improve the station:

• Repaint the inbound and outbound canopies
• Reproduce historic signs
• Install plants and gardens around the station
• Replace missing columns and brackets under the canopies
• Re-create decorative gable elements
• Fix structural damage on the inbound roof
• Repair the fence on the south side of the bridge over Chamounix Road

According to Edward F. Wallace, a deputy director of bridges and buildings for Septa, in the current fiscal year the station will get some repairs to the canopies, platforms and benches.

“Septa wants to be in partnership with communities, especially if we can get a friends’ group,” said Warren Williams, an architect with the transportation authority.

Williams said that the Merion train station on the Paoli line has had an active friends’ group for years that keeps the isolated station from falling into disrepair.

He said that there is less vandalism and trash at cared-for train stations. And while St. Davids does not have a lot of vandalism, in Tumola’s eyes, it needs more care.

If you're interested in joining the cause email webmaster@radnorhistory.org.