Historic Station, Dedicated Owner
Octogenarian MaryAnn Jakubowski Runs and Owns Historic Vermont Train Station Seven Days a Week
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MaryAnn Jakubowski is in her 80s, but she shows up seven days a week — 365 days a year — to run a train station she owns in Castleton, Vermont. The building has stood since 1850, making it one of the oldest stations on the entire Amtrak network, according to KCTV5.
The station is a rare case. Most Amtrak stops are owned by governments or the rail company itself. The Castleton depot is privately owned — and has been in the Jakubowski family since 1966, when the Delaware and Hudson Railroad sold it to her parents, according to WFSB.
A 176-Year-Old Building Still Running on Rope
The depot was built in 1850 by the Rutland and Whitehall Railroad. That makes it 176 years old. The original floorboards are still in place. To deal with gaps between the aged planks, Jakubowski uses heavy rope — stuffed into the cracks to keep drafts out. It is a small detail that says a lot about how she runs the place, according to WLOX.
In 2005, Jakubowski and her husband Val started a full renovation. They upgraded the electrical system, heating, and lighting. Amtrak did not begin service at the station until January 2, 2010. Before that, the nearest stop was in Fair Haven, five miles to the west. ADA-compliant platforms were added between 2016 and 2018, according to Fox 8 Live.
Jakubowski Opens the Doors, Brews the Coffee, Plays the Music
Every morning, Jakubowski unlocks the station herself. She flips on the lights. She brews coffee. She puts on classical music for arriving passengers. At 83 years old — her age as of mid-2024 — she does this every single day, according to WAFF.
Passengers notice. Travelers have called the station "cozy" and "beautifully maintained." Many say it feels more like a home than a train stop. In April 2024, a local TV station named her a "Super Senior" for her work at the station and her roles in the community, including teaching a senior fitness class and serving as secretary for the town's cemetery trustees, according to WSMV.
3,146 Riders a Year and a Growing Rail Corridor
The Castleton station serves the Ethan Allen Express, which runs between New York City and Rutland, Vermont. In Fiscal Year 2025, the station saw 3,146 passengers, according to Amtrak data. The stop is a key link for students at Vermont State University and for tourists headed to Lake Bomoseen, according to 13ABC.
The line got bigger in 2022 when the Ethan Allen Express was extended to Burlington. That made Castleton a more important stop on a growing western Vermont rail route. In 2015, the station helped generate $288,505 in revenue for Amtrak's Vermont network, according to WBBJ TV.
Who Takes Over When Jakubowski Can No Longer?
The biggest question hanging over this station is simple: what happens next? Jakubowski is the heart of the operation. She owns it, staffs it, and cares for it — all by herself, day after day. No one else does what she does, according to KWCH.
Transit advocates say Castleton shows what a rural station can be when someone truly cares for it. But that model only works because of one person. Without public funding or a clear plan for new stewards, the future of this 176-year-old building rests entirely on who comes next, according to KGNS.
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