CHLOE KOWALYK
News Editor
SUNY Fredonia may soon hear the chugging and choo-choos of trains passing by campus — and the college is excited.
Both students and faculty alike are sharing in the excitement of the potential of a train station coming to Dunkirk, N.Y.
Train talk began in the 1990s, and a feasibility study took place in 2001 to assess whether such a project could be completed. However, the 2001 study did not show that SUNY Fredonia and the surrounding communities would not get much use out of a train station. But, since the early 2000s study, community members and students alike have shown their approval for a potential train station.
In the middle of February 2022, the Dunkirk Common Council agreed to pay $20,000 for another feasibility study with Amtrak, a passenger railroad service.
Dunkirk serves as a potential location for a stop due to its location. Dunkirk, Fredonia and SUNY Fredonia are approximately equidistant from Buffalo, N.Y. and Erie, Pa.
An Amtrak station in Dunkirk would serve as a convenient means of transportation between the two cities neighboring Dunkirk and Fredonia, as well as branching out to other big cities like Cleveland, Ohio.
SUNY Fredonia’s President Dr. Stephen Kolsion is a key figure in the conversation about the potential for an Amtrak train station to be brought to Dunkirk.
In a Zoom interview, Kolison said, “A Fredonia/Dunkirk stop, in my view, would be a tremendous benefit for [SUNY Fredonia].” He cites retention, enrollment and community benefits as reasons to advocate for an Amtrak stop in Dunkirk.
SUNY Fredonia’s enrollment is currently the lowest it has been in around 50 years. In 2008, enrollment was well over 5,000 students, according to Fredonia’s 2013–2023 Facilities Master Capital Plan. As of spring 2022, 3,436 students are enrolled in the college, according to the “Enrollment Updates” page on the school’s website.
The same page provides a glimpse into Fredonia’s rententin problem. In fall 2021, SUNY Fredonia had 3,780 students enrolled, which means the college lost 344 students in just one semester.
With the current issues of enrollment and retention SUNY Fredonia is facing, Kolison believes that a train station could help.
Cory Bezek, the executive director of enrollment services at SUNY Fredonia, agrees with Kolison.
He said that a train station in Dunkirk could connect the campus with Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, Rome and all the way down through New York City without needing to change trains.
Bezek explains that 45% of SUNY Fredonia’s population is from one of these regions. He adds that if you include Long Island, with a train change at the Long Island Railroad, over 50% of the student population is reached.
Bezek also notes that taking the train can be a cheap and safe option for students who do not have cars. He calculated that train tickets can be as cheap as $15, and from Buffalo to New York City, a train ticket would cost $54 each way.
Bezek said that with rising gas prices, taking the train can be more convenient for college students. He explained that this new option of transportation can help attract students who live further away from campus, as they would now have a way to get to and from SUNY Fredonia.
Kolison and Bezek both described ways to get students on campus using the potential Dunkirk/Fredonia Amtrak stop. They explained how they could have a campus shuttle bus come to the stop, pick up the students and bring them to campus during move-in and move-out days.
However, it’s not just faculty and administration figures that are excited about a potential train station in Dunkirk — students too have voiced their passion for a new way to travel around New York State.
Alé Herreros, a junior double majoring in theatre and public relations, is from New York City. She often finds herself taking the train to and from school. Herreros said that she already uses the Amtrak to travel home, but the closest station is far away.
From campus, the closest Amtrak stations are on Exchange Street in Buffalo, N.Y. and in Depew, N.Y., a suburb of Buffalo. These locations are approximately a 50 minute drive from SUNY Fredonia.
Joe Imburgia, a junior music performance major, has found himself in a similar situation as Herreros. Imburgia typically needs to ask his friends to drive him to the Depew Amtrak station early in the morning so he can return home to Long Island.
He said, “Not many of us have cars, so it’s one of our only forms of travel if we need to go home unless you wanna break the bank and get a plane ticket, and both [taking the train or flying] already require a trip to Buffalo.”
Herreros also said that an Uber to Buffalo can be quite expensive and explains that taking the train straight from Dunkirk would be much cheaper.
While an Amtrak stop in Dunkirk would benefit students who live far away, students who live locally or who own cars may get use out of the station as well.
In an Instagram poll taken of 69 individuals who live either on Fredonia’s campus or nearby, 80% of respondents said that they would use the station, with only 20% saying they wouldn’t.
Students who did vote in favor of the train station had several reasons for their approval.
Olivia Frazer, a junior English major, said, “I think it would be [good] for nights I want to go out to drink with friends, but none of us want to be [designated driver].” Frazer lives in Indiana, but feels she’d use the train for more social reasons.
Kolison and Bezek also described how students could use the train as a way to easily travel to and from social events in nearby cities.
Frazer added, “I think it would benefit the college as the school is isolated from most social locations.”
A major selling point for students, faculty and administrators was the convenience of an Amtrak stop.
Kolison said that sometimes, he even uses the train when attending meetings in Albany, N.Y. because he feels it is more convenient for him.
Bezek also feels that taking the train allows him to work as he travels, ultimately saving him time.
SUNY Fredonia students feel that a train station close to campus would be convenient for them too.
Herreros and Imburgia would no longer need to worry about rides to Buffalo early in the morning, and students like Frazer could use the train to responsibly travel around the state.
Kolison said that he will be working with the Village of Fredonia and the City of Dunkirk as well as senator George Borello, Chuck Schumer and County Executive Paul Wendel Jr.
He said, “I’m committed to it. I’m committed to working very hard with all the other leaders in the county, also at the state level and at the federal level, to see whether we can make this happen.”
Kolison adds that he can “imagine it.”
Kolison’s vision today could be a life-changing reality for students tomorrow. It could positively impact the lives of the 80% of students who said they would use a train station in Dunkirk.
A simple thought of a train station near campus could make the world of a difference to Imburgia and Hererros, who struggle to make their ways home each break.