Since a major service increase that began as a pilot program in October 2016 and was made permanent in October 2017,[3] train service at Melrose is similar in frequency to most Harlem Line stations, with trains stopping approximately every half-hour during rush hours and every hour all other times.

However, because of the railroad's serious financial distress following the merger, commuter service was turned over to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in 1972.

Penn Central was acquired by Conrail in 1976, and the line and station were completely turned over to Metro-North Railroad on January 1, 1983.

A spokesman for Metro-North said that the station was being "land banked" and was being boarded up, allowing it to be reopened if ridership increased.

[7] The decision was strongly opposed by Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer, who said that the agency created a self-fulfilling prophecy by failing to promote the station and by not maintaining it.

[6] Metro-North planned to close the station on April 1, 1988, but delayed it by ninety days at the request of Bronx officials to allow the railroad and the community to study future development plans in the area and to reconsider the future of the station.

Most of that funding went to Melrose as the station was hard to find because it was located partially underneath a high-rise building.

The station has two offset high-level side platforms, each two cars long, serving the outer tracks of the four-track line.