by Station Aficionado
It appears that the long-delayed redevelopment of the Springfield (Mass.) Union Station is about to get off the ground:http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/ ... _rede.html. Amtrak will ultimately be able to vacate the Amshack at track level, and move into a proper and historic facility.
That leads me to wonder what other "heritage" stations (in locations that already have passenger service, but not currently used by Amtrak) might reasonably be available for carrier to use in place of an Amshack or a platform shelter. Some stations, like the ruined landmarks in Detroit and Buffalo, are almost certainly too far gone to ever host trains again. Likewise, with its passenger service infrastructure almost entirely gone, and the property converted to other uses, St. Louis Union Station cannot be considered reasonably available. Ditto for Tacoma Union Station.
But what about the former B&O station in Wheeling, W. Va.? Or the former IC depot in Carbondale, Ill.? Or the former DRGW station in Grand Jct., Colo.? Might these historic buildings return to active passenger rail use?
In recent years, a number of once-disused stations have been restored to the active roster. Sometimes (thought not always), the stations have served as centerpieces of local redevelopment. They almost always provide a superior entry portal for Amtrak in comparison with an Amshack, and may be a factor in increased ridership on some routes. Where can Amtrak reasonably uprgrade from a polebarn or a bus shelter to a real station?
That leads me to wonder what other "heritage" stations (in locations that already have passenger service, but not currently used by Amtrak) might reasonably be available for carrier to use in place of an Amshack or a platform shelter. Some stations, like the ruined landmarks in Detroit and Buffalo, are almost certainly too far gone to ever host trains again. Likewise, with its passenger service infrastructure almost entirely gone, and the property converted to other uses, St. Louis Union Station cannot be considered reasonably available. Ditto for Tacoma Union Station.
But what about the former B&O station in Wheeling, W. Va.? Or the former IC depot in Carbondale, Ill.? Or the former DRGW station in Grand Jct., Colo.? Might these historic buildings return to active passenger rail use?
In recent years, a number of once-disused stations have been restored to the active roster. Sometimes (thought not always), the stations have served as centerpieces of local redevelopment. They almost always provide a superior entry portal for Amtrak in comparison with an Amshack, and may be a factor in increased ridership on some routes. Where can Amtrak reasonably uprgrade from a polebarn or a bus shelter to a real station?