Baltimore Penn Station

Got word from one of the Amtrak conductors who works the WAS-PHL pair (picking up at BAL) as well as some photos, so I went over today and got some pics myself. (Sadly 2/3's being used for storage... as well as 4/5).

Track 2/3 platform is being rebuilt.
https://imgur.com/tNYty2e
https://imgur.com/ZHQqHEY

And Track "F" aka Track 8 platform being built:
https://imgur.com/gq9bdl3

Baltimore Sun providing an update on the Track 8 platform and a few other restoration efforts:

https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/b ... story.html

When Amtrak’s new generation of high speed Acela trains arrive, Baltimore and Penn Station will be ready.

Construction crews are completing a new platform, with an overhead canopy, stairs, elevator and enclosed pedestrian bridge on the Lanvale Street side of Baltimore’s main passenger rail terminal.

Amtrak is testing the new locomotives and coaches of its latest generation of premium, high speed equipment due to arrive late this year.

It is all part of the station’s ongoing refurbishment, a job that got underway early last year. The south-facing exterior of the 1911 depot remains enclosed in a steel scaffolding cage. That, in turn, is slipcovered in a dark safety material.

Arriving on Track 9....

https://www.wbaltv.com/article/amtrak-n ... n/46571705

Amtrak unveiled a newly constructed train platform at one of the country's busiest train stations.

Amtrak and federal, state and local leaders held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday morning for Platform 5 at Baltimore's Penn Station. The new platform will begin services in the spring.

"For decades, Penn Station has served our city well. Now, this new platform, and all the renovations to come, will breathe new life into this storied train station and provide much-needed upgrades for convenience, safety and enjoyment of everyone passing through the station," Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said.

P{latform length only listed as 1000 ft+. That would only be a 12 car train length. IMO not enough for the future or even some LD trains.,

west point wrote: ↑Wed Jan 31, 2024 12:43 am P{latform length only listed as 1000 ft+. That would only be a 12 car train length. IMO not enough for the future or even some LD trains.,

It was originally designed for Acela and MARC usage, mainly for Acela's to get around MARC trains on tracks 6 and 7.

Construction update from The Baltimore Banner: "The passenger rail company wants to turn the south side of the station into a pedestrian plaza.... But there’s a complication. The plan would require moving the pickup and drop-off areas for cars and taxis entirely onto nearby streets" whose curb lane had already been promised to state MTA. Now, coincidentally or not, "Amtrak announced a pause on the redevelopment of the station and its surrounding area..."

Article: "Reimagined Penn Station would relocate drop-off area. Should cars or buses get curbside priority?"
The Baltimore Banner, https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/comm ... JRBZY2GHU/

A problem certainly looms! Even if the station loop stays right where (in my opinion) it belongs, vehicles backed-up waiting to get into it will throw a wrench at the MTA's dreams of smoothly sailing buses.

Were the busses supposed to offload on Charles Street and St. Paul Street, while cars would take a loop off Landvale Street north of the existing station (where the new station will be)? Or was there plans for buses to loop in, and cars would go through the second garage?

The historic part of Baltimore Penn Station has a lovely loop for taxis and pickup-dropoff out front. The article seems to say Amtrak plans to eliminate the loop (and not build another) and evict taxis and pickup-dropoff to the flanking streets, Charles and St Paul, even though the state has had a plan in the works to put a nice place for buses on those streets. The state's plan is obviously good for Amtrak's travelers, so Amtrak's motivations are a mystery. But it is not clear, from the article, whether there is actually a stalemate or whether Amtrak can unilaterally eliminate the loop, essentially leaving the state to sooner-or-later cave in and devote space on Charles & St Paul to taxis and pickup-dropoff under pressure from the motoring public.

dhturbo wrote: ↑Tue Aug 06, 2024 5:49 pm The historic part of Baltimore Penn Station has a lovely loop for taxis and pickup-dropoff out front. The article seems to say Amtrak plans to eliminate the loop (and not build another) and evict taxis and pickup-dropoff to the flanking streets, Charles and St Paul, even though the state has had a plan in the works to put a nice place for buses on those streets. The state's plan is obviously good for Amtrak's travelers, so Amtrak's motivations are a mystery. But it is not clear, from the article, whether there is actually a stalemate or whether Amtrak can unilaterally eliminate the loop, essentially leaving the state to sooner-or-later cave in and devote space on Charles & St Paul to taxis and pickup-dropoff under pressure from the motoring public.

Well, remember that the long term plan is that Amtrak will move out from the historic part and into the newer part along Lanvale Street. I would think the taxi's and such would loop there, leaving the side streets for buses.