Last Station Built New Before Amtrak?

[R36 Combine Coach]

Construction of Meriden station didn't start till really late in 1970. The old depot was bought in November 1970 before construction started. Struggling to find an opening date.

This would make Meriden unique in history: the only passenger station built by a private railroad after the passage of RPSA (10/30/70).

[The EGE]

Meriden was funded entirely by the city as part of a downtown revitalization program; Penn Central was merely a tenant along for the ride.

Capital Beltway was a completely separate station from New Carrollton, and located about half a mile northeast. It opened on March 16, 1970. New Carrollton opened for Metro service on November 20, 1978. In August 1982, Conrail closed its Lanham and Landover stations, and began using Capital Beltway for commuter service. Not until October 30, 1983 did Amtrak and AMDOT (the ex-Conrail, soon-to-be MARC commuter service) move to New Carrollton, with Capital Beltway then closing.

[Station Aficionado]

Reading about the impending demolition of Buffalo's 1952 NYC built station at Exchange Street led me to think once again about the facilities that the railroads built in the post war era. I can recall one in Iowa built by ATSF and some stations built by Southern to replace former terminals.

The following two questions come to mind as a result ...

What was the last station built new by a railroad prior to Amtrak?

and ...

What was the newest station retained in the Amtrak system on A-Day?

Should be interesting to see if these locations are in service on Amtrak today (or where at any point in the past).

I think the Iowa ATSF station you refer to is Ft. Madison. Santa Fe moved out of the old downtown station to a stop in the middle of their yard around 1968. There is a super slomo plan in process to move back to the old station.

The last “big city” station built before Amtrak was likely Milwaukee Union Station—1965.

[Station Aficionado]

I'd guess a Northeast state-funded commuter railroad station that Amtrak also served, but, if not, perhaps the 1964-ish Charlotte, NC one? Amtrak didn't serve it until 1979, though.

The Crescent stop in Greensboro was moved out of downtown to somewhere in SR’s yard c. 1979. If that happened before SR handed the train over to Amtrak, that’s probably the last intercity station built before Amtrak commenced service at that particular station. They moved back to downtown Greensboro in 2005.

[gokeefe]

It almost appears as though Southern was imitating Amtrak's Standard Stations design at that time. There weren't any Amtrak trains running through Greensboro in 1979 correct?

[RRspatch]

It almost appears as though Southern was imitating Amtrak's Standard Stations design at that time. There weren't any Amtrak trains running through Greensboro in 1979 correct?

The Amtrak station database has pictures of both the current Amtrak station as well as the Southern "Amtrak style" station. Other than the yard masters tower it looks just like your standard 1970's Amtrak station.

http://www.trainweb.org/usarail/greensboro.htm

[Gilbert B Norman]

From Imlauer Pitter Hotel Salzburg (home tomorrow)--

Savannah was pre-Amtrak but "late in the game". Same for Lakeland.

[jhdeasy]

Was it ever served by Amtrak?

The previous passenger station in East Syracuse was served by NYC, PC and Amtrak for many years. It was on the south side of DeWitt Yard.

I boarded and detained there on business trips several times in 1995-1997. At one time, private car LEHIGH VALLEY 353 was stored on that station’s siding.

[TCurtin]

My guess, which has already been proven wrong, would have been the first Albany-Rensselaer train station built in 1968, by the New York Central (I think it was completed before Penn Central came into being).

But this replaced the Albany Union station and moved things across the river to where now there is a great, modern, 4-track high platform station.

The original Renssalaer station opened in --- I think --- December 1968. PC had been using the old Albany station prior to that. The "great modern station" in Renssalaer is about the third one constructed there.

[gokeefe]

So ... It appears the safe conclusion here is that Meriden, CT was the last station built new and opened before Amtrak which was also retained. I will grant that it was indeed not built directly by PC but by the municipal government.

I am surprised, to say the least, that a station in New England turns out to be the answer. I would have guessed somewhere out west on the ATSF.

Did we ever get an opening date?

[riffian]

Kansas City Southern Baton Rouge Station built in 1967. Large structure at the dead end of Foss Street still serves as a yard office. Only saw two years of passenger trains. Southern Belle last run in November 1969.

[Gilbert B Norman]

Hafta say, that structure 1400 Foss St hardly looks like one built by an outfit trying to get out of the business, and when built, it was a case of "We have no intention of getting out of the passenger business". KCS even ordered passenger cars as late as 1965 - and those cars remain in service today in NCDOT "Piedmont" service.

But in the tradition of a TRAINS jinx, a feature article in the October 1967 issue proclaimed just that. At the time, I was serving in Viet Nam, and received my issue. Funny though, how on that same day, I went to the Base Library and started to read a two day old Wall Street Journal.

There is was on the front page that KCS wanted out.

[R36 Combine Coach]

KCS even ordered passenger cars as late as 1965 - and those cars remain in service today in NCDOT "Piedmont" service.

The very last cars delivered to a private carrier and not government (federal, state, local) owned. No further orders for standard intercity/LD coaches until the Amfleets in 1975. These KCS coaches were on NJDOT/NJT (CNJ lines) in the 1970s and 80s.

[gokeefe]

Hafta say, that structure 1400 Foss St hardly looks like one built by an outfit trying to get out of the business, and when built, it was a case of "We have no intention of getting out of the passenger business".

Many thanks Mr. Norman for calling the existence of this building to the attention of the discussion. The architectural style of the building seems notable. It appears to be an example of structuralist architecture.

If that's actually the case it is probably the only example of such ever built by a U.S. railroad. Quite unique. I would be pleased to be wrong especially if there is an example currently in service elsewhere on Amtrak.

[gokeefe]

Here's a photo of the KCS station in 1977. Looks like black granite trim.