Amtrak Stations of the Southeast

[Lakelander]

Jacksonville's old terminal station. During its heyday, it was the busiest train station in the South with over 142 trains a day. It closed in 1971 and was converted into a convention center in 1985. However, JTA has plans to convert it back to its original use. We just need some federal stimulus dollars to pull it off.

[Insighter]

Originally Posted by Ganis

Dallas Union Station during renovation Last Summer (View from Reunion Tower)
Station is used by Light Rail DART (Dallas Area) and Commuter Rail TRE (In the Picture, Connects Dallas and Fort Worth)


Photo By Ninjatune

Thanks for posting... Dallas is so fortunate not to have demolished our station like Atlanta (what a shame!).

[Insighter]

Richmond's look quite nice. It must have been an important city back then. The freeway cutting across the front of the station is pretty insulting... no doubt, that happened back in the urban renewal days of the 1960s.

Cincinnati's old U.S. (now a museum) is also very nice. It's interesting to see early airport design (departure and arrivals levels) in that one which was built in the early 1930s.

[JRQ]

Originally Posted by Insighter

Richmond's look quite nice. It must have been an important city back then. The freeway cutting across the front of the station is pretty insulting... no doubt, that happened back in the urban renewal days of the 1960s.

Cincinnati's old U.S. (now a museum) is also very nice. It's interesting to see early airport design (departure and arrivals levels) in that one which was built in the early 1930s.

It was, and still is very important. It serves as the capital of a state with nearly 8 million people, has one of the few Federal reserve Banks, 9 Fortune 500 and 13 Fortune 1,000 companies are headquartered in the Richmond metro (1.3 mil) alone, and the city is home to several colleges and universities, including the largest in Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth Univ. with over 32,000 students. Not meaning to rant at all lol. If you go to Richmond, it seems like a much larger city than it really is. It's not as "important" as it used to be, but it still holds its own quite well.
I agree, I hate the interstate running right beside of the station...very dumb move if you ask me..but, at least it wasn't demolished like so many.
Richmond has other Amtrak outlets, but Main Street station served nearly 13,000 in 2007, after only being reopened since 2006.

A few from flickr-



At least Richmond tried to make the interstate in front of the station as appealing as possible lol-



And finally a nice montage of interior and exterior-

[skysdalimit]

I've been living in Europe now for half a year and looking at these pics of US stations is making me sick. So many beautiful ones torn down and replaced by much smaller and less architecturally grand structures. As a lifelong Charlotte resident, our current station makes me want to go hide in a box and deny my hometown. We need to get our rail system back in order, and fast.

[RON-E]

Here is Nashville Union Station... no longer used, but amazing structure...

it is now a hotel... by wyndham hotels

[Geaux Tigers]

There are no train stations in north Louisiana. Amtrak does not service this part of the country.

[I-275westcoastfl]

Originally Posted by tampasteve

Tampa Union Station. Opened in May of 1912 and serves the Silver Star route form NY to Miami. Tampa is unique in that the trains must back into the station.





Images from Wikipedia.

Steve

How do they do that? Is there a loop somewhere?

[WeimieLvr]

Originally Posted by skysdalimit

I've been living in Europe now for half a year and looking at these pics of US stations is making me sick. So many beautiful ones torn down and replaced by much smaller and less architecturally grand structures. As a lifelong Charlotte resident, our current station makes me want to go hide in a box and deny my hometown. We need to get our rail system back in order, and fast.

Such an admirable response to a beautiful, historical thread.

Hide in a box? Deny your hometown? Now THAT is something to make one sick. I lived in London for a year, but I never once felt ashamed of being American. They have a very extensive rail system and I HATED it...depressing, inconvenient, smelly, slow, etc.

[skysdalimit]

Originally Posted by WeimieLvr

Such an admirable response to a beautiful, historical thread.

Hide in a box? Deny your hometown? Now THAT is something to make one sick. I lived in London for a year, but I never once felt ashamed of being American. They have a very extensive rail system and I HATED it...depressing, inconvenient, smelly, slow, etc.

You're right, I'm sorry, our rail system is amazing. My bad.

Yes, we should all be so proud that we tore down our old, majestic rail stations and replaced them with 2-bit one platform stopovers. We have not taken care of our rail system, plain and simple.

I'm not ashamed of being an American, I'm actually extremely patriotic and I think Europe has a lot to learn from America too, but it doesn't mean I can't be ashamed of our rail system. It's pathetic. And I don't know what line you were living off of in London, but when I visited my friend in Hatfield (north of London) the trains were excellent with regular service and plenty of room for passengers.

I currently live in the Netherlands. The train system in Europe is extremely punctual and the stations are generally clean and easy to navigate. In the 6 months I've lived here, I've only experienced one delay, and that was for an overnight train in Italy.

So, yeah, of course if someone points to a picture of Charlotte's train station and asks "Is that YOUR train station?", of course I want to say no and wish to think a station of a major southern city couldn't be so dreadful. Currently, yes, I am ashamed of my city's Amtrak station. But it doesn't mean I'm ashamed to be a Charlottean. I'm just looking forward to our new multi-modal station to be built near Gateway.

So if you're satisfied with irregular and over-priced train service, then go ahead and criticize me for wanting something better. I'm going to do everything I can to vote for people who will improve America's train infrastructure and vote for transit referendums. It's people like you who are holding back extension and progression of our nation's railways. Have fun basking in mediocrity.

[I-275westcoastfl]

You are right but your wording was wrong. I agree the rail system here sucks as fas as passenger trains go. You have idiot companies like CSX that "own" rail lines and suck money from the gov. At the same time lets say I wanted to take a train from Tampa to New York, the journey would be incredibly slow and possibly experience a delay somewhere in between. It's cheaper and more efficient to take a car as well as more pleasant. Even better take a plane and thats super efficient but expensive. Our freight train system is actually pretty good, it's a shame we don't use it more then rely on trucks for long distance travel that tear up roads and drive up costs when fuel spikes. However with some of the stations posted in this thread some are either small because they are old and there was never a need for expansion, some are historic but less used because of the fall of rail in America. In the end if we compare our rail system and stations to those around the world, yes our rail system is not that impressive. It doesn't make the country any less great, it just shows the idiocy of our leaders and lack of money available to upgrade the system.

[tampasteve]

Originally Posted by I-275westcoastfl

and possibly experience a delay somewhere in between.

What would be the variable? It is a rare day that Amtrak does not experience a delay. Although they build it into the time Tables, so that helps.

You are right though, our freight system is actually really good....but then that is because they own the lines, which is rather backward IMO.
Steve

[tampasteve]

Originally Posted by I-275westcoastfl

How do they do that? Is there a loop somewhere?

No loop.....frankly I am not sure about the logistics; I have not seen it. The one time I took Amrak home they stopped in Lakeland and made the Tampa people ride an Amtrak bus to the Tampa station

Steve

[Dank City]

Never knew that building was Richmond's Amtrak terminal. I've driven through Richmond a dozen times going from DC to points south and I've always referred to that building affectionately as simply, the Penis Building. The top of it really looks like a penis and it features prominently from the road on the inside corner of that big bend on 95 just after you pass DT Richmond on the right going southbound on 95.

They put some serious $$$ into making the area under the highway inviting to travelers. I love the purple lights, reminds me of Salty Balty.

[Mobius57]

Well, here is the preliminary drawing for Norfolk's High Speed rail terminus that we hope to get once high speed rail comes. =D

http://www.norfolk.gov/hsrail/HSRPre.../slide0026.htm

Sorry, i couldent get the pic out of its presentation, you'll have to go there.

[I-275westcoastfl]

Originally Posted by tampasteve

No loop.....frankly I am not sure about the logistics; I have not seen it. The one time I took Amrak home they stopped in Lakeland and made the Tampa people ride an Amtrak bus to the Tampa station

Steve

Wow that's weird, an Amtrak bus? lol

[TampAGS]

Originally Posted by I-275westcoastfl

How do they do that? Is there a loop somewhere?

There is a spur off the main line at Neve Wye, just on the other side of Ybor in the neighborhood known as Gary. Trains turn north onto the spur and go far enough to clear the wye. Then the switch is moved and the train begins backing up, turning west back out onto the main line. A conductor stands in the rear doorway operating the car's air horn. It always throws new passengers, who wonder why the train is suddenly going backward!

Here's a video of the Silver Star backing up through Ybor City:


Also, there's footage from onboard the train of the "three-point turn" it makes at the wye at about 5:10 of this video:

Originally Posted by I-275westcoastfl

I agree the rail system here sucks as fas as passenger trains go. You have idiot companies like CSX that "own" rail lines and suck money from the gov. At the same time lets say I wanted to take a train from Tampa to New York, the journey would be incredibly slow and possibly experience a delay somewhere in between. It's cheaper and more efficient to take a car as well as more pleasant.

I could not disagree with you more. I would sooner not go at all than drive a car from here to NY. Trains are infinitely more comfortable and pleasant than being cramped inside an automobile. On a train you have the option of getting up and walking around, grabbing a meal in the dining car or just a beer, wings, etc. from the cafe car.


The seats are huge compared to airplane seats and each one is either a window or an aisle, with footrests and more legroom than you're likely to have in a car. Each seat has a standard electrical outlet, so bring your portable DVD and watch a movie, or plug in your laptop (they have just started installing WiFi on some trains) .


Savings from driving vs going by rail is not that much, particularly if you plan on overnighting in a motel mid-journey. Coach fares for TPA - NYP can be had for $117, and that's before any discount if you're AAA, student, millitary, senior, etc. With the train, everyone can sleep without losing travel time. You arrive rested after 26+ hours.


As for CSX, I won't defend them, but Amtrak has chances to acquire track and not done so. That's why Amtrak hasn't run to St. Petersburg or Clearwater since the 80's. CSX offered the tracks to Amtrak, as they were discontinuing their freight service on that line. Amtrak declined the offer and cut service to both cities because they didn't have sufficient funds to maintain the tracks.

[TampAGS]

West Palm Beach, FL
Station is also served by Tri-Rail commuter trains.


Okeechobee, FL
(Station building from 1924 is boarded up and in disrepair. Amtrak facilities consist of a covered bench.)



Lakeland, FL
Station built in 1998.



Sebring, FL
Station restored in recent years and placed on National Register of Historic Places.





These stations, as well as Ft. Lauderdale & Tampa, can be seen in the following video:



All photos and video are my own.

[TampAGS]

Originally Posted by JRQ

Here's one in Lynchburg-

That photo is actually somewhat misleading. The building pictured does house the Amtrak station, but it is two floors down and on the opposite side. The structure is built into a hillside (in case you were scratching your head after "two floors down"), and the side shown in the earlier picture is at the upper portion of the hill. I believe the top floor is home to Lynchburg's Greyhound Station.

Below is a picture of the Amtrak station on the building's opposite side, as well as a shot of the interior. It is a very nicely restored station and they have photos inside of how it looked during passenger trains' golden era, when the whole building served that lone purpose. Back then, the ground floor (where Amtrak is now) I think was mainly for freight, etc., and there was a pedestrian bridge extending out from the 3rd story walkway with stairs leading down to the passenger platforms.





The 2nd floor doesn't extend over the Passenger waiting area so that space has a very high ceiling which stretches up two floors.

These are nighttime shots due to the fact that the two trains serving Lynchburg currently arrive somewhere around 10 pm and 6 am. Hence, the ample lighting installed at each corner and every few feet in between.

Lynchburg had multiple stations in the past, and though it is the lone passenger station in operation today, it is still referred to as "Kemper Street Station".



Below is a link to a video on YouTube which starts out at Union Station in DC, but after a brief glimpse of Alexandria, VA, most of the footage is shot from Lynchburg upon the arrival of Amtrak's Train #19, the southbound Crescent.

YouTube:

"Crescent Roll": Amtrak's CRESCENT Train #19 (WAS-LYH)

(I linked the video rather than embedding it as was done in the preceding posts, to alleviate potential display issues on slower connections. All photos are my own.

[JRQ]

Thanks for the addition, I really have never even been to it, so I had no idea lol. I have been to richmonds and I can say it is gorgeous. The Lynchburg station looks great btw.