Nostalgic and Historic Amtrak Stations Still Used Today

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No ticket agents or baggage service at GRR according to Amtrak.com.
Some stations that don't have ticket agents or baggage service often have some sort of attendant on duty. I think these are often paid for by the locality, not Amtrak. I've seen this at Essex Junction and White River Junction on the Vermonter and Huntingdon, PA on the Pennsylvanian.
 
Some stations that don't have ticket agents or baggage service often have some sort of attendant on duty. I think these are often paid for by the locality, not Amtrak. I've seen this at Essex Junction and White River Junction on the Vermonter and Huntingdon, PA on the Pennsylvanian.
Yes, we have one like that here in Washington. The Olympia/Lacey "Centennial" station. It is not staffed by Amtrak and no services such as ticketing or baggage claim, but is staffed by volunteers.

My point was no Amtrak services are available at GRR, despite having people around.
 
Yes, we have one like that here in Washington. The Olympia/Lacey "Centennial" station. It is not staffed by Amtrak and no services such as ticketing or baggage claim, but is staffed by volunteers.
Have there been any situations like that for the Surfline? Where do you go to apply/sign up? Requirements?
 
The train station in Schenectady literally changed my life when I was young… focusing forever my interest in railroads and rail travel. First introduction came when I was in Mrs. Berman’s 2nd grade class at Carman School adjacent to the new housing development which had gone up for solders returning from WWII.

The New York Central had a special program for 2nd grade classes in the Schenectady area for a field trip between SDY and ALB. School busses transported all the classes and their teachers to the station where we were all waiting in organized lines to board a big beautiful train just for us. Prior to that NYC sent promo to be hung on bulletin boards as well as coloring books and clip out models of all the different kind of rail cars… mail cars, baggage cars, passenger cars, restaurant cars, sleeping cars, observation cars… and more! There were long links of these model passenger trains all over the classroom.

We went up those big steps and looked out the windows ‘way high up’ as we clustered around the windows. Then suddenly the world began to move as the train gently began its departure. Going faster and faster you can imagine the sounds of jubilation for a bunch of young children looking at the beautiful New York scenery.

The experience lent itself to train fantasies that only a very young imaginative mind can have. It was amazing that there were so many trains on so many tracks that go everywhere. I concluded that ‘trains can go anywhere without getting lost because the tracks glide them… with only clickaty clacks and no ‘bumps.’

That day on the New York Central changed my life forever!

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Pics below of 'Restored' SDY Amtrak Station...


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That is something I would argue Amtrak needs to do more of. It is such a great PR stunt to get a future generation on the rails. Deutsche Bahn still does this.
 
I have not done this in a few years and with Covid restrictions I am not even sure I could try a field trip this year. But I used to take my physics class (well the students that wanted to go on a weekend) to Charlotte or Raleigh from Greensboro each spring. For the vast majority of the students this was their first train ride on Amtrak. I mostly went to Raleigh as the trip was a bit shorter so the ticket was a little cheaper, and the museums in Raleigh are free whereas the science museum in Charlotte is not free and then the bus ticket from the train station to downtown adds a few more dollars. It got a bit expensive for some of the students and we needed a meal on top of all of that.
 
When transferring between the CS and CZ between EUG and CHI I always request the Martinez station as the wait is shorter and one can still linger with breakfast a little longer. Much preferred to SAC and it's long walk to and from. The cafe attendant in Martinez is very friendly and fixed me up with a salad and other goodies during the wait. The Martinez station is a newer smaller station but still in the 'grand' California style... and it's a great place for spotting those local California commuter trains!

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I've only been there once, and that was when I had a beer buzz going and forgot that Berkeley to Richmond was a really short trip. But a conductor (who had seen me often) wrote up a slip that I missed my stop and that I should return to Richmond. But I got to spend about a good hour or so in the Martinez station. I'd been to Martinez before and even drove by a few times (I had jury duty) but never went into the station. I guess on the outside it's somewhat contemporary red brick. Reminds me of the California State Railroad Museum. But inside it tries to evoke older train stations with a lot of wood.

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On my return ride the first train there was actually a San Joaquin that was running late. And it was a train with just Comet Cars, which was a nice little treat since I'd never ridden on one before. It was interesting seeing the conductor set up the stairs. They had no problem with my note, even though it was a "reserved" train. I don't think it really matters because they typically allow Capitol Corridor riders to use their tickets as well as 10-ride tickets.
 
Harrisburg, PA (HAR). Took these when dropping my daughter off a few weeks ago. I thought it was nice inside. Really liked the fireplaces at either end of the lobby (no longer in use). Pennsylvania Railroad Loco and Caboose on premise. Small newsstand inside, no food vendors and not much close by. Not attractive on the outside, and bad parking options.HAR1.jpgHAR2.jpgHAR3.jpgHAR4.jpgHAR5.jpgHAR6.jpgHAR7.jpgHAR8.jpg
 
Concerning Worcester MA, before the current station was renovated there was an Amshack located underneath the I-290 overpass. I remember using it in 2001 on a trip to Philadelphia via the "inland route" Boston - Washington via Springfield. The low level platform there is still used occasionally when the MBTA has the single high level occupied.

In the category of old historic stations that I wish would be renovated and put into use I nominate Grand Junction CO.
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The current Amtrak station is utilitarian but functional:
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Chico, CA station built in 1892. Most of it now is a museum and coffee shop. An unstaffed waiting room is all that is left. The Coast Starlight stops in the middle of the night in both directions. Tracks are on this side of the fence. The thruway bus stops on the street on the other side.

The station was shown in the 1947 film Magic Town when James Stewart's character arrives in the fictional town of Grandview. During his 1952 Vice Presidential campaign, Richard Nixon was talking on the pay phone at the station when he got the news from the campaign headquarters that he would have to respond to the Checkers issue with the "Checkers speech".
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Chico, CA station built in 1892. Most of it now is a museum and coffee shop. An unstaffed waiting room is all that is left. The Coast Starlight stops in the middle of the night in both directions. Tracks are on this side of the fence. The thruway bus stops on the street on the other side.

The station was shown in the 1947 film Magic Town when James Stewart's character arrives in the fictional town of Grandview. During his 1952 Vice Presidential campaign, Richard Nixon was talking on the pay phone at the station when he got the news from the campaign headquarters that he would have to respond to the Checkers issue with the "Checkers speech".
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Found this:

https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/87000001_text
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Its' better than the old AmShack they'd been moved to for decades.

Your post reminds me of what happened in Columbus, Ohio. A pleasant, spacious Union Station got torn down and replaced with such an AmShack while Amtrak service was available. The site of the former station was needed to build a convention center and related businesses in the area.
 
Your post reminds me of what happened in Columbus, Ohio. A pleasant, spacious Union Station got torn down and replaced with such an AmShack while Amtrak service was available. The site of the former station was needed to build a convention center and related businesses in the area.

Fortunately Cincinnati saved the old terminal and put it to other uses. Amtrak only uses and needs a small part, and it's effective.
 
The Convention Center could've been built elsewhere. the Columbus station was on the National Register of Historic Places and was demolished anyways, folks from Battelle should've gone to jail. i hope they put a new station as close as possible to that site and tell the story in full there.
 
Your post reminds me of what happened in Columbus, Ohio. A pleasant, spacious Union Station got torn down and replaced with such an AmShack while Amtrak service was available. The site of the former station was needed to build a convention center and related businesses in the area.
And what's in it now given that trains don't go to Columbus anymore? Furthermore, when did they stop going to Columbus?
 
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