New Beaumont station

[MrEd]

The new Beaumont station - paid for with federal stimulus money

http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/loc...ss_station.html

 

[Devil's Advocate]

$1.2 million can't even buy a single restroom? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?

According to some Danny Harmon video I was watching these sorts of stations just end up as makeshift open-air restrooms anyway.

Then again it's Beaumont. Just another zit on the face of Texas. Better to spend that money where it might actually do some good in a state that might actually appreciate it. ;-)

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Actually its kind of classy, like an old depot. The CVSR (with help from Stark county) re-did the Lincoln station in downtown Canton a few years back and did a bang-up job.

Bathrooms aren't their either. When you consider low boarding numbers and that it would likely double to the project cost *just* to dig and lay pipe to connect it to the main.

 

[henryj]

$1.2 million can't even buy a single restroom? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?
According to some Danny Harmon video I was watching these sorts of stations just end up as makeshift open-air restrooms anyway.

Then again it's Beaumont. Just another zit on the face of Texas. Better to spend that money where it might actually do some good in a state that might actually appreciate it. ;-)

zit or not, I am sure the passengers that board the train in Beaumont will appreciate it. It's up to the city to keep the homeless from making it a place to hang out. If and when the train goes daily hopefully the passenger count for Beaumont will increase.

 

[darien-l]

Pretty funny (and telling) comment on that article:

I used to pick my son up from that site when he was on leave from the Army and I would sometime have to go pick him up in the middle of the night. It was like the scene in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" where random, silent, strangers gathered in a remote area watching for an arriving vehicle with lights, except we had the added fear of being shot, knifed, car-jacked, etc.,and Richard Dreyfus only had to fear aliens.

 

[Guest]

A perfect example of why people get fed up with government! A lousy location, a waste of money (this is not small potatoes fro basically a shed!)when it could be built downtown or @ least in a more accesable and safe location! Perhaps Amtrak could even eliminate Beaumont as a stop if the pax load is so low and stop in Orange! (Texas, not California or Florida!)

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

1.2 mil to build a non-existant building isn't all that much, especially when that building is by an active train line AND has a lot of old concrete slab to renovate before they can even begin breaking "new" ground.

 

[Guest]

1.2 mil to build a non-existant building isn't all that much, especially when that building is by an active train line AND has a lot of old concrete slab to renovate before they can even begin breaking "new" ground.

Not up North ALC but IMO it's over a Million DOLLARS for a fancy shed in an unsafe, poorly patronized waste land! Why not build it downtown as I previously asked? Someones brother -in-law must be getting the contract or owns this piece of wasteland!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

It would be nice if we still had actual reporters these days. Folks who would bother to find out how many people actually qualify as paid O&D for the once-in-a-while service that might be discontinued if Amtrak can't get more rolling stock funded to go long with their expensive new bus bench. You know, see if the numbers actually added up rather than just regurgitate a one-sided press release. I'm in favor of leaving Beaumont as-is. Maybe buy some benches to mount on the slab. Shouldn't cost more than $5,000 and you're done. Still more than Beaumont is actually worth, but a nice gesture from our bankrupt federal treasury.

 

[afigg]

Not up North ALC but IMO it's over a Million DOLLARS for a fancy shed in an unsafe, poorly patronized waste land! Why not build it downtown as I previously asked? Someones brother -in-law must be getting the contract or owns this piece of wasteland!

Looking up the ARRA project list on the Amtrak website, the project is described as "Beaumont TX Station to receive a new ADA compliant Shelter Station Building and 550', 8" ATR concrete platform.". Concrete is not that cheap these days. The 550' long platform is probably where much of the $1.2 million is going. If Amtrak goes to daily service over the NOL to SAS route with daytime service to Houston, San Antonio, or NOL, the station should see an increase in ridership. A grand total of 1,769 people used the Beaumont station platform in FY09 which is not a high bar to beat. That is only 5 to 6 people per train!

 

[AlanB]

$1.2 million can't even buy a single restroom? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?
According to some Danny Harmon video I was watching these sorts of stations just end up as makeshift open-air restrooms anyway.

Then again it's Beaumont. Just another zit on the face of Texas. Better to spend that money where it might actually do some good in a state that might actually appreciate it. ;-)

zit or not, I am sure the passengers that board the train in Beaumont will appreciate it. It's up to the city to keep the homeless from making it a place to hang out. If and when the train goes daily hopefully the passenger count for Beaumont will increase.

My guess Henry is that the homeless you mentioned are probably part of the reason that they didn't put bathrooms in. That would make if far more likely that they would hang out at the station.

 

[AlanB]

1.2 mil to build a non-existant building isn't all that much, especially when that building is by an active train line AND has a lot of old concrete slab to renovate before they can even begin breaking "new" ground.

Not up North ALC but IMO it's over a Million DOLLARS for a fancy shed in an unsafe, poorly patronized waste land! Why not build it downtown as I previously asked? Someones brother -in-law must be getting the contract or owns this piece of wasteland!

IIRC, they tried to move the station closer to downtown prior to actually spending the money. I seem to recall that the host RR wouldn't permit them to build a new station in a different location.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Good point about the concrete costs, but do they really need all of that? They already have plenty of concrete at the station as-is. Not ADA approved of course, but I'm not sure that's even mandated in this situation.

If nothing else the Beaumont station should be combined into a multi-purpose installation for that kind of dough. Doesn't Beaumont have a bus station as well? Combine both into the same complex so that it's not at risk of vandalism most days of the week.

Even when they had a station prior it was a complete mess from the looks of things...

What's to stop their new million dollar bench house from being trashed as well?

Meanwhile San Antonio could really use a parking lot. How many parking spaces would a million dollars buy?

Only maybe sixty cents per prospective customer if this was spent on SAS metro vs. $10 per prospective customer in Beaumont.

Given the pix, I'd say Beaumont needs some signage, some vandalism-resistant benches, and some minor cement work to connect the walkway with the slab.

Anything else is nothing but pork unless it's combined with other services that give the installation daily service of some sort.

If that's not possible because the city isn't willing to twist the arm of KCS then the funds should go elsewhere.

What helps Beaumont more, a new station begging to be trashed or a daily train? Put the money where it belongs.

 

[Lamar]

A perfect example of why people get fed up with government! A lousy location, a waste of money (this is not small potatoes fro basically a shed!)when it could be built downtown or @ least in a more accesable and safe location! Perhaps Amtrak could even eliminate Beaumont as a stop if the pax load is so low and stop in Orange! (Texas, not California or Florida!)

I agree. The route goes through the middle of Orange, and it's a way cooler town that would probably take much better care of train passengers!

 

[George Harris]

The Beaumont tin box shown above was built by Missouri Pacific and Union Pacific pre-Amtrak when they both still had trains through there. In 1981 the signage on teh building was still MP and SP.

Prior to that, there was a downtown station, but like most places it was overbuilt for the late 1960's patronage, and I would suspect being taxed with enthusiasm by both the city and county based on a property valuation that was at best highly imaginative. Property taxes alone have caused a lot of stations to be demolished.

Add to that, this station was on a piece of track owned by KCS. The KCS ownership is still true for the trackage through downtown Beaumont. It was KCS, not UP that objected to the downtown site.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

This Beaumont bench house will comprise the majority of all station funding in the state of Texas and it's being placed in this random wasteland because nobody can figure out a way to take on KCS. Seriously? No wonder people see our government as nothing but a waste of tax money. Amtrak should have made a more reasonable location a stipulation for funding and moved the funding to other stations or towns that currently have no slab if the city, county, and state couldn't figure out a way to get KCS to budge.

 

[mfastx]

Wow this is a great project. Only 1.2 million? That's less then many houses. Great to see the slab replaced, now if only they would build something this good in Houston (yes ours is that bad).

 

[Eric S]

Wow this is a great project. Only 1.2 million? That's less then many houses. Great to see the slab replaced, now if only they would build something this good in Houston (yes ours is that bad).

Are there still plans for the Houston Amtrak station to be replaced by the Intermodal Transit Center, serving (I seem to recall) Amtrak, local buses, light rail, and proposed commuter rail?

 

[AlanB]

Good point about the concrete costs, but do they really need all of that? They already have plenty of concrete at the station as-is. Not ADA approved of course, but I'm not sure that's even mandated in this situation.

Yes, it is mandated. If you start any improvements to a station, then you must make it ADA compliant. There is no choice in the matter. And that means an all new platform at the correct height.

 

[afigg]

Good point about the concrete costs, but do they really need all of that? They already have plenty of concrete at the station as-is. Not ADA approved of course, but I'm not sure that's even mandated in this situation....

What helps Beaumont more, a new station begging to be trashed or a daily train? Put the money where it belongs.

If the concrete at the current Beaumont station platform is crumbling, then there are safety issues that may require it to be replaced. All stations have to meet ADA requirements. Can't get around that unless Congress changes the laws. Looking at the Amtrak stimulus list, there are a number of Amtrak stations getting stimulus rebuilds with new platforms for around $1.25 million each, so that is the standard price for a barebone station with a 550' long platform. If the goal is to have people ride the trains, having at least a basic shelter which at least for the next few years will look decent, will get more riders than a crumbling empty slab of concrete. Amtrak got a pot of money with the stimulus which is fixing a lot of things, but hardly fixing everything. Heck, there is $1 million to upgrade the rest rooms at NYP for ADA compliance and will presumably be part of a general rehab. Now that is going to be interesting to see how long it takes for the upgraded rest rooms at NYP to get run down.

 

[metrorail]

Are there still plans for the Houston Amtrak station to be replaced by the Intermodal Transit Center, serving (I seem to recall) Amtrak, local buses, light rail, and proposed commuter rail?

METRO answered this question on their Q&A page regarding the Intermodal Terminal (which will now be called Burnett Plaza.)

Q: During earlier discussions, METRO also mentioned private bus companies and AMTRAK might also use this facility. Is that no longer the case?

A: This proposed facility is being designed so that it could accommodate other modes of transportation that could be phased into service, such as commuter rail, private bus carriers, and national passenger rail (AMTRAK). However, these facilities are not included in Phase I, and would not be constructed until funding and environmental clearances are in place.

More information about Burnett Plaza can be found at http://www.metrosolutions.org/go/doc/1068/258949/

 

[MrEd]

I think all new shed stations will cost about the same.

new one for martin county announced

...

STUART — The county has received bids from 14 architectural firms on the $1.2 million downtown transit depot that officials hope is a hub for Greyhound bus and Amtrak railway services in the next few years.

...

“Our vision of the Transit Depot is that of a simple shed structure, derived from the stations of old, but using materials that take advantage of the technology available in 2010,” said Scott Hughes, principal partner for SH_Arc. “The governing roof shape is based on the profile of the Original Stuart Train Station but modified to maximize its shade-making surface given the orientation of the building on the proposed site.”

Federal guidelines require the project to be completed within a year and prior stimulus paperwork had estimated the work requiring 30 to 50 temporary construction workers

...

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2010/jun/23/county-set-to-review-proposals-for-downtown/?partner=yahoo_feeds

 

[Devil's Advocate]

The Beaumont station is suddenly looking pretty nice compared this Amshack thing.

On the plus side a multi-purpose building is more efficient and less prone to vandalism and disrepair.

So, I guess it's a wash.

Anybody want to join up for a group photo when the Beaumont station is completed?

Maybe we can all bring large signs that say "Screw You KCS!" and "Sorry Orange!"

 

[craftsma]

1.2 million, eh?

That's about $800k in graft and corruption, the rest in something that should cost < $200k if built by any honest contractor. I can find you nice, brand new houses in the same style - except with A/C, bathrooms, and insulation - for less than $200k any day.

 

[Ispolkom]

I notice that Stanley, ND is getting a new 550', 8" platform for $500,000, so the Beaumont station must be estimated to cost $700,000.

The Minot, ND station has or is spending about $850k to restore its 1905 station, with new ceramic tile floors and ADA-compliant toilets. And a new roof. And new siding. Actually, I'm not sure what will remain of the old station.