"New" Buffalo Station

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Apologies if this post should have been placed in another thread - I looked but couldn't find a good one.

After the Exchange Street Station was closed because of storm damage, interested parties came together to discuss what to do about it. Then Governor Cuomo commissioned a group to study what the best solution to the situation would be. Some wanted a new station downtown. Some wanted to refurbish Buffalo Central Terminal.

Here's the latest that I've seen.

jb
 
In the "State to decide location" article, it was stated that the Amtrak representative voted for the downtown location, rather than Buffalo Central Terminal. Downtown would be a better location, with the operational exception of the Lake Shore Limited (LSL) having to continue to stop at Depew. Perhaps it would make more sense to have the LSL make a very short backup move to get into the new station, and skip Depew. After all, Amtrak does the same thing with the Silver Star at Tampa.

jb
 
Maybe I'm mistaken about the path the LSL takes. Does it go through the wye which is just east of the Exchange Street station?

jb
Yes. The problem is not the move on the Wye to Exchange Street. The problem is the Wye itself. It basically carries a huge mount of CSX freight traffic on its south-east leg. A backup move there would be into that flow of traffic closing down one or both tracks for a while, which would be unacceptable.

Even if BCT were ever revived, what would make most sense is to go with a track layout similar to the one being built at Rochester, since it minimizes conflicts. Of course, that would mean a very long walk from the terminal building to the platform, which would be between the two main line tracks of CSX.

Depew really should be fixed similarly. It causes a lot of headache for everyone and delays all around because (a) it involves conflicting moves tog et to the single track platform off to the side, and (b) if two trains land up there at about the same time, one has to wait blocking one of the main line tracks while the other finishes its station work. As more trains are added west of Albany, this will become an increasing problem.
 
Looking at Google maps it appears there is a line that wyes off the Niagara Falls line and loops around the Buffalo Zoo and rejoins the main lines just east of Central Terminal. While a bit roundabout it might allow the LSL to use a downtown (or Exchange St) station.
 
Looking at Google maps it appears there is a line that wyes off the Niagara Falls line and loops around the Buffalo Zoo and rejoins the main lines just east of Central Terminal. While a bit roundabout it might allow the LSL to use a downtown (or Exchange St) station.
Intriguing. That would be super confusing for passengers unless the directive signs were good and Amtrak personnel were on the ball.

The dilemma is that trains going from Niagara Falls to NYP would go one way while those going from Chicago to NYP would go the exact opposite direction at the station (that is, if the new station is placed on the same line where the old station is).

jb
 
Sad news. The idiot mayor's idiot committee voted for the idiot choice of station location. This means that Amtrak *STILL* has the problem of replacing Depew. (It's going to end up at Central Terminal, you know...)

There was a valid possible station location east of the wye in Larkinville (there's room for passenger sidings, a Syracuse-like setup). But they rejected that. And they rejected Central Terminal. Which means they still need a station in Buffalo for the LSL.

Fools.

Notably, the Mayor is being primaried and the opponent has vowed to reverse this.
 
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Unless Buffalo can find some big deep pocket corporate sponsor (like Ford and Michigan Central Station in Detroit), I don't see how that big white elephant of Central Terminal can be revived.
 
Unless Buffalo can find some big deep pocket corporate sponsor (like Ford and Michigan Central Station in Detroit), I don't see how that big white elephant of Central Terminal can be revived.
I would love to see that beauty restored to service to replace Depew...wouldn't help downtown Buffalo.
If the state would offer a tax abatement to some developer, maybe that would make it worthwhile.
 
I see from reading back through this thread that someone covered the fact that this station was supposed to go to Canalside, in the new complex with the 2 Marriott hotels, near the hockey arena, convention facilities and everything else that made sense. Sticking with Exchange St. is an odd decision.

The Depew station is fine for what it is - a reasonably busy suburban station. It has no character, but is in a relatively safe area (for extended parking), and is close to the airport and its related facilities (hotels, car rentals, etc.). Not sure how the LSL could serve any other station without incurring significant delay.
 
Well, if Buffalo Central were reactivated, that would involve significant track and related structure construction to get to it from the east, which won't be cheap. But it could be done in a way that makes getting to it very easy a time efficient. Connection to the west already is. The real problem with it is that the City of Buffalo has to commit to very significant urban development to make it an attractive area. Not that this cannot be done, but at present, except in some small circles, the flesh seems to be weaker than the spirit, in a manner of speaking.

Of course, it is unlikely to be as convenient to the entire infrastructure around the airport as Depew is. But that goes back to the need for urban development that is not automatically funded by the existence of an airport close by.
 
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