Elevated and Underground Amtrak Stations

[Nathanael]

Chicago is underground. You have to walk up to street level.

If you want to get really technical about it, the train tracks in Chicago are at ground level. You can tell because they're at the same level as the adjacent Chicago River -- look out on the east side from any platform -- and that probably defines ground level. The *streets* in the area, however, are practically all elevated. (Chicago Union Station actually has *two* more basement levels below the track level, which are underground. They recently replaced the heating/cooling equipment in the deepest basement, which must have been a challenge.)

In Los Angeles Union Station, the tracks are actually elevated above the station, which is at ground level.

Syracuse, NY and Rochester, NY both have tracks elevated above street level. In the case of Syracuse street level is ground level. In Rochester, the tracks are elevated about half a story and the streets crossing under them are depressed about half a story...

Reno, Nevada is in a very recently constructed trench which is really very deep below ground level. It's quite the Brutalist monstrosity.

 

[the_traveler]

As jis says, the station at BBY is at street level. I would consider the tracks "underground" as much of the way on both ends, you are below street level, with walls next to the tracks. Also, at BBY, the Orange Line of the T is between tracks 3 and 5 and on the same level. The Orange Line is definitely underground at that point.

 

[BCL]

Reno, Nevada is in a very recently constructed trench which is really very deep below ground level. It's quite the Brutalist monstrosity.

I remember when that thing was being built. I also remember what it was like before the trench. Freight trains would take 10-15 minutes to pass through and it stopped traffic from people trying to cross to Harrah's or Fitzgerald's (since renamed an no longer a casino).

The trench is actually a pretty impressive piece of engineering and construction. It's interesting how they managed to build a parking garage over the trench. The city claims that they've been able to reclaim 120 acres that could be used for other purposes by building over the trench. The station itself has a pedestrian bridge over the trench to the National Bowling Stadium (for some reason Google Maps still says it's a mobile home park).

http://maps.google.c....002226,0.00269

http://www.reno.gov/...x.aspx?page=353

http://www.newsrevie...ent?oid=2695815

http://www.ble-t.org...ne.asp?id=21006

Apparently it was a mess building the thing, and they're going to have a tough time paying down the debt.

 

[Nathanael]

Another one: Richmond Main St. station has elevated-over-street-level tracks too.

 

[Nathanael]

Thanks for the links about the Reno trench!

In the "not yet served by Amtrak" department, the tracks for St. Paul Union Depot are elevated above ground level. (There's a parking garage at gronud level.) This may not be obvious because the tracks are reached from an *overhead* concourse two levels above ground level. The entryway buildings have flat floors until 4th Street, while the city runs uphill from the river.

 

[crescent2]

Old Southern depot (Amtrak station) and tracks are at ground level in Anniston, AL. If I recall correctly, I think all the stations and tracks between ATL and NO are ground level.

 

[Ashland Train Enthusiast]

Another "trench" like station is High Point, NC. The station is a ground level, and you go down into a trench with an island platform to board.

 

[the_traveler]

Old Southern depot (Amtrak station) and tracks are at ground level in Anniston, AL. If I recall correctly, I think all the stations and tracks between ATL and NO are ground level.

The Birmingham station is built below the tracks.

 

[crescent2]

Re Birmingham: Interesting to know. I thought I remembered the station building being on the same level as the tracks (ground level). I've never gotten off the train in Birmingham, though. Thanks

 

[TCRT]

In the "not yet served by Amtrak" department, the tracks for St. Paul Union Depot are elevated above ground level. (There's a parking garage at gronud level.) This may not be obvious because the tracks are reached from an *overhead* concourse two levels above ground level. The entryway buildings have flat floors until 4th Street, while the city runs uphill from the river.

When Saint Paul Union Depot was built, the entire platform supporting the tracks underneath the concourse was also built to get around the perennial problem of spring floodwaters inundating the river-level trackage present up to that point in downtown Saint Paul. This required raising the (now UP) railroad bridge across the Mississippi to meet the new elevation, which in turn required replacing the Robert Street Bridge with its current incarnation.

Here's a few more for the "elevated" category:

- Springfield, MA is fully elevated above its surroundings (though on a fill, not an elevated structure).

- Hartford, CT has platforms which are elevated over the surrounding streets (with a ground level station building).

- An argument may be made that Haverhill, MA also has elevated platforms, as they are located on the approach to the Merrimack River bridge and therefore are a full story above street level at the south end of the station.

- Pittsburgh, PA, is also partially elevated (at the west end of the platforms).

 

[NS VIA Fan]

Toronto Union: Technically not an Amtrak Station as the Maple Leaf is a VIA Train while in Canada. The tracks are elevated with the Station Concourse below. Here's the Maple Leaf just in from New York:

Gare Central Montreal: Three Levels: The Adirondack arrives on an elevated structure from the south but then goes underground at the station throat. Trains are serviced from below but the Station Concourse is built above the tracks and the platforms are reached by stairs and escalators. Some of the tracks extend north from the station through the 3 mile Mount Royal Tunnel (used by AMT Electric MU Commuter Trains). Here’s Amtrak’s “Montrealer” entering Central Station.

 

[transit54]

Springfield, MA (SPG) is also entirely elevated. The original station sits under the tracks, but it has long been abandoned, and a makeshift station sits on top of the old station. However, I believe that the state of MA has some money to repair and reopen the original station. IIRC, this will take place sometime in the next few years.

 

[the_traveler]

Re Birmingham: Interesting to know. I thought I remembered the station building being on the same level as the tracks (ground level). I've never gotten off the train in Birmingham, though. Thanks

I think the tracks at BHM have bridges over the streets. (I am certain of the street nearest the station). But you have to go down stairs (no elevator) to enter the station which is at street level.

Note that this is based on my last visit thru BHM a few years ago. There was talk of plans for a new station (much needed), but I doubt anything beyond an Amshack could by planned, designed AND built that fast!

 

[cirdan]

The best way I would describe Chicago is that the tracks are on the Ground level and that the main roads are elevated above them. Interestingly most roads in the Loop section of downtown Chicago have a 2nd level to them, on the same level as CUS's tracks; there are even some streets with 3 levels.

peter

What do you mean by saying "most streets have a second level"? I know the roads that front on the river have a footpath that's below street level, but that's the only knowledge I have of there being a "lower level" of any streets. I can imagine though that the entire central area was artificially piled up as such locations (estuaries of rivers, lakefront areas) are typically marshy, so they probably had to dump a lot of material to be able to build the city there in the first place.

 

[cirdan]

Not Amtrak, any not a station any more unfortunately, but the Reading Terminal in Philly must be a prime example of an elevated station.

 

[the_traveler]

I can only go by what I view, as it's been many years since I've driven in the Loop. However, I do recall seeing many streets that have (driving) ramps down below street level. Thus I believe this is the 2nd level that was referred to.

 

[Trogdor]

In Chicago, Wacker Drive has two levels that wrap around the Loop, following the Chicago River.

Michigan Avenue has a second level (technically ground level, as the main Michigan Avenue is raised up) from Grand south to roughly Lake Street.

Most streets east of Michigan and north of (and including) Randolph have multiple levels. On Michigan south of Randolph, there are ramps that lead to lower levels, but those are actually for parking garages and not streets.

Michigan and Lake Shore Drive are the only two river crossings that have road traffic on multiple levels (Wells and Lake have L train service on top, but that doesn't count for this purpose).

A quick google image search brought up this photo: http://www.railroadphotographer.com/Photo-Lines/2011-04-Midwest-Crossroads/Apr-17-Circling-Union-Station/i-rrjKMqd/0/M/2011-04-17-0090-M.jpg

Here, you can see the Empire Builder leaving Chicago, with Lake Street raised in the background (you can't see it, but the river is right behind the tree on the left of the photo). The tracks stay at the same level all through the station and onto the south side, but they are covered by streets and buildings between Randolph and Polk Streets.

There's also a wikipedia article on Chicago's multilevel streets, though standard wiki disclaimers apply (the article doesn't look that detailed, and I haven't actually vetted the history or details for accuracy; plus the map is quite confusing and useless, but at least it gives you some sense of the complexity of what's there).

I actually haven't found any good maps (through a quick google search) that actually shows Chicago's multi-level streets. Google Maps implies that they are there, but they are just shadow lines and get mixed with pedestrian walkways and are hard to follow.

 

[BCL]

Thanks for the links about the Reno trench!

No problem. However, I just wanted to note that I looked at the City of Reno's case studies before they built the trench, and I noted that the parking garage I mentioned was already there before the trench. They just designed it with three floors already over the tracks and enough room. If they were to design it with the trench in mind, I think they would have filled in the area over the trench to ground level.

Here's the garage:

You can see the unoccupied floors over the trench. Before the trench, the tracks were at ground level and trains would pass through the unoccupied floors of the parking structure. I can't find any pictures that I can link inline, but the following report has before pictures on the second page:

https://www.reno.gov...documentid=6840

 

[Notelvis]

Greensboro, NC -

The former Southern Railway Station is at ground level and Amtrak ticketing/waiting areas are at ground level.

The two platforms are elevated behind the station and accessed from a tunnel underneath the tracks.

 

[SarahZ]

But if I think of Chicago's streets as "multi-level" instead of "underground", how am I supposed to pretend to be Batman when I drive on Lower Wacker?

 

[Joeker]

Pittsburgh's Amtrak station is at ground level, you go up a flight of stairs to the departure waiting room and exit out to the train shed which is above street level.

 

[zephyr17]

LAUS the tracks and platforms are on a berm, elevated about the surrounding street level.

 

[rusty spike]

Kansas City MO, station is above all the tracks. You have to go down stairs/elevator to get to tracks.

A lesson the developers learned from the predecessor, Union Depot....stay above the floodwaters of the mighty Missouri River. Plus the fact that the terrain rises south of the main entrance which is actually street level with Persing Ave. so Kansas City could be called a "hillside" station.

 

[manchacrr]

On the City of New Orleans #58/59:

1. Champaign-Urbana, IL: Elevated
   
2. Mattoon, IL: Built in a Trench
   
3. Memphis, TN: Elevated
   
4. Jackson, MS: Elevated
   

On the Crescent #19/20:

1. Alexandria, VA: Believe it is elevated, but not certain
   
2. Lynchburg, VA: Built below street level
   
3. Greensboro, NC: Elevated with underground walkway to reach station
   
4. High Point, NC: Built in a Trench
   

On the Sunset Limited #1/2:

1. Yuma, AZ: Elevated
   

 

[jsreeves]

I barely remember my first train trip on the CONO out of Memphis as a child, but I always remember that I thought that we left from the roof of the station...and I distinctly remember fried chicken.