"New" Buffalo Station
- Thread starter John Bobinyec
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Not familiar with it he local geography, but from that map, it appears that they could have located a new “central” station, still on the thru LSL route, but a lot closer to downtown then both Depew, and the abandoned Central Terminal.
And the map seems to show an even closer thru route (also in red), that would be even closer (at the wye),.close enough that they might not have needed the BFX station...
And the map seems to show an even closer thru route (also in red), that would be even closer (at the wye),.close enough that they might not have needed the BFX station...
I've a hunch that many Canadians from the Toronto area would prefer the current BFX location over BUF for shopping in Buffalo. If that's so, my hunch is that Buffalo civic leaders also prefer the current BFX location for that same reason. Compared to that, the economic impact of LSL passengers and the DePew (BUF) station is probably miniscule. Maybe.
There is a pretty good mall located very near the Depew Station, but current situations don't make mall shopping a priority. That was not the case when station planning took place, and hopefully will not be in the future.
Speaking as someone who (up until this year) was in Buffalo frequently, most Canadians seem to gravitate to the 'burbs rather than downtown. PVD is correct about the mall very near Depew station, although taking the train from Toronto is not a practical way to shop. It's an easy drive in half the time it takes on Amtrak and it's important to know that the train was suspended for a considerable period pre-Covid for bridge construction, which pretty much killed it before the pandemic. (The merits and problems with the Maple Leaf have been debated elsewhere.) As far as the two Buffalo stations are concerned, the new one will be very useful for Empire corridor passengers who want to go to downtown Buffalo. The city was doing a great job rebuilding that entire area. However, the advantage of Depew is ample free and safe parking - neither of which is likely available downtown. (If it's free it likely won't be safe and if it's safe/locked/patrolled it won't be free.) We have parked at Depew many times for Amtrak trips varying from 2 days to 2 weeks... never a problem. The other advantage of Depew, not mentioned so far, is its proximity to the airport. This is ideal if you park your car at either the airport or Amtrak Depew for a fly/rail trip - it's literally a 5-minute taxi ride from one to the other. All that being said, Depew station was in sad need of a refurb and an additional platform on the north side (also discussed previously on AU).
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A couple of years ago I had a hockey meeting in Buffalo, went to BFX on the way up, continued after the meeting a couple of days later on the LSL for a trip to Chicago and then on to the USA Hockey National Meeting in Colorado. The NY District Registrar lives in Depew, he dropped me off on the way home, and I sat in Depew for many boring hours.
Which one? BFX or BUF?
BUF (Depew) was the one I was referring to. There's not much but industrial and railway infrastructure in the area. I'm looking forward to seeing the new station when the border re-opens, but as your excellent map shows, it is right downtown near the ballpark (which was home to the Toronto Blue Jays this past season). This is a very resurgent area with nice hotels and restaurants nearby. That line, that turns north and runs parallel to I-190, serves only a few local freights and Amtrak.
I’ve used the Depew station many times on business. As a station, I would describe it as kind of grim but functional.
The proximity to the airport, car rental and a variety of hotels is a huge positive, however.
In my opinion, having both a downtown and an airport station is a huge advantage for a city.
The proximity to the airport, car rental and a variety of hotels is a huge positive, however.
In my opinion, having both a downtown and an airport station is a huge advantage for a city.
agree on all points
neroden
Engineer
You're referring to the "Larkinville" location. It was considered by the City before they voted to rebuild BFX.
In the long run, advocates have been hoping for an extension of the Buffalo Metrorail through Larkinville, through Buffalo Central Terminal, through a place called the Walden Galleria, to the airport. The thing about this is that NFTA (the local transit agency) *owns practically the entire right of way already*. Mass transit from downtown to the airport would make a ton of sense. But various things have meant that this project keeps getting put off indefinitely.
Yes...too bad they couldn't push that through. That 'Larkinville' locale seems to have adequate space to erect a station and parking garage.
Buffalo was more interested in keeping the station in an area that is already seeing increased economic activity, rather than putting it somewhere hoping that would happen. For reference, Walden Galleria is a major shopping mall in the area between the Depew station and the airport.
jis
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As I seem to recall CSX had a major cow with that location. An even bigger one than the BCT location.
Seriously, NY State needs to use some additional leverage with CSX to get some more cooperation out of them.
I guess it would have been more accurate to use the phrase "in the area near both the airport and the Depew Station" but the distance is pretty short either way...
Nailed it!
This illustrates why a one-way on Amtrak, return by flying or vice-versa makes great sense in Buffalo.
For a number of years before I retired, I would go to NYS hockey meetings in the Buffalo area that way. Usually train up Friday for a Friday night dinner & meeting, long day Saturday meeting, dinner, fly back JetBlue Sunday. Don't have to be back at work Monday anymore. A few years ago, I went up to a meeting downtown near BFX, skipped the Saturday dinner, had one of the other board members who lives in Depew drop me at the Depew station, caught a Wbound LSL and did a few days in Chicago before leaving Tuesday on the CZ for the national meeting in Colorado..
The Lake Short Ltd is only once a day - in each direction. Would there be any potential to run it round the Belt Line so it can go through Exchange?
It could, if CSX likes the idea. The move is not that far at all. I have a feeling the railroad would balk, or perhaps already has.
While I would like the idea of the LSL serving BFX instead of Depew, how much additional total time would that backup move take? In the rather leisurely schedule of the LSL, I would say twenty minutes or less wouldn't bother thru passengers much. It would certainly save Amtrak a bundle, if they could then close the Depew station....
