Nostalgic and Historic Amtrak Stations Still Used Today

[joelkfla]

Fullerton Transportation Center has two historic stations, one for UP (built in 1923) and the other for ATSF (built in 1930).

Is one of those the Old Spaghetti Factory?

 

[SwedeC]

Holland, Michigan's old Pere Marquette station has been restored and is now the city's transportation center, thanks to donations from residents.

 

[como]

Two small midwestern stations:
Ottumwa, IA Note the description of the design features.

La Plata, MO. Good description of original structure, 1945 art deco-style renovation, and restoration in 1990's.

Both are still in use and reflect design from the 1940's and 1950's.

Although we love to hate on St. Louis because Amtrak no longer uses Union Station, Gateway Transportation Center is actually a nice building with good access to public transportation, convenient to downtown, adequate parking, etc. It's even won some awards.

 

[AlamoWye]

Marshall TX and also El Paso TX (which was built by same man who did Washington DC station).

 

[Nick Farr]

Michigan Central Station was, briefly, an Amtrak station and is now being restored as part of an experimental "Mobility District"



I also feel like the Amtrak Standard Stations program deserves some mention here. Every station that we're talking about here was originally built in literally another lifetime from ours. While most of these are slated for demolition, it's important to give a nod to how they were very well designed and thought out buildings for the era and constraints they were designed for.

 

[BCL]

I like the old SP Type 23 stations. There are a couple of them in Fremont, California. One is the Fremont station in use for Capitol Corridor, which was moved from the original Centerville station location. Haven't been there in a while, but I remember when they had a waiting room and a cafe.

The old Niles station seems to be in use. I think it's used by a tourist railroad.

 

[20th Century Rider]

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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Ooops! Correction! My Bad! So I called my 96 year old mother and she said I was correct on the school but not the house... correct address for the acutual house was 1041 Outer Drive. So I looked it up for the 'big reveal!'

Oh my! What an eyesore... window shutters falling apart as is the entire outside which is in obvious decay. But still standing since we left the area back in 1954. Here is an aerial view of Colebrook today...





I wonder what the house looks like 60 years later???


oooh! Sadly an eyesore...

Have any other AU'ers looked up their childhood homes?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Augusta, GA
My mom tried for years to get ivy to grow on the hill without success. Someone succeeded.

 

[Nick Farr]

Have any other AU'ers looked up their childhood homes?

The under 40 set would like to remind you that there's a 50% chance we're still living in them.

 

[Wolverine72]

Returning to original thread, I’ll add the Glenwood Springs Station.

 

[user 1215]

I love Lamy station in NM and the restored ABQ station, though neither historic or nostalgic, attempted to restore at least the external nostalgia factor.

I also like Orlando and West Palm stations. Obviously, DC and San Diego and even LA make the cut for favorites. Dallas, though relatively unchanged (station wise - the tracks have all changed quite a bit), is just 1910's architecture with really no soul inside or out.

I mustn't forget to include some of the other stations of the grand Southern railway, including Salisbury, NC (though only a closest is used for Amtrak) and of course, Selma Union Depot

 

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

Atlanta’s Peachtree is a pretty cool historic station.

Greensboro North Carolina and High Point North Carolina are two of my favorites as well.

I wish there would be a northbound train around 10:30 pm and it would make a fun return train ride from High Point to Greensboro for a baseball game. The High Point stadium is an easy walk from the train station and the southbound trains could work for arrival and a meal if a restaurants in High Point would be open near the baseball stadium at that time of day.

I took a 1 May 50th Anniversary ride from Greensboro to High Point. I forgot how nice HP station is. Small but nice, and a great view if you want a picture from above the train. Neat history with the HP station as well.

 

[20th Century Rider]

When on a car trip a few years ago through Montana, I decided to check out the station in East Glacier... I had not been on a train in a long time because I had been swept up with Air Travel... which was at that time continuing to get more expensive and uncomfortable. Then the Empire Builder pulled up. I observed some very lucky passengers boarding for the trip through the wilds of Montana... once again I was mesmerized and once again found myself again booking countless Amtrak voyages around the country!

 

[Cal]

Is one of those the Old Spaghetti Factory?

That would be the UP one! Moved from it's original location for preservation I believe

 

[20th Century Rider]

Essex Station in Montana should be on everyone's bucket list... it sure is on mine... I want to get off the EB going east in the dead of winter and snuggle into one of the cozy lodge rooms... or perhaps hunker down in the old restored caboose just outside... then eat a hearty breakfast the next morning... then become glued with other enthusiasts as we watch countless freights go by during the day... throw in a few 'highballs' [what else???] Saunter back to the room for a nap... then venture out into the cold for the continuing journey West.

There is nothing in the world more anticipated than such a stop... railroaders dream!

 

[20th Century Rider]

The under 40 set would like to remind you that there's a 50% chance we're still living in them.

Aaaaaah youth! You have your entire life ahead of you. Lucky you!

 

[sttom]

I would add the Sacramento Station to the list. I know they're attempting to make it more of a feature which could be nice. I just don't like that they might not keep using it in the long run.

 

[JayPea]

Have any other AU'ers looked up their childhood homes?

My mother still lives there and I'm sitting in it now.

 

[ABQFloridian]

Tampa Union Station has got a nice old Florida thing going on.

 

[Bob Dylan]

The under 40 set would like to remind you that there's a 50% chance we're still living in them.

I would have to travel all over the World since my dad was Career Military and we moved alot!

I have seen the First House we ever bought when my dad retired, I went to High School while living there.

 

[iPat09]

I'll mention the Jackson, MS station that Amtrak shares with Greyhound. It was redone 10-20 years ago and looks really nice both outside and inside.

 

[Cal]

Little Rock has a nice station building, although I beleive Amtrak only uses a small part of it.

 

[Ziv]

I drive by my old childhood home every time I go back to my hometown. My Mom and Dad (both since passed) raised us there from 1965 until Mom sold it in 1990. A guy that was a couple grades ahead of me in High School bought it and took great care of it. He finally got around to replacing the pink and white aluminum siding with new Hardy Plank siding. Very nice.
My home town is on the High Line in Montana and has downsized a lot since the 1970's but our old house looks better than ever! Now the only members of my family in that town are the ones that are buried there. Sad but it is still a tie of sorts.

Ooops! Correction! My Bad! So I called my 96 year old mother and she said I was correct on the school but not the house... correct address for the acutual house was 1041 Outer Drive. So I looked it up for the 'big reveal!'

Oh my! What an eyesore... window shutters falling apart as is the entire outside which is in obvious decay. But still standing since we left the area back in 1954. Here is an aerial view of Colebrook today...

View attachment 23964

View attachment 23965

I wonder what the house looks like 60 years later???

View attachment 23966
oooh! Sadly an eyesore...

View attachment 23967
Have any other AU'ers looked up their childhood homes?

 

[Bob Dylan]

Davis,California is one of my favorite Small "California Style" old SP Stations.

 

[20th Century Rider]

Davis,California is one of my favorite Small "California Style" old SP Stations.

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!