The Worst Amtrak Stations Youve Actually Seen?

[espeefoamer]

Way back in 1979,I was in Ogden station to catch the then brand new Desert Wind. Due to some special occasion,the entire waiting room was closed off and a rock band was playing.VERY loudly. A small corridor was roped off for passengers to get from the front door to the ticket window. :angry:

 

[Gord]

Way back in 1979,I was in Ogden station to catch the then brand new Desert Wind. Due to some special occasion,the entire waiting room was closed off and a rock band was playing.VERY loudly. A small corridor was roped off for passengers to get from the front door to the ticket window. :angry:

And further back in 1976, during the famous "big snow" I arrived at the once magnifcent Buffalo Central Terminal to await the LSL east to Worcester. By that time, much of the building was sectioned off with plywood walls and was all but abandoned. Janitor's buckets to catch drips from the leaking cathedral ceiling were numerous as were various undesireables.

That night, the LSL was many hours late and I ended up "sleeping" with one eye open on a wooden bench. I vaguley recall a snowplow, perhaps a rotary, working the yard which was buried in 3 or more feet of snow and watching an E-8 pull int the station with wool socks tied on over the horns to keep blowing snow out. It was a long wait but people actually died in their cars during the storm and planes were grounded. Amtrak was the only thing moving. I sure was happy to get into that Budd roomette!

BCT is an even sadder sight today.

Gord

 

[p&sr]

I'm going with:SAN...

Those are just a few. I could name a lot of them that are just plain awful!

What do you have against San Diego? The historic Santa Fe Depot there is absolutely gorgeous... like a miniature of LAX Union Station, but without the crowds and not at all run-down. Great location, too! Right downtown, close to the waterfront, and right on the Light Rail Line. Food and Travel Information available, fully staffed plus Baggage Service. Beautiful crafted wood and tile-work, and pleasant gardens with a fountain in the Courtyard. Everything you could want in a Train Station!

 

[greatcats]

I'm going with:SAN...

Those are just a few. I could name a lot of them that are just plain awful!

What do you have against San Diego? The historic Santa Fe Depot there is absolutely gorgeous... like a miniature of LAX Union Station, but without the crowds and not at all run-down. Great location, too! Right downtown, close to the waterfront, and right on the Light Rail Line. Food and Travel Information available, fully staffed plus Baggage Service. Beautiful crafted wood and tile-work, and pleasant gardens with a fountain in the Courtyard. Everything you could want in a Train Station!

I agree. I was in San Diego and took the train to Fullerton earlier this eyar and it is indeed quite beautiful. Why one could call that a bad station is beyond me. On the subject of adequate stations, I will mention Flagstaff, AZ. The building is in good shape, but is mostly a Visitor Center, and in my opinion the waiting room is too small and cramped. Otherwise, it is fine, and I always had helpful service from the ticket agents who work there.

 

[JSmith]

BCT is an even sadder sight today.

In the sense that it is not a working train station, yes. But the deterioration has been arrested, the building is secured against vandals and the weather, and it is a functioning event venue. Last month it hosted a classic car show, earlier this month was the "Blues, Brews, and BBQ" fest, and in a couple of weeks is the annual train show. Later next month is Oktoberfest.

So there is a long uphill climb ahead, but Buffalo Central Terminal is alive and getting better. It *is* a sad sight after its former grandeur, but too many people think the building is "abandoned" or "derelict" and that's simply not the case at all!

 

[DET63]

The "Worst" would be like the shack listed above. It would include Jessup, GA and Mineola, TX. It would NOT necessarily include Williams because despite the lack of a station, there is NO lack of attention to the traveller.
But Amtrak needs to respect cities that DO build a facility and pay them rent. Its a win win win for everyone - Amtrak's image, City's reputation, and passengers comfort and safety.

Mineola, TX built a new station a couple of years ago.

Take a look.

It looks like a small-town train station, yet is clean and modern. Other towns with (or wanting) Amtrak service should follow Mineola's example.

 

[user 1215]

The "Worst" would be like the shack listed above. It would include Jessup, GA and Mineola, TX. It would NOT necessarily include Williams because despite the lack of a station, there is NO lack of attention to the traveller.
But Amtrak needs to respect cities that DO build a facility and pay them rent. Its a win win win for everyone - Amtrak's image, City's reputation, and passengers comfort and safety.

Mineola, TX built a new station a couple of years ago.

Take a look.

It looks like a small-town train station, yet is clean and modern. Other towns with (or wanting) Amtrak service should follow Mineola's example.

Reading through the information, it looks like it took nearly 10 years for Mineola to fulfill its promise in restoring the Mineola station. It was supposedly a condition for Amtrak to stop there before getting to Dallas...

Looks a lot nicer than the last time I was there!

 

[user 1215]

Municipalities need to understand the benefit of Amtrak. But Amtrak is a funny thing for most towns to invest in. Take into consideration a post I made last year some time. Brunswick built a BEAUTIFUL terminal at Golden Isles. But their passenger count is only around 10,000 per year. Savannah gets more traffic than that at their Amtrak station, yet its woefully rusted out and there is no service to get into town except for a couple of shady cabbies.

The aforementioned post.

 

[DET63]

Municipalities need to understand the benefit of Amtrak. But Amtrak is a funny thing for most towns to invest in. Take into consideration a post I made last year some time. Brunswick built a BEAUTIFUL terminal at Golden Isles. But their passenger count is only around 10,000 per year. Savannah gets more traffic than that at their Amtrak station, yet its woefully rusted out and there is no service to get into town except for a couple of shady cabbies.

The aforementioned post.

10,000/365=27.4 pax/day

Not a lot of people, but possibly still a good number, depending on the number of trains that stop there.

 

[steamer]

Elyria Ohio (ELY) is the worst I've seen. Waiting for the LSL at 4 AM on a cold winter night is not fun. The "station" looks to be an old modular office trailer, complete with holes in the interior walls, collapsing ceiling and broken toilets. No sign of any security, but a working pay phone which you might be able to use after being mugged! Amtrak and Elyria should be ashamed.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Elyria Ohio (ELY) is the worst I've seen. Waiting for the LSL at 4 AM on a cold winter night is not fun. The "station" looks to be an old modular office trailer, complete with holes in the interior walls, collapsing ceiling and broken toilets. No sign of any security, but a working pay phone which you might be able to use after being mugged! Amtrak and Elyria should be ashamed.

You should be so lucky to have bathrooms. In ALC people have resorted to using empty oil drums.

 

[DET63]

Elyria Ohio (ELY) is the worst I've seen. Waiting for the LSL at 4 AM on a cold winter night is not fun. The "station" looks to be an old modular office trailer, complete with holes in the interior walls, collapsing ceiling and broken toilets. No sign of any security, but a working pay phone which you might be able to use after being mugged! Amtrak and Elyria should be ashamed.

Here's a pic of the Elyria toolshed station:

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

ELY is quite lucky.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Elyria Ohio (ELY) is the worst I've seen. Waiting for the LSL at 4 AM on a cold winter night is not fun. The "station" looks to be an old modular office trailer, complete with holes in the interior walls, collapsing ceiling and broken toilets. No sign of any security, but a working pay phone which you might be able to use after being mugged! Amtrak and Elyria should be ashamed.

You should be so lucky to have bathrooms. In ALC people have resorted to using empty oil drums.

Know it doesnt count(my rules) but they use the ground in Beaumont!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: (an old southern tradition!!!)

 

[DET63]

Elyria Ohio (ELY) is the worst I've seen. Waiting for the LSL at 4 AM on a cold winter night is not fun. The "station" looks to be an old modular office trailer, complete with holes in the interior walls, collapsing ceiling and broken toilets. No sign of any security, but a working pay phone which you might be able to use after being mugged! Amtrak and Elyria should be ashamed.

You should be so lucky to have bathrooms. In ALC people have resorted to using empty oil drums.

Beautiful Amtrak in Alliance Ohio

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Elyria Ohio (ELY) is the worst I've seen. Waiting for the LSL at 4 AM on a cold winter night is not fun. The "station" looks to be an old modular office trailer, complete with holes in the interior walls, collapsing ceiling and broken toilets. No sign of any security, but a working pay phone which you might be able to use after being mugged! Amtrak and Elyria should be ashamed.

You should be so lucky to have bathrooms. In ALC people have resorted to using empty oil drums.

Beautiful Amtrak in Alliance Ohio

Bar the fact that Amtrak only calls between 1:30 and 3:30 AM... and that in thw winter the snow can reach two feet and its a nightmare.

And that caption is misleading, those aren't outhouses. (We wish they were)... it's just a pexi-glass shelter.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Elyria Ohio (ELY) is the worst I've seen. Waiting for the LSL at 4 AM on a cold winter night is not fun. The "station" looks to be an old modular office trailer, complete with holes in the interior walls, collapsing ceiling and broken toilets. No sign of any security, but a working pay phone which you might be able to use after being mugged! Amtrak and Elyria should be ashamed.

You should be so lucky to have bathrooms. In ALC people have resorted to using empty oil drums.

Beautiful Amtrak in Alliance Ohio

Here's what it looks like from the shelter at the actual time the CL rolls in in Jan...

http://s252.photobucket.com/albums/hh5/ncc...nt=DSCN0247.jpg

 

[Nickrapak]

Tyrone, PA has to be the most idiotic station arrangement. They built a brand new facility on the same property as the old bus shelter, to be used as a train station. Instead, the station is now a museum, and the bus shelter is still the "station".

 

[Acela2172]

Out of all Amtrak stations Ive been to I like 30th street station in Philadelphia. Union Station in DC. Its always crowded. Baltimores Penn Station is okay. Ive been in Harrisburg PAs Amtrak station but didnt board out of Harrisburg. And Lancaster Amtrak station. There is no Air Conditioning in the building. Its cooler to wait on the platform then in the station.

 

[the Other Mike]

Enjoying all the posts about the BEST, lets try the WORST that youve actually been to/seen?Beaumont,Texas does not count, has to be a station that is an actual stop/used by AMTRAK! :lol:

(a building in other words!LOL)

IMHO:

1)Sanderson,Texas(LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

2)NYP

3)NOL

4)SAS

5)Detroit

***The next one will be "They coulda been a contender" when this one is done***

Ahhh to leave Beaumont out isn't fair. At night, everyone taking a smoke and looking around usually sees the streetlight making a reflection through the window of thet creepy vine covered shack to the west. Ssomeone always wispers " look, theres someone in there" and all newbies get creeped out and start edging back towards the train.

Man, if I owned that shack I would have fun with a fake face looking out the window or something. And think of Halloween night !

 

[NETrainfan]

Enjoying all the posts about the BEST, lets try the WORST that youve actually been to/seen?Beaumont,Texas does not count, has to be a station that is an actual stop/used by AMTRAK! :lol:

(a building in other words!LOL)

IMHO:

1)Sanderson,Texas(LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

2)NYP

3)NOL

4)SAS

5)Detroit

***The next one will be "They coulda been a contender" when this one is done***

NYP is the worst station we have been to- we prefer Washington D.C.- and will spend more time on the train to avoid NYP, if possible.

 

[NETrainfan]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Penn Station, New York in this category. What a dump that place is, and has been for as long as I can remember (and, yes, that includes the original Pennsylvania Station).
NYP is a haphazardly arranged maze that is crowded, filthy, and even dangerous. It's had more unsuccessful facelifts than Joan Rivers. There are few places to sit, and if you find a seat, you will in short order be solicited by one or more of the local "characters" that inhabit the facility. Food options are basic, and most are not in the Amtrak portion of the station. Need to use the facilities? Oh boy, are you in for a treat. I shudder to think of the female perspective of that issue.

I have not been in any train station or airport in the world worse than Penn Station, New York. If someone has to frequent NYP on a regular basis, AGR Select+ with its Club Acela access would be worth its weight in gold.

Penn Station is our least favorite of the many stations we've stopped at. That's why Lamy, N.M. is a favorite- it's so small and negotiable! (In reality, we're fans of Boston's South Station- not only because we're from New England, but because it is fairly good for a big station.)

 

[NETrainfan]

BEN. This is from about 10 years ago, but I don't believe it's improved.

Wow! Could it be any smaller?

 

[bretton88]

BEN. This is from about 10 years ago, but I don't believe it's improved.

Wow! Could it be any smaller?

Thats a flag stop, so It really doesn't need any services, just a roof to shelter maybe 10 or 20 people a month. Its also in the desert, so not much shelter needed there.

 

[NETrainfan]

Not to mention the countless hallways and corridors, half of whose existence appears to be unknown to even Amtrak- during rushour, they can be crowded. I think its where the homeless people vacate to during rush hour. And yet... I know all of them. The station doesn't confuse me at all anymore.

That is my big problem with it. Its very confusing to the traveler who occasional changes trains there. I have changed trains there four times and still have no clue as to how the layout works. Last time I was there I was coming in on an Empire Service and I think they pulled into a NJT platform so that really was a *** moment.

There is really nothing they can do to change NYP though. It is what it is by the virtue of its location and all they can do is put up signs and maps. I just try to keep my connections at WAS where I know where everything is since it is a simple station and it was my metro stop when I lived up there.

We have negotiated Washington D.C., Chicago, and L.A. Amtrak stations with ease compared to NYP. It is confusing to some-good to know some like it and can get around without falling down the escalators with the push and shove!