What's your favorite Amtrak station

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AmtrakCrescent20

AmtrakCrescent20

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What is your favorite Amtrak station (or any other active train station, for our european m

embers)-whether it be because of the architecture, railfanning opportunities, or anything else?

Mine is Chicacgo Union Station, simply because there are so many different trains, such as eastern long distnace with Viewliners and amfleet IIs, horizon corridor trains, and Superliner western long distance trains) arriving and departing all day long. Of course, the Great hall is also very beautiful.

I didn't do a poll because the answers will be so varied.
 
Hence the name "rookie", I haven't seen a whole lot but I love the station in Glenwood Springs CO. Its old, has mountains in view and a nice little railroad musuem to add to it. Old "church pew" type seating also. Just feels like "yesteryear" to me. Hope to be a CUS sometime in the next year or so. Good question! Also, Hastings NE has a nice little station that is quaint and very clean.
 
Would anyone know the link that has all the stations in the US on it? That way when people chime in, we could actually check out what they find as thier favorite. Thanks! I think some person from Japan photographed them all.
 
For me I'm partial between the Ann Arbor, MI station (consider it "home") and Chicago ("home" terminus)

www.hebners.net/amtrak (i think thats the right link, otherwise google it) has a whole lot. Google images is a great source, along with Local.live birds eye.

peter
 
rail rookie said:
Would anyone know the link that has all the stations in the US on it? That way when people chime in, we could actually check out what they find as thier favorite. Thanks! I think some person from Japan photographed them all.
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Here is the one from the Japanese fellow: USA Rail Guide. Edit: This is the link that has all of the stations in the US.

Check here as well: Station List.

see also: www.railstations.com.
 
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I haven't been to too many stations, but among the stations I have seen I like Washington Union the most. I think Grand Central Terminal in NYC is very close second, followed by Chicago Union as a very close third.

Deimos
 
I would have to pick Philadelphia 30th Street Station. Yeah, it's my "home" station (as in, the one I grew up near), but it has the architectural beauty of Washington Union Station, PLUS the nostalgia of the 1930's (it is FAR less modified than WUS), plus just a whisper of "grit" that WUS seems to lack. Don't get me wrong, as a resident Balti-moron these days, virtually every trip I take to the west goes through WUS, and I've had some wonderful experiences at the restaurants there waiting for the Capitol Ltd to board, but 30th Street will always be "just right" to me.

Honorable mentions:

- Washington Union Station: Great architecture, great restaurants (B. Smith's=awesome), great hustle/bustle (just wish parts of it hadn't been turned into, basically, a mall)

- Chicago Union Station: Echoes of New York Penn Station grandeur, the whole "gateway to the west" vibe, plenty of hustle and grit (loses some points due to demolition of old concourse, grand old waiting room currently a ghost town . . . can't quite understand why)

- Las Vegas, NM: Totally personal bias . . . everyone has their "quaint old station" pick, and this IS a good one. A real "time stands still" place, impeccably restored, looks old, feels old, even smells old (in a good way), even served by a train that regularly runs on time!!!

JPS
 
I think Los Angels Union station would be my favorite. Everytine I walk through there I know I am going to get on a train and see great scenery.

I also like 30th street and Washington Union Station.

I also likee Penn station because I can use the arrival level to board the train before the other passengers.
 
My favorite (so far I've visited) ....

Grandeur: LA Union

Little station: Lamy, NM (with trees, an old Catholic church, musueum, artist's paradise) in middle of desert

Rundown: Albuquerque (so unmatched to its surrounding)
 
My favorite used to be Bloomington, Illinois. I say "used to be" because, like so many of the wonderful old stations, it has been replaced by a shed.

Washington D.C. is too commercial, but all-in-all it is very nice.

I don't know what's going on with Chicago. Last time I was there, back in November, the grand hall was empty. The old benches were gone. A guard told me that they were having a private party there, thus the removal of the benches. X-press described it as a ghost town, which is accurate.

It's been too many years since I saw some of the stations, so I don't know what they are like now, but I'd have to say Los Angeles is my favorite. At least is was the last time I was there.
 
I second Cincinnati Union Terminal. Now all it needs are trains with service at reasonable hours. How about the Cardinal leaving NYP 11 hours later: 8:30pm. Would still be out of DC before midnight and then overnight down the Shenandoah valley and into White Sulphur Springs by 6:00am for daylight through the mountains, Cinci at 2pm and Chicago at 9:30pm.
 
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Denver Union Station. My hometown station which was a great place to view passenger trains when I was a little kid. It still is a nice station, with the same features as 40 years ago. Only the snack bar is missing. The station in New Haven, CT is very nice. It was restored in the mid 1980's.
 
some of my favorites are chicago union station, 30th st in philly, whitefish, mt(wonderful botrh inside and out), but i think my favorite is union station in portland, or. it is so wonderfully restored that it seems like sitting in a bygone age but it is so well organized and functional that it seems a model for a modern rail station.
 
I would say Union Station in Chicago also. Indy was plain OLD and ugly. Penn Station was very confusing. Seattle was small. Those are the main ones that I can think of.
 
For general hustle and bustle: Chicago Union Station. Has that 'large station feel' when you arrive and depart with the huge train shed. I also enjoy wandering to the North Concours to see all the METRA trains lined up ready to leave. As for the grand hall, (based on my various trips) it normally has 8-10 benches which is about half of what was once present in 'The Day'. They do remove them from time to time and rent the hall for banquets, parties, etc.

Fort Worth, TX has a nice 'new' station that tries to emulate the old days. Points for more than one train at the station at a given time.

Bad stations on my list would include New Orleans and Indianapolis, both of which were at one time very nice traditional stations and now double as bus stations.....with the bus 'environment' being prevelant.
 
As you pull into this station the first thing you notice is the lovely park full of large canopy trees and fountains. The landscaping is wonderful to look at and ponder a moment of tranquility. The shops across the green lawn are busy with shoppers or people meandering about. in the park you see children waving to the persons on the train and laughing. people are sitting on benches around the green area having lunch or just sitting and enjoying the view.

this is what i see everytime i visit the winter park train station. it is a step back in time to a place that is relaxing and puts your day in perspective. the scene looks upon the moment from a past, when life was calmer and time stood for a few days and not a few minutes.

so i would add my thoughts with this station. it is so enjoyable. my children love to go see the trains as i also enjoy this. the park is right next to the tracks, the view is centering to lifes simpler times.
 
Chicago Union Station is my favorite for all of the reasons already stated. The Great Hall has all of the benches and center kiosk back now. They were doing some renovations over the winter.
 
Well, mine is not a hard one. I will always hold DeLand (DLD), FL as my favorite station. It is located about ten miles from where I reside. It is a quaint small town station which has changed very little other than the renovations it recieved over the last summer. I have practically spent the majority of my life passing through it on the train (working), by it on the street, and even hanging out at it at times! There used to be a huge railfan group out there at one time, though I believe most of them have died off, or moved on elsewhere. OBS...
 
Guest_Amtrak OBS Employee_* said:
Well, mine is not a hard one. I will always hold DeLand (DLD), FL as my favorite station. It is located about ten miles from where I reside. It is a quaint small town station which has changed very little other than the renovations it recieved over the last summer. I have practically spent the majority of my life passing through it on the train (working), by it on the street, and even hanging out at it at times! There used to be a huge railfan group out there at one time, though I believe most of them have died off, or moved on elsewhere. OBS...
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Must say Lakeland, FL is simply stunning. Recently rebuilt station, beautiful design, station opens into a gorgeous lake. Really awesome right after sunrise. That was a good memory of my trip on palmetto (pre truncation).
 
I'd have to say the station at San Diego (the former Santa Fe station) is the loveliest, most photogenic station in the U.S. I've ever seen. Nicely renovated and still in use.
 
ATSFNewton said:
I'd have to say the station at San Diego (the former Santa Fe station) is the loveliest, most photogenic station in the U.S. I've ever seen. Nicely renovated and still in use.
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I have to agree. San Diego's station is beautiful inside and out.

My other to favorites for now would also Chicago Union Station and LA Union Station.

The old Union Station in Duluth is quite impressive as well, although it is now a museum and arts center. Hopefully, in a few years it will once again serve passengers.

Dan
 
Chicago is probably my favorite for the Great Hall and like previously mentioned... the fact you can see so many different types of trains there... Viewliner, Superliner, Horizon, Heritage, Metra, etc.

Other ones? Denver, LA, San Diego.

Sorry, I don't really travel east so it's hard to say there.

Worst? Sorry... Winnemucca, Nevada... and Rennselear, Indiana.
 
i have to speak up for my home station... kansas city union station. restored in 1999, and at one time one of the largest and busiest in the country, it's now home to restaurants, museums, and (appropriately) multiple amtrak trains daily. a century-old railroad bridge was moved and is now a pedestrian link to an adjacent neighborhood.

for bustle, i'd also go with chicago. i'm about to embark on my cross-country trip, so i might change my mind on runners-up: portland and LA are on the route!
 
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