Amtrak's Most Disappointing City Station

As much as I despise NYP, it isn't the most disappointing, because their are shortcuts (boarding @ the lower level, getting food on the street). My nomination for most disappointing city station has to be jesup, ga(http://www.trainweb.org/usarail/jesup.htm). This station Is non-existant after a fire and now only sees one train a day(silver star) and it looks like a third world country when you are pulling in. However, if one nominates Jesup, you must also nominate Okeechobee, FL (http://www.trainweb.org/usarail/okeechobee.htm), which comes pretty close to Jesup's standard.

Salt Lake City, Utah (SLC). It's pretty far from downtown, even considering that Salt Lake City is not exactly sprawling, you can't get a cab, and the train times are "0-dark-thirty" each way.

A close second is Ocala, Florida (OCA). No "people" trains stop there (or even pass through there) any more.

Matt Johnson wrote:I agree with the comments regarding Atlanta. The station, while basic, isn't so bad but the location could be better. When I took the Crescent to Atlanta way back in '02 to attend a friend's wedding, I took a cab to a nearby car rental place, and I seem to recall that I was reimbursed for cab fare. I forget exactly how that deal worked, but in any case, it would obviously be more convenient if MARTA served the station, or if a car rental place were within easy walking distance.

I know Hertz will reimburse up to $20 (and some cabbies as a result do a direct rate of $20 to the rental place.)

(I do that trip once or twice a year for the past 4 years or so.

Seattle.

For as much train traffic as that city gets - the station is still in shambles and despite my numerous trips to King Street Station since the mid-1990s...the promises to renovate the station reminds me of the "Boy who cried wolf" story. I just don't believe that any true, meaningful progress is being made.

On my last trip a few weeks ago I had a heck of a time getting from the station onto the pedestrian overpass so I could get to the DSTT since the Jackson Street stairway has been closed for sometime (I had to walk about two blocks over into the Seahawks Stadium parking lot to find an opening in the fence, and then walk back, because new fences were installed blocking more direct access.) So connecting from Amtrak to public transit was a bit of a chore with no pathfinder signs to guide me.

I'll defend Salt Lake City- it does connect to the local bus, streetcar and commuter rail lines, and their station is pretty nice if utilitarian. The Amtrak station is an amshack, but right across a small park from the main transit terminal. The California Zephyr pulled in a few hours early the last time I went through, and despite dire warnings from the train crew about the bad neighborhood, I enjoyed walking around, checking out a few art galleries and seeing the old train station. I was pleasantly surprised.

I've never been, but from the pictures I've seen and the relative location, the two Buffalo stations seem to be pretty dingy for what is a pretty major city.

I will nominate Jacksonville, Florida. It is a small facility in a terrible part of town.
Another station that I don't think too much of is Richmond, Virginia (Staples Mill Road) in this case. The building is pretty
small and with the number of trains and passengers using this facility, I have been in there waiting for a train north when
there actually was not a place to sit down. In my opinion Richmond deserves better. I still think they should have kept Broad
Street Station. It had adequate platforms, storage tracks where trains could lay over and access to all lines using it at the time it was closed. I am not sure whether the line to Newport News could have been accessed from Broad Street or not but if
not, they could have gone to Norfolk directly via Peterburg and the former N & W.
Maybe Richmond could support two full time stations, Staples Mill for parking and people living in the north part of the area
and Main Street for downtown and connections. I guess they would need to make some track improvements to the south in
order for the Florida trains to use Main Street.
As far as Miami is concerned, there may be some changes there down the road, it is in the works to combine much of the
transportation network in the area of the airport and I think this includes a new terminal for Amtrak but I am not positive
about this one. Present station is not too bad but it is in a lousy part of town and it is not great for connections either.
Noel Weaver

ENR3870 wrote:Well I know it's not Amtrak, but the VIA Rail Canada station in Victoria, BC, the southern terminus for trains 199/198 and 299/298 leaves much to be desired. A little shack on the edge of downtown Victoria.

Awwwww... I can't believe someone is ripping on Victoria!!! Yeah, the station is small but it's rather cute and the gal who works inside keeps it clean and well-stocked and is quite friendly with a lot of good advice with regard to day trips. As far as location, you're right downtown within a few blocks of everything including the harbor. Then there's that unique highway/rail/walking bridge that is right there at the station.

Now the people who have bagged Miami, Jacksonville, and Orlando all have excellent points. I can't believe that Florida doesn't have nicer rail stations, but then again, I put Orlando at the top of my list of most disapppointing CITIES (and I'm from DETROIT which should tell you something!) New Orleans was just AWFUL too, even BEFORE Katrina. As far as Atlanta goes, I had no problem with Peach Street Station when I used the Crescent in and out of there a few years ago. It was small but Peach Street was actually pretty close to a lot of things Atlanta offers. The AMOUNT of service is a different thing and the poster who noted that there should at least be a daytime WAS-ATL service was right on. Who knows, maybe with SEHSR, maybe it will come to pass.


Then of course, there's good old Detroit. Certainly whenever you are talking about having things that suck, Detroit usually merits a place in any discussion, and the Amtrak station at Woodward and Baltimore is no excetion. The station itself isn't all that bad but everything else about it is horrible.

Can't believe nobody has nominated Oakland CA yet!!

Trainer wrote:Orlando.

The station itself is okay (if a bit small), but the location is terrible with a hot dog wagon the sole source of nutrition unless you want to get ripped off and then poisoned at the grinder shop across the street (although they're not bad hot dogs). The scenery consists of foot doctors, funeral homes, and crumbling neighborhoods of questionable occupancy. Many homes seem deserted. Last time I was there, even the taxi's avoided the neighborhood (because of the dubious occupants or the barrel-sized potholes all over the place, I couldn't tell which). Considering the vacation adventure awaiting many potential travelers to Orlando, the place is a dump.

This station should really be on Church Street, where the action is (in Church Street station, oddly enough). I can see why Church Street isn't appropriate for yard operations, but I don't see any reason why passenger service can't be made to fit the positive atmosphere. Maybe people would then feel inclined to consider starting their vacation adventure with a train trip to one of the east coast's most popular vacation destinations....?

You really should be using the Kissimmee station if your destination is Disney World. The cab ride is shorter (one turn and then a dart down a highway), the town is small and quaint... you can even walk up and down the little Southern main street while you wait.

Trainer wrote:Orlando.

The station itself is okay (if a bit small), but the location is terrible..... This station should really be on Church Street....Maybe people would then feel inclined to consider starting their vacation adventure with a train trip to one of the east coast's most popular vacation destinations....?

Mr. Trainer, you acknowledge that the former ACL station structure is OK, and since there are no connections to be made other than the Ambus transfers, this means no one will be required to spend an inordinate amount of time at the facility.

The neighbor Mr. Trainer notes is Orlando Regional Medical Center; that various medical specialties have offices on its perimeter is quite "the norm". If some of the area appears "dicey", well an Amtrak passenger will only be there during Daylight hours. The "four a day' (down from "6.43 a day" ten years ago) all arrive and depart more or less on one another's markers. An important convenience of Orlando is that Hertz considers there is adequate volume of traffic to have the only staffed facility, with autos ready to go, at an Amtrak station anywhere in Florida. Access to I-4 from the station is "quite convenient"; sorry 'bout the potholes especially since there are not too many of 'em in Florida.

As far as "reloing" to Church Street, and even the former SAL Station (once on a Wildwood-Lake Charm line and from which passenger service was gone "many moons" before A-Day) that is part of the entertainment complex, good luck navigating the Ambuses, or even taxicabs, and someone just "plopped' behind the wheel of an unfamiliar rented auto in an unfamiliar location.

Now I realize I view things from the perspective of one who arrives somewhere, whether by train or plane, and is gone in a taxicab or rented auto essentially upon arrival. Possibly I should be more mindful that some, especially our younger members, are not yet qualified to rent autos and "get rides that show up when they show up" (yes, I too was once a college student) and have greater need for station facilities. But for my needs, the existing facility is quite adequate.

Finally, FWIW, there are good railfanning vantages immediately North of the station. Although I no longer photograph, I've observed in the past and have never been bothered pre or post 9/11.

If you're going to use Buffalo, you have to be talking about Exchange Street, in downtown, under a viaduct/overpass. The Depew station, last I was there in the late nineties, looked OK and was perfectly serviceable. The downtown one is fine if you're used to parking a mile away from HSBC Arena and walking to a Sabres game...same sort of neighborhood.

Dave Becker

alewifebp wrote:I've never been, but from the pictures I've seen and the relative location, the two Buffalo stations seem to be pretty dingy for what is a pretty major city.

Depew is fine - a typical suburban Amshack and probably convenient for most Buffalo-area residents (parking lot and frequent NFTA bus service).

Well I'll nominate Chicago Union Station, as definitely 'way under it's potential' for such an important hub. Leaves a lot to be desired, when compared to what the group has voted as "best". Chicago certainly deserves better.

For smaller route density stations, Charleston SC is no 'walk in the park'

Boston - Back Bay is pretty dismal in my book. The upstairs waiting area is cold and uncomfortable, the stairs to the platforms are too narrow, and the platform area tends to fill up with smoke when the T comes through with their diesels... never mind the traffic roar and exhaust from the Mass Pike that shares the tunnel.

I've been to Back Bay, and while it's not as nice as South Station, it's not bad. As I recall, it is connected with the adjacent shopping mall, which is rather nice!