by mtuandrew
Les - are there plans (concepts, a civic push) to reconnect the through tracks at Denver?
The common factor here seems to be that Amtrak's footprint is far, far smaller than that of its predecessor passenger services. The huge legacy terminals that acted as airport equivalents are generally too large (except for perhaps half a dozen, like WUS and LAUPT) and the yards were orders of magnitude too large. Unfortunately, the yards are now redeveloped, too small, or rededicated to freight.
My point is, Amtrak doesn't need ultra-grand buildings as much as it needs the support network of people, machinery, platforms, commissaries, ground power and remote yard space, like Tadman's example of Central Station. The goal should be to get the train platformed, baggage loaded and unloaded, bathrooms drained & refilled, locomotives fueled, and food & beverage restocked within 10 minutes of passenger loading at hubs, so the station becomes that much less important as part of the journey.
The common factor here seems to be that Amtrak's footprint is far, far smaller than that of its predecessor passenger services. The huge legacy terminals that acted as airport equivalents are generally too large (except for perhaps half a dozen, like WUS and LAUPT) and the yards were orders of magnitude too large. Unfortunately, the yards are now redeveloped, too small, or rededicated to freight.
My point is, Amtrak doesn't need ultra-grand buildings as much as it needs the support network of people, machinery, platforms, commissaries, ground power and remote yard space, like Tadman's example of Central Station. The goal should be to get the train platformed, baggage loaded and unloaded, bathrooms drained & refilled, locomotives fueled, and food & beverage restocked within 10 minutes of passenger loading at hubs, so the station becomes that much less important as part of the journey.