The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed by Congress in 1990. Now, 20 years later, only about 10% of Amtrak stations are fully compliant with ADA requirements.
Amtrak has until September 15, 2015 to make 482 stations fully handicapped accessible. Flag stops are not included. The task is made difficult because Amtrak does not own or control most stations. In some cases the platform is owned by the host railroad, the station has a different owner, and the parking lot has a third owner. Amtrak's progress and strategy were last updated in October 2010. http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/BlobServe ... ct2010.pdf
To illustrate the progress made and the challenges that lie ahead, consider one small town station at Pontiac, IL. The Pontiac station has an average of 42 people per day boarding or alighting from the 4 southbound and 5 northbound trains that stop there. The station and parking lot are privately owned by Gary Porter. The platform is owned by the Union Pacific Railroad. The bathrooms are located in a city park across the street. The station building has a waiting room and is also used by a restaurant, Mexican grocery and tanning salon.
The platform does not meet accessibility requirements in several respects. First, it is not 8 inches above the top of rail. The station is currently served by both single level and bi-level cars. Plans are for the single-level cars to be replaced by bi-level cars to be ordered later this year. Having a platform 8 inches above the top of rail will align the platform height with the floor of the bi-level cars, allowing wheelchairs to roll on with a simple ramp instead of a lift.
The station currently has a lift located next to the platform in a steel cage.
One of the difficulties in building a platform 8 inches above the rail is that it will make the platform higher than the adjacent building. Fortunately for Pontiac, most of the building doors open toward the parking lot and not toward the platform.
The platform also needs an edge in a contrasting color and little bumps detectable by blind people. This is to keep them from falling off the edge of the platform and into the path of an oncoming train. A painted yellow line would be helpful until a new platform is built to keep sighted people from wandering too close to the tracks.
The handicapped parking place is marked with a sign, but not marked on the pavement with paint.
The waiting room is above the top of rail. This picture shows a ramp leading up to the waiting room.
Inside, the waiting room has plenty of seats and 20 electrical outlets.
One electrical outlet is damaged, and one window is badly cracked.
Bathrooms are across the street at the city park.
Plenty of long-term parking is available for a $2 per day fee paid by dropping some cash in an envelope and dropping the envelope in a slot. Tickets are not available at the station, nor is baggage service.
The track and ties have not yet been replaced, but material is on site to do the work later this year.
On Sunday, July 31st, the southbound Texas Eagle arrived 37 minutes late. Bringing the track speed up to 110 mph between Dwight and Pontiac won't do much to improve the schedule when the train loses over 30 minutes in the first 37 miles.
Pontiac is considering building a new station if a second track is added through town.
http://www.pontiacdailyleader.com/featu ... -new-depot
Amtrak has until September 15, 2015 to make 482 stations fully handicapped accessible. Flag stops are not included. The task is made difficult because Amtrak does not own or control most stations. In some cases the platform is owned by the host railroad, the station has a different owner, and the parking lot has a third owner. Amtrak's progress and strategy were last updated in October 2010. http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/BlobServe ... ct2010.pdf
To illustrate the progress made and the challenges that lie ahead, consider one small town station at Pontiac, IL. The Pontiac station has an average of 42 people per day boarding or alighting from the 4 southbound and 5 northbound trains that stop there. The station and parking lot are privately owned by Gary Porter. The platform is owned by the Union Pacific Railroad. The bathrooms are located in a city park across the street. The station building has a waiting room and is also used by a restaurant, Mexican grocery and tanning salon.
The platform does not meet accessibility requirements in several respects. First, it is not 8 inches above the top of rail. The station is currently served by both single level and bi-level cars. Plans are for the single-level cars to be replaced by bi-level cars to be ordered later this year. Having a platform 8 inches above the top of rail will align the platform height with the floor of the bi-level cars, allowing wheelchairs to roll on with a simple ramp instead of a lift.
The station currently has a lift located next to the platform in a steel cage.
One of the difficulties in building a platform 8 inches above the rail is that it will make the platform higher than the adjacent building. Fortunately for Pontiac, most of the building doors open toward the parking lot and not toward the platform.
The platform also needs an edge in a contrasting color and little bumps detectable by blind people. This is to keep them from falling off the edge of the platform and into the path of an oncoming train. A painted yellow line would be helpful until a new platform is built to keep sighted people from wandering too close to the tracks.
The handicapped parking place is marked with a sign, but not marked on the pavement with paint.
The waiting room is above the top of rail. This picture shows a ramp leading up to the waiting room.
Inside, the waiting room has plenty of seats and 20 electrical outlets.
One electrical outlet is damaged, and one window is badly cracked.
Bathrooms are across the street at the city park.
Plenty of long-term parking is available for a $2 per day fee paid by dropping some cash in an envelope and dropping the envelope in a slot. Tickets are not available at the station, nor is baggage service.
The track and ties have not yet been replaced, but material is on site to do the work later this year.
On Sunday, July 31st, the southbound Texas Eagle arrived 37 minutes late. Bringing the track speed up to 110 mph between Dwight and Pontiac won't do much to improve the schedule when the train loses over 30 minutes in the first 37 miles.
Pontiac is considering building a new station if a second track is added through town.
http://www.pontiacdailyleader.com/featu ... -new-depot