Station is lovely but... Empty.
Although it's been a few years since I've been inside, I agree. Except I though it was somewhat "
spooky" with only 3 other people in that cavernous space.
Still another time and place to recall this fundamental truth: The cure for what ails Amtrak is more Amtrak.
The 2nd frequency CHI-St Paul-Minneapolis-St Cloud on the
Builder's route, again under study, would help a lot to fill the empty. Hard for an eatery or other retailer to run with only one or two 'rush hours' a day.
Really, a 3rd and 4th, and then a 5th and 6th daily train CHI-St Paul would about fix things. Especially if most of those extended beyond the Twin Cities. For example, first to/from Duluth. Then a train to Fargo, next extending to Grand Forks, and ultimately to Winnipeg.
One day the
Sacajawea, as I prefer to call the restored
North Coast Hiawatha, would run CHI-Twin Cities-Fargo-Bismark-most of the small cities in Montana-Spokane-Pasco-Yakima-Stampede Pass-Seattle.
Not to forget a train heading W, SW, and S running CHI-Twin Cities-Sioux Falls-Omaha-Kansas City-CHI.
A fully built-out Amtrak/Minnesota system will need St Paul Union Station, and will fill it up.