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Mike Carlisle
Guest
Birmingham Ala is getting a New Station.
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the_traveler
Engineer
Not to burst your bubble, but until it's built it's not news.
I haven't lived in NYS in over 20 years, and for many years prior to that, there was talk of Amtrak moving out on Penn Station to the old Post Office right across the street. Where is Amtrak today? :blush:
Another example is the Sunset Limited between New Orleans and Florida. It has been "temporarily" suspended - since Hurricane Katrina!
I haven't lived in NYS in over 20 years, and for many years prior to that, there was talk of Amtrak moving out on Penn Station to the old Post Office right across the street. Where is Amtrak today? :blush:
Another example is the Sunset Limited between New Orleans and Florida. It has been "temporarily" suspended - since Hurricane Katrina!
rusty spike
OBS Chief
I still lived in STL in 1979 when the community was told there would be a New Station built after Amtrak moved out of the old St. Louis Union Station. Amtrak put up a "temporary" station (Amshack) which survived over 30 years until the new station was finally completed.
We are closer than ever to getting a new station in Birmingham.
Some complicated transactions had to take place, including a payment of penalty on federal funds and transferring the ownership of the current Amtrak station. All of this is now completed. The plans for the new facility are approved and hopefully finalized. There should be a groundbreaking sometime during the summer.
The 13-year old transit facility and the current Amtrak station will be demolished and replaced by a new multi-modal facility that will bring Amtrak, Greyhound, and local bus services under the same roof.
Here's a link to one of the news articles: http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/news/2013/05/22/city-council-approves-leveling-max.html
Some complicated transactions had to take place, including a payment of penalty on federal funds and transferring the ownership of the current Amtrak station. All of this is now completed. The plans for the new facility are approved and hopefully finalized. There should be a groundbreaking sometime during the summer.
The 13-year old transit facility and the current Amtrak station will be demolished and replaced by a new multi-modal facility that will bring Amtrak, Greyhound, and local bus services under the same roof.
Here's a link to one of the news articles: http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/news/2013/05/22/city-council-approves-leveling-max.html
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Nathanael
Guest
Woo! Good news for Crescent riders. Is it too much to hope that this will increase Birmingham Amtrak ridership by making connections better?
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/05/the_bulldozers_are_coming_birm.html#incart_river
It looks like the local bus and Amtrak operations were across the street from each other already, but Greyhound was far away.
I can't find much information on the planned new station design, other than that it will have more waiting room space. Is anything going to be done to improve the platforms? I guess they're OK right now, with an elevator but with low platforms.
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/05/the_bulldozers_are_coming_birm.html#incart_river
It looks like the local bus and Amtrak operations were across the street from each other already, but Greyhound was far away.
I can't find much information on the planned new station design, other than that it will have more waiting room space. Is anything going to be done to improve the platforms? I guess they're OK right now, with an elevator but with low platforms.
the_traveler
Engineer
Actually right now there is NO elevator for the general public. You must use the stairs to reach the platform. And that's not very easy if you have 2–3 bags and more!
daveyb99
OBS Chief
Lets see: no service due to Katrina, yet $$$Billions give to "restore" AMTRAK in the Northeast after Sandy. See something wrong with that photo?Not to burst your bubble, but until it's built it's not news....
Another example is the Sunset Limited between New Orleans and Florida. It has been "temporarily" suspended - since Hurricane Katrina!
Actually there were 2 Amshaks in STL after Amtrak left union Station! The first one was under the Freeway and was Dark and dank, the Second one is still used as a Crew Building and as far as Amshaks go, wasn't that terrible! I do think the New Intermodel Station in STL is too Small and in need of Better Food/Refreshment Establishments!
Glad to see the Birmingham Dungeon will be going away, What a Dump!!!
If the current Birmingham station is not ADA compliant, the compliance deadline for Amtrak stations might have been a key factor in landing the FTA grant and getting the city government going on building a new intermodal station. Was not aware that Birmingham was that close to building a new Amtrak station.
The push for cities to have intermodal stations, cities and states committing funds for new or rebuilt intermodal stations with Amtrak service, the TIGER grant funding, Amtrak ADA compliance funding appear to be resulting in a wave of new intermodal stations and/or rebuilt stations which will be a big boost for intercity passenger trains over time. Something that I think is overlooked when people fret about the futiure for passenger trains.
PS: Note to the moderators - the title of this thread should be revised to be more meaningful, perhaps New Birmingham Station.
What billions did Amtrak get to restore service after superstorm Sandy? Amtrak got $32 million to cover direct repair expenses and operating losses, $86 million for projects to make the NEC in NJ, NY, CT more resistant to floods and storms, and is expected is get about $150 million from the Sandy funds to build the tunnel box under Hudson Yards as one step towards the Gateway project which will provide greater redundancy and protection against future storms. Amtrak might get some more Sandy funds, but billions? not likely.Lets see: no service due to Katrina, yet $$$Billions give to "restore" AMTRAK in the Northeast after Sandy. See something wrong with that photo?Not to burst your bubble, but until it's built it's not news.
...
Another example is the Sunset Limited between New Orleans and Florida. It has been "temporarily" suspended - since Hurricane Katrina!
The billions are going to the transit agencies in the NYC region. The NYC subway carries about 5.4 million passengers on a typical weekday or more than the entire population of the state of Alabama with ~4.8 million residents. The NYC transit systems are a vital part of the US economy.
Even so, billions of dollars were provided to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast states for Katrina relief and protection against future hurricanes. The states and local governments probably could have directed a small piece of the money towards restoring the Amtrak stations and track upgrades had they wanted to at the time.
jsreeves
Train Attendant
$32 million would have been more than enough to restore service after Katrina...heck, a quarter of that would have been.
Amtrak didn't need any money to restore service to Florida after Katrina. CSX needed the money. So there is no comparison at all.
And CSX restored its tracks and systems. Amtrak however choose to try to play some cards that they didn't really hold and get some financial help from the various states served, and it blew up in their faces. But instead of simply restoring service like they should, they continue with the "dog ate my homework" type excuses as to why they can't restore service.
And CSX restored its tracks and systems. Amtrak however choose to try to play some cards that they didn't really hold and get some financial help from the various states served, and it blew up in their faces. But instead of simply restoring service like they should, they continue with the "dog ate my homework" type excuses as to why they can't restore service.
Aloha
Same game the played with Calif. and Nevada, except the actually did cancel the Desert Wind
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Nathanael
Guest
It's listed as wheelchair-accessible (though not fully ADA-compliant) in the Amtrak station database. That means they are required to let you use the elevator if you show up and wave your cane at them!
But it sounds like it could sure use some improvements. I hope they make it more hospitable to the less-abled.
It's newsworthy and a good thing that BHM is progressing toward a new station. The situation there has been all downhill since the early 1970s when the L&N leased out the main terminal (opened in 1960) to commercial tenants and pushed passenger service into what had been the baggage room. Over 1 million people live in the metro area, and trains 19/20 serve the station in broad daylight -- something that not every city having only one LD route can say.
ParrotRob
Service Attendant
Yet, I can still count on one hand the number of people that get on or off in BHM most of the time.
ParrotRob
Service Attendant
It's six blocks from the train station to the Greyhound station. I wouldn't call that far away. BHM's biggest problems right now are the station is a dump (and smells like a cesspool), and it's in a neighborhood I don't like to go to even in broad daylight.
George Harris
Engineer
Birmingham's main problem is that its reason to exist is gone. This is a city that did not exist 150 years ago. (You won't find anything on action in the Birmingham area during the War Between the States. There was nothing there.) It grew in the late 19th century because it was in the midst of deposits of iron and coal. Even into the 1960's several steel mills were still going full blast. However, I think there are none left running today, so no major employers left. It was sad to see the last time I was through. OK, the air is cleaner. Whoopee. So are people's pockets.
Shortline
Conductor
Except of course, the HUGE US Steel facility.......and a several other smaller ones and related plants/business. Birmingham is not dead, nor dying, it did go through the downturns like a lot of steel cities, but is growing fast. There are Steel Mills, Coke (from coal) plants, coal mines, the works. Birmingham is still relatively industrialized, and keeps expanding.
The Davy Crockett
Engineer
Here is a link to an article on the new intermodal project, including a rendering of what the new, very modern in design, building will look like - in theory.
The station as it is now, sure does not encourage folks to take the train either to or from town. It seems forgotten in time. Different state, different train, but whenever I pass through, I get the feeling like I might see Sidney Poitier's Virgil Tibbs waiting to board 19 or 20.
The station as it is now, sure does not encourage folks to take the train either to or from town. It seems forgotten in time. Different state, different train, but whenever I pass through, I get the feeling like I might see Sidney Poitier's Virgil Tibbs waiting to board 19 or 20.
George Harris
Engineer
Good news. Last time I was there I did not get down as far as Bessemer. I am in error again.
Maybe there is Hope for Birmingham and Alabama! Last time I was through there on the Crescent Downtown was a Ghost Town and the Amtrak Station was a Pit!!! :unsure:
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Shortline
Conductor
The station is pretty bad....so is the area it's in, but BHM has some great nightlife and restaurants, and a revitalized downtown area that's becoming rather progressive. There has been a large influx of Tech and Financial industries that is really filling in where the traditional industrial industries once reigned, though manufacturing, transportation, mining and steel are still the big players for the local economy I believe. I spent several weeks there working a while back as our company expanded into the area, and really liked parts of it. Cleaning up the transportation center area will go a long way to help improve the look and feel of Birmingham I think.
How much variation from day to day is the passenger traffic at BHM? In FY2012, BHM had 48,734 passengers either boarding or getting off the Crescent. That works out to an average of 133 people a day or ~66 per train. Decent number for a single daily train service. If there are days with hardly anyone getting on and off, then are there big peak surges from college students, peak seasonal travel?
The Crescent trip times between ATL and BHM of approx 4:10 is not very competitive against driving. But if they can build the proposed new station in Atlanta which would also be shared with Greyhound along with the new station in BHM, that might generate a bump in ATL to BHM trips. However a new station in ATL is years away.
crescent2
Conductor
Not that I was ever paying close attention, but on our trips through Birmingham, it seems that a good many more than five people got on and off in Birmingham. There were usually four or five people boarding at little Anniston the times we were there. We almost always traveled in June or July. I don't know if there are peak times. I think mid-summer may be a relatively slower tourist time in NOL, however, because of the heat, but that's also just a guess.
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