Inside the new St. Paul Union Depot

[jebr]

Can't wait for it to open...this weekend already! Might have to make a trip down to it soon.

http://minnesota.pub...-depot-reopens/

And an article about the reopening, with more pictures:

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/12/05/business/historic-union-depot-reopen/

 

[Railroad Bill]

So Amtrak will begin using this depot next year? Looks like a real showplace. And perhaps a place for future Gathering meetings

 

[TimePeace]

Wow what a great looking station. Hope to get a good stopover there some time!

I love the old stations, and it is so good to see them restored.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Nice.

At first I was a little unimpressed with the choice of interior colors, but when they explained the work they put into recreating the original color scheme and the symbolism it represented my concerns were alleviated.

So many interesting and unique stations have been left to rot or destroyed entirely. Many others have been re-purposed for freight operations or tasks unrelated to transportation of any kind. A tiny few have been saved and even fewer still have been carefully repaired and remodeled as closely to the original creators wishes as possible. St. Paul seems to have the best of all worlds with a station that was meticulously restored and will soon begin serving trains again as a new transportation hub just as the original designers, builders, and operators would have wanted.

Congratulations St. Paul!

Now, can we somehow convince AGR to start allowing stopovers for a change?

 

[fizzball]

Union Depot's facebook page has been well-tended. It seems CP isn't in a huge hurry to build the connecting track.

 

[Blackwolf]

Union Depot's facebook page has been well-tended. It seems CP isn't in a huge hurry to build the connecting track.

Considering very recent developments with CP, there may be reason for them not to have much interest in placing work into the connecting track. See the thread I started here, including the story it is linked to, for more information about it all.

The article makes mention of CP readying to divest itself of a lot of routes in the United States. It would not be a far fetch that the lines around St. Paul are on the list of assets soon to be for sale.

 

[MikefromCrete]

Union Depot's facebook page has been well-tended. It seems CP isn't in a huge hurry to build the connecting track.

Considering very recent developments with CP, there may be reason for them not to have much interest in placing work into the connecting track. See the thread I started here, including the story it is linked to, for more information about it all.

The article makes mention of CP readying to divest itself of a lot of routes in the United States. It would not be a far fetch that the lines around St. Paul are on the list of assets soon to be for sale.

CP is looking to get rid of the western part of the DM&E and maybe the Delaware and Hudson. Nothing to do with anything near St. Paul. These talks tend to drag on for a long time since everyone associated with the action wants to be absolved of any responsibility in case anything bad happens, such as a derailment.

 

[EMDF9A]

I have fond memories of arriving @ SPUD aboard the Vista-Domed North Coast Limited. I'm only slightly disappointed my next arrival there will be aboard the Empire Builder. What a BEAUTIFUL restoration job!

 

[TraneMan]

Really wish I could be there this weekend for it!

 

[anir dendroica]

I think it would make more sense for the EB to take the fast BNSF tracks through St. Paul, then back around the wye into the depot. As it is already a reverse move into the stub-ended platform track, the extra 1/3 mile wouldn't add that much time. It always seems silly to coast into town at 70 mph only to stop several times for manual-throw switches near Midway.

I've also heard rumors that the #808/#707 car will continue to be added/removed at Midway, potentially adding more time to the schedule. Would it not make more sense to simply have #7 drop the car at the end of the platform, to be cleaned overnight and picked up by the next morning's #8?

Mark

 

[dlagrua]

Looks nice. I hope to see that terminal some day. The sad news is that the Minneapolis Union Station, a once beautiful facility was decommissioned years ago. Its located right in central city but I believe that it's now a hotel or office center.

 

[jphjaxfl]

Minneapolis did not have a Union Station. The largest station was the Great Northern Depot at Hennipin Avenue and the River. It was originally used by Amtrak until 1979 when it was demolished. The new Federal Reserve Bank now occupies that location. The Great Northern Depot served the Great Northern, Northern Pacific, Burlington, Northwestern, Great Western and the Minneapolis &St.Louis. The smaller Milwaukee Road's Depot is 3 blocks away at Washington and 3rd Street. The former head house is an upscale hotel, but the tracks were removed years ago. That depot served the Milwaukee Road, Rock Island and Sioux Line. It closed on April 30, 1971.

 

[jebr]

Here are some historical photos of SPUD.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/12/07/union-depot-historical-photos/

 

[rocknviking]

After tourning the depot today I came away very impressed! I stopped by the Amtrak booth and was told that Amtrak will not relocate to the depot until late 2013 at the earliest.

 

[jebr]

After tourning the depot today I came away very impressed! I stopped by the Amtrak booth and was told that Amtrak will not relocate to the depot until late 2013 at the earliest.

Really? If so, that would be tragic. At least Jefferson Lines will be moving into it, and hopefully Greyhound and Megabus will decide to do likewise, at least once the light rail connects there in 2014. It already has good local bus service and, with Jefferson Lines, intercity service around the upper Midwest.

Were you able to talk with Jefferson Lines? Are they moving all of their service there, or just portions of it?

 

[TraneMan]

After tourning the depot today I came away very impressed! I stopped by the Amtrak booth and was told that Amtrak will not relocate to the depot until late 2013 at the earliest.

That's too bad it is taking so long! DId they do a good table to make people aware of Amtrak's service?

 

[rrdude]

Stunning.

Just wish every other town/village/city that opposes restoration of their depot/station could visit, or at least view via pix, this masterpiece.

It looks like SPUD has done EVERTHING right; intermodal, businesses, meeting space. PERFECT.

 

[Nathanael]

I wish we could figure out what is holding up the move of Amtrak to SPUD. CP, BNSF, UP, have all been suggested. This needs to happen ASAP and it would be nice to know who to write letters to...

 

[rocknviking]

After tourning the depot today I came away very impressed! I stopped by the Amtrak booth and was told that Amtrak will not relocate to the depot until late 2013 at the earliest.

That's too bad it is taking so long! DId they do a good table to make people aware of Amtrak's service?

Unfortunately NO................

I found the Amtrak area downstairs from the main area that was open for the open house. I do not believe that Amtrak actually had a booth in the main depot area.

 

[rocknviking]

After tourning the depot today I came away very impressed! I stopped by the Amtrak booth and was told that Amtrak will not relocate to the depot until late 2013 at the earliest.

Really? If so, that would be tragic. At least Jefferson Lines will be moving into it, and hopefully Greyhound and Megabus will decide to do likewise, at least once the light rail connects there in 2014. It already has good local bus service and, with Jefferson Lines, intercity service around the upper Midwest.

Were you able to talk with Jefferson Lines? Are they moving all of their service there, or just portions of it?

Jefferson sounds like they will begin service in the very near future possibly as early as January/Febuary 2013.

 

[Exiled in Express]

I made the walk down there tonight, the limited bus service had ended for the night so it was just me and the custodial staff. The station embodies Saint Paul to me as a non-native, understated and functional grandeur. While the headhouse is the focal point there are nooks and crannies leading to other services and parts of the building, The organic layout and exposed brick reminded me of an English station, though SPUD is heated and in good repair. I totally missed where Amtrak ticketing might be located.

Their is a first class lounge in the corner of the main room, larger and more business like in appearance than the northwoods living room at Midway. Kitchenette included, so the range of snacks may be expanded. No track access from the lounge. Amtrak boarding is at the far end of the hall, at worst maybe 2 minutes from the Fourth Street and light rail doors. Though snow covered and dark there does appear to be rail placed on both sides of the platform and there is an additional (third?) stub track to the inside of the platform, switching might be done at SPUD for 807/808/PV.

Retail was not seen on the upper level, that may be in the basement with the intercity bus bays. Signage could be a bit better. The station is on the skyway so the Crowne Plaza, Saint Paul Hotel, and Doubletree can be accessed without going outdoors.

Photos here:

http://postimage.org/image/u6s2yf5lz/ great hall

http://postimage.org/image/6sq981vgv/ lounge

http://postimage.org/image/yimu8zkb3/ platform

 

[Amtrak Cajun]

Man, that station looks really nice. Id love to see it in person.

 

[George Harris]

St. Paul is definitely looking like a major transportational terminal. That is certainly more than can be said for Washington DC. Having just been in Washington (DC) Union Station last week, the contrast between the two places is awesome. Washington has become so cluttered with shops and fancy smancy places that it is unrecognizable as the beautiful and open place I first saw 40 years ago. Yes, it was somewhat run down, but at least it was still recognizable and usable as a major railroad station. The true passenger station part is now a bunch of small and rather off-putting places occupying what used to be the first couple of hundred feet of track.

 

[Mike Bain]

After tourning the depot today I came away very impressed! I stopped by the Amtrak booth and was told that Amtrak will not relocate to the depot until late 2013 at the earliest.

That's too bad it is taking so long! DId they do a good table to make people aware of Amtrak's service?

Unfortunately NO................

I found the Amtrak area downstairs from the main area that was open for the open house. I do not believe that Amtrak actually had a booth in the main depot area.

Amtrak had a "booth" inside what will be their Sleeping Car First class lounge. This lounge was in the concorse, right next to the waiting room. It was not downstairs.

 

[rocknviking]

Amtrak indeed had a staffed booth on the lower level of the depot. It was staffed by Amtrak employees and had copies of the timetables of the EB on the counter. They were also handing out coloring books for the kids which my nephew took full advantage of. The lower level Amtrak booth is located on Kellogg Blvd and is visable when driving or walking by.