Washington DC Union Station Floorplan/Diagram

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VentureForth said:
printman2000 said:
Anyone know of a place to get a floorplan of this station? My google search had produced nothing.
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Nope. Had the same problem when I travelled through there in three years ago. Can't believe nothing has improved.
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There are very nice floorplan maps at the station itself (of the large standing sort you see at shopping malls). I don't think there are take-with-you brochure maps, though. Maybe someone could photograph the map and post it here? (Not sure when I'll next be in WAS, but I'll try to remember to do it if no one has by then.) It won't have track diagrams--it'll just show the layout of the concourses, waiting rooms, shops, restrooms, connections to WMATA, and orientation in relation to the surrounding streets--but by "floorplan" that sounds like exactly what you want.
 
wayman said:
VentureForth said:
printman2000 said:
Anyone know of a place to get a floorplan of this station? My google search had produced nothing.
Click to expand...
Nope. Had the same problem when I travelled through there in three years ago. Can't believe nothing has improved.
Click to expand...
There are very nice floorplan maps at the station itself (of the large standing sort you see at shopping malls). I don't think there are take-with-you brochure maps, though. Maybe someone could photograph the map and post it here? (Not sure when I'll next be in WAS, but I'll try to remember to do it if no one has by then.) It won't have track diagrams--it'll just show the layout of the concourses, waiting rooms, shops, restrooms, connections to WMATA, and orientation in relation to the surrounding streets--but by "floorplan" that sounds like exactly what you want.
Click to expand...
Believe it or not there are no maps of the station, (with tracks, towers etc.) available according to Amtrak in D.C. I'm guessing it is for security concerns. I would be very cautious in taking a picture indoors of the floor plan. Practically everywhere you go in public today is being watched by cameras or humans. I would think a simple trip to the library would reveal some older books about the station and you would probably get more detail than is available today. As beautiful as the station is today, it sat in idle gloom for a number of years and you had to walk around the station to get to the train tracks.
 
Here you go:

m_tokyo_e.gif


Just kidding. That's Tokyo Station.
 
had8ley said:
Believe it or not there are no maps of the station, (with tracks, towers etc.) available according to Amtrak in D.C. I'm guessing it is for security concerns. I would be very cautious in taking a picture indoors of the floor plan. Practically everywhere you go in public today is being watched by cameras or humans. I would think a simple trip to the library would reveal some older books about the station and you would probably get more detail than is available today. As beautiful as the station is today, it sat in idle gloom for a number of years and you had to walk around the station to get to the train tracks.
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As far as tracks and towers go, Google Maps and Wikipedia both give rather nice (albeit unlabeled) track diagrams. If you're familiar with the layout of the track numbering from the waiting area side of things, I imagine it would be pretty easy to label the tracks on these photos.
 
I have a copy of a brochure called Amtrak at Union Station. It has the pointless arrow on it. I am thinking is old. I think I picked it up at WAS. U S years ago. However Washington Union Station has a web site. You might try there.The only phone numbers on the brochure are for Amtrak reservations [ USA RAIL. ]- MARC [ 1-800-325-rail ] This brochure has a layout in it. Train concourse- station concourse- main hall -ect.I do not have a scanner so I cant post it . I will try to get a friend to do it, in the next day or two . In the mean time go the web and see whats up. :rolleyes:
 
Sorry to go on about this. The Amtrak magazine ARRIVE has somewhat of a layout of WAS U S on the back page. Also has PHILADELPHIA 30 th st. NEW YORK PENN STATION and BOSTON SOUTH STATION :)
 
The short summary of tracks is as follows: Tracks are numbered west to east. Tracks 1 thorugh 6, or 1 through 7, I forget which do not exist. They were removed at the time WMATA was being constructed. WMATA's station for Union Station is under the west end fo the station. The next few tracks are used by the MARC commuter service on the ex-B&O routes. I don't think all of them even have overhead wire. These have low platforms. The next, I think, are for the ex Penn line commuter service. The rest of the upper level tracks are for the Northeast corridor service. The lower level tracks are for trains to and from the south, so that would be the Virginia commuter trains as well as the Virginia, Florida, and New Orleans trains. So far as I know, all the lower level tracks have low platforms.
 
Pretty close, George.

Upper Level:

1-6 no longer exist

7-8 are low platforms without wire.

9-16 are electrified high level platforms used for all MARC lines and NE Regionals. Also the Capitol Limited usually leaves from 16.

17-20 are electrified high levels used for Acela Express

Lower level:

21 is no longer in revenue service

22-28 are electrified low level platforms used for VRE and Amtrak trains headed South of DC. Also, the MARC 3:25 PM departure usually leaves from 27/28 for some reason.
 
Ryan said:
Pretty close, George.

Upper Level:

1-6 no longer exist

7-8 are low platforms without wire.

9-16 are electrified high level platforms used for all MARC lines and NE Regionals. Also the Capitol Limited usually leaves from 16.

17-20 are electrified high levels used for Acela Express

Lower level:

21 is no longer in revenue service

22-28 are electrified low level platforms used for VRE and Amtrak trains headed South of DC. Also, the MARC 3:25 PM departure usually leaves from 27/28 for some reason.
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How can the Superliner equipped Capitol Limited use a high level platform?
 
Good catch - 15 and 16 are low level platforms as well. There is also a low level platform between 10 and 11 that's blocked off and never used.

Corrected version:

Upper Level:

1-6 no longer exist

7-8 are low platforms without wire.

9-14 are electrified high level platforms used for all MARC lines and NE Regionals.

15-16 are electrified low level platforms. The Capitol Limited usually leaves from 16, which is also an inspection track (has a "pit" between the rails for a car length or two).

17-20 are electrified high levels used for Acela Express

Lower level:

21 is no longer in revenue service

22-28 are electrified low level platforms used for VRE and Amtrak trains headed South of DC. Also, the MARC 3:25 PM departure usually leaves from 27/28 for some reason.
 
Thanks, Ryan.

It has been a long time since I have spent any time in DC. In fact, the last time I was there, it was on the way between Newark NJ and Atlanta, and that was about 15 years ago, and all I did was change trains. (The Crescent was stated as being sold out at Newark and Philadelphia. I would have been riding the dog after DC if I could not have gotten on the Crescent.)
 
I see the ticket counter for Amtrak and MARC, but where is the VRE ticket counter? I'm planning on taking VRE from Union Station to Manassas next time out and need to know where to buy tickets.
 
printman2000 said:
Anyone know of a place to get a floorplan of this station? My google search had produced nothing.
Click to expand...
The only thing I could find is at www.unionstationdc.com which has a "directory map" that primarily shows all the shops but also has locations for Amtrak, Metro, etc.
 
This thread was started about 8 years ago, but I still can't find a good layout map for Washington Union station. I am arriving by cab and need to know how to get to the Metropolitan (or is it the Acela) lounge to wait for Acella 2160 to NYP. Can I get Red Caps at the cab stands?

Thanks.
 

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