What's your favorite train station?

[Acela150]

Ok I think this can be resolved easy! :lol: My vote goes to PHL. Not only because it's my home station, read this topic.

That's correct PHL was named America's top station By Trains Magazine! Keep in mind it's got the Solari Board until the spring! It has the PRR WWII memorial by Stairway's one and two. Just an overall classic! If your trains late theirs the food court or you can go out to the parking garage and watch trains come and go! (if your a trainfan!) ^_^ Trains come and go 24/7! Buses serve the city to University City and Center City. Trains to Center City and the suburbs serve 30th street even the Airport! Trains goto Atlantic City. Even though it's nothing to write home about! You have Clubacela! Redcaps! Ticket office! Rental cars! All kinds of stuff!

Steve

 

[Pastor Dave]

I certainly haven't visited the bulk of stations on the Amtrak line. But my vote at the moment is for 30th Street in Philadelphia. Besides being my home station, back when I served in Philadelphia I would often go to the station to grab dinner and people watch for a while. Lots of Amtrak and SEPTA action, folks stopping by the food court, and visiting the bookstore. Next favorite is Washington DC (although I think the movie theater is now closed).

 

[the_traveler]

But does it have AE zipping thru 30th St Station at 150 MPH?

NOOOOOOOO!

(In fact AE's do not even get up to that speed anywhere south of RI!

)

 

[Acela150]

But does it have AE zipping thru 30th St Station at 150 MPH?

NOOOOOOOO!

(In fact AE's do not even get up to that speed anywhere south of RI!

)

Darn! Got me! :lol:

 

[Dan O]

LA union. .....its the chairs .

Peter

I like LA too but I haven't been to that many stations. Like the chairs and connections to subway/busses. Could use much more food. I don't mind walking to Olvera Street, Phillipes or Chinatown to get something to eat, but it would be nice if there for a short time to be able to have more food choices. The courtyard outside is nice on a warm day.

Dan

 

[Dan O]

How about San Bernardino? I have seen it many times but never been inside. I thought it was not operating but apparently the waiting area is open. I didn't realize it was the largest station west of the Mississippi River at one time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Fe_Depot_(San_Bernardino)

Dan

 

[guest]

LA union. .....its the chairs .

Peter

I like LA too but I haven't been to that many stations. Like the chairs and connections to subway/busses. Could use much more food. I don't mind walking to Olvera Street, Phillipes or Chinatown to get something to eat, but it would be nice if there for a short time to be able to have more food choices. The courtyard outside is nice on a warm day.

Dan

Been there lately? Right by the tunnel entrance are a Famima (convenience store), Subway sandwiches, Wetzel's Pretzels, and Starbucks opens in a few days. Just across the courtyard to the south is the DWP building, which has a well-stocked cafeteria that is open to the public.

 

[the_traveler]

But does it have AE zipping thru 30th St Station at 150 MPH?

NOOOOOOOO!

(In fact AE's do not even get up to that speed anywhere south of RI!

)

Darn! Got me! :lol:

the_traveler NOOOOOOOOs!

 

[Blackshirt Husker]

Boston South Station, by FAR. I'll be interested in seeing King Street Station (Seattle) and Denver's Union Station after the renovations, though.

 

[Shawn Ryu]

I hate Chicago Union Station. It is so hard to find the nearby El station, you actually have to walk 3 really long blocks. And there isnt enough room in the area where people actually wait for the train. It is tiny. The Great Hall is empty and useless because its not well connected to the boarding area.<div><br></div><div>At least in philly, the Market Street Line is really close to the station and at DC Union Station,  BOS/BON, LAX, NYP, the subway stations are right there in the station itself.</div>

I would agree that the "connection" between CUS and the 'L' is far less than ideal.

And thats not going to change any time soon. Its a shame really.

 

[creddick]

No longer used by Amtrak, obviously. However, my favorite train station is the Michigan Central depot in Detroit. All too well I remember it when it was a glorious station. Even now I can't help driving by it when I am in Detroit.

 

[leonid]

Red Wing, MN. A nice old fashioned brownstone building with a lot of charm.

 

[FunNut]

USA:

Washington Union Station for food court & shopping, also the architecture

Chicago Union Station ONLY for the fireplace in the Metropolitan Lounge

Flagstaff for tiny station ambience, old high-backed wooden benches, friendly staff, proximity to beautifully preserved downtown area

International:

Nagoya, Japan for ease of navigation even for non-Japanese

Kyoto, Japan for vast atrium architecture, shopping & food choices, and wonderful Granvia Hotel in the station complex

 

[jis]

My latest favorites among stations abroad are:

1. Berlin Hauptbahnof

2. London St. Pancras International.

Both for architectural uniqueness and passenger facilities.

For sheer volume of passengers I'd go with:

1. Tokyo Shinjuku

2. Kolkata Howrah

 

[Dan O]

Dan

Been there lately? Right by the tunnel entrance are a Famima (convenience store), Subway sandwiches, Wetzel's Pretzels, and Starbucks opens in a few days. Just across the courtyard to the south is the DWP building, which has a well-stocked cafeteria that is open to the public.

Actually I have..well in the past year. Near the tunnel entrance inside the station? Not far from the Amtrak info area? I have to go back to look for that.

Thanks for that info.

 

[GG-1]

Aloha

Been thinking about my favorite, and decided I must say 2 stations.

1 Penn station NYC in late 50's early 60's when I used to sit behind the post office and watch all the trains coming and going under the Hudson river to all those platforms. There were a train just about every minute in PRR Tuscan and Gold strips. These beautiful trains were pulled by magnificent GG-1's. This was around the time the Madison Square Garden was built overt the tracks, So,

2 My favorite station building is Los Angeles Union Station, because of the incredible Architecture.

So that is one on one end of the country, one in the middle, and no Amtrak service at the other end. Oh well I am nearer to passenger trains now.

 

[bretton88]

Omaha. The classic Amshack architecture is disappearing fast. The staff is very friendly, and there are transit connections on 10th street. There is a tv inside and plenty of seating and vending machines. Its one of the last "true" Amshacks remaining. My guess, is with the way Omaha does things, the Omaha Amshack will probably be around even when all the others have been replaced.

P.S. I may be biased because it's MY station. And bonus question: where was the first Amshack in the nation? I know Omaha abandoned the Burlington pretty quickly after A-day.

 

[Heading North]

Richmond (Staples Mill) was a pretty early Amshack, no? (And not one of the better ones, I'd say from experience.)

 

[Railroad Bill]

WAS in the East

Kansas City in the Midwest

San Diego in the West

 

[lthanlon]

Los Angeles Union Station is my favorite. The building exudes a wonderful Southern California vibe, and even if you've never been there before, you feel as if you have because you've glimpsed the station in so many movies and TV shows. On a warmish day, you can wait in the plazas, or wander around the station and marvel at how the rakish architecture is offset by soaring, slender palms.

Inside, seats are comfortable -- and, in my experience, almost always available -- and you're treated to an endless flotilla of humanity in motion. The waiting area seems designed for use in a movie. Sightlines each direction converge on people arriving, people departing, tearful embraces and heated arguments. The people and the drama never seem to stop.

When contemplating the rush of people at Los Angeles Union Station, I often find myself thinking of Robert J. Hastings' "The Station."

 

[leemell]

Los Angeles Union Station is my favorite. The building exudes a wonderful Southern California vibe, and even if you've never been there before, you feel as if you have because you've glimpsed the station in so many movies and TV shows. On a warmish day, you can wait in the plazas, or wander around the station and marvel at how the rakish architecture is offset by soaring, slender palms.

Inside, seats are comfortable -- and, in my experience, almost always available -- and you're treated to an endless flotilla of humanity in motion. The waiting area seems designed for use in a movie. Sightlines each direction converge on people arriving, people departing, tearful embraces and heated arguments. The people and the drama never seem to stop.

When contemplating the rush of people at Los Angeles Union Station, I often find myself thinking of Robert J. Hastings' "The Station."

I agree completely. Beautiful pics. We can hope now that CAHSR and the MTA are buying it that thay will reopen the ticketing concourse and the old Harvey';s Restaurant to the public.

 

[GG-1]

We can hope now that CAHSR and the MTA are buying it that thay will reopen the ticketing concourse and the old Harvey';s Restaurant to the public.

Aloha

I highly doubt that it will ever go back to ticketing, They must make 10 times the revenue as a movie/TV location. The list of credits are surprising as the places it has represented, many time not as a train station.

 

[leemell]

We can hope now that CAHSR and the MTA are buying it that thay will reopen the ticketing concourse and the old Harvey';s Restaurant to the public.

Aloha

I highly doubt that it will ever go back to ticketing, They must make 10 times the revenue as a movie/TV location. The list of credits are surprising as the places it has represented, many time not as a train station.

I didn't really think they would use it for ticketing, but I would be nice when that area is not in use as a location to open it to the public, for, if nothing else, as a waiting area. The same goes for the restaurant.

 

[Stellar1]

I'd have to say that my favorite Amtrak station is Philadelphia 30th Street Station.

I just read the great article about it in the March issue of Trains Magazine.

It will definitely be sad to see the old Solari board being replaced by an LED display.

 

[Big Iron]

We can hope now that CAHSR and the MTA are buying it that thay will reopen the ticketing concourse and the old Harvey';s Restaurant to the public.

Aloha

I highly doubt that it will ever go back to ticketing, They must make 10 times the revenue as a movie/TV location. The list of credits are surprising as the places it has represented, many time not as a train station.

Like the time it was used in an NCIS episode at Washinton Union Station.