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Quite a structure; but what caught my eye was the ridership of 157 people in 2007. That represents 18% of the town's population, and riding an LD train, no less. Gilbert? did you see that? 18% of the whole town rides LD trains! Now if we can get 18% of Chicago to ride the LD train, we might make a convert out of Dr. Norman!
Posts: 518 | From: Maynard, MA, USA | Registered: Sep 2000
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Try Stockton, CA-San Joaquin Street Station. I think its in the middle of a junk yard.
New Orleans was less than impressive when I visited it pre-Katrina. It's basically the Greyhound Station with tracks running up to it.
Sacramento has potential. I haven't been up there in a few years. Have they done work to it? SAn Bernardino, same thing. Potential, but has it been tapped?
If you want an INCREDIBLE before and after example look at what happenned between the current Bakersfield Amtrak and the old Amshack. California is the model for what impact investing in facilities can have on demand. I would estimate that AT LEAST 60% of the stations in California are less than 15 years old. Even classics like Union Station have gotten face lifts.
State funded corridors are the salvation of our classic stations.
-------------------- Patrick Posts: 387 | From: Bakersfield, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Allensworth barely counts. Its not even a scheduled stop on the San Joaquin. Its a stop by reservation only (for special events). Allensworth was an experimental farm set up by former slaves post civil war and was set up by Coronel Allensworth in the late 1800's. Its mainly a spot of historical interest. I ride the San Joaquin several times per year, and typically the train passes this platform going about 59 mph. Out of the 20 plus times I have taken this train, the train never even slowed down here.
Wow! What a shame for Sanderson though! There's a lot of potential in the structure! This is a historic structure going to the termites! I would think that being as old as it is, civic or commercial interests would show interest in it. But I guess there's not much commerce beyond mom and pop in a town of just over 800.
-------------------- Patrick Posts: 387 | From: Bakersfield, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Indianapolis was my least favorite station. They have fixed up the building beautifully except for the separate area around the back where the actual train waiting room is; it adjoins Greyhound and seems dirty and borderline safe, even with an armed guard--I certainly wouldn't go to the bathroom there myself in the middle of the night. When I was in Indianapolis 2 years ago, I heard there was a murder there, though I'm not sure if that's true.
I was also rather very disappointed by the Amshack in Salt Lake City. I gather they used to have a perfectly nice station, but it was converted to something else at the time of the Olympics, I believe.
There are some very small stations that look like little more than bus stops, but since they are such small towns, they don't bother me as much. Winnemucca seemed that way--maybe I missed something? Anyway, it does have one of the best names, as any Hank Snow fan knows. . . .
Much of the Omaha station is in a sad way, from what I can see (I've only gone out for the "smoke stop" there). And I have heard downtown Buffalo is in very sad state, but I've only been to the suburban stop (which isn't much, bye the bye).
I thought Sacramento was fine. Fairly attractive building, and reasonably pleasant wait even in the middle of the night.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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My vote for an "Amshack" will have to go to Orlando, especially since it's in the heart of Florida's tourist trade. It's filthy and ill-maintained. The City of Orlando and Amtrak should be ashamed!
Amendment(10/01/08): I just viewed the photos of Orlando on TrainWeb, which were taken in 2003, and the station looked nice. However, I was there in July, 2008 and things have greatly decayed in 5 years.
Posts: 20 | From: Zephyrhills, FL | Registered: May 2008
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Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Madera, California wins hands down as it has been horrible other than the first year the put it in. No civic pride at this dump of a train station!
Chris
Posts: 711 | From: Santa Ana | Registered: May 2003
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Sandpoint, Idaho gets my vote in the forlorn category. Just east of Spokane, you'll feel a sense of abandonment with the middle-of-the-night scheduled stops either direction.
-------------------- Ham Radio Orange County, California Posts: 46 | From: Orange County, CA | Registered: Dec 2007
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Deming, NM is pretty forlorn; all you've got there is ballast. No phones, no pools, no pets. If the Sunset is late (haha) let's hope the passenger has a cell phone to call Julie and get an idea when 1 or 2 will arrive, give or take a couple of hours or so. As to Sanderson, it is a classic pure western-style Southern Pacific-era depot. I agree that the townsfolk there should fix it up; make it into a little town museum or something. Money's tight now, esp. out there in the hinterlands. I imagine it will just melt away, or the UP might take it down, if it isn't being used by the Signal Dept. or B and B...
Posts: 588 | From: East San Diego County, CA | Registered: Oct 2004
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I've been to Deming, NM station too. You're right, it is forlorn! Just ballast and a weathered sign beside the track. The station in the old movie, "Bad Day At Black Rock" had more going for it.
-Dave S.
-------------------- I believe in something. I believe I'll take the train. Posts: 284 | From: Ithaca, NY USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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The fourth largest city in the USA {Houston} has a fairly sad little box. It's dingy and boring, but it does have a Blue Bell ice cream vending machine!!!
Posts: 1418 | From: Houston, Republic of Texas | Registered: Jan 2001
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Blue Bell ice cream and Jax beer -- the Texan's two major food groups! Yay!
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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Well, it's not an Amtrak station any more, but Akron, OH was pretty forlorn when I took the "Three Rivers" out of it five years ago.
It's at the site of the former Akron Union Station, but all that's there now is a station-in-a-container (similar to photos of Fulton, KY). Other than that, there's an asphalt platform.
Adjacent is a hotel-restaurant complex built in a former Quaker Oats grain silo. We stayed there, and it was fun, especially the railroad-themed restaurant. But the Amtrak station no longer even had an agent, or anyone to unlock the waiting room door.
Posts: 614 | From: Merchantville, NJ. USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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Though not dirty or forlorn, here's my vote for "oddest:" Quincy, IL. Served by the Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg- a couple of swell little intrastates serving Illinois. The Quincy depot is solidly constructed of good red brick, which looks strong enough to withstand a Cat 5 'cane. But, there of course is no agent or attendant; just a timed mechanical door lock that allows the passengers inside about a half hour before train time, and locks itself soon thereafter. No matter the weather, you'll be locked out. Don't even think of "doing your business" in a clean little restroom at Quincy station; one won't be found. However there is a grove of bushy trees nearby that the passengers DO use-- I've seen them furtively doing this; maybe even I used the bushes earlier this year when spending a nice day in Quincy.
Posts: 588 | From: East San Diego County, CA | Registered: Oct 2004
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Be sure to scroll down to the nightime view - because that is what everyone coming or going from this platform encounters. Only once have I been here in daylight (barely) and that was due to a late arriving train from Los Angeles.
No station building, nothing but a concrete slab and one light on a post. Until I first saw these pictures I did not even know there was a sign.
Ten minute or so ride on that bus through dark forest to nearby town. Drop off and Pick up for all passengers is at a Hotel in Williams.
Dee
Posts: 460 | From: North Central CT | Registered: May 2004
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If it weren't for the inviting Isak Walton Inn around the curve, I'd vote for Essex, MT with it's gravel platform and single light on a telephone pole as 'Most Desolate'.
Yes, Williams Junction has a paved platform but I don't believe there is anything welcoming within walking distance.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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