The Burlington Station.

[Anonymous]

Aha, that changes the picture. At least it looks a tad better than the current Union Station in Chicago; nowhere near as nice as it use to be.

Art

[DrummingTrainfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by artschlosser

I don't see what is so bad about the AMTRAK station being in the old Union Station building, currently called the Durham Western History Museum. What am I missing?

Art

Amtrak isn't in the Union Station, it has it uses that station>.

[Anonymous]

I agree.

[Anonymous]

I don't see what is so bad about the AMTRAK station being in the old Union Station building, currently called the Durham Western History Museum. What am I missing?

Both buildings predate AMTRAK and having passengers milling about the lobby or whatever of a residence hotel wouldn't be attractive to prospective tenants, especially with a genuine ex-depot that served the CNW and Union Pacific among others on the other side of the tracks.

Art

[Bob-Fryml]

QUOTE: Originally posted by DrummingTrainfan

I hope you're prepared for all the hatemail from the wives of the railfans that want to move in there now![;)][:D][:p][^][:o)]

If only I had the money to rent one of those for one awesome layout/railfan room...

If you think that having a residence hard by both the Q's Omaha passenger main and The Overland Route mainline is goofy, get a load of this ....

A couple of years ago I was in Chicago riding the Jackson Park 'L when I discovered a brand new residential building that would drive any member of the Rapid Transit Lunatic Fringe into total ecstacy. The building is located on the west side of the 'L structure a little ways south of the Loop. It's almost right on top of the junction where the old State Street subway connects with the Jackson Park / Englewood southside elevated trestle. Green Line and Orange Line trains pass right by the place every few minutes with all of the concomitant roar, squealing flanges, and pounding rail joints that only an ancient 'L structure surrounded by brick walls and hard pavement can provide. And, to top it all off, the place has a small balcony that faces eastwards - and it's at the same elevation as all of the action! You could practically touch the trains!

A few years ago I was interested in acquiring a condominium located in the old Marshall Field's building in downtown Evanston, Ill. I wanted the deluxe unit, the one which faced the 'L tracks; but I decided against it because of aesthetics. The railroad that I would have gladly accepted as my neighbor wasn't the railroad that I grew up with.

Foolishly the C.T.A. retired the overhead wire on the Evanston-Wilmette branch and replaced it with third rail, so the sounds of singing trolley wire were gone. Next, the idiots replaced the jointed rail with welded, so the clickety-clack noises that should accompany a classic interurban operation likewise disappeared. But the thought of living next to the Evanston 'L without watching and being serenaded by the most wonderful railroad equipment in the world - the 1920's-built "Cincinnati Heavyweights" that protected the rush hour schedules of the famed Evanston Express - would, through time, have become unbearable.

So the search for a suitable retirement home continues ....

[DrummingTrainfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Bob-Fryml

Realtors Grubb & Ellis have a sign posted on the building immediately west of the C.B.& Q. passenger station. Located at 10th & Mason Sts., the "OMAHA POST OFFICE / BURLINGTON STATION" building is now for sale. It has a broad expanse facing both the BNSF "passenger main" through Omaha as well as The Overland Route mainline. It's close to Amtrak, the Durham Western History Museum (a.k.a. Omaha Union Station), and the Old Market District. If some developer could convert this old structure into residential units, it'd be something close to "railfan heaven."

I hope you're prepared for all the hatemail from the wives of the railfans that want to move in there now![;)][:D][:p][^][:o)]

If only I had the money to rent one of those for one awesome layout/railfan room...

[Bob-Fryml]

Realtors Grubb & Ellis have a sign posted on the building immediately west of the C.B.& Q. passenger station. Located at 10th & Mason Sts., the "OMAHA POST OFFICE / BURLINGTON STATION" building is now for sale. It has a broad expanse facing both the BNSF "passenger main" through Omaha as well as The Overland Route mainline. It's close to Amtrak, the Durham Western History Museum (a.k.a. Omaha Union Station), and the Old Market District. If some developer could convert this old structure into residential units, it'd be something close to "railfan heaven."

[Willy2]

It's really cool that the station is finally going to be renovated. I agree that it is too bad that Amtrak isn't going to be incorporated into the station.

[DrummingTrainfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Kevin C. Smith

Ah, wonderful! But according to the artists drawing, the Amtrak station will still be next door-pity they didn't incorporate it into the building again... But anything that saves and restores a station to public use can't be all bad.

As cool as that'd be they'd probably also have to (re)build at least one stairway downward like they did back when it was in use with the Union Station; which would just mean more cost along with the cost to demoli***he Amtrak station.

Now it could be possible to get that done if there was a historical society/group that wanted to have Amtrak in the station, and the $$ to back it up.

[Anonymous]

Sucks doesn't it?
Allan.

[eolafan]

Last night I watched a very good show in public TV out of Nebraska about the UP 3985 and they touched very briefly on this station in Omaha...if you get a chance to see the show I mentioned this weekend, I highly recommend it.

[Kevin C. Smith]

Ah, wonderful! But according to the artists drawing, the Amtrak station will still be next door-pity they didn't incorporate it into the building again... But anything that saves and restores a station to public use can't be all bad.

[Anonymous]

http://www.burlingtonstation.com