Berlin Hauptbahnhof opens - largest train station in Europe

[Modelcar]

....Yes, NYC certainly had such a massive cathedral like structure in the late Pennsylvania Station there but at that time, the powers to be decided it was to be demolished.  What a shame.....

Too bad a way to renovate it but retain it's glory, etc. could not have been brought about back then and somehow, a plan to use it in a more modern world now.  It certainly could have been an updated showplace for people to enter the city.

Seems like the plans for the "new Penn Station" keep being pushed back and down for various reasons and I wonder it that project will ever get off the ground.....

[henry6]

Someone else said this someplace else but it is worth repeating.  In effect, the U.S. needs a great building, a railroad station perhaps.  And the Hauftbahnhof in Berlin is a perfect example of what is needed.  I know Suburban Station in Philadelphia is impressive, as is GCt in NYC, and perhaps South Station in Boston.  The article points out extant buildings in Chicago as well as Los Agneles Union as among those in use.  KC and Cin are not in use per se.  There is no airline terminal in our country that is as complete, nor a bus station.  Entertainment complexes seem to be what our society deems as great buildings; but they lack the sponteniety of society and the clashing of retail commerce, travel activities, and the ebb and flow of daily pedestrian excitement.  New York City stands on the threshold of being able to accomplish that as new paths are sought to enter the city (by rail) from both the east and the west.  Parochialisms, interstate politics, and inter agency jealousies are already stalling such proposals. The possiblity of seperate, disconnected, self serving, semiterminals scatterd around Manhatten is more real than a grandiouse opportunty to bring these life giving elements together.  

[Modelcar]

....Whatever the capacity, it sure appears to be a beautiful open modern structure.  New construction we'll not see in this country for the foreseeable future.  We did have some beautiful stuctures but of course it was decided {some time ago}, they should be demolished.

Of course GCT is still here and it's renovation of recent past certainly renewed it's beauty greatly.

[beaulieu]

Both levels of Berlin Central Station are apparently made for run-through service, without bumper blocks.  Six on top and eight below equal fourteen tracks.  New York's Pennsylvania Station has 21 tracks, maybe one with a bumping block.  Three railroads serve the tracks, and all have both sources of power.  I cannot imagine how Berlin's station can handle more passengers on fewer tracks.  Do the trains in New York sit in the station longer while loading?

Yes and many trains reverse direction at Penn Station, especially all of the commuter trains. By contrast no DB trains terminate at the Lehrter Hauptbahnhof, all pass through to terminate on the perimeter of Berlin, from that it follows that no trains originate there either, this allows a lot of passengers without tying up the platforms.  Trains for western destinations will originate at the Rummelsburg servicing facility, proceed west to Berlin Ostbahnhof, and then to the Hauptbahnhof. In this way the platforms at the Hauptbahnhof are not tied up while a Lokfuhrer (Engineer) changes ends.

[BellmoreBob]

Both levels of Berlin Central Station are apparently made for run-through service, without bumper blocks.  Six on top and eight below equal fourteen tracks.  New York's Pennsylvania Station has 21 tracks, maybe one with a bumping block.  Three railroads serve the tracks, and all have both sources of power.  I cannot imagine how Berlin's station can handle more passengers on fewer tracks.  Do the trains in New York sit in the station longer while loading?

[BellmoreBob]

Congratulations to Trains Magazine for that fantastic article in the September, 2008, issue on Berlin's Central Station.  It was a joy to read.

[tatans]

Success ? for Europe Ja ! Ja ! Yes ! Yes! for North America Nein ! the days of train travel are over and have been for a long time, today you can still travel by train if you have lots of time and money, if you can get a seat, this method of travel is now relegated to the wealthy class, but all in all passenger travel in North America is doomed to cramped, uncomfortable, leg swelling, jammed next to rather hefty person who is half into your seat, and the price skyrocketing weekly, all this in a tiny metal tube that reminds me of flying in 1957. We shall not see any significant passenger traffic for many decades to come-simply because most people don't care, remember, these are the same people who now pay $4.50 for a 15 cent hamburger ! (it's still a 15 cent hamburger)

[Anonymous]

http://www.hbf-berlin.de/site/berlin__hauptbahnhof/en/start.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Hauptbahnhof

Perhaps a blueprint for success?