The train layout for South Station is very interesting. There appear to be passenger & baggage platforms. Some photos show them to be at different heights. Are all these platforms at the same height??? Are certain trains ear marked to start/terminate at specific tracks based upon equipment used??? Thanx… Robert[Bob] E. Cronan
The south end of Union Station has low platforms for passengers, with high level platforms in areas formerly used for mail loading. The north end has only low platforms.
Boston's South Station has all high level platforms.
Perhaps a remnant from the days Pullman cars went from the PRR to MILW/UP/SP trains?
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
It would be nice if this track were used for loading first class passengers directly from the lounge, instead of having them walk past the station to their train, which is standing on one of the stub tracks.
I did ride through Chicago on this track in February of 1972, when Amtrak was operating trains through between Chicago and St. Louis.
Johnny
ndbprr There also is or was one track on the river side that allows trains to get to either side. Don't ask me why because I have no idea.
There also is or was one track on the river side that allows trains to get to either side. Don't ask me why because I have no idea.
Without that track the trains that use the gates on the north side of the station have no way to reach the service facilities located south of the station.
There are actually a couple of tracks on the east side of the station. One track, 28, has a platform its entire length (it has a different number on the north side) and is often used for loading of long trains. The exit door from the Metropolitan lounge opens right onto its platform. There is also a barrier and a bypass track closer to the river. These were very important in the days of heavy mail transfers and date to the station's original construction. The south side tracks were longer thatn thte north side tracks and often came into play in Milwaukee's "City of Everywhere" days. Even freight transfer runs used the bypass tracks in days past. Amtrak uses them for equipment moves. Metra has servicing facilities north (really west) and south of the station.
How would the south concourse tracks have been used for MILW/UP trains?
schlimm How would the south concourse tracks have been used for MILW/UP trains?
Pull through on track 28 or 30, down to Harrison street, back in. Most of the time they just used the long track 28 platform.
photos at Boston's South Station: As the station was built, all platforms were low. Not all at once, but in the past 20 years, all are now high-platform. Thus the different height photos.
search www.unionstationmp.com/history2 for a good history lesson and master plan for the future.
The south side of Union Station is numbered in even numbers with tracks 2 to 12 for commuter, having only a passenger platform on one side only, Tracks 14 to 16 are long distance (or commuter) with a passenger platform on one side, and higher baggage platform on the other. This allows the baggage carts to be at the same height as the baggage cars.
Track 28 was built with a passenger platform on one side and mail platform on the other which put the high platform at car floor height. This was between track 28 and 30 until taken down. First about 3 cars for loading short trains, then the entire platform and a passenger height platform was put in. As such, track 28 has a passenger platform on both sides. As I recall this happened during the 1990's.
Track 30 still has the mail platform but was cut back away from the track by about 1 foot
Tracks 32, 34, and 36 are short mail platform's, accessed only from the south end with track 38 the entire south side of the station, If you can get to the river track, and look south, you will see the switch.
Tracks 32 to 38 are dead storage now.
Track 40 or "River Track" is the back along the river. This is for access from the north side to south side for equipment movements. The track was actually not part of Union Station but the PRR railroad for access to industries between Union Station and Western Ave. NS still had one left but comes in from the west via the Pan Handle (Rockwell Sub on the UP).
Back to the baggage plafroms, which are still used, but with mostly reginoal trains serviced in the station, you do not see much baggage use on them. All baggage platforms have a ramp to the lower lever to move bages to the pick up area.
The North side also has baggage plaftorm on one side and passenger on the other on most tracks.
Gary Rhebergen
I doubt if the North Concourse baggage platforms have been used in many years, except for the track used by the EB. The smart move would be to eliminate them and reconfigure tracks with wider passenger platforms.
Good Evening Gary Rhebergen,
Thank You for your very informative reply to my question(s) to the track & baggage platforms at CUS[South Side]. Could I run another few inquiries by you in this regard??? Would you have any idea as to the differences in height between a passenger, mail & baggage platform??? Are specific Amtrak trains assigned a specific platform/track upon arrival or departure??? Do you know if The Lake Shore Limited upon arrival at CUS basically backs into the station???
Once again, Thank You for your most enlightening reply & information
Respectfully
Robert[Bob] E. Cronan
Good Morning Conductor4[Gary Rhebergen],
Thanx for your post regarding station platform characteristics. Would you know if there's a track plan available for CUS if someone wanted to model some of the stations operations???
Thanx in advance for your time and knowledge about CUS.
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