CandOforprogress2 I am hopeing for something more classical. Now I have been downstairs the to food court and see the track numbers and blocked off holes for the platforms but how did the passengers flow upstairs was there a ramp of some sort?
I am hopeing for something more classical. Now I have been downstairs the to food court and see the track numbers and blocked off holes for the platforms but how did the passengers flow upstairs was there a ramp of some sort?
Johnny
Thats more like what we need tired of shopping malls
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Train_concourse,_new_Pennsylvania_Station_4a23931v.jpg
Deggesty CandOforprogress2 I am hopeing for something more classical. Now I have been downstairs the to food court and see the track numbers and blocked off holes for the platforms but how did the passengers flow upstairs was there a ramp of some sort? As I recall, passengers did not go downstairs but proceeded from the waiting room through the concourse to the upper level tracks or to the stairways to the lower level tracks.There was no food court back then. At least a part of the downstairs held the baggage room (which is where the runaway engine in 1953, landed). Since I never checked any baggage to Washington back then, I donot know how the system worked.
As I recall, passengers did not go downstairs but proceeded from the waiting room through the concourse to the upper level tracks or to the stairways to the lower level tracks.There was no food court back then. At least a part of the downstairs held the baggage room (which is where the runaway engine in 1953, landed). Since I never checked any baggage to Washington back then, I donot know how the system worked.
John A. Droege, Passenger Trains and Terminals, pg. 117The larger part of the basement of the station is devoted to the handling of baggage. Teaming space is provided at this level and such baggage as is checked in the baggage checking room is brought down on an elevator provided for that purpose. There are four trucking subways giving access to the train platforms. Two of these, 16 ft. wide, extend the whole length of the station. The other two are transverse subways; one 60 ft. wide, is at the station end; the other from 20 to 42 ft. wide, is at the other end of the platforms and gives connection with the express building, 420 ft. by 60 ft., which is beyond the northeast corner of the station.
Editor Emeritus, This Week at Amtrak
D.CarletonThere was no food court back then.
I don't know about a food court but there was a coffee shop or dining facility. Back in 1954, my high school senior class trip was by B&O from Cincinnati on a special train ( believe it was dispatched as second section of #12 and had classes from all the Cincy area schools. My graduating class had about 30 on the trip had 1/2 of a coach and I believe the train had about 15 cars including an obs lounge car. Our tour disembarked at Wasington Union Station where we had breakfast before reboarding another train for Baltimore. We had four nights in a hotel in Washington, bus tour from Baltimore and through Washington and all meals for about $52. As a railfan, I have many fond memories. I won't go into them here.
We really need to look at the passenger traffic today as opposed to the past. Some one who has the resources is that we need to get a breakdown on traffic paterns, For each RR LD passenger terminations, LD connecting, commuter traffic.Number of trains etc. Many posters have stated that WASH traffic today is highest than even WW-2.
It is obvious that the traffic mix taday is much different than the past. The new layout of the station will meet that different mix without changing the needs of Amtrak. The addition of a middle of the train concourse will speed loading and unloading.
Making the platforms wider will also help. The main problem is PRR extending the concourse by shortening upper platforms about 2 car lengths. That shortsighted change will cause a very expensive construction to extend the platforms and having to move and add another set of slip ( puzzle ) switches.
Therefore the track portion of the addition could not be financially feasible to be built in the same style.
All doors open and run to whatever the proper platform and any train door is open and have conducter collect tickets on the train seems to be the Europeon model. Better yet have each seat have a bar code and RFID reader and passenger taps there ticket or device on the reader. This lining up like cows has to go.
I have always liked the setup of LA Union Station everything flows very smoothly there and its very airy and easy to get to where you need to go.
The secret is to get old. I used to do the cattle call at Washington, but once I turned 62, I made sure my ticket said "senior" on it, and I make use of the "senior boarding" and get to the train ahead of the rush.
Station claims that renovations to lower level access will be finished by the end of this year. 2018 Typo ?
Doug Allen, Chief Executive Officer
Work continues on upgrades to passenger areas of Washington Union Station. The improvements will accommodate Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express passengers who access the lower platforms via Gate L, Tracks 23 to 28. Once the project has been completed, customers will access new escalators, an elevator, and refreshed platforms. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2018.
Construction of a new elevator leading to the platform
Announcing new, more detailed, color-coded Train Talk e-mail alerts. The new format for Train Talks allow for deeper explanations on a number of issues, offer helpful reminders, and provide links to related topics. Plus, the color coding and subject line naming convention will enable riders to quickly recognize the time sensitivity of a message.
Thank you for your generous Toys for Tots donations this morning! The Marines had to make two trips to collect the toys, and monetary donations totaled over $15,000!
CEO Doug Allen with Marines collecting Toys for Tots donations
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When was this work started? When I was last in Washington, in September, I did not use the lower level at all. I was glad to see that the passenger carts had been repaired so I was able to ride (last spring, it was either wheel chair oruse my walker).
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