New Amtrak station Lincoln NE

[mbv9415]

http://journalstar.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/new-amtrak-station-set-to-open-tuesday/article_95932a90-e0d1-5f4b-bb77-db47ac08002e.html

The last Zephyr departed approx 5 hours late this morning with one of the heritage P42's on front. Within the hour, the track was cut and switches were removed. Currently placing the new switches for the tracks at the new platform and station. Hopefully the first CZ is late tomorrow so that I can photograph it from work also.

[schlimm]

At least in the picture from the paper, not a very attractive building.

 

[DwightBranch]

schlimm

At least in the picture from the paper, not a very attractive building.

 

That is what I thought too, like a phone company substation.

[mbv9415]

Still a work in progress. They had to get it open so that track removal could continue around the arena. Currently operating with a temporary occupancy permit. gas lines will not be run until tracks removed. Road access is only temporary. One feature to be added is a semaphore system decorating the public access side. Yeah it's not done, but it beats the Amshaks that have populated places like Omaha and Pittsburgh over the years.

[Dakguy201]

This station points out the problem with the long distance trains west of Chicago. Amtrak is leasing the station for $3,265 a month and serving 11,750 passengers yearly. That comes to $3.34 per passenger before salaries and other local costs.  With those costs it is probably near $10.   Ridership is probably supressed by the middle of the night train schedule in both directions, but serving 16 passengers per train is a really marginal activity for anything fancier than a boarding platform.

[dakotafred]

Dakguy201

This station points out the problem with the long distance trains west of Chicago. Amtrak is leasing the station for $3,265 a month and serving 11,750 passengers yearly. That comes to $3.34 per passenger before salaries and other local costs.  With those costs it is probably near $10.   Ridership is probably supressed by the middle of the night train schedule in both directions, but serving 16 passengers per train is a really marginal activity for anything fancier than a boarding platform.

Good info and interpretation, Dakguy; thanks. Points out the intrinsic weakness of our favorite form of public transportation: so slow -- with all that also implies for poor utilization of expensive labor, equipment and facilities -- that important places like Lincoln must be stuck with hopelessly inconvenient times that are guaranteed losers. Can't be otherwise with a single pair of trains; and additional schedules would cost more money that Amtrak doesn't have.

 

[Nebraskafan]

Yes, a work in progress aptly describes it. Two new streets are to be created that will make access easier. That whole area will be unrecognizable in a couple of years with all the development planned. Right now access is a cobbled-together arrangement past a recently vacated salvage yard via a temporary road. There is signage at least. The schedule isn't too passenger friendly anyway, and someone unfamiliar with the new arrangement would find meeting a train rather "adventurous." Amtrak had been confined to the far north end of the old depot for the last 21 years anyway, as the main waiting room is now the Great Hall, available for rental.