If you’re reading Denverurbanism.com, you probably already know that Denver Union Station is in the midst of an impressive major reconstruction. But did you know that many other American cities are also making big investments in their rail depots? The list, and the renderings, are pretty darn cool.
Los Angeles Union Station opened in 1939 and is often referred to as “last of the great railway stations in America.” And for the past 3/4 of a century that superlative has been largely correct. As rail travel declined, so did rail station design. During the latter half of the 20th Century, many cities replaced their grand historic depots with so-called “amshaks”, cheap and awful buildings that have more in common with utility sheds than anything else.
But now that’s all changing, and soon Los Angeles will have to give up its title.
Look at all these plans from big cities around the rest of America:
| New York Moynihan Station | project website This plan would shift New York’s Penn Station over one block, to reconceive the historic post office building next door as a station building. | ||
 |  |  |
| Washington, DC Union Station | project website Addition of a new multi-level train room to the rear of the existing historic station. | ||
 |  |  |
| Atlanta MultiModal Passenger Terminal | project website Future new intercity rail station. | ||
 |  | |
| Miami Central Station | project website New multimodal station at Miami airport, integrating Amtrak with local rail. Not downtown, but will become the main transit transfer point in the city. | ||
 |  | |
| Seattle King Street Station | project website Major restoration of historic depot, which had degraded significantly. | ||
 |  | |
| Charlotte Gateway Station | project website New station integrating Amtrak with local rail. | ||
 |  | |
| Saint Paul Union Depot | project website Renovation of historic depot for Amtrak and local use. | ||
 |  |  |
| Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center | project website Four-block project integrating Amtrak with local service. A series of new station buildings will be added surrounding the historic depot, which is used as Jacksonville’s convention center. | ||
 |  |  |
| Thanks to the California High Speed Rail (CAHSR) project, that state has several major station projects in planning. Los Angeles Union Station | project website Expansion of existing historic station, to include a new train room for CAHSR. A final design has not yet been picked, so multiple options are still under consideration. | ||
 |  | |
| San Francisco Transbay Terminal | project website Reconstruction of an existing bus station to handle future California High Speed Rail, as well as local regional/commuter rail. | ||
 |  |  |
| Sacramento Station | project website New station for CAHSR. | ||
 |  | |
| San Jose Diridon Station | project website New train room at existing station to integrate CA HSR with local rail. | ||
 |  |  |
| Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center | project website New station for CAHSR. | ||
 |  | |
| Fresno Southern Pacific Station | project website New train room at historic depot for CAHSR. | ||
 | | |
This is wonderful–thank you!
Cool post, thanks!
Just got back from Europe, sigh. But it’s nice to see all these forward-thinking projects going on in our country. If it were up to me, I’d have more inter-city rail and then easy car rentals like our Denver bike program for when you really need a car. Thoughts?
You’ve mixed the funded and the unfunded.
The only funded plans in this list are Miami, Seattle, and St. Paul. They’re all good plans, though
The Miami station is at the airport, FYI.