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Re: (rshsdepot) Albany, NY

Subject: Re: (rshsdepot) Albany, NY
From: "ERIE LACKAWANNA SD45-2" <ERIE-LACKAWANNA_@_prodigy.net>
Date: Sat, 12 May 2001 21:56:44 -0400
References: <000f01c0db3b$a3ec4e20$1e45c0d8_@_paul> <007101c0db48$3edbe2e0$6a14fe3f@net>
You may find the answer in the D&H BOOK or Bridge Line Historical Society


- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Steven Delibert" <STEVDEL_@_prodigy.net>
To: <rshsdepot_@_lists.railfan.net>
Sent: Saturday, May 12, 2001 8:55 PM
Subject: Re: (rshsdepot) Albany, NY


> That spectacular chateau was the D&H office building, which many used to
> mistake for the state capitol, and which now, I think someone has already
> told us, is used by the state, I think the State University.
> Question I asked isn't quite being answered:  The NYC "Union" Station was
> built in about 189x; but I don't think I've ever seen what NYC used
BEFORE;
> and did D&H share the NYC depot BEFORE the Union Mausoleum went up, or
what
> did D&H use?
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Paul S. Luchter <luckyshow_@_mindspring.com>
> To: <rshsdepot_@_lists.railfan.net>
> Sent: Saturday, May 12, 2001 7:31 PM
> Subject: Re: (rshsdepot) Albany, NY
>
>
> > Whose station, or where was that big French chateau-like station up
there?
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: ERIE LACKAWANNA SD45-2 <ERIE-LACKAWANNA_@_prodigy.net>
> > To: rshsdepot_@_lists.railfan.net <rshsdepot@lists.railfan.net>
> > Date: Saturday, May 12, 2001 4:41 AM
> > Subject: Re: (rshsdepot) Albany, NY
> >
> >
> > >D&H never owned a station in Albany. They used the New York Central
> station
> > >which is now a museum and has a highway in front where station
platforms
> > >were and across Hudson River where rail bridge was. were.
> > >
> > >Jerome
> > >
> > >
> > >----- Original Message -----
> > >From: "Paul S. Luchter" <luckyshow_@_mindspring.com>
> > >To: <rshsdepot_@_lists.railfan.net>
> > >Sent: Friday, May 11, 2001 10:59 PM
> > >Subject: Re: (rshsdepot) Albany, NY
> > >
> > >
> > >> Why don't they just use the Albany D&H station? (he says tongue in
> cheek
> > >> -----Original Message-----
> > >> From: James Dent <james.dent_@_itochu.com>
> > >> To: RSHS List <rshsdepot_@_lists.railfan.net>
> > >> Date: Friday, May 11, 2001 4:26 PM
> > >> Subject: (rshsdepot) Albany, NY
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> >From the Albany (NY) Times Union...
> > >> >
> > >> >Station funds held up
> > >> >Albany -- Citing cost overruns, state Senate Majority Leader Joseph
> > Bruno
> > >> >demands an accounting of the Rensselaer project
> > >> >
> > >> >Calling the Rensselaer railway station construction project "a
runaway
> > >> >train,'' Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno said Thursday he would
> > >> withhold
> > >> >further funding from the project until its managers account for
> > >escalating
> > >> >expenses.
> > >> >
> > >> >Politicians on both sides of the aisle assailed the Capital District
> > >> >Transportation Authority for running tens of millions of dollars
over
> > >> budget
> > >> >on the project. CDTA officials this week revised their cost
> projections,
> > >> >saying the new station will probably cost more than $60 million by
the
> > >time
> > >> >it is completed. It was at least the third major cost revision since
> the
> > >> >original estimate of $35 million, and it drew fire from the same
state
> > >> >officials the CDTA hopes will help bridge the massive shortfall.
> > >> >
> > >> >"Since it was first announced, the cost of this project has been a
> > >runaway
> > >> >train,'' Bruno, R-Brunswick, said. "I will not commit any additional
> > >state
> > >> >funding to the new rail station until I receive a full and complete
> > >> >accounting of how these cost overruns occurred.''
> > >> >
> > >> >CDTA officials say the station could still open in spring 2002 on
the
> > >last
> > >> >budget estimate of $52.2 million, but that additional track and
signal
> > >work
> > >> >they call "Phase Three'' will be needed afterward and will push the
> > >budget
> > >> >past the $60 million mark.
> > >> >
> > >> >The CDTA has secured between $41 million and $47 million for the
> station
> > >> and
> > >> >is looking to state officials to help complete the project, which
> broke
> > >> >ground in June 1999.
> > >> >
> > >> >"We appreciate the senator's concern and we will provide him with
the
> > >> >information necessary to receive his continued support for this
> > important
> > >> >project,'' said CDTA spokesman Carm Basile.
> > >> >
> > >> >The remarks recalled a similar exchange the CDTA had earlier this
year
> > >with
> > >> >U.S. Rep. John Sweeney, when he criticized the authority's handling
of
> a
> > >> >Saratoga Springs-to-Albany commuter rail project. Sweeney demanded
> > >> accountin
> > >> >g records and other documents before lending that project further
> > federal
> > >> >support.
> > >> >
> > >> >CDTA officials said the cost overruns at the Rensselaer station are
> > >largely
> > >> >due to unanticipated track work that involved moving less than a
mile
> of
> > >> >rail and more than 100 signals to accommodate the new station's
> > >platforms.
> > >> >
> > >> >The so-called third phase of the project that will continue after
the
> > >> >station is open will involve further track and signal work to
provide
> > for
> > >a
> > >> >freight rail bypass and high-speed rail capability, said Dennis
> > >Fitzgerald,
> > >> >the CDTA's executive director.
> > >> >
> > >> >But some legislators have grown skeptical after watching the CDTA
> raise
> > >the
> > >> >construction project's price tag and push back the completion date
> from
> > >the
> > >> >original plan in 1998, when they said the $35 million station would
> open
> > >in
> > >> >2001. The projected opening has been pushed back a year.
> > >> >
> > >> >"This is not the first time and that adds to the predicament,'' said
> > >> >Assemblyman Ron Canestrari, D-Cohoes, who sits on the Assembly's
> > >> >transportation committee.
> > >> >
> > >> >"There is going to have to be serious justification for us to commit
> to
> > >> much
> > >> >more,'' Canestrari said. "What isn't finished may have to be scaled
> > >back.''
> > >> >
> > >> >Canestrari noted that the state voters' defeat of the Transportation
> > Bond
> > >> >Act last fall has cramped the budgets of projects statewide and made
> > >> >officials especially sensitive to cost overruns.
> > >> >
> > >> >A spokesperson for Gov. George Pataki did not return calls for
comment
> > on
> > >> >the rail station's revised cost estimates.
> > >> >
> > >> >More than 600,000 passengers pass through Rensselaer station each
> year,
> > >> most
> > >> >of them traveling to New York City, making it the 13th busiest in
the
> > >> >nation, Amtrak officials said
> > >> >
> > >> >Bruce Becker, president of the Empire State Passengers Association,
a
> > >group
> > >> >that lobbies for better rail service, said he has received
assurances
> > >from
> > >> >the state Department of Transportation that the station will open in
> > >early
> > >> >2002, but he said the cost overruns are worrisome.
> > >> >
> > >> >"We are concerned that there is still a funding shortfall and in
light
> > of
> > >> >the new cost overruns, that concern is heightened. The gap is
> widening,
> > >not
> > >> >narrowing,'' Becker said.
> > >> >
> > >> >Meanwhile, CDTA officials are waiting for a bid on one of the final
> > >> >construction pieces of the station project, a walkway over the
tracks.
> > >The
> > >> >80,000 square-foot brick station appears, from the outside, to be
> nearly
> > >> >complete. Painters have been hired for the interior.
> > >> >
> > >> >"The station is going to open at some point, somehow,'' Becker said.
> > "For
> > >> >the CDTA to say 'We ran out of money, we're going to stop,' that's
not
> > >> >realistic.''
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >>
> > >
> >
>

------------------------------
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- Re: (rshsdepot) Albany, NY
  - From: "Paul S. Luchter" <luckyshow_@_mindspring.com>
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