Fw: (rshsdepot) Windsor Locks, CT

["Paul Luchter" <luckyshow_@_mindspring.com>]

- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Paul Luchter" <luckyshow_@_mindspring.com>
To: "RSHS Depot" <rshsdepot_@_lists.railfan.net>
Sent: Sunday, October 10, 2004 7:50 PM
Subject: Fw: (rshsdepot) Windsor Locks, CT


: 
: ----- Original Message ----- 
: From: "Henry Rosenberg" <hwr5_@_comcast.net>
: To: "Paul Luchter" <luckyshow_@_mindspring.com>
: Sent: Sunday, October 10, 2004 6:26 PM
: Subject: Re: (rshsdepot) Windsor Locks, CT
: 
: 
: : The second largest airport in New England, so-called "Hartford," i.e., 
: : Bradley - is in Windsor Locks. It makes me crazy that there's no shuttle 
: : from Amtrak to airport - service should be wildly upgraded on this line to 
: : get air travelers off the road.
: : Henry
: : 
: : ----- Original Message ----- 
: : From: "Paul Luchter" <luckyshow_@_mindspring.com>
: : To: "Henry Rosenberg" <hwr5_@_columbia.edu>
: : Sent: Thursday, October 07, 2004 9:58 PM
: : Subject: Fw: (rshsdepot) Windsor Locks, CT
: : 
: : 
: : >
: : > ----- Original Message ----- 
: : > From: "Bernie Wagenblast" <brwagenblast_@_comcast.net>
: : > To: "Rail Depot List" <rshsdepot_@_lists.railfan.net>
: : > Sent: Thursday, October 07, 2004 9:53 AM
: : > Subject: (rshsdepot) Windsor Locks, CT
: : >
: : >
: : > : From today's Hartford Courant.
: : > :
: : > : Bernie Wagenblast
: : > : Transportation Communications Newsletter
: : > : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications
: : > :
: : > : ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
: : > :
: : > :
: : > :
: : > :
: : > : TRAIN STATION RENEWAL SOUGHT DEPOT, ON NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC 
: : > PLACES,
: : > : WAS BUILT IN 1875
: : > :
: : > :
: : > : By LARRY SMITH
: : > :
: : > : The old railroad station stands boarded up on Main Street, the last 
: : > remnant
: : > : of Windsor Locks` downtown of a century ago.
: : > :
: : > : Resident Barbara Schley believes that with the right amount of effort, 
: : > the
: : > : station can be restored to its past glory -- if not as a train station, 
: : > then
: : > : as a vibrant commercial building.
: : > :
: : > : Schley has been investigating the station`s history and is hoping to get
: : > : enough community support to have the building renovated. She and local
: : > : history buff Mickey Danyluk are forming the Let`s Save the Windsor Locks
: : > : Station committee to work toward getting the project done.
: : > :
: : > : On Tuesday, Schley, First Selectman Jeffrey Ives and three Amtrak 
: : > officials
: : > : toured the building. The officials declined to discuss the meeting.
: : > :
: : > : Schley said she and Danyluk are hoping that enough people will become
: : > : involved with their group to influence Amtrak and town officials to help
: : > : restore the property. There are grant opportunities that could help 
: : > finance
: : > : such a project, she said.
: : > :
: : > : Ives said restoring the station has been discussed in the town at 
: : > various
: : > : times for more than 30 years.
: : > :
: : > : ``Most people I`ve talked with would be in favor of it,`` Ives said. 
: : > ``Maybe
: : > : this stands a better chance this time, and the town is willing to help 
: : > out
: : > : where it can.``
: : > :
: : > : The railroad station, built in 1875, was in use through the early 1960s,
: : > : when it was closed and boarded up. It was placed on the National 
: : > Register of
: : > : Historic Places on its 100th anniversary.
: : > :
: : > : Since 1978, the station has been owned by the National Railroad 
: : > Passenger
: : > : Corp., better known as Amtrak. Its trains now use a stop about a mile 
: : > south
: : > : along Main Street.
: : > :
: : > : Locally, the station is remembered as the site where, one January 
: : > morning in
: : > : 1975, newly elected Gov. Ella T. Grasso of Windsor Locks boarded a train
: : > : bound for Hartford for her inauguration as the first woman in the nation 
: : > to
: : > : be elected governor without succeeding a husband in that office.
: : > :
: : > : Schley said Amtrak officials want more information about what the group
: : > : would like to do with the building before discussing leasing or 
: : > purchasing
: : > : the property. While the inside of the building is in disrepair, it is 
: : > not as
: : > : bad as she thought it would be.
: : > :
: : > : With a proposal for a larger commuter platform farther south on Main 
: : > Street,
: : > : Schley said she believes Amtrak does not want to use the old station for 
: : > its
: : > : trains.
: : > :
: : > : ``I`d really like to see the building utilized for one of the local
: : > : businesses,`` Schley said.
: : > :
: : > : After also touring the station, Nina Harkrader, of the Connecticut Trust 
: : > for
: : > : Historic Preservation, said the building still has a lot of 
: : > architectural
: : > : features from its past.
: : > :
: : > : Harkrader said being listed on the National Register might help the 
: : > station
: : > : in getting funding or tax credits if it is used as a commercial 
: : > building.
: : > :
: : > : Anyone interested in helping or joining the group may call Schley at
: : > : 860-798-5376 or Danyluk at 860-623-4143.
: : > :
: : > : =================================
: : > : The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
: : > : railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org
: : > :
: : > 
: : 
: 
: 

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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org

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