(rshsdepot) Galesburg, IL

[I95BERNIEW_@_aol.com]

From the Galesburg Register-Mail.
 
Bernie Wagenblast
 
Transportation Communications  Newsletter 
_http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications/_ 
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications/) 
 
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 
Amtrak to discuss depot upgrades 


Review shows local facility too small  
Tuesday, July 10, 2007  
By JOHN R. PULLIAM  
The Register-Mail  
GALESBURG - Citing the need for a greater exchange to provide additional  
passenger rail station improvement resources, Amtrak has invited communities  
along the 2,438-mile route of the Amtrak California Zephyr to a ``civic  
conversation`` in Denver on July 24 as part of its ``Great American Stations``  
Initiative.  
The California Zephyr stops in Galesburg twice daily. Galesburg is one of  
only four stops in Illinois, the others being Chicago, Naperville and Princeton. 
 
Amtrak President and CEO Alex Kummant sent ``Great American Stations Civic  
Conversation`` invitations to mayors and other civic leaders and state 
officials  in California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois.  
Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said Monday, ``In your neighborhood, we  
invited Princeton, Galesburg, Mount Pleasant (Iowa) and Burlington (Iowa). ...  We 
invited (Galesburg) Mayor (Gary) Smith and, according to this list, they  
called us back and declined on the 26th`` of June.  
Smith said not only will he be on vacation that week, he does not feel it`s  
worth spending the taxpayers` money to make the trip to Denver.  
Cities along the route will see the results of a recently concluded review of 
 each of the 35 stations, with specific suggestions for upgrades at each  
facility. Magliari said reviews will not be released until the conference.  
However, he said of the depot in Galesburg, ``I think we would all acknowledge  the 
station is too small. It was too small before the addition of the new route  
to handle the volume.  
``The inability to check baggage there is unfortunate, too,`` he said.  
``I`ve always thought our station was a little small,`` Smith agreed, ``plus  
we don`t have adequate parking.``  
In addition to the California Zephyr, six other Amtrak trains stop in  
Galesburg daily. Ticket revenue here was just more than $4.3 million in fiscal  year 
2006, with total ridership of 76,464. FY 2006 was from October  
2005-September 2006. Ridership in Galesburg soared to 85,722 in the first seven  months of 
FY 2007, with the addition of state-supported Carl Sandburg service in  
October.  
However, Smith said the city has to be realistic because of finances.  
``To be honest with you, I think the only way we could realistically build a  
bigger depot is with federal and state money,`` the mayor said.  
The Galesburg depot, 225 S. Seminary St., was built for less than $300,000 in 
 1984. Funding was provided by the city, Amtrak and the Illinois Department 
of  Transportation. The land was donated by the then-Burlington Northern 
Railroad.  The pew-type seating came from the much larger, brick depot demolished 
before  the construction of the current depot. The city maintains the station`s  
exterior, while Amtrak takes care of the interior.  
- - - -  
On the Net:  
_www.greatamericanstations.com_ (http://www.greatamericanstations.com)  



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