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Re: (rshsdepot) Galesburg, IL



when did they demolish the true old depot?

- -----Original Message-----
>From: I95BERNIEW_@_aol.com
>Sent: Jul 11, 2007 8:50 AM
>To: rshsdepot_@_lists.railfan.net
>Subject: (rshsdepot) Galesburg, IL
>
>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)  
>
>
>
>************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.
>
>=================================
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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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