Inside Amtrak's Newest Station! (Middletown, PA)
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- Опубліковано 25 сер 2024
- On Monday, January 12, 2022, Middletown opened their brand-new Amtrak station. It's definitely an upgrade from the last one. But does it live up to the hype? Classy Whale investigates...
More information: www.trains.com...
Local news clip used in this video: • New Amtrak station in ...
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly adventures, featuring trains and more!
I didn't even know Middletown got rebuilt but its waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than the old station. This is great content from a small and underrated channel
You're 100% correct about the confusing transit connections, that was my first thought back when the station was proposed and renderings came out. The initial rendering had a third tower that I believe had a ramp and set of stairs connecting to Ann St. Even more so, given the proximity to PSU Harrisburg campus, you would think good pedestrian and bike access across 230 would have been made a priority. It's frustrating when new construction neglects to integrate or prioritize anything as equal or greater than the car. Oh well, all things considered this station had a tight budget and I cannot believe it's finally a reality after years of delays and waiting. I will say, as nice as the railfan views are from the bridge and west end of the platform, I am disappointed in lack of visibility to the east because it's an iconic shot with the town and church in the background as trains come snaking around the curve. I'll also be disappointed to lose the old platform as a train watching spot because it had really nice unobstructed views in both directions but now it will be the dreaded black fence.
The old “station” was basically a small platform and a parking lot. This is a vast improvement! It shows you what $50 million will buy! I usually use Elizabethtown station these days. But this is a very good alternative.
The bus routes should deviate into the parking lot and up to the platforms. I'd shoot the local operator(s) an email about it
Already done!
This will at least make it way easier to get from the greater HBG area to the airport without paying to park or getting any Uber, etc. I would be willing to bet they will beef up that bus/tram schedule once they have a more solid grasp on the numbers.
Glad they upgraded the old station was horrible. I honestly preferred to travel out of Middletown rather than Harrisburg anyway because if you have to catch a 5am train to DC parking and walking through Harrisburg isn’t that safe at those off hours. Since I was traveling to DC once a week leaving at 5am and returning the same day at midnight the safety concerns still exist. Middletown there was 99% less people and you could see your car from the train. I’ll take the upgrade. The airport should also fund a path to get onto the airport grounds with a tram or walkway, rather than having to take CAT.
Isn’t that out of the way of DC northeast corridor
@@qjtvaddict you have to transfer in Philly to the keystone line
it seems odd that there's no connection from the pedestrian overpass (or even the platform) to the adjacent road overpass. I guess there's probably not much pedestrian traffic there, but it still seems like a missed opportunity for an alternative route in case the elevator to the parking lot is out of service.
oh lol you mentioned that later in the video
Very useful video. We'll be taking the train from Middletown in June. First time since before Covid. Things have changed a lot.
I really like the points you make in this video. Please keep up the good work! :]
Looks like a modernized version of the old “Pawtucket/Central Falls” station.
Great video! These seemingly small things just frustrate me. Like if you are investing so much money in upgrading the station and all, why not go a little further and make it more pedestrian and transit-friendly? Now that it's done, who knows when the next developments will happen...definitely not before 20-30 years.
The people are absolutely delighted with this excellent video presentation, the station looks superb, full marks to Amtrak. You are of course right about the other issues, especially to do with transit. Sadly as there are so few that use transit and I can pretty much guarantee that those that designed the placement of the bus stops just never take the bus anyway so they do not know what would be convenient but I am sure that if you submitted this excellent video to the authorities they may consider the important but very useful changes that you mention.
I sent capital area transit an email and then never responded...
@@ClassyWhale I am sorry to hear that, they should have, out of common courtesy responded to the video, as well as anything else, it is so well done. It could be that the transit company had nothing to do with the placements of the bus stops, however they should make the effort to put publicity at the bus stops. It may be that Amtrak put the bus stops where they are situated. Sadly, some of these organizations just do not have the grace to say, oh, what you suggest is a good idea, we will amend this.
Hopefully they add that bus stop soon!
I wish I could say something positive about the new Middletown set-up but it falls so far short of what public transport planners do here in Europe, where the priority is to ensure there is total integration between all modes of public transportation. In the USA it's nearly always the case that a perfunctory approach takes place. Even the new station, when compared to Europe, looks like a temporary building with the bare minimum. What a pity! For a nation that led the world in passenger rail transportation and was united by the transcontinental railroad, this is a sad situation. I see Amtrak being a token gesture as a passenger railroad whose schedules are dependent on the whims of the rail freight companies.
Typical dysfunctional plan standard in the USA, it's incredible!
USA is a 3rd world country those kind of countries are dysfunctional
Where’s the new rail station? I see rail platforms and an overpass. Does that really count as a station?
Being from Britain, this station is not too dissimilar from the kind new stations here are built to the standard. Convenience is key to improving America's public transport imo, and the high level platforms do exactly just that. A very professional new station, I hope others get the same treatment.
Amtrak still rockin those hi-tech Budd coaches from the 1970s
Ikr...cannot wait for them to go.
Funny I was in Middletown in September 2021 and had no idea about the new station. Guess I ended up being one of the last people at the old station.
It looks like there must be only one design firm that does work for both here and several of new projects that are part of SEPTA.Same benches, trash cans, same building details even same construction materials. AS to your comments about some of the not too bright things done, I doubt Capitol Area Transit, Amtrak and the airport did not talk with each other...
It's kinda like how the NJT Atlantic City line goes right past theAC airport but doesn't stop there. Guess they figure no locals would ride the train for 1 or 2 stops to get to the airport. Also since the Keystone mainly serves people going to Philly.
There are plans to build a station at the airport with upgrades being made to the airport. There's plans too for TOD around the proposed station. It's a possibility in the future
I was one of the track foremans on that project.
It was interesting and a challenge.
CAT Route that serves the station is the end/terminus point (East) or the beginning point (west) to Harrisburg. It stops to pick up or off load at the shelter and then turns around in the lot to start the return to Harrisburg. I am sure that if the Amtrak connection starts to get use, riders will petition for direct access to the station.
Great honest review!
This feels like a fail. Old station seemed to be in a neighborhood- you could walk to it. New station looks like car infrastructure only. Bus is a complete miss. Why not put station at airport and combine features. Missed opportunity. 17 trains a day and not staffed - no bathroom? Odd.
This is why I have an Eboard
They originally said the station was going to be at the airport when they requested the grant money for the multi-modal transportation center (parking garage).
The Planing Board for the Amtrak and Airport should of had you attend the meetings..... things would have been better.
No posted schedules, no heat, no restrooms, no ticket machines, bus shelters too far from the station.... lots of missed opportunities here.
I enjoyed your video so much! Perhaps I missed it, but is there a station agent there...restrooms...a waiting room?
None of the above!
@@ClassyWhale Which of course means that elevator will soon become the de facto restroom. It'll smell like urine within a year.
I find the bike parking nest to the massiv parkingolot very optimistic assuming anyone would bike in this car centred enviermnet.
I noticed that too.. no shuttle from train to airport. Pa Money, Tax Hustle.
great video
It’s so true how they could have a better connection between the station and the airport. I was so excited but now just let down.
All I cared about was if its high platform or not and it is!!! I was about to be so upset if it wasn't. Now they need to do Parkersburg and Coatesville!
I think Coatsville is on track contract to get their own upgrade. This will coincide with the start of payola Thorndale line service to the city
Do you mean Parkesburg? Parkersburg has not had service since 1981.
@@gingercat7925 yes I mean Parkesburg. My phone must have autocorrected. It just tried to again.
Granted they did a great job on the construction but for around 20 trains a day I feel they could have done without the bridge, just put in a gated pedestrian crossing to the platform from the parking lot with slight ramps that would be 100% ADA compliant.. Having the elevators, stairs, and the bridge adds a bit of cost rather than just a simple gated ped crossing. If they feel safety is a priority with the crossing really high-level platforms as of lately have been a challenge too, especially with what we have been seeing with the subways. Even though this isn't that big city where people seem to forget how to use a platform, eventually this station out in Middletown would need platform gates as well to keep everyone safe from those dangerous tracks. So my point is that for future newer station structures they don't need all the bridges, elevators, etc just a simple gated crossing and ramp to the platform should be able to do.
Reminds me of the Paoli station, which is SEPTA and Amtrak
Here’s an idea that’ll never happen: Harrisburg “INTL” airport airtrain
I don't think enough people will use the airport to justify that.
Originally the train station was going to be a part of or right next to the parking garage of the airport. I can't remember what ended up killing that idea. Probably cost, but the new location is closer to the student housing than it would have been if it was on the airport grounds.
I am not sure how serious they were about actually locating the station there. Part of me believes it was just a ploy to get the grant money for the multi-modal transportation center (parking garage) because the government does not give grants for parking garages (at least they didn't at the time), but they do give grants for multi-modal transportation centers.
Is there a drop off area like Harrisburg has?
I saw little wrong with the old station. No one mentioned, is the parking (still) free (for now)? The new station is pretty, and closer to the airport, but at what cost? 50 million dollars, and it’s really an un heated overpass bridge with 2 elevators.
No restrooms, buses are unable to drive upto the station it's like most american public infrastructure. Expensive and exists but that's about it.
are the Metroliner cab cars getting to the point they are useless now?
I honestly don't know why they put two engines on...Siemens can't make their duel mode trainsets fast enough
Middletown being rebuilt took like 6 years.
Pretty frustrating that they did not build a bus-train-plane intermodal station at the nearby airport.
That would have provided opportunities for those seeking non transit-accessible locales as their final destination to take advantage of the option of car rental.
That is in the plan when they submitted the grant application for the multi-model transportation center (parking garage).
Again with the towere and the lack of heat.
I don't think I saw anything about buying a train ticket in this. Is there a way to do that?
Definitely should have addressed this! I don’t recall if I saw ticket machines, but that information would be on their web site. The station is unstaffed and I usually buy tickets on the app.
Ok station, but no waiting area. 6/10 overall
Unfortunately that is more of the norm now of bus stops with no time table, as you can "look it up" using an app. As for the drive around the parking lot, that's amusing.
Most use the app and don’t use the posted schedule anymore
I feel like the route should be posted but the apps a more friendly to day by day schedule changes. A light up board is ideal.
Why are you so concerned with the transit connection to the airport when you highlighted yourself that the station is right next to the airport? The terminal is one mile from the train station.
Sometimes it's very difficult to go a mile
Takes the average person 20 minutes to walk a mile. That doesn't consider luggage, mobility issues and the simple fact that American's aren't used to walking.
I wish they would build a new amtrak station in Pittsburgh,the present one is a joke.
Everything is rediculous.. Third party app is a pain. I could go on! Everything is convoluted and not easilly possible for people who do not have access to phones or who have difficulty with the internet. Pennsylvania at it's best.
Elevators are too narrow.
Hburg shall not be slighted. For instance, the diner food.
I've been told to check that out...
Another American station with zero thought on how to connect it to the rest of the area.
Hgvvvvbb
Very nit picky on this beautifully designed station. I wouldn’t complain of such notions.
A beautifully designed non functional thing - really isn’t beautiful.
@@DavisBenjaminA that’s your opinion…
Get rid of the mask
I did :) it was worn out so I thew it out and got a new one
Awesome video. Brought a lot of joy to my morning. Thanks man! :)
One thing to remember is you’re in the harrisburg area which isn’t too transit oriented as Philly for example. So the focus is for people with cars and not so much on people that rely on public transit aka buses