Fort Madison (Amtrak station)

Fort Madison
Location 1601 20th Street
Fort Madison, IA 52627
Coordinates 40°37′21″N 91°20′15″W / 40.6224°N 91.3375°WCoordinates: 40°37′21″N 91°20′15″W / 40.6224°N 91.3375°W
Owned by BNSF Railway
Line(s)
Platforms 1 side platform, 1 island platform
Tracks 2
Other information
Station code FMD
Traffic
Passengers (2013) 7,246[1] Increase 3.5%
Services
Preceding station   Amtrak   Following station
toward Los Angeles
Southwest Chief
toward Chicago
Location
Location of the Fort Madison Amtrak Station.
Location within Iowa
Amtrak station in Fort Madison, Iowa, photographed in October 2011.

The Fort Madison Amtrak station is a train station in Fort Madison, Iowa, United States served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system.

Station

The current Amtrak station was built in 1968 by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway—commonly referred to as the “Santa Fe.” Located at the east end of a Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF—successor to the Santa Fe) freight yard, it replaced a downtown Santa Fe complex that included a 1910 depot, Railway Express Agency (REA) building, and freight office.[2]

The city, in collaboration with BNSF, Amtrak, the Iowa Department of Transportation, the Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission, and the North Lee County Historical Society (NLCHS), has worked since 2006 to restore the old Santa Fe station to accommodate an Amtrak waiting room and ticket office as well as exhibition and storage space for the NLCHS museum, which moved into the old depot in 1972.[3] Unfortunately, the depot remained susceptible to high water and was flooded several times in the late 20th century. Eventually, the city decided to sponsor a project to lift the depot off of its foundation, construct a new five foot high concrete base, and lower the building back into place; this work occurred during 2011.[4]

The total cost of the depot raising and restoration project is estimated at $3.2 million, and the city obtained funds from a diverse array of grant programs, including $1.5 million through the Federal Highway Administration’s Transportation Enhancements program and $1.13 million through I-Jobs, a state investment program designed to renew Iowa’s infrastructure, promote long-term economic growth, and help create and retain jobs.[5] Once the renovation is completed, Amtrak plans to move the Fort Madison stop to the depot, which will also continue to house the NLCHS museum.[6]

Trails & Rails program

On certain days of the week, volunteer rangers with the National Park Service provide commentary for train passengers between Chicago, Illinois and La Plata, Missouri on the Southwest Chief. This interpretive program is free of charge for all coach and sleeping car passengers and is presented in the upper level of Amtrak's Sightseer Lounge Car. Volunteers tell passengers about the natural and historical features of Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri. This program typically takes place during two round-trips per week during the busy summer and winter holiday travel periods. Texas A&M University and the American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation in La Plata, MO serve as additional local sponsors. More information and a current schedule can be found at the link below: http://www.nps.gov/findapark/trailsandrails/index.htm.

References

  1. ↑ "Amtrak Fact Sheet, FY2013, State of Iowa" (PDF). Amtrak. November 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  2. ↑ Great American Stations. Accessed April 7, 2013.
  3. ↑ Great American Stations. Accessed April 7, 2013.
  4. ↑ Great American Stations. Accessed April 7, 2013.
  5. ↑ Great American Stations. Accessed April 7, 2013.
  6. ↑ Great American Stations. Accessed April 7, 2013.

External links

Media related to Fort Madison (Amtrak station) at Wikimedia Commons