Springfield Union Station (Massachusetts)

Springfield Union Station
Springfield Union Station in July 2016 during renovations
Location	55 Frank B. Murray Street Springfield, Massachusetts
Coordinates	42°06′22″N 72°35′35″W / 42.106047°N 72.592936°W / 42.106047; -72.592936Coordinates: 42°06′22″N 72°35′35″W / 42.106047°N 72.592936°W / 42.106047; -72.592936
Owned by	Springfield Redevelopment Authority (Union Station building, bus terminal, parking garage) Amtrak (current station and platforms)
Line(s)	New Haven–Springfield Line Connecticut River Line Berkshire Subdivision Boston Subdivision
Platforms	2 side platforms, 2 island platforms
Tracks	6
Construction
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Station code	Amtrak code: SPG
History
Opened	1839 (original station) 1851 (first Union Station) 1891 (second Union Station) 1926 (third Union Station) 1973 (first Amtrak station) November 1994 (second Amtrak station)
Rebuilt	2017 (third Union Station)
Traffic
Passengers (FY2016)	93,650[1]  24.83% (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station   Amtrak   Following station Pittsfield toward Chicago Lake Shore Limited Worcester toward Boston South Station Windsor Locks toward Norfolk, Newport News, or Lynchburg Northeast Regional New Haven – Springfield Line Terminus Windsor Locks toward New Haven New Haven – Springfield Shuttle Windsor Locks toward Washington, DC Vermonter Holyoke toward St. Albans   Starting in early 2018   ConnDOT Windsor Locks toward New Haven Union Station Hartford Line Terminus   Former services   Amtrak Hartford toward Washington, DC Montrealer 1972-1987 Northampton toward Montreal New York Central Railroad Westfield, Massachusetts toward Albany Boston and Albany Railroad Main Line North Wilbraham toward Boston

Springfield Union Station is a train and bus station in the Metro Center area of Springfield, Massachusetts. Constructed in 1926, Springfield Union Station is the fifth busiest Amtrak station in the Commonwealth.^[2]

A large-scale $94 million^[3] renovation project restored the former station building, and it reopened in late June 2017 as a regional intermodal transit hub not only featuring Amtrak service, but serving as the new hub for the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) bus system in the area, along with the planned hub for Peter Pan Bus Lines, Greyhound service and the planned new Hartford Line. Presently as of July 2017, PVTA service has begun and intercity bussing is expected to move in next. Amtrak's present facility at Union Station is located within a building located along the tracks upon the viaduct situated along Lyman Street to the south. The rail station is slated to move into the Union Station main hall upon the completion of a new elevated boarding platform and elevators and stairs to the platform which is targeted for the first quarter of 2018.

History

Springfield's original station, constructed in the Egyptian Revival style in 1839

The first so-named Union Station constructed in 1851, ca. 1888 during its dismantlement

The second Union Station, ca. 1910

Springfield's grand Union Station was constructed in 1926 by the Boston & Albany Railroad to replace a smaller Union Station, which had been adorned in unique Egyptian-style architecture. The station was built for $5.87 million.^[4] The station opened to the public on December 18, 1926.^[5]

Springfield is exactly equidistant to both Boston and Albany at 89 miles (143 km) from each. The New York, New Haven & Hartford (including the Central New England Railway) and Boston & Maine railroads also utilized the station.

Already in the 1950s, the New York Central Railroad, parent company of the Boston & Albany, wanted to sell the grand Springfield station, calling it "a white elephant". The opening of the Massachusetts Turnpike in 1958 was said to have caused a 50% decline in passenger trips to Boston. By 1962, train departures had fallen from a 1920s-30s peak of 97 per day to fewer than 15 per day. The station was sold in 1970 to David Buntzman, a real estate speculator from Larchmont, New York.^[6]

The 1926 main station building and baggage building closed in 1973 as passenger traffic could no longer justify the 221,000-square foot station^[5] and the Boston & Albany intercity routes were taken over by Amtrak. The building had been neglected for a number of years and was in poor condition, and the required rehabilitation to the building was deemed too costly. After this, Amtrak opened a makeshift station at street level within the passenger tunnel, with the sole entrance being from Lyman Street. The connection from the tunnel to the old station was sealed.

In 1994 Amtrak constructed the present station building at track level and sealed off the passenger tunnel except for the present Lyman Street entrance and the southernmost stairway and elevator shaft to track level. A modern elevator was installed in the remaining open shaft to connect from street level to the new station building above.

Renovation

In October 2008, the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority and the Springfield Redevelopment Authority released a redevelopment plan for Union Station. The plan, estimated to cost $65.2 million, called for restoring the 1926 Union Station Terminal building for reuse as an intermodal rail and bus station and fully building out the first floor and main concourse with rentable commercial space and ticketing and waiting areas for both rail and bus. The baggage building was to be demolished and baggage tunnel sealed. A parking garage and bus bays for both inter-city and regional bus services (which would replace the Peter L. Picknelly Transportation Center a block away) would go on the footprint of the former baggage building. Additionally the pedestrian tunnel to Lyman Street would be restored, and the platforms raised for handicapped accessibility.^[7] The final plan announced in December 2014, at a cost $75.7 million, additionally includes restoring and building out the upper floors of the 1926 station building to usable vacant "shell space". This would include only infrastructure and utility work on those floors, with final finishing work to be done by the eventual tenants based on their needs. This space is aimed for use by office or other commercial tenants.^[8] By the time the station opened, the full cost had risen to $94 million.^[3]

Demolition of the baggage building began on December 1, 2014, and was completed in early 2015. The only remnent of the baggage facility is a tunnel under the rail viaduct that was used for freight and baggage transport between the warehouse and the trains above. The only remaining entrance to this tunnel is a set of doors along the retaining wall in the bus loading area at the location of where the tunnel formerly connected to the warehouse although it is off limits to the public.^[9] By February 2016 the parking garage had been assembled and restoration work on the station terminal building had begun, with new windows and roofing installed.^[10] The restoration was nearly complete in March 2017 when officials took journalists on a tour and the grand opening occurred on June 24, 2017.^[11]

Bronze re-dedication plaque at the Union Station Transportation Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The PVTA was the first transportation operator to use the renovated station and began operations there on June 24, 2017.^[12] Intercity bus operators Peter Pan and Greyhound hope to move passenger operations in September 2017, though work continues on finalizing the details of the lease. Additionally, Peter Pan Bus lines plans to lease office space on the upper floors of the station for up to two years to house its corporate office until renovation work is done on a building that will house their permanent corporate offices located at 31 Elm Street in Court Square.

Amtrak service located at Union Station continues to be located in Amtrak's building on the upper level near track 8. The passenger tunnel has been opened in a temporary configuration allowing passengers access between the newly renovated station hall and the existing Amtrak area. This temporary configuration will continue until MassDOT can complete work to rebuild one of the train platforms as a modern elevated platform in full compliance with modern ADA requirements and complete the stairwell and elevator access from the tunnel to this platform. The goal is for it to be complete in time for the beginning of operations for the new Hartford Line service to New Haven which has been announced to be starting in May 2018. Once this project is complete, the station will shift to its permanent configuration with train passengers waiting in the grand hall and then accessing the new platform directly from the passenger tunnel. MassDOT will be responsible for leasing and laying out the rail ticketing and service areas in the main hall which will be shared by Amtrak and the operator of the new Hartford line service.^[13]

Services

An Amtrak Shuttle train at Springfield

The primary passenger rail service at Springfield Union Station is the New Haven – Springfield Shuttle trains connecting Springfield to the Amtrak's Northeast Corridor trains in New Haven. An additional 1-2 daily Northeast Regional round trips start or terminate their service at Springfield.

The station is also served by Vermonter and the Lake Shore Limited trains. Vermonter currently uses the north-south Connecticut River Line to Connecticut and Vermont, while the Lake Shore Limited makes use of the east-west Boston Line platforms as it continues to and from Albany.

In the past a single Northeast Regional round trip (usually trains 142 and 145) would travel between New Haven and Boston via the so-called "Inland Route" via Springfield and the Boston Line, as opposed to the faster, electrified Northeast Corridor. In 2003, a problem pulled the Acela Express trainsets out of service and in an effort to find substitute rolling stock, Amtrak first curtailed the inland round trip to a three-car shuttle between Boston and New Haven before canceling it completely. Today, all normally scheduled Regional trains using the Inland Route only use the portion between Springfield and New Haven; in the event of a service disruption on the Northeast Corridor, trains may be scheduled to run via the complete Inland Route. One such occasion was the replacement of the Thames River Bridge movable span in June 2008, when Amtrak scheduled three round trips per day over the Inland Route to substitute for the complete suspension of regular Northeast Corridor service.

In 2011, construction began on renovations to Connecticut River Line in Western Massachusetts, and on December 29, 2014, the Vermonter was re-routed onto the line.

Bus operations

Union Station will also serve as the region's bus hub. The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, which operates local buses serving Springfield and surrounding towns, occupies 18 bus berths at the station. Greyhound and Springfield-based Peter Pan Bus Lines will eventually use the other nine bus berths for intercity buses, replacing Peter Pan's longtime depot a block away on Main Street.^[3]

Planned rail service

Springfield's renovated Union Station will be the northern terminus for the Hartford Line, a commuter rail service scheduled to enter service in 2018.^[14] On July 24, 2017 the Connecticut Department of Transportation announced that the Hartford Line service will begin in May 2018. A joint partnership between TransitAmerica Services and Alternate Concepts was chosen as the operator for the new service. This partnership operates similar commuter services in other markets. Amtrak will continue its present intercity service on the line and will continue to own and maintain the infrastructure on the rail line between New Haven and Springfield.^[15]

Possible future rail service

Commuter rail service has been proposed for the rail corridor running between Springfield and Greenfield with four daily round trips.^[16] A 2014 state transportation funding bill included $30 million for acquiring used MBTA Commuter Rail rolling stock and new locomotives for the service.^[17]

Additionally, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the Vermont Agency of Transportation have completed a study to examine the opportunities and impacts of more frequent and higher speed intercity passenger rail service between Boston and Montreal. The Boston to Montreal corridor runs from Boston to Springfield Union Station. From Springfield the rail corridor follows the route of the Vermonter northerly through Holyoke, Northampton, and Greenfield, Massachusetts, and Brattleboro, White River Junction, Essex Junction (Burlington), and St. Albans, Vermont. From St. Albans, the corridor continues to the Canada–US border and onward to Montreal Central Station in Quebec. This study has been designated the Northern New England Intercity Rail Initiative.^[18]

Station layout today

Springfield Union Station layout
Berkshire Subdivision to Worcester Renovated station Current station New Haven–Springfield Line Connecticut River Line Connecticut River Berkshire Subdivision to Albany

The main entrance for passengers is on the north side of the station, on Frank B. Murry Street, with a second entrance on Lymann Street at the south end of the concourse. The main hall connects to the concourse that leads to stairs, and an elevator, to the station tracks which are located on a railroad viaduct above street level. The main hall also connects to waiting areas for bus passengers.

The station consists of six tracks; tracks 1, 2 and 2a serve CSX's Boston Line and tracks 4, 6 and 8 serve Amtrak's New Haven–Springfield Line. Amtrak's station tracks connects with Boston Line track 2A via dispatcher controlled switches at either end of the track. West of the station platforms the Amtrak New Haven-Springfield line curves to the south while the CSX Boston Line continues on to cross the Connecticut River on a twin truss bridge.

Amtrak's ticket office and waiting room continue to be located near track 8. This office and waiting area will be closed later this year when Amtrak moves its passenger operations into the main waiting hall of the renovated station. Amtrak has stated that it may repurpose the vacated space, which it maintains ownership of, for support operations, but specifics are yet to be determined.

Amtrak also has an Amtrak Police detachment located on-site as well as a small crew base. Both utilize trailer buildings also located in the area adjacent to track 8.

References

Further reading

• Phaneuf, Wayne E.; Carvalho III, Joseph; Boyle, Margaret L. (2017). Saving Union Station. The Republican. ISBN 978-0-692-85718-2. 
• Simon, Ellis B. (2016). "Springfield Union Station". Passenger Train Journal (2016-4): 18–23. Archived from the original on 2016-12-27. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Union Station (Springfield, Massachusetts).

• Springfield Union Station - Springfield Redevelopment Authority
• Amtrak – Stations – Springfield, MA
• Springfield, MA (SPG) (Amtrak's Great American Stations)
• Springfield Amtrak Station (USA Rail Guide -- Train Web)