Amtrak cuts deal for Union Station..model for Jax?

[spuwho]

It took a few years for it to happen, but after 42 years Amtrak will now serve St Paul Union Station.  Perhaps a model agreement that Jacksonville could look at for the future of Jacksonville Terminal?

Per Trains News Wire

Deal approved to bring Amtrak trains to St. Paul Union Depot

ST. PAUL, Minn. – For the first time in its 42-year history, Amtrak will serve St. Paul Union Depot under an agreement approved yesterday by the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners. The board approved a 20-year lease with Amtrak, which will begin passenger service through the Union Depot "in the first quarter of 2014," according to the agreement. Amtrak's daily Chicago-Seattle/Portland Empire Builder serves St. Paul.

Trains were originally to begin using the building when it opened in December 2012, but an agreement between Amtrak, BNSF Railway, Canadian Pacific, Union Pacific, Ramsey County, and the Federal Railroad Administration took longer than expected. Progress was made last month when the CP and UP tracks were connected to the new Union Depot platform tracks. Signal work and testing must still be completed before the tracks are ready for service.

The lease agreement covers 3,800 square feet of space for passenger ticketing, baggage handling, a first class passenger lounge, office, and staff areas. According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Amtrak will pay up to $144,586 for the first year as a share of operating costs. That cost will increase at 3 percent annually for the 20-year term. Amtrak has the option to extend the lease for one additional 20-year term.

"We do estimate that their costs at Union Depot would be right around that $140,000 or $150,000 amount," says Jean Krueger, real estate asset manager for the Ramsey County Regional Railroad authority. "The lease establishes that as their initial limit. If their actual costs are less than that, they will pay actual costs."

If Amtrak's Midway Station in St. Paul, which opened in 1978 to replace the Great Northern Station in downtown Minneapolis, is sold or demolished, the maximum "rent limit" would increase by $44,000. While Midway will close when trains move to St. Paul Union Depot, its tracks will still be used for private car and Amtrak coach switching.

[thelakelander]

^Who paid for the capital costs for the downtown St. Paul station? Looking at Google Earth, it seems some new track, platforms, etc. were added to the existing depot.  There's also a lesson for JTA here. The new LRT station is right outside the front door of the existing depot.  Not three or four blocks away.

[Jaxson]

^Who paid for the capital costs for the downtown St. Paul station? Looking at Google Earth, it seems some new track, platforms, etc. were added to the existing depot.  There's also a lesson for JTA here. The new LRT station is right outside the front door of the existing depot.  Not three or four blocks away.

+1,000

[spuwho]

Per Wikipedia the station was bought by the county railroad authority and a TIGER grant covered most of the rehab. It will be the new intermodal hub for the area.

[spuwho]

^Who paid for the capital costs for the downtown St. Paul station? Looking at Google Earth, it seems some new track, platforms, etc. were added to the existing depot.  There's also a lesson for JTA here. The new LRT station is right outside the front door of the existing depot.  Not three or four blocks away.

Researching further, it appears the SPUD decision was not without some level of issues. However Midway Station was a weary 70's era Amshack, had security issues in their free parking lots. It's largest benefit is that is was not a stub station (which Minneapolis & JT are). The additional tracks at SPUD were to eliminate some of those backup moves and some of those logistics is what required the delayed approvals from FRA, BNSF and local authorities.

Growth in the Empire Builder run between Chicago and the Twin Cities was causing pressure on Midway Station. In fact Amtrak is looking at increasing the Empire Builder frequency between the TC and Chicago to twice a day runs due to the growth.

I also found that St Paul is also planning some significant TOD in and around the new SPUD. Hotels and some other build outs are currently in the planning stages.

Connectivity with some of the other facilities were apparently discussed at length. Surveys showed that many  heavy rail and LRT users did not have a great deal of cross over to connecting with Amtrak, even though they are going to facilitate it where possible.

They looked at the possibility of having the Empire Builder doing an additional pickup at Midway and Minneapolis, but with Midway all but 6 minutes away and Minneapolis a stub approach, any discussion on it was dropped.

Back to JT....I know Ock has come up with several scenarios to get it configured for through use, but that stub configuration seems to be an issue for destinations that can't justify the operations anymore. NYC/CHI can justify it, Jax, less so.  I will defer to Ock as the authority on such issues.

I just saw in this a potential model in how the local authorities and Amtrak worked out an agreement to use what was an outdated facility and made it capable of handling the next generation of traffic expected on the route.

Ramsey County Railroad Authority
http://www.co.ramsey.mn.us/rail/

St Paul Union Depot
http://www.uniondepot.org/