Passenger Trains > Fort Madison mayor determined to open new Amtrak station Dec. 10

Fort Madison mayor determined to open new Amtrak station on Dec. 10

• Robin Delaney
• Editor, Dailydem.com
•  

Dec. 2, 2021

Enough is enough. It’s been going on for 12-13 years, and it’s time to cross the finish line.

That is, more of less, the stance Mayor Matt Mohrfeld took when he was told the “Welcome to Fort Madison” signs for the new Amtrak depot would not arrive in time for its Dec. 10 opening.“If you don’t put a bullseye on the wall, you’ll never hit your target,” Mohrfeld told the Daily Democrat on Wednesday as he was at the depot while railroad officials and contractors were doing a final inspection of the platform, and the counter top for the passenger’s station was being installed.

Mohrfeld told the Fort Madison City Council last month that opening the new Amtrak station without the signs “was a deal breaker for Amtrak, so we’re working on that.”In the end, that work will consist of Iowa Bridge and Culvert having someone make the 16-hour trek to New Jersey to pick up the signs on Tuesday so that they can be installed on Wednesday and Thursday.  “I just decided this project was going to happen and be done this year, so yes, I sort of dug my heels in on this.

”Friday, Dec. 10, will be the long-awaited day for Fort Madison citizens. The project they have read about, heard about and talked about off and on for well over a decade will be completed and marked with a 6:30 p.m. ribbon cutting that Mohrfeld hopes residents attend.“And the first 150 will get a commemorative button so we’re doing a lot of fun stuff to mark the occasion,” he said.Mohrfeld said he and 12-14 officials plan to board the train the morning of Dec. 10 and take the train into Galesburg for lunch and a short stay to look at the Galesburg railroad district. Then the group will re-board the train and head back to Fort Madison where they will step off onto the platform about 6 p.m., kicking off the celebration. All elected local, state, and federal legislators, including Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, have been invited to attend.Mohrfeld said he feels honored to have been entrusted with the final phase on the lengthy project that began with Mayor Steve Ireland and continued under Mayor Brad Randolph.“It’s really something to feel entrusted to finish it,” Mohrfeld said.

“In today’s world with the transportation problems, we just had to find a way to make this happen.”About $1.3 million has been spent on the project – a combination of city funds along with money from Amtrak, and the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) via the Federal Rail Association (FRA).A few years ago city officials all but gave up on the idea of finishing the depot and platform to relocate the Amtrak station from its current home at 1601 20th Street, but Randolph and Councilman Chris Greenwald were able to secure more funding from IDOT and the FRA.

In 2018, city officials hit another snag when the lone bid for the platform came in at $2,828,619 – more than twice the engineer’s estimate of $1,289,376 and the $1.3 million budgeted for the project. The council rejected the bid and met with BNSF, Amtrak, IDOT and Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission officials to obtain more funds before soliciting new bids.

https://www.mississippivalleypublishing.com/daily_gate/fort-madison-mayor-determined-to-open-new-amtrak-station-on-dec-10/article_70f06c5d-117e-5468-b119-66026c86d837.html



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/21 19:15 by GenePoon.

...Mohrfeld told the Fort Madison City Council last month that opening the new Amtrak station without the signs “was a deal breaker for Amtrak, so we’re working on that.... I just decided this project was going to happen and be done this year, so yes, I sort of dug my heels in on this."

===================================================

The fat lady has not yet sung.  And he doesn't know Amtrak...

It'll be over when it's over.  Keep fingers crossed.

City of Ft. Madison has never heard of FedEx Ground shipping for the signs?

It sounds like a vendor issue  (Iowa Bridge and Culvert).  And, who hired the vendor?

This project has taken a long time.  The "new" Amtrak station is actually the OLD Santa Fe station.  Over the years it has flooded several times.  So the major structural part of the "new" station project was to jack up the building, build a five-foot elevation onto its foundation, and lower the building back down again. 

That work was done in 2011.  TEN YEARS AGO, showing how slowly Amtrak, State and Federal bureaucracies operate.

Of course, those bureaucrats get paid no matter how slowly a project progresses.  Call it job security.  Meanwhile, costs balloon and completion dates get pushed farther and farther into infinity.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/03/21 00:21 by GenePoon.

MSE Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> City of Ft. Madison has never heard of FedEx
> Ground shipping for the signs?

They want it by next week, not next month.

And not damaged.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/21 21:32 by jst3751.

I can only imagine how difficult amtrak will make
their Dec. 10th, round trip to GBB. I hope they already
have their reservations and a highway back-up plan in
case of an hours late train.

Funny how "amtrak standards" only apply when somone 
else is paying.  Similar to private cars.  
 

This was my thought.  They have a LOT of faith in the trains both being on time, especially eastbound.


Englewood Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I can only imagine how difficult amtrak will make
> their Dec. 10th, round trip to GBB. I hope they
> already
> have their reservations and a highway back-up plan
> in
> case of an hours late train.
>
> Funny how "amtrak standards" only apply when
> somone 
> else is paying.  Similar to private cars.  
>  

But yet at several Amtrak stations they are still using the "pointless arrow" signs. Perhaps they should shut those down until new ones arrive. It's been how many years since the logo change? 

Englewood Wrote:
> Funny how "amtrak standards" only apply when somone else is paying. Similar to private cars.  

Now there is the oxymoron or contradiction-in-terms of the day. Reminds me of the early 1970's when Amtrak required all RR office cars to be in Amtrak livery if hauled on their trains and Amtrak would not pay for the paint jobs. Some things never change. But then Anderson/Gardner are Roger Lewis II anyway. Most of us know that.  

Englewood Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I can only imagine how difficult amtrak will make
> their Dec. 10th, round trip to GBB. I hope they
> already
> have their reservations and a highway back-up plan
> in
> case of an hours late train.
>
Snip

This has the makings of a real circus...

Posted from Android

I guess times have changed. When the new/old station at Charlottesville (re)opened in 1999, it was accompanied by much hoopla. Amtrak even hired an outside firm to organize the event.

The day's fesitivites included a dedicated train from DC, with dining car, in which local and state politicians and other eminentos where wined and dined. OK, not sure about the "wined" part, but you get the picture.

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA

Fort Madison is considerably west of Harrisburg, so in the PRIIA-209 world, they don't want the business.  



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/03/21 06:46 by joemvcnj.

This is  something I  look  forwars to. Great location in an interesting  city.   AND  there is  a  hotel within  walking  distance.  What is  so important  about  a  welcome  sign?
 

There is a nice big Fort Madison sign on the station already.

Maybe the town public works crew could go over to the current station, rip down the sign that has worked for 20+ years, and put it on the new station.

Posted from Android

Maybe Amtrak does not wash the train windows so you can't see the station signs being out of spec or not meeting "Amtrak standards". 

I was attempting to check seat availability for the Dec. 10th round trip.

How is that done on the Amtrak website?

I clicked on "round trip", entered the date, and clicked "find trains" (like there is more than one ! )
The website gives me the times and fares for the FTM-GBB leg but I can't get the info for the 
return leg.  What am I not doing correctly in the unlikely case I will ever attempt to ride amtrak ?

Englewood Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was attempting to check seat availability for
> the Dec. 10th round trip.
>
> How is that done on the Amtrak website?
>
> I clicked on "round trip", entered the date, and
> clicked "find trains" (like there is more than one
> ! )
> The website gives me the times and fares for the
> FTM-GBB leg but I can't get the info for the 
> return leg.  What am I not doing correctly in the
> unlikely case I will ever attempt to ride amtrak ?

Fort Madison is FMD not FTM, FTM is fort Meyers.
Having said that when I tried I could not get a round trip but could get each segment individually at 13-14$ and 40-50% full


Bob

robj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Fort Madison is FMD not FTM, FTM is fort Meyers.
> Having said that when I tried I could not get a
> round trip but could get each segment individually
> at 13-14$ and 40-50% full
>
>
> Bob

I had correctly entered Fort Madison on the amtrak website.
I mistakenly typed the wrong city code in my previous TO post.

At least I know I was doing nothing wrong on the amtrak site as
you couldn't get a round trip either.  I can only assume the site
works that way on purpose.  If I had been a casual traveler
looking to see whether I could take the train instead of driving
I would have given up.  The amtrak site must have been built
to mimic the SP agents of the late 60's and early 70's.

MSE Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> City of Ft. Madison has never heard of FedEx Ground shipping for the signs?

I purchased a product that was sent Fedex Ground to my sister on 11/22 that was shipped from Ohio to suburban Milwaukee where she lives.  It ONLY took them 10 DAYS to get it delivered!!!!  A 20-mule team could have gotten it there faster!!!
I've had nightmare slow deliveries from the post office as well in the past months.

In short...DO YOUR CHRISTMAS SHIPPING NOW!!!!

Oh...and I used to work for Fedex Ground 2005-2008!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/03/21 12:59 by BRAtkinson.

On the Virtual Railfan camera, I’ve seen No’s 3 and 4 stop at the “new” station the past few days with somebody always getting off or boarding the lead unit. Are they starting the head end crew change ahead of the change?

Tom Coughlin
Stow, MA.

Posted from iPhone