Passenger Trains > Sacramento Amtrak Station

I had a chance this weekend to give the Sacramento Amtrak Station a look-see. It was the first chance to see for myself the controversial move of the tracks to straighten out the S curve as required by landlord UP and big-time real estate developers.

What I saw did not convince me that the idea to move the tracks would be a death knell to Sacramento rail service as some have suggested. A temporary inconvenience Sacramento rail passengers? Yes. An temporarily ugly construction site? Yes. Something of a gamble for the development to pay off and transform into a new bustling city center? Yes. But these are all things to be expected with any infrastructure improvement.

The loudest complaint that I am aware of is the assertion that the moving of the tracks several hundred yards further away from the traditional civic and commercial center of the city will be enough of an inconvenience to Capitol Corridor commuters that they will return in droves to their autos. I'm sure there is some truth to this. (One friend of mine, in the know, who has been watching this says that ridership has already shown a dip) However, that loss needs to be balanced with the planned retail and office opportunities that will be located in the present no-mans land between the present station and the new tracks. The hope is that the new commercial spaces will generate new riders to replace those who have fled to their cars. I'm assuming and hoping that the plans also include a shiny new Amtrak station to built nearer the tracks.

That begs the question: what happens to the present historic station? I am told to think DC Union Station. A retail space of shops and restaurants. I haven't measured it, but as best as I can recall it seems that the hike from the front door (where passengers are dropped off by taxis and autos) of Washington Union Station thru all the retail/mall stuff to the ticket office and tracks is not nearly as long as the hike envisioned from the front door of the Sacramento historic station to the newly located tracks and boarding platforms. Surely the planners will allow passengers to be dropped off at the front of the new station and not endure a long trek thru the charms of bagel pushers, ice cream vendors and tourist trinket hawkers. Yes?

Currently the four new tracks are adorned with boarding platforms, access/service roads and pedestrian tunnels under the tracks all pretty, new and graffiti-free. Certainly a big improvement in the train servicing department. The walk to the furthest track is similar to the hike from the waiting room in LA Union and something like the standard airport trek to the gates from the ticketing area.

The rest of the story remains to be told.

(By the way the electronic train signage showed only the existence of the Capitol Corridor and San Joaquin services. Long distance trains were a mystery to anyone looking at the signs for info on train times for the Starlight or the Zephyr.)

John Webb
Trinidad, CA

I use Washington Union Station a few times a year. And find the walk from the front door to be only slightly longer than it was originally. Although more dodging restaruants, shops, etc. But they all help to kill time when waiting for a train and can even provide a good meal.

As we are in our middle '80s, I hope that they place benches every 60ft to rest as we 'trudge' to the loading platforms...

Bob and Laura Drenk

I have taken some long walks at LAUPT... There are facilities available for older folks like my wife and I.

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA