Passenger Trains > A Westerner abroad - Richmond, VA Main St. Station

Having done the majority of my travel over the past decade in the west, or at least NOT in the eastern part of the US, I sometimes forget what charms are out there for ignorant folks like myself. I "discovered" one such jewel in Richmond, VA - Main Street Station. While probably not news to locals, I was unaware of its existence, much less the spectacular restoration done to this station.

A fantastic place to arrive or depart from.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/16/13 20:09 by Waybiller.

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Apologies for the poor quality of the iphone photos. This first is one of the side waiting rooms with exceptionally comfortable chairs. Makes those expensive airline lounges seem like a bus station in comparison.

Sadly, I had to leave this for Amfleet I. The on board crews of both my train today and the one down Saturday on the Carolinian were excellent, however. Both trains were very full.

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Very nice, thanks for posting those photos! Living in Williamsburg, I've passed through that station aboard Amtrak trains multiple times but never saw the inside before.

I frequently rode the C&O up to Richmond from Lee Hall on week-ends while stationed at Ft. Eustis in 1965 and 1967. I was impressed with Main Street Station at that time and was thrilled to see it preserved and still used as originally intended. I'd certainly have to rate it as one of my favorite passenger depots and that Sunday evening RDC ride back to Lee Hall as one of my favorite trains.

Even more amazing when you realize this building burned down to a brick shell a number of years ago.

Michael

Best photos of interior I have ever seen. Thanks.

Supposedly (and you know how long it takes the state and Amtrak to make up their minds), this stop will be for all trains serving Richmond, but there is a lot (and I do mean a lot) of track work to be done between Staples Mill Road and Centralia (where the two lines re-join). The line that's used now is the old C&O line. The old SAL line is on the opposite side, where the AC unit is, so, that unit has to be placed elsewhere, and there's also talk of moving Greyhound into Main Street Station. Like I said, there's talk. Probably "In the year 2525" they'll still be talking. Oh, yeah, and they also want to bring back the streetcars. To quote Perry Como, "Dream Along With Me"

gambletrainman Wrote:
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Oh, yeah,
> and they also want to bring back the streetcars.


Who is the "they" who wants to bring back the streetcars?

RuleG Wrote:
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> gambletrainman Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> Oh, yeah,
> > and they also want to bring back the
> streetcars.
>
>
> Who is the "they" who wants to bring back the
> streetcars?

The City of Richmond. There was even a report issued with sketches, diagrams and maps of the proposed routes. The first phase was supposed to start at Main Street Station (15th and Main), travel Main Street to somewhere around 12th Street, then right to Broad (where VCU Medical Center is) then west on Broad to the main VCU campus, and a later extension would take the line to the far west end at the Short Pump Shopping Center. Other lines would branch off, one in particular would continue down Main Street, then to the University of Richmond. Another branch would head towards Hull Street on the south side, and wind up at the VA Hospital. Then, the president of GRTC Transit (bus company) at that time, suggested "We don't know if the streetcar system would work, so, let's start out with a megabus over the originally proposed route to Short Pump, and see if that works. If it does, then we'll replace the bus with the streetcar." All planning stages then abruptly came to a halt.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/16/13 20:14 by gambletrainman.

Not only is the station beautiful inside and out, but historic pictures and artifacts in the station and can be viewed by just dropping in.

Did you get to view the "Triple Croosing?"

The station has been flooded by the James River at least twice, abandond, restored, burned out before restoration was finished and rerestored.

gambletrainman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> RuleG Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > gambletrainman Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > Oh, yeah,
> > > and they also want to bring back the
> > streetcars.
> >
> >
> > Who is the "they" who wants to bring back the
> > streetcars?
>
> The City of Richmond. There was even a report
> issued with sketches, diagrams and maps of the
> proposed routes. The first phase was supposed to
> start at Main Street Station (15th and Main),
> travel Main Street to somewhere around 12th
> Street, then right to Broad (where VCU Medical
> Center is) then west on Broad to the main VCU
> campus, and a later extension would take the line
> to the far west end at the Short Pump Shopping
> Center. Other lines would branch off, one in
> particular would continue down Main Street, then
> to the University of Richmond. Another branch
> would head towards Hull Street on the south side,
> and wind up at the VA Hospital. Then, the
> president of VRTC Transit (bus company) at that
> time, suggested "We don't know if the streetcar
> system would work, so, let's start out with a
> megabus over the originally proposed route to
> Short Pump, and see if that works. If it does,
> then we'll replace the bus with the streetcar."
> All planning stages then abruptly came to a halt.

Thanks for your reply.

SEHSR assumes that all NEC-Richmond-Raleigh-Charlotte trains would use Main St Station. Only the Auto Train would run over the current ex-ACL route between Staples Mill Road Station and Centralia. The ex-SAL between Main St and Centralia would be renovated for 79 mph, a third track would be installed Centralia-Appomattox, and a second bridge would be built over the Appomattox.

Don't hold your breath.

Does SEHSR have any plans for the idiotically backward section of track between Main St. and Acca? The piece where CSX couldn't even bother to install a cross over to make it functional double track, considering it is a helper grade?

Also - would they double track the James River Crossing?

ctillnc Wrote:
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> SEHSR assumes that all
> NEC-Richmond-Raleigh-Charlotte trains would use
> Main St Station. Only the Auto Train would run
> over the current ex-ACL route between Staples Mill
> Road Station and Centralia. The ex-SAL between
> Main St and Centralia would be renovated for 79
> mph, a third track would be installed
> Centralia-Appomattox, and a second bridge would be
> built over the Appomattox.
>
> Don't hold your breath.

That's what I said earlier, that the funding for the second bridge across the Appomattox was already approved, but CSX had other plans, and the state never punished them for it. The current trestle is over 100 years old. Also, there is a dip on no. 1 track over the NS track at North Collier that needs to be addressed---sorely. Like you said---don't hold your breath. We'll probably have to wait for a fatal accident.

inCHI Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Does SEHSR have any plans for the idiotically
> backward section of track between Main St. and
> Acca? The piece where CSX couldn't even bother to
> install a cross over to make it functional double
> track, considering it is a helper grade?
>
> Also - would they double track the James River
> Crossing?

The answer to both questions is yes. The only single track in the SEHSR plans is between South Collier and Raleigh, but with passing sidings roughly every 5 miles or so. Everything else is supposed to be at least double track as far as Selma.

kpcmcpkva Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not only is the station beautiful inside and out,
> but historic pictures and artifacts in the station
> and can be viewed by just dropping in.
>
> Did you get to view the "Triple Croosing?"
>
> The station has been flooded by the James
> River at least twice, abandond, restored, burned
> out before restoration was finished and
> rerestored.

I did! I'll try and post a photo of it shortly. I was surprised at how close to Main St. it was and easy to find.

> Everything else is supposed to be at least double
> track as far as Selma.

SEHSR has no involvement in the A-line south of South Collier, where the Burgess cutoff to the S-line would be restored. Perhaps some other project will replace the missing second track on A-line between South Collier and Selma, but it won't be SEHSR. The Auto Train and the Palmetto would remain on this part of the A-line. There has been talk of a Carolinian-like service Charlotte-Raleigh-Selma-Rocky Mount and points north even after SEHSR is completed, to maintain rail connectivity between Charlotte/Raleigh and Selma/Wilson/Rocky Mount.

ctillnc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > Everything else is supposed to be at least
> double
> > track as far as Selma.
>
> SEHSR has no involvement in the A-line south of
> South Collier, where the Burgess cutoff to the
> S-line would be restored. Perhaps some other
> project will replace the missing second track on
> A-line between South Collier and Selma, but it
> won't be SEHSR. The Auto Train and the Palmetto
> would remain on this part of the A-line. There has
> been talk of a Carolinian-like service
> Charlotte-Raleigh-Selma-Rocky Mount and points
> north even after SEHSR is completed, to maintain
> rail connectivity between Charlotte/Raleigh and
> Selma/Wilson/Rocky Mount.

Sorry, I didn't mean to leave the impression that SEHSR would do the double tracking to Selma, just ran two thoughts together. You said Auto Train and Palmetto would continue the same route. Wouldn't the Meteor also continue the same route? I'm pretty sure the Star would use the Collier-Raleigh line, unless that would continue the Selma route as well. Just thinking. Thanks for the correction.

> Wouldn't the Meteor also continue the same route? I'm
> pretty sure the Star would use the Collier-Raleigh
> line, unless that would continue the Selma route
> as well. Just thinking. Thanks for the correction.

No worries. I have read that the Meteor would run via Raleigh. Whether it would run via Columbia or return to the A-line at Dillon is less clear. But this is a long, long time in the future - if ever.