TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Tuscaloosa has abandoned efforts to place a new Amtrak station in the city’s Alberta area, citing a breakdown in negotiations with Norfolk Southern over the railroad’s safety concerns.
“In the final analysis, Norfolk Southern had concerns regarding sight distance at that site,” Mayor Walt Maddox told the Tuscaloosa News. “This made the project unfeasible. So, at this point, it puts us back to square one.”
The city is served by the New York-New Orleans Crescent, which currently stops about a mile south of downtown at a former Southern Railway station built in 1911.
City Councilman Kip Tyner, who represents Alberta as part of his district, said “Amtrak chose Alberta for their new location, but for various reasons, Norfolk came up with excuse after excuse to thwart the move. Our current station is disgraceful and the worst along the Crescent line by far.”
The city had allocated $1.5 million for a new station, and received a grant of more than $300,000 from the Southern Rail Commission for the facility in 2016. Maddox said the city would seek permission from the commission to divert those funds to upgrading the existing station.
City wanted to build the new one on the site of a former strip mall that was partially destroyed in the April 2011 EF4 tornado that killed 44. The strip mall has been vacant & fenced off ever since; used to have a bank branch, several small stores, a Salvation Army Thrift Store, a popular restaurant, & post office
When I lived in eastern Mississippi; I would catch the Crescent multiple times each year – boarding at the Tuscaloosa station. Admittedly it’s been better than 15 years but; there was not a thing wrong with the station back in that time period.
Mr. Pins, “Tuscaloosa” was the local Indian name that was translated as “Black Warrior;” The city is on the Warrior River.
As to the station, it is true that is about 45 years since I have been in it, but it then seemed to be sufficient for such traffic as used it. I have no idea as to how well it has been kept in the years since then
To me, Alberta is well removed from downtown–but perhaps most of those who board or detrain live closer to the East Tusacaloosa area than to downtone Tuscaloosa.
After looking at pictures inside and out of this depot, he has an odd idea of what constitutes a poor train station. City Councilman Kip Tyner would’ve been right at home during the urban renewal era, I suspect.
Tuscaloosa? Does this have any connection to “I shot an elephant in my pajamas?” Anyone remember Groucho?
From Google Earth, the station looks like a nice enough historic station with alot of detail, some parking, etc. … It may not be perfect but just in need of some TLC and restoration work. In most cases, a historic building will be a lot better than replacing it with the typical aluminum ‘trailer park’ square box Amshack looking buildings….
Just paint the inside and a couple tv’s new snack machines, thats it. Why waste huge amounts on $$$ on a station that’s fine or even build another? That’s ridiculous!!! Besides, whats the weekly, monthly, yearly ridership inbound and out? Who the heck comes up with this sh**?
Build in bunk beds for people waiting for the Soviet-era timekeeping of the train.
George Pins- How he got in my pajamas I don’t know.
Took it to Alabama where the tusks are looser.
The current historic station looks pretty good in photos and on Google maps — nothing that some landscaping and parking improvements couldn’t spiff up.
Maybe spend the money to renovate the current station instead of reinventing the wheel? In a couple of years the Crescent will be gone anyway. People will get tired of riding a train that is routinely 2 – 3 1/2 hours late.