Rank the Major Train Station's in the Northeast consisting of NYC,DC,Philly,Bos,Balt (best, better)

[MDAllstar]

(NYC's Grand Central Station)
(DC's Union Station)
(Baltimore's Penn Station)
(Philly's 30th Street Station)
(Boston's South Station)

Rank the following northeast city train station's one through five based on the following criteria:


-Architecture

-Shopping

-Cleanliness

-Food

-Ridership/Usage (How many people use the station?)

-Train Activity (How many trains leave and arrive at the station?)

-Importance (How important is the station in the NE corridor?)

-Central Location (Is it centrally located in the city?)

-Connectivity to main rapid transportation network (How easy is it to transfer to the city subway/metro system?)

[Caymon83]

1) Grand Central

gap in terms of scale

2) Union Station

gap in terms of architecture/amenities, etc

3) South Station (better kept)/30th street Station (busier)

5) Baltimore

IMO, the rankings seem pretty consistent across all categories.

[Gantz]

You forgot Newark Penn Station, it is the 4th busiest in NYC metro area, just after Grand Central.

For NYC city limits only, Grand Central is only #3 after Penn Station and Jamaica station.

[LP Lane]

Penn Station in NYC has higher ridership than the other major NE corridor stations combined. It's the busiest rail hub on earth outside of Tokyo.

So, from the perspective of importance, there's no competition with any station anywhere, except for Tokyo.

Now, granted, it's modern, so lacks the old-school beauty of Grand Central, 30th Street, and the rest, but it's much, much more important.

[rotodome]

Penn Station (the NYC one) would have been the hands down best on this list if it hadn't been demolished and replaced with the new MSG. Such a shame.

[LP Lane]

Originally Posted by rotodome

Penn Station (the NYC one) would have been the hands down best on this list if it hadn't been demolished and replaced with the new MSG. Such a shame.

The old Penn Station waiting hall was demolished, but the station was rebuilt and expanded underground. Obviously the 60's architecture is no match for the original.

On the surface, MSG takes up only a small part of the old waiting hall. One Penn Plaza, and Two Penn Plaza, two massive office towers, comprise most of what was the original waiting hall.

[rotodome]

Thanks for having the energy to flesh out the details. Doesn't change the point, though.

“We used to enter New York like kings. Now we scuttle in like rats”

[MDAllstar]

Originally Posted by rotodome

Penn Station (the NYC one) would have been the hands down best on this list if it hadn't been demolished and replaced with the new MSG. Such a shame.

Did the old Penn Station have shopping like Grand Central in NYC or Union Station in D.C.?

[pwright1]

I love train stations and I remember Union Station was a hot delapidated mess. It was finally refurbished and I was there for the grand reopening. I honestly think it is the most beautiful train station in America, inside and out. Maybe not the busiest or the oldest but certainly the most beautiful imo.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by pwright1

I love train stations and I remember Union Station was a hot delapidated mess. It was finally refurbished and I was there for the grand reopening. I honestly think it is the most beautiful train station in America, inside and out. Maybe not the busiest or the oldest but certainly the most beautiful imo.

Agreed, no other in the NE Corridor compares.