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Does Amtrak own all of the 30th st station including the tracks?
Also, it's odd to me that the station is bi-level with east to west tracks and and a north to south tracks, but the latter seems to have so much less service besides being much larger. If they greatly develop the area, then are there plans to make greater use of the north-south tracks? It seems to me that all those tracks, if configured properly and with all the development plans makes it seem like the tracks going south into South Philadelphia along the 25th st viaduct should be created as a high-frequency service. It looks like a good place to end with a loop that goes into the airport and connecting to the current rail service there such that it's a through-running (and thus easier to operate track) along with a spur towards the navy yard. A somewhat increased frequency for the Airport line that runs this loop along with additional spur runs to the navy yard would essentially yield rapid transit frequencies it seems (let's say you interline them so that each is about every 15 minutes to get around 7.5 minutes frequency during daytime hours for South Philly trains on the 25th St viaduct).
Does Amtrak own all of the 30th st station including the tracks?
Also, it's odd to me that the station is bi-level with east to west tracks and and a north to south tracks, but the latter seems to have so much less service besides being much larger. If they greatly develop the area, then are there plans to make greater use of the north-south tracks? It seems to me that all those tracks, if configured properly and with all the development plans makes it seem like the tracks going south into South Philadelphia along the 25th st viaduct should be created as a high-frequency service. It looks like a good place to end with a loop that goes into the airport and connecting to the current rail service there such that it's a through-running (and thus easier to operate track) along with a spur towards the navy yard. A somewhat increased frequency for the Airport line that runs this loop along with additional spur runs to the navy yard would essentially yield rapid transit frequencies it seems (let's say you interline them so that each is about every 15 minutes to get around 7.5 minutes frequency during daytime hours for South Philly trains on the 25th St viaduct).
The Upper Level is where SEPTA Commuter Rail is. Those tracks meet up with AMTRAK tracks once they live 30th St heading towards West Philadelphia. It is very interesting how the tracks are on the upper level and come around and meet up with AMTRAK. SEPTA's AIRPORT, WILMINGTON-NEWARK, MEDIA-ELWYN, CHESTNUT HILL (WEST OR EAST), TRENTON LINE connect to AMTRAK NORTHEAST CORRIDOR. Far as ownership far as i know the lower level i know for a fact is owned by them. Upper Level i believe is all SEPTA owned. NJT also serves on the lower level with AMTRAK on their own track.
30th Street Station will be more of a "destination spot" as soon as Schuylkill Yards and the 30th Street Station District Plan take off. The problem with 30th Street Station has almost nothing to do with the station itself, and almost everything to do with the area that surrounds it. What is really over there? When I was little boy growing up in West Philly back in the 2000s, the answer was literally nothing. Back then, none of the Cira towers existed, cars ran through what is currently The Porch, and there was barely any sufficient pedestrian traffic in the area. The last point is key, and will be exactly why 30th Street Station WILL become a destination in the near future. In its current state, the area that surrounds 30th Street Station is full of surface parking lots, broken sidewalks, waiting/queuing areas for Megabus and Boltbus, and gaps where one can look down and see Amtrak's tracks. Once the two aforementioned plans get going (a permit was issued for the proposed park across the street from 30th Street at the Bulletin Building, so these plans are very real), the foot traffic in the immediate area will drastically increase.
30th Street Station is the most beautiful train station on the Northeast Corridor, and I've been to all the major ones. Once the level of pedestrian traffic increases and the city/PennDOT make efforts to reduce the space allocated to automobiles, then 30th Street Station will be a much bigger destination than it currently is.
The Upper Level is where SEPTA Commuter Rail is. Those tracks meet up with AMTRAK tracks once they live 30th St heading towards West Philadelphia. It is very interesting how the tracks are on the upper level and come around and meet up with AMTRAK. SEPTA's AIRPORT, WILMINGTON-NEWARK, MEDIA-ELWYN, CHESTNUT HILL (WEST OR EAST), TRENTON LINE connect to AMTRAK NORTHEAST CORRIDOR. Far as ownership far as i know the lower level i know for a fact is owned by them. Upper Level i believe is all SEPTA owned. NJT also serves on the lower level with AMTRAK on their own track.
The entire building is owned by Amtrak, including the SEPTA concourses and tracks. SEPTA, however, maintains the tracks its trains use as they pass through the station. New Jersey Transit owns no part of 30th Street Station.
SEPTA's Wilmington/Newark, Paoli/Thorndale and Trenton lines, plus parts of the Chestnut Hill West, Media/Elwyn and Airport lines, operate on trackage owned by Amtrak. The three lines that run southward from the upper level of 30th Street use a tunnel originally built by the PRR to allow trains to bypass the old West Philadelphia station, which was located about where the Drexel University building that had housed The Evening Bulletin from 1955 until its demise in 1982 sits now.
The Chestnut Hill East line is ex-Reading and does not connect to the Northeast Corridor in any form.
I use 30th Street Station all the time coming in on Amtrak on the Northeast Corridor run. As a transit hub, it would be nice to have a few improvements but it's one of the top train stations in the country.
If I were emperor with unlimited funds, I'd improve:
- A pedestrian tunnel from the train station to the subway.
- Renovate the commuter rail wing of the station. Both up escalators & down escalators. It looks like a 1960 bus station.
The food court is what it is. Most travelers are going to use the Dunkin Donuts, Wendy's, Jersey Mike's Sub Shop, Subway, Au Bon Pain, Bad Chinese, salad bar place, and the other quick & cheap stuff that is already there. I don't see how you could support a high end restaurant there. It's a place for takeout to eat on a train and 20 to 30 minute meals.
30th Street Station will be more of a "destination spot" as soon as Schuylkill Yards and the 30th Street Station District Plan take off. The problem with 30th Street Station has almost nothing to do with the station itself, and almost everything to do with the area that surrounds it. What is really over there? When I was little boy growing up in West Philly back in the 2000s, the answer was literally nothing. Back then, none of the Cira towers existed, cars ran through what is currently The Porch, and there was barely any sufficient pedestrian traffic in the area. The last point is key, and will be exactly why 30th Street Station WILL become a destination in the near future. In its current state, the area that surrounds 30th Street Station is full of surface parking lots, broken sidewalks, waiting/queuing areas for Megabus and Boltbus, and gaps where one can look down and see Amtrak's tracks. Once the two aforementioned plans get going (a permit was issued for the proposed park across the street from 30th Street at the Bulletin Building, so these plans are very real), the foot traffic in the immediate area will drastically increase.
30th Street Station is the most beautiful train station on the Northeast Corridor, and I've been to all the major ones. Once the level of pedestrian traffic increases and the city/PennDOT make efforts to reduce the space allocated to automobiles, then 30th Street Station will be a much bigger destination than it currently is.
Do you even remotely understand that whatever happens to the area around 30th St Station will be impacted by what the federal government does or will support? There is already a delay wrt when a developer will be selected. With Reps controlling the fed gov you will be holding your breathe for a very long time about this.
I use 30th Street Station all the time coming in on Amtrak on the Northeast Corridor run. As a transit hub, it would be nice to have a few improvements but it's one of the top train stations in the country.
If I were emperor with unlimited funds, I'd improve:
- A pedestrian tunnel from the train station to the subway.
- Renovate the commuter rail wing of the station. Both up escalators & down escalators. It looks like a 1960 bus station.
The food court is what it is. Most travelers are going to use the Dunkin Donuts, Wendy's, Jersey Mike's Sub Shop, Subway, Au Bon Pain, Bad Chinese, salad bar place, and the other quick & cheap stuff that is already there. I don't see how you could support a high end restaurant there. It's a place for takeout to eat on a train and 20 to 30 minute meals.
I don't think high end is needed, but a Shake Shack, Honeygrow, Pret a Manger, Sweetgreen, etc. is a lot better then a Wendys and a crappy Chinese place. Even a small CVS or drug store would be great since there aren't any close by.
Also, I wish advertisers would stop hanging credit card banners in the main area of the station, it covers the beautiful elements of the building, but I guess that is for funding? I am not familiar with how all that stuff works.
I don't think high end is needed, but a Shake Shack, Honeygrow, Pret a Manger, Sweetgreen, etc. is a lot better then a Wendys and a crappy Chinese place. Even a small CVS or drug store would be great since there aren't any close by.
Also, I wish advertisers would stop hanging credit card banners in the main area of the station, it covers the beautiful elements of the building, but I guess that is for funding? I am not familiar with how all that stuff works.
There's an airport-style convenience store there already. You can buy over-the-counter things there. It's not like people are going to get an Rx refill at a train station.
A double w/bacon and fries at the Shake Shack at Sansom & 20th is $13-something with no drink. That's probably a higher price point than 30th Street Station can handle. I doubt you'd do the sales volume to be profitable. Wendy's is a much lower price point. An airport? Sure. You get the vacationers and the expense report people. A train station? Not unless there's a heck of a lot more upscale high density housing next to it than 30th Street Station has now. Commuters don't spend like that and most of the Amtrak business is going to NYC and DC. It's not a long enough ride where they can't grab a snack at the train station and eat a real meal at the other end of the line. If metro-Philly is my destination, I'm not stopping at the train station for food. I'll do that after I get to my hotel. I'm the same way with airports as are most business travelers.
As an out-of-towner road warrior, I think 30th Street Station is almost as good as what you'd find in Europe. Kind of the only real issue is that the airport train is on a 30 minute schedule. That's inadequate. You can't reliably get off your plane, catch the train to Center City, and make a mid-morning meeting. You have to take a taxi and that kind of defeats the purpose of the airport rail connection. It's still way better than most US cities.
NYC's Grand Central Terminal is the fantastic destination station. Penn not so much, I guess because it is the main working get in, go through, get out -- station.
New York's Penn was once, according to a close friend's report more beautiful than Grand Central Terminal. In 1963 it was demolished to accommodate a relocated Madison Square Garden. This destruction, not announced in advance, led to New York's landmark law. In 1978 this law averted a similar catastrophe planned for Grand Central, with the notable leadership of Jackie (Kennedy) Onassis.
As an out-of-towner road warrior, I think 30th Street Station is almost as good as what you'd find in Europe. Kind of the only real issue is that the airport train is on a 30 minute schedule. That's inadequate. You can't reliably get off your plane, catch the train to Center City, and make a mid-morning meeting. You have to take a taxi and that kind of defeats the purpose of the airport rail connection. It's still way better than most US cities.
Word!!
I can't tell you how many times I've watched that train pull out seconds before I got there forcing a full 30 minute wait. That train is always pretty full. They could surely add to the schedule.
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