| Posted by Tom on September 5, 2015 | |
Nice picture and an informative write-up that tells it like it is. Thank you for saying what you think and not being politically correct as so many unfortunately are.
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I understand why Salt Lake did what it did in the late 90s... Amtrak was on a downward spiral with the cessation of Pioneer and Desert Wind routes; gas prices were cheaper than dirt cheap; and civic leaders had their $Winter Olympics$ blinders on.
Fast-forward to today: gas prices are up; Amtrak/TRAX ridership is strong; the depot mall is failing miserably (google 'failing gateway mall salt lake'); and crime is prevalent (an innocent couple was robbed and shot here a couple years ago, resulting in the death of the boyfriend).
Had the mall been developed with trains in mind, such as a hub for FrontRunner, TRAX and Amtrak trains (which can still be done today if they rip out the street that runs through the middle), then the trains and mall would complement/support each other.
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What Tom said.
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I love the photo & agree with the above comments. Thanks, Chris, for telling it like it is.
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It is quite ironic that the SLC planners tore out the tracks behind the UP and D&RGW stations, only to put new tracks in the street in front of them for the commuter operations just a few years later. I agree that these two stations in SLC are magnificent. I wish the city planners had a bit more historic preservation in mind back a couple decades ago, and also had a bit more foresight.
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What Chris said.
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A much different scene when I came through here in 1985 aboard Amtrak's westbound California Zephyr/Desert Wind/Pioneer. At this location, the train would be split with through coaches and sleeping cars from Chicago taken off the CZ and attached to waiting consists bound for Los Angeles and Seattle, respectively. The platforms were wide and uncovered, so it was easy to see the action and even have time to go into the station to make a futile attempt to purchase a sleeping car room for the Salt Lake City - Los Angeles run.
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