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Albany-Rensselaer (Amtrak station)
Encyclopedia
The Albany – Rensselaer Rail Station is a long-distance rail terminal in Rensselaer
, New York
, located 1.5 miles from downtown Albany
across the Hudson River
. , the station was Amtrak
's tenth-busiest station and by 2010 it had become the ninth-busiest. It is served by many of Amtrak's northeastern routes outside of the Northeast Corridor
, including the Lake Shore Limited
, whose Boston
and New York
branches meet at the station.
Operated by the Capital District Transportation Authority
(CDTA), the current structure was completed in September 2002 and opened on 22 September. It features a Coffee Beanery coffeeshop, a newsstand, and a post office
. It was designed by the Schenectady
architecture firm Stracher Roth Gilmore, with Ryan-Biggs of Troy
providing structural engineering, and Erdman Anthony of Troy providing facilities engineering.
The intermodal station replaced two previous terminal buildings, one built in 1968 and the other in 1980. The 1968 building, which is riddled with asbestos, has since been torn down to make more room for the station's parking facility, just before the entrance to the parking garage. Before 1968, trains stopped at Union Station in Albany itself. That building, located on Broadway, now houses the northeast headquarters of Bank of America
(via predecessors Fleet Bank
and Norstar Bank). The New York Central Railroad had plans to leave Albany, in part because Interstate 787
needed the space occupied by a rail yard, but the move took place under Penn Central's watch.
Today's station was built with three tracks (a fourth was planned, but eliminated due to cost) and the station has had fewer than preferable tracks since. In October 2008, it was announced that a fourth track would be built after the two previous terminal buildings were demolished; a contract for that work was assigned at the same time. Design work was proceeding on the fourth track as of February 2010, but actual construction was placed on hold pending resolution of funding issues and demolition of the two terminal buildings to the north.
On 27 October 2010, demolition of the two other buildings began.
.
operates regular service to New York City and Ridgewood, N.J.
One bus route operated by the Capital District Transportation Authority
, the local public transportation agency, serves the station:
Rensselaer, New York
Rensselaer is a city in Rensselaer County, New York, United States, and is located on the Hudson River directly opposite Albany. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 9,392; in 1920, it was 10,832. The name is from Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the original landowner of the region in New...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, located 1.5 miles from downtown Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
across the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
. , the station was Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's tenth-busiest station and by 2010 it had become the ninth-busiest. It is served by many of Amtrak's northeastern routes outside of the Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
, including the Lake Shore Limited
Lake Shore Limited
The Lake Shore Limited is a daily passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States. The train runs between Chicago and Albany, NY, where it divides into two sections that provide thru-service to New York and Boston...
, whose Boston
South Station (Boston)
South Station, New England's second-largest transportation center , located at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Summer Street in Dewey Square, Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest train station and intercity bus terminal in Greater Boston, a prominent train station in the northeastern...
and New York
Pennsylvania Station (New York City)
Pennsylvania Station—commonly known as Penn Station—is the major intercity train station and a major commuter rail hub in New York City. It is one of the busiest rail stations in the world, and a hub for inbound and outbound railroad traffic in New York City. The New York City Subway system also...
branches meet at the station.
Operated by the Capital District Transportation Authority
Capital District Transportation Authority
The Capital District Transportation Authority is a public benefit organization that provides transportation in the Capital District of New York State...
(CDTA), the current structure was completed in September 2002 and opened on 22 September. It features a Coffee Beanery coffeeshop, a newsstand, and a post office
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
. It was designed by the Schenectady
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
architecture firm Stracher Roth Gilmore, with Ryan-Biggs of Troy
Troy, New York
Troy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
providing structural engineering, and Erdman Anthony of Troy providing facilities engineering.
The intermodal station replaced two previous terminal buildings, one built in 1968 and the other in 1980. The 1968 building, which is riddled with asbestos, has since been torn down to make more room for the station's parking facility, just before the entrance to the parking garage. Before 1968, trains stopped at Union Station in Albany itself. That building, located on Broadway, now houses the northeast headquarters of Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
(via predecessors Fleet Bank
FleetBoston Financial
FleetBoston Financial was a Boston, Massachusetts–based bank created in 1999 by the merger of Fleet Financial Group and BankBoston. In 2004 it merged with Bank of America; all of its banks and branches were given the Bank of America logo.-History:...
and Norstar Bank). The New York Central Railroad had plans to leave Albany, in part because Interstate 787
Interstate 787
Interstate 787 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of New York. I-787 is the main highway for those traveling into and out of downtown Albany. The southern terminus is at the Interstate 87/New York State Thruway exit 23 toll plaza southwest of downtown Albany...
needed the space occupied by a rail yard, but the move took place under Penn Central's watch.
Today's station was built with three tracks (a fourth was planned, but eliminated due to cost) and the station has had fewer than preferable tracks since. In October 2008, it was announced that a fourth track would be built after the two previous terminal buildings were demolished; a contract for that work was assigned at the same time. Design work was proceeding on the fourth track as of February 2010, but actual construction was placed on hold pending resolution of funding issues and demolition of the two terminal buildings to the north.
On 27 October 2010, demolition of the two other buildings began.
Amtrak
With the exception of the Boston branch of the Lake Shore Limited, all trains have southbound service to Penn Station in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
- AdirondackAdirondack (Amtrak)The Adirondack is a passenger train operated daily by Amtrak between New York City and Montreal. The trip takes approximately 11 hours to cover a published distance of , traveling through the scenic Hudson Valley and the Adirondack Mountains...
to Montreal - Empire ServiceEmpire Service (Amtrak)The Empire Service is a train service operated by Amtrak within the state of New York in the United States. Trains on the line provide frequent daily service along the 460-mile Empire Corridor between New York City and Niagara Falls, New York...
: all trains to New York (via Hudson, Rhinecliff, Poughkeepsie, Croton-on-Hudson, Yonkers); some westbound to Buffalo and Niagara Falls. - Ethan Allen ExpressEthan Allen ExpressThe Ethan Allen Express is a 241-mile passenger train operated by Amtrak between New York City and Rutland, Vermont, via Albany. The total trip is scheduled to be completed in 5.5 hours. Its operations are subsidized by the State of Vermont, and the train is popular among vacationers travelling...
to Rutland, Vermont - Lake Shore LimitedLake Shore LimitedThe Lake Shore Limited is a daily passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States. The train runs between Chicago and Albany, NY, where it divides into two sections that provide thru-service to New York and Boston...
to Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, Cleveland, Toledo, and Chicago- New York Branch (Train 48/49): Croton-on Hudson, New York (Penn Station)
- Boston Branch (Train 448/449): Pittsfield, Springfield, Worcester, Framingham, Boston (Back Bay), Boston (South Station)
- Maple Leaf to Toronto
Bus
The intercity MegabusMegabus (United States)
Megabus, branded on buses as megabus.com, is an intercity bus service of Coach USA/Coach Canada and DATTCO providing discount travel services since 2006, operating throughout the Northeast, parts of the Southeast, and Midwestern United States, and in southern Canada...
operates regular service to New York City and Ridgewood, N.J.
One bus route operated by the Capital District Transportation Authority
Capital District Transportation Authority
The Capital District Transportation Authority is a public benefit organization that provides transportation in the Capital District of New York State...
, the local public transportation agency, serves the station:
- 214-Rensselaer/Third Street-Amtrak: Every 30 minutes during rush hours, every 40 minutes elsewhen during the day and about every hour on nights and weekends.