2025 MOW Spending Report: Passenger-rail programs
Gardner steps down as Amtrak CEO
Guest comment: Oliver Wyman’s David Hunt
Women of Influence in Rail eBook
Newsletter Sign Up
Stay updated on news, articles and information for the rail industry
Stay updated on news, articles and information for the rail industry
railPrime
RAIL EMPLOYMENT & NOTICES
Rail News Home
High-Speed Rail
Rail News: High-Speed Rail
10/4/2010
Rail News: High-Speed Rail
Amtrak to give Chicago's Union Station a facelift
advertisement
Today, Amtrak announced it will launch a $40 million project to improve Chicago’s Union Station and enable the facility to relieve overcrowding and handle additional passengers.
The project calls for installing air conditioning in the Great Hall, adding new restrooms, and doubling the seating in general passenger lounges. The project is expected to be complete by the end of 2012.
Union Station serves as the hub for the Midwest high-speed rail network. Once high-speed service is launched in the region, thousands more visitors will be using the facility.
“Having those updates made by the time the first high-speed trains come rolling through town will serve Illinoisans well,” said Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) in a prepared statement.
Amtrak will expand seating in the north and south boarding lounges for coach and business class passengers from the current 450 to 950. The railroad also will relocate the Metropolitan Lounge — used by long-distance train passengers — to an area between the Concourse and Great Hall and increase seating from about 150 to 200. And by 2011’s end, Amtrak will move its regional office from leased space south of the station into parts of two lower floors of the station’s Headhouse.
In addition, Amtrak is moving forward with plans to redevelop Union Station’s Headhouse. The railroad has contracted Jones Lang LaSalle to conduct a feasibility study to determine the best plan for the facility.
The project calls for installing air conditioning in the Great Hall, adding new restrooms, and doubling the seating in general passenger lounges. The project is expected to be complete by the end of 2012.
Union Station serves as the hub for the Midwest high-speed rail network. Once high-speed service is launched in the region, thousands more visitors will be using the facility.
“Having those updates made by the time the first high-speed trains come rolling through town will serve Illinoisans well,” said Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) in a prepared statement.
Amtrak will expand seating in the north and south boarding lounges for coach and business class passengers from the current 450 to 950. The railroad also will relocate the Metropolitan Lounge — used by long-distance train passengers — to an area between the Concourse and Great Hall and increase seating from about 150 to 200. And by 2011’s end, Amtrak will move its regional office from leased space south of the station into parts of two lower floors of the station’s Headhouse.
In addition, Amtrak is moving forward with plans to redevelop Union Station’s Headhouse. The railroad has contracted Jones Lang LaSalle to conduct a feasibility study to determine the best plan for the facility.
