In an article entitled “How interior work at train station was derailed” the Lancastaer Sunday News huffs “Amtrak station renovation work shockingly didn’t cover the inside public areas. Full steam ahead to come up with a plan … and money.”
The article continues “Why that work was not included in the original contract remains a mystery, particularly since the station, used by more than 500,000 passengers a year, is the second-busiest station (behind Philadelphia) on the Keystone Line.”
Why the Lancaster Newspapers were unaware of this remains an even bigger mystery, considering the numerous articles they wrote on the subject of the Amtrak station renewal.
It further reports “The Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the James Street Improvement District, the Economic Development Co. of Lancaster and the Lancaster Alliance have issued statements to the county commissioners expressing their concerns about the future of the interior work.”
And where were these self appointed guardians of the public welfare when the planning was taking place?
On the other hand, Newslanc.com in articles single handedly blew the whistle on the initial inane parking lot arrangement which would have added no spaces for commuters and forced them to walk greater distances. The articles and the publisher’s private lobbying led to a beneficial revision of the plan.
All of this fuss which loses sight of the whole picture.
The real reason that the train station was aloud to deteriorate in the first place was the lack of profitability of passenger rail service. I don’t recall any serious effort to maintain the station in the past thirty years that amounted to anything more than lambasting the stewardship of Amtrak by the very same people who created it to bail out the failing passenger rail industry.
Now, with high gas prices and increased rail ridership, we have arguments over what should be given priority during the renovation process of the station?! I am all for the renovation of the station but this playing acting was worn out with the convention center……..