OK, looks like we have finally an Amtrak station in Madison, see that did not take long to build. Looks like Arun Rao is again PM on the Amtrak side so service startup is probably going to happen by 2030, contingent on funding of course. Not sure who is paying to upgrade the Watertown to Madison tracks, last I heard they were 10-20 mph…with no signaling.
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After seeing former major depot restorations at Michigan Central and St. Louis Union at the exclusion of rail usage, I am skeptical that this historic building will ever see a train. I hope that the temporary depot they are talking about is in a good location. The fact that the developer is taking a scatter-shot approach to usage including housing, hospitality, retail, and rail, sounds like he is shopping around for grants which would point to final direction of redevelopment.
With my trip to St. Louis, one night we had dinner at ‘The Soda Fountain’ at St. Louis Union Station. they have converted the facility into a legit tourist attraction. Everyone in the party had gone from Maryland to St. Louis that day and we were all running on empty.
Madison lives in another world. The train most likely would block a key intersection when stopped at the temporary station. Very little parking at either location. But what do I know. I would hope they’d have a second stop somewhere between Hwy 51 and Sun Prairie. Who would want to fight traffic to get to the square when they want to get out of town?
That is what is so strange. I thought Sun Prairie would be a natural for a station stop as it is midway between Watertown and Madison. So far only Pewaukee and Watertown from what I read.
How close is the proposed stop from campus and capitol buildings? That’s where much of the ridership would be.
You would have to look on a map. UW-Madison is spread out but this location should be within walking distance. The building entrance at street level is two levels above the tracks and the tracks run right behind this building, I think there is even room for 2-3 tracks vs 1. Mona Terrace should be both very close if not right next to both UW-Madison and the State Capitol building.
They mentioned a parking garage at one point. Have no idea where they would put that or if it is even in the budget. Upgrading the tracks, I don’t see how you do that for just $250 million with two new stations planned. Watertown to Madison I suspect are state owned tracks already (Wisconsin and Southern)…which makes this whole transaction a LOT easier and probably cheaper as probably not a lot of preconditions for service.
I hope everyone once in their lives gets to see Berlin Hauptbahnhof. That’s a tourist attraction in itself and is also a very busy train station too. Trains on top level going east west . Trains on bottom level going north south. Shopping levels in between. That’s what train stations in the states should be.
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If they worked a deal with the owners of the former. Milwaukee Rd. Passenger station, I bet they’d save a lot. Would have more room, be next to Kohl Center, closer to campus, and still near capitol.
That kind of development is called a PUD, and any developer desirous of making a plan ‘around’ rail transportation is foolish not to plan – and secure prequal – on as much community development as practical. It has nothing objective to do with grants, although a developer would also be foolish not to apply for as much grant assistance as makes sense.
Which may be none. Grants usually come with disbursement timing and conditions that are wildly unlike actual real-estate construction, and you’ll ignore the potential problems at great potential pain. See the restoration of 1309 for a list of things to watch for…
They have the full wye track in place to do both stops, if the train had bi-directional capability. Mona Terrace puts it right next to the Capitol and the former Milwaukee Station puts it right next to Kohl Center.
I use the term “grants” in a most broad sense to include things like tax breaks. Brownfields originally meant abandoned contaminated properties. It now seems to include any blighted properties. It seems that every developer states that if they don’t obtain public grants/tax breaks, the project can’t go forward. Usually before then, politicians are already pushing for the assistance. Right now housing shortage is the big concern that has the politicians attention, so it’s no surprise that housing was included in the station project.
As it is close to UW, there is a need for more luxury housing true at most BIG campuses these days.
You expect UW NIL millionaires to use it?
Those NIL millionaires are living with other players getting money also. But the coaching staffs do try to keep them in check. Plus student athletes do sign a contract to maintain their eligibility academically and most athletic programs require the players to eat through the sports nutrition program nowadays. The era of jocks and such living on beer and pizza is gone. These guys literally have gourmet chefs cooking for them. Alabama spends something like 50 million dollars to feed all their student athletes on scholarship.
They are no longer student-athletes’; they are athletic-students.
For those of you who are shocked! Shocked!! that some college athletes are not at school primarily to learn, I suggest reading Veblen’s “The Higher Learning in America.”
All except Erik Mag – he might be traumatized… 
No, Captain Obvious!!
College athletes have been getting paid for over 100 years. It’s just above board now.
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Autos are also a money pit: cost of buying car, maintenance, fuel, parking, insurance, medical costs including catastrophic care, tax money beyond gas tax which does not cover highway maintenance, mid-east wars, environmental costs, etc. But as you say, people want to go when they want.