Union Station (Springfield, Massachusetts)

Springfield Union Station
Springfield Union Station in July 2016 during renovations
Location	66 Lyman Street Springfield, Massachusetts
Coordinates	42°06′22″N 72°35′35″W / 42.106047°N 72.592936°W / 42.106047; -72.592936Coordinates: 42°06′22″N 72°35′35″W / 42.106047°N 72.592936°W / 42.106047; -72.592936
Owned by	Springfield Redevelopment Authority (Union Station, future bus terminal, future parking garage) Amtrak (current station and platforms)
Line(s)	New Haven–Springfield Line Connecticut River Line Berkshire Subdivision Boston Subdivision
Platforms	2 side platforms, 2 island platforms
Tracks	6
Construction
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Station code	Amtrak code: SPG
History
Opened	1839 (original station) 1851 (first Union Station) 1891 (second Union Station) 1926 (third Union Station) 1973 (first Amtrak station) November 1994 (second Amtrak station)
Traffic
Passengers (FY2016)	93,650  24.83% (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station   Amtrak   Following station Pittsfield toward Chicago Lake Shore Limited Worcester toward Boston South Station Windsor Locks toward Norfolk, Newport News, or Lynchburg Northeast Regional New Haven – Springfield Line Terminus Windsor Locks toward New Haven New Haven – Springfield Shuttle Windsor Locks toward Washington, DC Vermonter Holyoke toward St. Albans   Starting in early 2018   ConnDOT Enfield toward New Haven Union Station Hartford Line Terminus   Former services   New York Central Railroad Westfield, MA toward Albany Boston and Albany Railroad Main Line North Wilbraham toward Boston

Springfield Union Station is an Amtrak railroad station in Springfield, Massachusetts. Constructed in 1926, Springfield Union Station is the fifth busiest Amtrak station in Massachusetts. Amtrak passengers currently use a small station across the tracks. Union Station is undergoing a $83 million renovation project; beginning in 2017 it will again be used as a railroad station. A new intercity and local bus terminal and a parking garage are also under construction as part of the project.

Springfield's grand Union Station was constructed in 1926 by the Boston & Albany Railroad to replace a smaller Union Station, which had been adorned in unique Egyptian-style architecture. The station was built for $5.87 million.

Springfield is exactly equidistant to both Boston and Albany at 89 miles (143 km) from each. The New York, New Haven & Hartford (including the Central New England Railway) and Boston & Maine railroads also utilized the station.

The 1926 main station building and baggage building closed in the 1970s when the Boston & Albany railroad ceased to exist and Amtrak took over the station's passenger routes. The building had been neglected for a number of years and was in poor condition and the required rehabilitation to the building was deemed too costly. After this, Amtrak opened a makeshift station at street level within the passenger tunnel with the sole entrance being from Lyman street and the connection from the tunnel to the old station was sealed.

In 1994 Amtrak constructed the present station building at track level and sealed off the passenger tunnel except for the present Lyman street entrance and the southern most stairway and elevator shaft to track level and a modern elevator was installed in the remaining open shaft to connect from street level to the new station building above.

In October 2008, the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority and the Springfield Redevelopment Authority released a redevelopment plan for Union Station. The plan, estimated to cost $65.2 million, called for restoring the 1926 Union Station Terminal building for reuse as an intermodal rail and bus station and fully building out the first floor and main concourse with rentable commercial space and ticketing and waiting areas for both rail and bus. The baggage building was to be demolished and baggage tunnel sealed. A parking garage and bus bays for both inter-city and regional bus services (which would replace the Peter L. Picknelly Transportation Center a block away) would go on the footprint of the former baggage building. Additionally the pedestrian tunnel to Lyman Street would be restored, and the platforms raised for handicapped accessibility. The final plan announced in December 2014, at a cost 75.7 million additionally includes restoring and building out the upper floors of the 1926 station building to usable vacant "shell space" which would include completing the required infrastructure and utility work on the floors with final finishing work to be done by the eventual tenants based on their needs. This space is aimed for use by office or other commercial tenants.