Bangor (Amtrak station)
Encyclopedia
Bangor Station is an Amtrak
station in Bangor, Michigan
on the Pere Marquette
. The renovated station includes an enclosed waiting area, washroom
s, a coffee shop, free parking
, and payphone
s.
The station serves northern Van Buren County
and the South Haven
area.
Of the 22 Michigan stations served by Amtrak, Bangor was the 20th-busiest in FY2010, boarding or detraining an average of approximately 10 passengers daily.
Bangor Station was built in 1926
by the Pere Marquette Railway
, replacing an 1870
wooden station that burned.
Amtrak shared the station with a toy train
manufacturer from 1984
(when Amtrak service began) to 1991
, when the manufacturer ceased production. The station was in declining condition, and Amtrak vacated it in favor of a smaller adjacent structure.
In November 2001
, the City of Bangor
purchased the station from CSX Transportation
to prevent it from demolition. In 2004
, they sold it to a health care
provider, who doubled the floor space of the building by expanding the attic
(once used as a sleeping space for railroaders) into a second floor
. The city still owned the south portico
, and they enclosed it as a waiting room.
In July, the Michigan Department of Transportation
awarded a $125,000 grant to the city and Amtrak to rebuild the waiting room and railway platform
(owned by Amtrak). After floor, windows, doors, and washrooms were replaced and the benches were refinished
, the station was fully reopened to trains on May 6, 2005
.
The portico
is now the waiting room, the waiting room is now a coffee shop, and the freight agent office and freight room are now space for the health care provider.
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...
station in Bangor, Michigan
Bangor, Michigan
Bangor is a city in Van Buren County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,933. The city is located in the northeast corner of Bangor Township, but is politically independent....
on the Pere Marquette
Pere Marquette (passenger train)
Pere Marquette is a passenger train service operated by Amtrak as part of its Michigan Services. The 176-mile line connects Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Chicago, Illinois. Pere Marquette is funded in part by the Michigan Department of Transportation...
. The renovated station includes an enclosed waiting area, washroom
Washroom
A public toilet is a room or small building containing one or more toilets and possibly also urinals which is available for use by the general public, or in a broader meaning of "public", by customers of other...
s, a coffee shop, free parking
Parking
Parking is the act of stopping a vehicle and leaving it unoccupied for more than a brief time. Parking on one or both sides of a road is commonly permitted, though often with restrictions...
, and payphone
Payphone
A payphone or pay phone is a public telephone, often located in a phone booth or a privacy hood, with pre-payment by inserting money , a credit or debit card, or a telephone card....
s.
The station serves northern Van Buren County
Van Buren County, Michigan
-Parks, preserves, natural areas:* Dunes Parkway, an 84 acre preserve of dunes in Covert Township* Jeptha Lake Fen Preserve, a 49 acre preserve in Columbia Township...
and the South Haven
South Haven, Michigan
South Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city is in Van Buren County, although a small portion extends into Allegan County. The population was 5,021 at the 2000 census....
area.
Of the 22 Michigan stations served by Amtrak, Bangor was the 20th-busiest in FY2010, boarding or detraining an average of approximately 10 passengers daily.
History
The brickBrick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
Bangor Station was built in 1926
1926 in rail transport
-May events:* May 1 - Burlington Refrigerator Express is formed as a joint venture between the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad and the Fruit Growers Express ....
by the Pere Marquette Railway
Pere Marquette Railway
The Pere Marquette Railway was a railroad that operated in the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada. The railroad had trackage in the states of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and the Canadian province of Ontario. Its primary connections included Buffalo; Toledo; and Chicago.The company was...
, replacing an 1870
1870 in rail transport
- January events :* January 20 - The Elizabeth City and Norfolk Railroad, which later became the original Norfolk Southern Railroad, is chartered to build a railroad line between Norfolk, Virginia, and Elizabeth City, North Carolina.- February events :...
wooden station that burned.
Amtrak shared the station with a toy train
Toy train
A toy train is a toy that represents a train. It is distinguished from a model train by an emphasis on low cost and durability, rather than scale modeling. A toy train can be as simple as a pull toy that does not even run on track, or it might be operated by clockwork or a battery...
manufacturer from 1984
1984 in rail transport
-April events:* 9 April - Saltaire station is reopened in West Yorkshire, England, by the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive nearly twenty years after it was closed by British Railways....
(when Amtrak service began) to 1991
1991 in rail transport
- January events :* January 8 - Cannon Street station rail crash at Cannon Street station in London kills two.- May events :May 14 - The Shigaraki train disaster occurred in Shigaraki , Shiga Prefecture, Japan...
, when the manufacturer ceased production. The station was in declining condition, and Amtrak vacated it in favor of a smaller adjacent structure.
In November 2001
2001 in rail transport
-January events:* January 17 – Groundbreaking ceremonies are held for the Hiawatha Line in Minneapolis, Minnesota.* January 27 – The Gerogery level crossing accident occurred in Gerogery, New South Wales, Australia and killed five people in a car....
, the City of Bangor
Bangor, Michigan
Bangor is a city in Van Buren County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,933. The city is located in the northeast corner of Bangor Township, but is politically independent....
purchased the station from CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
to prevent it from demolition. In 2004
2004 in rail transport
-January events:* January 1 – METRORail light rail service in Houston, Texas, opens.-February events:* February – Pacific National takes over Australian Transport Network....
, they sold it to a health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
provider, who doubled the floor space of the building by expanding the attic
Attic
An attic is a space found directly below the pitched roof of a house or other building . Attic is generally the American/Canadian reference to it...
(once used as a sleeping space for railroaders) into a second floor
Storey
A storey or story is any level part of a building that could be used by people...
. The city still owned the south portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
, and they enclosed it as a waiting room.
In July, the Michigan Department of Transportation
Michigan Department of Transportation
The Michigan Department of Transportation is a constitutional government agency in the US state of Michigan. The primary purpose of MDOT is to maintain the Michigan State Trunkline Highway System which includes all Interstate, US and state highways in Michigan with the exception of the Mackinac...
awarded a $125,000 grant to the city and Amtrak to rebuild the waiting room and railway platform
Railway platform
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
(owned by Amtrak). After floor, windows, doors, and washrooms were replaced and the benches were refinished
Refinishing
In woodworking and the decorative arts, refinishing refers to the act of repairing or reapplying the wood finishing on an object. In practice, this may apply to the paint or wood finish top coat, lacquer or varnish. The artisan or restorer is traditionally aiming for an improved or restored and...
, the station was fully reopened to trains on May 6, 2005
2005 in rail transport
- January events : January 6 – Graniteville train disaster – A Norfolk Southern train carrying a few carloads of hazardous materials collides with a parked train in Graniteville, South Carolina, causing the deaths of 9 people and the injury of over 250 more...
.
The portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
is now the waiting room, the waiting room is now a coffee shop, and the freight agent office and freight room are now space for the health care provider.
