Houston (Amtrak station)

Infobox Station
style=Amtrak
name=Houston Amtrak Station (Grand Central Station)


image_size=
image_caption=Houston Amtrak station
address=902 Washington Ave
line=rail color box|system=Amtrak|line=Sunset Limited
other=Greyhound, METRO Bus, and Thruway Motorcoach
platform=1 side platform, 1 island platform, several abandoned island platforms
tracks=two active, seven abandoned, two storage spurs
parking=Yes
bicycle=No
baggage_check=Yes
passengers=13,214
pass_year=FY2007
pass_percent=21.7
pass_system=Amtrak
opened=1905
closed=2012 (proposed)
rebuilt=1934, 1960
ADA=Yes
code=HOS
owned=Union Pacific Railroad
zone=
services=Sunset Limited, Thruway Motorcoach service to Longview, Trailways service to Galveston, Private Charter
mpassengers=

The Houston Amtrak station is a train station in Houston, Texas, United States served by Amtrak, the U.S. national railroad passenger system.

Originally built as the Southern Pacific Railroad Station, when Amtrak was created it was one of two train stations in Houston that served Amtrak trains, the other being Union Station, which is now part of Minute Maid Park. All Amtrak trains were moved to Southern Pacific Station over the course of the late seventies, and all trains were either canceled or rerouted out of Houston except the Sunset Limited. This station continued to be owned and operated by the Southern Pacific Railroad even after the creation of Amtrak, and to this day is owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad since the merger of Southern Pacific and Union Pacific.

A third station, the Katy Railroad Depot, was located at the top of the Main Street viaduct, next to the nowrap|University of Houston–Downtown. It has never served Amtrak, and has been demolished, except for part of the platform which still exists under the main street viaduct.

Intermodal Transit Center

In 2012, the current Amtrak station will be replaced by the Houston Intermodal Transit Center, Located just north of Downtown, on the Union Pacific Main line. It will be a much larger facility, with the tracks running underground, similar the design of Penn Station in New York.

Connections

*Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach connection to the Texas Eagle at Longview
*Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO) bus service
*Connections to Greyhound Bus Lines service [http://www.greyhound.com/scripts/en/TicketCenter/locations.asp?state=tx]

Gallery

ee also

References

External links

* [http://www.trainweb.org/usarail/houston.htm Houston Amtrak Station (USA Rail Guide -- Train Web)]