30 replies to this topic

[cityboi]

I've never been on Amtrak before but I'm glad the railroad tracks go right through downtown where you can see the best view of Greensboro's skyline.

[TowerRooster]

cityboi, on Dec 13 2004, 04:05 PM, said:

I've never been on Amtrak before but I'm glad the railroad tracks go right through downtown where you can see the best view of Greensboro's skyline.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I must agree.... Amtrak is a great way to see our country period.  I took it for the first time this Thanksgiving from Charleston, WV to Charlottesville VA where I had a 5 hour layover (and I might add, Charlottesville is an incredibly cool town... if any of you ever have a chance, check out thier main street).  The second train went from Charlottesville to Charlotte.  The first leg's highlights were the breathtaking views of the New River Gorge, and the second leg was great for all the NC towns, including Greensboro.  I went to UNCG for two years and it brought back memories from my time there.  Great views of downtown.

[orulz]

For an interesting read about the past, present, and future of the Greensboro station, take a look at this:

http://www.railfan.n...8/msg00020.html

[cityboi]

Thanks for the link orulz!

[ezcheese]

I drove by the station yesterday. It looks great!

[orulz]

ezcheese, on Dec 17 2004, 10:56 PM, said:

I drove by the station yesterday. It looks great!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Since I've never spent much time in Greensboro, and have only seen the station from the inside of a moving train, I've got some questions for you. What's the neighborhood around the station like? Would it be a neat place for a day trip? I just rode through the other day, and if I'm not getting my memories crossed, the streets were all decorated with christmas lights and stuff - very pretty. The platforms themselves have been progressing bit by bit every time I've gone by; the pedestrian subway and the canopy over the platforms look like they're pretty much done now. It's about time, too, since that dinky little thing that they're using for the station right now is always too crowded and just doesn't cut it!

How about this: a request for you, or anyone else in Greensboro!  When you have a free hour or so, could you stop by the station and snap some pictures if it and the surrounding area for all of us? I bet I'm not the only one who would like to know what the biggest & best train station in North Carolina lookes like. (please?)

The trains that NC subsidizes really are a huge asset. As a state, we're the #5 supporter of Amtrak in the country (behind California, Illinois, Washington, and Missouri, but ahead of states like New York and Pennsylvania.) I think that the service we have, limited as it may be, is something to be proud of. Okay, okay, the southbound Carolinian is chronically late (blame freight congestion in Virginia.) But if you call up ahead of time to find when the train's going to be at your stop, you'll be just fine. I've been stuck in traffic on I-40 for way longer than an hour on more than one occasion! Some people get caught up in the idea that "If it ain't high speed rail it ain't worth riding" and completely ignore how well the system we have right now works. It's sad to think that some politicians (COUGH)Ballantine(COUGH) want to nix it. Kinda makes me dread the day that NC elects a republican governor.

If you haven't tried Amtrak in N.C, I highly recommend it.

[ezcheese]

The great camera I was using to take pictures in Charlotte had to stay in Charlotte. But I just got word that I'll be getting another slightly better digital camera for xmas this year! As soon as I get my new camera, you can bet I'll be going nuts taking pictures around Greensboro. I have been looking for a house to buy recently near downtown, so I am getting pretty familiar with fisher park and other great old neighborhoods near downtown.

As far as the area near the station... the area is definitely turning around. There have been several people going in and fixing up old houses and there are new houses and mixed use projects going up not too far away. It's all changing, slowly but surely!

There will definitely be a constant flow of pictures from all over Greensboro once I get my hands on a new camera.  

[cityboi]

I agree. The Greensboro depot is unique and the neighboring areas around the station are turning around for the better. One example is a nearby neighborhood called Southside. Old homes are being restored. New ones are being built to look like old homes. Then there are town homes and live-work units. Almost like a "Georgetown" look. The neighborhood use to be plague with crime and prostitution back in the mid 1980s but its completely different today. Its very safe and people from all walks of life live there now.

AS soon as I take more downtown photos I'll try to take some of the depot. I actually have photos that I took last year of the depot but I have to find them.

[ezcheese]

orulz, on Dec 17 2004, 11:35 PM, said:

Since I've never spent much time in Greensboro, and have only seen the station from the inside of a moving train, I've got some questions for you. What's the neighborhood around the station like? Would it be a neat place for a day trip? I just rode through the other day, and if I'm not getting my memories crossed, the streets were all decorated with christmas lights and stuff - very pretty. The platforms themselves have been progressing bit by bit every time I've gone by; the pedestrian subway and the canopy over the platforms look like they're pretty much done now. It's about time, too, since that dinky little thing that they're using for the station right now is always too crowded and just doesn't cut it!

How about this: a request for you, or anyone else in Greensboro!  When you have a free hour or so, could you stop by the station and snap some pictures if it and the surrounding area for all of us? I bet I'm not the only one who would like to know what the biggest & best train station in North Carolina lookes like. (please?)

The trains that NC subsidizes really are a huge asset. As a state, we're the #5 supporter of Amtrak in the country (behind California, Illinois, Washington, and Missouri, but ahead of states like New York and Pennsylvania.) I think that the service we have, limited as it may be, is something to be proud of. Okay, okay, the southbound Carolinian is chronically late (blame freight congestion in Virginia.) But if you call up ahead of time to find when the train's going to be at your stop, you'll be just fine. I've been stuck in traffic on I-40 for way longer than an hour on more than one occasion! Some people get caught up in the idea that "If it ain't high speed rail it ain't worth riding" and completely ignore how well the system we have right now works. It's sad to think that some politicians (COUGH)Ballantine(COUGH) want to nix it. Kinda makes me dread the day that NC elects a republican governor.

If you haven't tried Amtrak in N.C, I highly recommend it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Here are a couple of shots I got of the station today. I didn't go in and take pictures today, but I will sometime in the future.

[cityboi]

Thank you for taking those photos ezcheese. I just love the way they've combined the new construction with the old 1926 depot

[ezcheese]

Sure! I took them pretty early in the morning, so the sun was kind of glaring. I will get better pictures some time in the future.