Amtrak seeks to improve the Sandusky train station

SANDUSKY — Amtrak's new budget request is seeking funds to improve Sandusky's train station by providing access to both of the train tracks at the station. The national passenger rail company's budget request for 2024-25 also seeks improvements at other railroad stations, including in Cleveland, Toledo and Bryant. A blog post by Ken Prendergast at neo-trans.blog explains what Amtrak is trying to accomplish. "Amtrak wants to be able to serve stations along the south shores of the Great Lakes from either of the two parallel main tracks of Norfolk Southern's Chicago Line," Prendergast wrote. Currently, most station boarding platforms are only on one side of the railroad," Prendergast wrote. "Amtrak trains have to switch back and forth, or slalom between the two main tracks depending on which side of the main line the next station is located. Also, "Some of the Amtrak stations' trackside platforms like Elyria's and Sandusky's are too short for an entire passenger train up to 12 cars long to board/de-board passengers. So passenger trains often have to move forward a few cars to make two or even three stops at the same station," Prendergast wrote. He continued: "According to a 2014 presentation by All Aboard Ohio, not only do these extra moves delay each Amtrak train by about 5 minutes per station, it also delays many of Norfolk Southern's 70 daily freight trains using the same tracks. Addressing the 10 Amtrak stations — from Erie, Pennsylvania, west to Chicago — initially targeted by the program could result in saving 160 minutes each night in travel time just to Amtrak's trains." Prendergast is a NEOtrans blogger who has been an advocate for rail development. U.S. Rep, Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo, said she'll back Amtrak's request for Sandusky. "I have long supported robust funding for the Amtrak national network, and specifically for improvement of the passenger station in Sandusky," Kaptur said. "These funding requests from Amtrak for funding for stations in Toledo, Bryan, Sandusky, and throughout the Great Lakes Region show the urgency to improve the Northern Ohio rail corridor which is the spine of our regional economy." It's probably too early in the budget process to predict whether Amtrak's request for Sandusky will be approved, said Ben Kamens, a spokesman for Kaptur. Greyhound's bus stop in Sandusky is at the Amtrak station, 1230 N. Depot St. Rail advocates persuaded Greyhound to move its bus stop to the train station, Prendergast wrote. Prendergast wrote that Amtrak is asking for $300 million for improvements in passenger railroad stations that serve the Great Lakes. Prendergast also noted Amtrak ridership in 2024 is exceeding its record-high achieved before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019. These improvements could further enhance ridership. Amtrak's Capitol Limited train, which runs from Chicago to Washington, D.C., stops in Sandusky at 12:40 a.m. when it is eastbound and at 4:02 a.m. when it is westbound.