Re: Too many "Transit Authorities"?
Author: Sal Cupertine
Date: 05-13-2019 - 10:30
Joe,
Utah is a much smaller state than California with fewer big city urban areas that would require separate transit districts so one system makes sense there.
I'm not sure of all the facts but I believe UP and D&RGW made the decision to close the Salt Lake City stations after Amtrak was formed and they went out of the passenger business. After UP SP and Rio Grande merged I guess they decided to abandon the tracks to the Zephyr station. Maybe the city pressured them to do it as part of urban renewal or it made better sense to get trains moved to other line. It must have been before the Front Runner trains were started and they never anticipated that commuter rail would begin in such a small state.
It would be nice if they could improve Amtrak station
It made sense for UP to develop the land around the old station. It is a lot nicer now.
At least they saved the stations. Old D&RGW is a museum open to the public I think UP station is used for private events I was there a couple years ago and they was a big homeless presence around D&RGW station