Baltimore’s historic train station is expanding and getting its first major facelift in nearly four decades. The revamp will help speed up passenger trains in the Washington-to-New York corridor.
Renovation of the station’s 110-year-old train hall began last month as part of a $150 million revamp that will include an extension of the concourse, two new train platforms and food, retail and office amenities to be completed by 2025. The improvements will double track capacity at the station — the eighth-busiest in Amtrak’s network — and could precede a multibillion-dollar transformation of Union Station in the nation’s capital.
“This is a priority for Amtrak,” said Brian Traylor, the railroad’s director of planning and development for major stations. “It’s a historic station. It’s beautiful. It holds a very special place in the hearts of every Baltimorean. … But the building itself is not in a state of good repair.” Amtrak is paying for the station improvements using federal grants for capital projects. The company received a $4 million state contribution and said the private developer will finance the commercial portion.Facade and interior improvements on the train hall are scheduled to begin this summer. That will include masonry repairs, window refurbishment, a new roof and work on the building’s outdated mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems.