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Midway (Amtrak station)
Encyclopedia
Midway Station is the Amtrak
train station
in Saint Paul, Minnesota
, so named after the Midway area which is roughly halfway between the downtowns of St. Paul and neighboring Minneapolis
. Its Amtrak station code is MSP and serves as the only intercity train station for the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area. When it opened in 1978, it took over traffic from the Minneapolis Great Northern Depot
, which itself had combined the services of the Minneapolis station and the Saint Paul Union Depot
when Amtrak began operating in 1971. The Great Northern depot was demolished, but the Saint Paul depot still exists and is being rehabilitated in order to handle trains again in 2012, at which time the Midway station is expected to close.
The only current rail service at this station is the Empire Builder
, named to honor Twin Cities-based mogul James J. Hill
who constructed most of the rail system connecting the area to other major U.S. and Canadian cities (and whose nickname was "The Empire Builder"). Westbound trains are headed for Spokane, Washington
(splitting to serve Seattle, Washington
and Portland, Oregon
) while eastbound trains are headed for Chicago. There are several intermittent stops between. About one-eighth of Empire Builder passengers board or alight at this station.
The station previously served the North Coast Hiawatha until that was consolidated into the Empire Builder in 1979. Amtrak's Thruway Motorcoach bus
service has been available to connect to Duluth, Minnesota
since 1985, when the North Star
rail service was discontinued.
The station is located next to tracks owned by the Minnesota Commercial Railway
and marks a division point between running on the Canadian Pacific Railway
(former Milwaukee Road tracks between Chicago and St. Paul) and the BNSF Railway
(former Great Northern Railway tracks between St. Paul and Seattle.)
There are two platforms at the station, though the Empire Builder only uses the side platform nearest the station building. There is a second island platform that serves two tracks, but it is rarely used. There are also two spurs behind the main platform which are used for storage and display of historic train cars.
. Of the six Minnesota stations served by Amtrak, Midway was the busiest in FY10, boarding or detraining an average of about 350 passengers daily.
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
train station
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
in Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
, so named after the Midway area which is roughly halfway between the downtowns of St. Paul and neighboring Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
. Its Amtrak station code is MSP and serves as the only intercity train station for the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area. When it opened in 1978, it took over traffic from the Minneapolis Great Northern Depot
Minneapolis Great Northern Depot
The Minneapolis Great Northern Depot was a passenger train station that served Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was built in 1913 and demolished in 1978...
, which itself had combined the services of the Minneapolis station and the Saint Paul Union Depot
Saint Paul Union Depot
The Saint Paul Union Depot was the main train station in the city of Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Saint Paul Union Depot Company controlled of St. Paul trackage and terminal facilities, including the depot building...
when Amtrak began operating in 1971. The Great Northern depot was demolished, but the Saint Paul depot still exists and is being rehabilitated in order to handle trains again in 2012, at which time the Midway station is expected to close.
The only current rail service at this station is the Empire Builder
Empire Builder
The Empire Builder is a passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Midwestern and Northwestern United States. It is Amtrak's busiest long-distance route and busiest daily train, carrying more than 500,000 travelers annually since 2007. Overall, it is the railroad's 10th-busiest line. Before...
, named to honor Twin Cities-based mogul James J. Hill
James J. Hill
James Jerome Hill , was a Canadian-American railroad executive. He was the chief executive officer of a family of lines headed by the Great Northern Railway, which served a substantial area of the Upper Midwest, the northern Great Plains, and Pacific Northwest...
who constructed most of the rail system connecting the area to other major U.S. and Canadian cities (and whose nickname was "The Empire Builder"). Westbound trains are headed for Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
(splitting to serve Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
and Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
) while eastbound trains are headed for Chicago. There are several intermittent stops between. About one-eighth of Empire Builder passengers board or alight at this station.
The station previously served the North Coast Hiawatha until that was consolidated into the Empire Builder in 1979. Amtrak's Thruway Motorcoach bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
service has been available to connect to Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
since 1985, when the North Star
North Star (Amtrak)
The North Star was a passenger train operated by Amtrak along the "Hiawatha Corridor" during the late 1970s and early- to mid-1980s. It originally operated as a Chicago, Illinois–Duluth, Minnesota train via Saint Paul, Minnesota, but was soon converted to a Saint Paul–Duluth local...
rail service was discontinued.
The station is located next to tracks owned by the Minnesota Commercial Railway
Minnesota Commercial Railway
The Minnesota Commercial Railway is a short line railroad in the United States.This railroad operates out of the St. Paul area with service to Minneapolis, Bayport, Hugo, Fridley and New Brighton. It is considered a terminal and switching line. It is based out of a roundhouse on Cleveland Ave. in...
and marks a division point between running on the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
(former Milwaukee Road tracks between Chicago and St. Paul) and the BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
(former Great Northern Railway tracks between St. Paul and Seattle.)
There are two platforms at the station, though the Empire Builder only uses the side platform nearest the station building. There is a second island platform that serves two tracks, but it is rarely used. There are also two spurs behind the main platform which are used for storage and display of historic train cars.
Ridership
Midway Station is served by Amtrak's daily Empire BuilderEmpire Builder
The Empire Builder is a passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Midwestern and Northwestern United States. It is Amtrak's busiest long-distance route and busiest daily train, carrying more than 500,000 travelers annually since 2007. Overall, it is the railroad's 10th-busiest line. Before...
. Of the six Minnesota stations served by Amtrak, Midway was the busiest in FY10, boarding or detraining an average of about 350 passengers daily.
See also
- Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Depot Freight House and Train ShedChicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Depot Freight House and Train ShedThe Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Depot Freight House and Train Shed , now officially named The Depot, is a historic railroad depot in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Chicago, Milwaukee, St...
– Former Minneapolis destination for Milwaukee Road, Soo Line, and Rock Island passenger trains - Saint Paul Union DepotSaint Paul Union DepotThe Saint Paul Union Depot was the main train station in the city of Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Saint Paul Union Depot Company controlled of St. Paul trackage and terminal facilities, including the depot building...
– Former and future St. Paul passenger train destination - Minneapolis Great Northern DepotMinneapolis Great Northern DepotThe Minneapolis Great Northern Depot was a passenger train station that served Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was built in 1913 and demolished in 1978...
– Former Minneapolis destination for Chicago and Northwestern, Great Northern, and Northern Pacific passenger trains
