Cleveland Lakefront Station

File:Cleveland Lakefront station after dedication ceremony, July 1977.jpg

Lakefront Station was built as a replacement for Cleveland Union Terminal (now Tower City Center), which was built in 1928 and served as the main terminal for the Shaker Heights Rapid Transit, and in 1955, the crosstown Red Line.{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Cleveland Union Terminal |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Cleveland |url=http://ech.case.edu/cgi/article.pl?id=CUT |access-date=February 11, 2014}} The newly formed Amtrak initially ran a single route through Cleveland, the Lake Shore, when it launched in 1971. However, Amtrak chafed at Cleveland Union Terminal's high rent and the need to switch to electric locomotives to access its enclosed platforms. Additionally, Cleveland's rail traffic had declined over the last quarter century to the point that it no longer began to justify such a massive facility. Amtrak rerouted passenger service to the ex-Big Four Railroad tracks on January 2, 1972. The "platform" extended from the former Erie Railroad depot to the intersection of Superior Avenue and Old River Road, underneath the Detroit–Superior Bridge.{{Cite news |last=Clark |first=John |date=January 2, 1972 |title=Amtrak Signals Wrong Bus Line |volume=131 |pages=11 |work=The Plain Dealer |issue=2 |url=https://infoweb-newsbank-com.eresources.cuyahogalibrary.org/apps/news/document-view?p=EANX-NB&t=pubname%3A122AFBBA107AC9E4%21Plain%2BDealer&sort=YMD_date%3AD&fld-base-0=alltext&maxresults=20&val-base-0=Amtrak&fld-nav-1=YMD_date&val-nav-1=Nov%201971%20-%20Feb%201972&docref=image/v2%3A122AFBBA107AC9E4%40EANX-NB-12DD778C1F9D7510%402441319-12DD7062DDB2EAE8%4010-12DD7062DDB2EAE8%40 |url-access=registration |access-date=February 25, 2023}} This stop was discontinued when the Lake Shore ended service on January 5.{{Cite book |last=Toman |first=Jim |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BXGg1UHZQFQC |title=Horse trails to regional rails: the story of public transit in greater Cleveland |last2=Blaine S. Hayes |publisher=Kent State University Press |year=1996 |isbn=978-0-87338-547-3}}; 280, 295.

For the next three years, Cleveland was severed from the national rail network. Construction of a temporary station began in September 1975.{{Cite news |date=September 5, 1975 |title=Amtrak Station to Be Built |page=6 |work=The News-Herald |location=Port Clinton, Ohio |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41324082/cleveland-station-september-5-1975/ |access-date=March 12, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}} This temporary station opened for Lake Shore Limited service on October 31, 1975. Groundbreaking of the current Lakefront Station was August 31, 1976,{{Cite book |last=Baer |first=Christopher T. |url=http://www.prrths.com/newprr_files/Hagley/PRR1976.pdf |title=A GENERAL CHRONOLOGY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD COMPANY ITS PREDECESSORS AND SUCCESSORS AND ITS HISTORICAL CONTEXT |date=April 2015 |access-date=August 23, 2022}} with the station officially opened on June 29, 1977. The formal dedication of the station occurred on July 12.{{Cite news |date=July 12, 1977 |title=Roadless Amtrak Station Dedicated |work=Toledo Blade |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19770712&id=MgtPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YgIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7102,525144 |access-date=February 10, 2014}} According to Amtrak's employee magazine, a crowd of more than 300 gathered for the dedication of the $552,000 depot. Speakers included Mary J. Head, vice chairman of the Amtrak Board of Directors, and Cleveland Mayor Ralph J. Perk. Following the dedication ceremony, attendees were invited to tour the facility and enjoy cake and coffee.{{Cite web |date=July 15, 1977 |title=Flag Raising, Speeches, Open House Highlight Dedication of New Cleveland Station |url=http://history.amtrak.com/archives/i-amtrak-news-i-july-15-1977 |access-date=December 19, 2014 |publisher=Amtrak News}}

Lakefront Station has undergone little renovation since its opening. In recent years, its lack of modernization has become more noticeable, especially its appearance and lack of adequate signage.{{Cite news |date=July 18, 2010 |title=Search for Cleveland's Amtrak station can take travelers off track: Road Rant |work=The Plain Dealer |url=http://www.cleveland.com/roadrant/index.ssf/2010/07/search_for_clevelands_amtrak_s.html |access-date=February 2, 2014}} In August 2012, when the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland was under construction, a Cuyahoga County official expressed a desire to keep Lakefront Station out of view, and even Amtrak officials conceded that the station had not aged well.{{Cite news |date=August 28, 2012 |title=Cuyahoga County wants to hide Amtrak station from convention center view |work=The Plain Dealer |url=http://www.cleveland.com/cuyahoga-county/index.ssf/2012/08/cuyahoga_county_wants_to_hide_amtrak_station_from_convention_center_view.html |access-date=February 2, 2014}} One proposed solution was to build a new station underground, but due to a lack of funding, the county settled on hiding the station behind trees and shrubs as a short-term solution.

File:Cleveland Lakefront Amtrak.jpg

Cleveland has four daily trains: the Floridian (trains 40 and 41) between Miami and Chicago, and the Lake Shore Limited (trains 48/448 and 49/449) between Chicago and New York City/Boston. {{As of|November 2024}}, these trains were scheduled to arrive/depart from Cleveland at various times between 1:00 a.m. and 5:50 a.m.{{Cite web |date=January 2014 |title=Capitol Limited Timetable |url=http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/1018/224/Capitol-Limited-Schedule-011314.pdf |access-date=February 2, 2014 |website=Amtrak}}{{Cite web |date=January 2014 |title=Lake Shore Limited Timetable |url=http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/559/873/Lake-Shore-Limited-Schedule-011314.pdf |access-date=February 2, 2014 |publisher=Amtrak}} The timing of the departures and arrivals has drawn criticism, with Amtrak also trying to tinker with train schedules through suggestions, reminding people that the schedules are not set in stone.{{Cite news |date=March 11, 2010 |title=Amtrak to review service on routes through Cleveland |work=The Plain Dealer |url=http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/03/amtrak_to_review_service_on_ro.html |access-date=February 2, 2014 |quote=But that doesn't mean the schedule is set in stone for the Capital Limited. "Everything is on the table, and there are no bad ideas," he said.}}

The Cleveland RTA Rapid Waterfront Line tracks separate the station building and Amtrak platform.{{Cite web |title=Waterfront Line |url=http://www.riderta.com/routes/waterfrontline |access-date=February 2, 2014 |publisher=Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority}} There is no platform for the Waterfront Line trains, but they will stop at the station upon request, with passengers discharging at the at-grade pedestrian connection to the building. The stop is not accessible.{{Cite web |date=April 2, 2013 |title=Amtrak (by request only) Rapid Station |url=http://www.riderta.com/facilities/amtrak |access-date=February 2, 2014 |publisher=Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority}} However, the Waterfront Line does not run during most of the time of day that includes Amtrak arrivals or departures.{{cite book |title=Lost Subways of North America |first=Jake |last=Berman |pages=55–56 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |isbn=978-0-226-82979-1 |year=2023}}

The Lake Shore Limited has served Lakefront Station from its opening in 1975. The Capitol Limited began stopping at Lakefront on November 12, 1990, after Conrail's abandonment of portions of the ex-Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway in northwestern Indiana forced the re-routing of that train along with the Broadway Limited. Previously it had passed to the south, serving Canton.{{Welsh-Broadway|pp=146-147}} Between 1998 and 2003, the Pennsylvanian served Cleveland, providing daylight service to Chicago and Philadelphia. Weak ridership prompted Amtrak to return the train to a Pittsburgh–New York schedule.{{Cite news |last=Patch |first=David |date=December 11, 2002 |title=Amtrak trims Toledo service |work=Toledo Blade |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aYcUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DQQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3383,3343895 |access-date=August 17, 2010}} On November 10, 2024, the Capitol Limited was merged with the {{lnl|Amtrak|Silver Star}} as the Floridian.{{Cite press release |date=September 23, 2024 |title=Amtrak Launching the Floridian, with Daily Service Between Chicago and Miami |url=https://media.amtrak.com/2024/09/amtrak-launching-the-floridian-with-daily-service-between-chicago-and-miami/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240923190514/https://media.amtrak.com/2024/09/amtrak-launching-the-floridian-with-daily-service-between-chicago-and-miami/ |archive-date=September 23, 2024 |access-date=September 23, 2024 |publisher=Amtrak}}

On May 27, 2021, Amtrak released a long-range planning document detailing plans for multiple new corridor routes, including possible extensions of one round trip of the Pennsylvanian and Empire Service each to Cleveland. In addition, there are proposals for three round trips to Detroit via Toledo, and to Cincinnati via Columbus and Dayton.{{Cite web |date=May 27, 2021 |title=Amtrak 2021 Corridor Vision |url=https://www.amtrakconnectsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Amtrak-2021-Corridor-Vision-May27_2021.pdf |access-date=May 31, 2021}} However, Lakefront Station is not large enough to accommodate this proposed dramatic increase in service. For this reason, a group by the name of All Aboard Ohio is pushing for the restoration of rail service at Cleveland Union Terminal.{{Cite web |last=Glaser |first=Susan |last2=clevel |last3=.com |date=April 15, 2021 |title=Rail advocacy group wants Cleveland Amtrak station back at Tower City |url=https://www.cleveland.com/travel/2021/04/rail-advocacy-group-wants-cleveland-amtrak-station-back-at-tower-city.html |access-date=March 22, 2022 |website=cleveland |language=en}}

Amtrak trains stop on the southernmost track at a side platform; the RTA tracks do not have any true platforms, but RTA trains can stop on the walkway between the station building and Amtrak platform. The structure has a porte-cochère, which protects passengers from inclement weather.{{Cite web |title=Cleveland, OH – Great American Stations |url=http://www.greatamericanstations.com/Stations/CLE |access-date=February 2, 2014 |website=Great American Stations}} The interior was built with a similar design to that of the exterior, and features a central skylight. Shadows from its exposed trusses create different patterns on the brown brick floor, built in a basket-weaved pattern. Exposed ductwork is visible throughout the trusses, as are the light fixtures. All of the ceiling elements are painted white, which tend to recede and produce a sense of airiness which is further enhanced by the floor-to-ceiling windows. Banks of seats are located close to public telephones and a vending area.

• Railroad terminals of Cleveland

{{reflist}}

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{{Amtrak web|CLE|Cleveland Lakefront Station|OHIO}}

• [https://riderta.com/facilities/amtrak Amtrak Rapid Station (GCRTA)]
• [http://www.trainweb.org/usarail/cleveland.htm Cleveland Lakefront Station (USA RailGuide -- TrainWeb)]

{{Cleveland terminals}}

{{Amtrak Ohio stations}}

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Category:Amtrak stations in Ohio

Category:Waterfront Line (RTA Rapid Transit)

Category:Transportation buildings and structures in Cleveland

Category:Railway stations in the United States opened in 1975

Category:Chicago Line (Norfolk Southern)

Category:1975 establishments in Ohio