In an effort to bring national attention to our cause, volunteer Josh Hall has put a listing up on the NTHP “This Place Matters” website. You can check it out here.
Thanks Josh!
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I wonder if Tim Russert spent much time at the terminal in his younger years, while it was still open, or even recently, and once it becomes possible for restoration efforts start moving ahead full steam, if an area in the restored terminal could be dedicated in his memory. I also wonder if anyone knows if he appeared in a video clip, possibly posted on YouTube, talking about the terminal. It would be interesting to find that out. My condolences to his family. He was a great man, and some very tough shoes to fill. If anyone knows of such a video, please give us all a shout!
Thanx!
The central terminal will come back fully in every way when the airport corridor is built.
If and when that happens, then the expansive parking will be a parknride for the eastside, the office tower and mail/baggage buildings will become easily marketable and the central terminal will become the prefered location for the maintenance sheds now at the DL&W.
the CRTC headed by Gladys couldnt be more stupid in their cobblestone loop study when its the airport corridor that is experiencing the greatest growth and the greatest likelihood for profitability of all the lines, even the track is already there from the days of the beltway.
one has to wonder when exactly the CRTC and the CTRC will make the aiport corridor and the central teminal the priority that it deserves.
Paul – Doing a dedication is a good idea. That would be something for the board to vote on.
Tom – The CRTC has good intension’s for the Cobblestone loop. They want to attract more people to the Cobblestone district, since there will be a lot of activity from the new Savarino building on Perry, HSBC, the Casino, and new resturants.
A connection placing BCT between the airport and downtown would be fantastic.
I would hopefully like to see the platform passage reopened with either an elevated bridge or some sort of lift bridge to the train concourse. The lift bridge idea seems a little wild and perhaps a bit expensive to build, but when lowered it would provide a clear view from the main concourse to train concourse and vice versa, like before. It would be raised to allow freight trains with tri-levels and double stacks on the belt line to pass through, then lowered after the freight has passed.
Tracks #1 and #2 could tie to the Buffalo subway system, with track #1 coming from the airport and going to downtown, and track #2 from downtown to the airport. Tracks #3 and# 4 would be reserved for Amtrak, #3 westbound, #4 eastbound, or when Amtrak is not using them, for steam excursion trains, if any still run to and from Buffalo. Any additional sidings reinstalled to the platforms could be used to display locomotives and other rolling stock as an outdoor railway museum.
Until BCT gets set up with some businesses to provide services for the curious commuters who choose to layover there, these are all pipe dreams. Getting public utilities, heat, running water, restrooms, building lighting, telephone service, etc. restored and functioning would have to come before that.
Eventually, I would also like to see public WiFi internet available in the main concourse, restaraunt area, waiting room, and train concourse. To give passengers with laptops and handheld devices on layover another convenience.
Maybe electronic scrolling LED marquee boards hung beneath entrance and exit areas, and video screens strategically placed throughout the facility for displaying information, etc.. And security cameras installed inside and out to monitor suspicious activities. I’m sure the New York Central people of 1929 would approve. They wanted BCT to be modern and state-of-the-art in its day.
Again these are all pie in the sky ideas that will have to wait until the basics get taken care of first. The big thing is money and commitment from investors. And from the city of Buffalo.
I saw the program on the National Geographic channel on Grand Central Terminal, how it was saved, and all the work that went into bringing it back, and how it looks today. A busy place bustling with activity. I hope we can do the same for BCT.
If anyone is interested, I believe the television station call letters WBCT-TV might currently be available for digital TV broadcasting from atop the BCT tower. These letters were formerly used for a HSN station at channel 43 in Bridgeport Ct. Unfortunately WBCT-FM is still being used on an FM station in Grand Rapids, Mi.
(I’m not sure about the AM band side.)
Maybe when the corporate owner of that station decides to change formats and call letters again, someone from the Buffalo area could apply for them. Any enterpreneurs out there want to persue it?
Station identification:
“From the historic Buffalo Central Terminal, this is television station WBCT-TV, Buffalo, New York.”
Has a nice ring to it, don’t it?
The studios could be inside a few floors of the office tower, and the transmitters could be on one of the upper floors, along with links to the mobile news vehicles.