(By Mark Sommer – Buffalo New) Buffalo’s Central Terminal will not be used as a train station if New York receives stimulus funds to build high-speed rail, a key Congress member said Tuesday.
Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, who heads the Upstate New York Caucus, which has made bringing high-speed rail to Western and Central New York a top priority, said the station is ill-suited to become a rail hub again.
“At first I had hoped [it could be], but I don’t think it’s situated in the right place,” said Slaughter, DFairport. “[State] transit officials tell me it would not be suitable, which is too bad. I can tell you they absolutely love it; it’s the last of its kind left in the United States.”
Skip Carrier, a state Department of Transportation spokesman, later explained that the presence of several freight tracks at the northwestern section of the Central Terminal rail yard made the return of passenger service there unlikely.
“It is a very, very difficult situation, given the congestion with freight rail traffic,” Carrier said.
However, Slaughter said she “loves the building” and held out hope for the iconic Art Deco building’s future on Buffalo’s East Side.
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..perhaps the maintenance yard needs/requirements for the eastern NYS high-speed trains could be satisfied at the CT. A 21st C transit component should be incorporated into the CT …and so maintenance yard dollars would help restore/refurbish that long/still neglected part of the CT.