WASHINGTON — As a part of its Great American Stations Project, Amtrak is hosting its fourth Civic Conversation in Savannah, Ga., Feb. 3 and Feb. 4, to discuss the redevelopment and restoration of passenger rail stations along the routes of the Carolinian, Crescent, Palmetto, Piedmont, Silver Meteor and Silver Star.
The Atlantic Coast trains serve passengers between New York and Florida and New Orleans.
During the meeting on Feb. 4, case studies from both large and small communities will be highlighted. Representatives of those communities will explain how they shepherded their projects to successes that sparked additional redevelopment in their communities.
The invitation-only event will begin with a reception the evening of Tuesday, February 3 on the “Beech Grove,” Amtrak’s Office Car at the Savannah Amtrak Station. The so-called “Civic Conversation” will continue the morning of Feb. 4, at the Hyatt Regency Savannah.
A day of presentations and discussions will include case studies, success stories, information about funding sources, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements, and will introduce attendees to Amtrak’s Great American Stations team.
Amtrak does not own the majority of stations it serves. Roughly 33 percent of all Amtrak stations are owned by cities, 27 percent are owned by the freight or host railroads over whose tracks Amtrak trains travel, and 27 percent are owned by Amtrak (primarily on the largely Amtrak-owned Northeast Corridor).
Additionally, private parties own 8 percent, and the remaining 5 percent are owned by other entities, such as port authorities, commuter railroads, or transit agencies.
This is the fourth Civic Conversation hosted by Amtrak in the past two years, following sessions in Denver, Pittsburgh and Albuquerque. Future meetings are being planned along other routes in the 46-state Amtrak network.
