Inside Amtrak's Newest Station! (Middletown, PA) 

I didn't even know Middletown got rebuilt but its waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than the old station. This is great content from a small and underrated channel

You're 100% correct about the confusing transit connections, that was my first thought back when the station was proposed and renderings came out. The initial rendering had a third tower that I believe had a ramp and set of stairs connecting to Ann St. Even more so, given the proximity to PSU Harrisburg campus, you would think good pedestrian and bike access across 230 would have been made a priority. It's frustrating when new construction neglects to integrate or prioritize anything as equal or greater than the car. Oh well, all things considered this station had a tight budget and I cannot believe it's finally a reality after years of delays and waiting. I will say, as nice as the railfan views are from the bridge and west end of the platform, I am disappointed in lack of visibility to the east because it's an iconic shot with the town and church in the background as trains come snaking around the curve. I'll also be disappointed to lose the old platform as a train watching spot because it had really nice unobstructed views in both directions but now it will be the dreaded black fence.

The bus routes should deviate into the parking lot and up to the platforms. I'd shoot the local operator(s) an email about it

The old “station” was basically a small platform and a parking lot. This is a vast improvement! It shows you what $50 million will buy! I usually use Elizabethtown station these days. But this is a very good alternative.

This will at least make it way easier to get from the greater HBG area to the airport without paying to park or getting any Uber, etc. I would be willing to bet they will beef up that bus/tram schedule once they have a more solid grasp on the numbers.

Glad they upgraded the old station was horrible. I honestly preferred to travel out of Middletown rather than Harrisburg anyway because if you have to catch a 5am train to DC parking and walking through Harrisburg isn’t that safe at those off hours. Since I was traveling to DC once a week leaving at 5am and returning the same day at midnight the safety concerns still exist. Middletown there was 99% less people and you could see your car from the train. I’ll take the upgrade. The airport should also fund a path to get onto the airport grounds with a tram or walkway, rather than having to take CAT.

it seems odd that there's no connection from the pedestrian overpass (or even the platform) to the adjacent road overpass. I guess there's probably not much pedestrian traffic there, but it still seems like a missed opportunity for an alternative route in case the elevator to the parking lot is out of service.

I really like the points you make in this video. Please keep up the good work! :]

Great video! These seemingly small things just frustrate me. Like if you are investing so much money in upgrading the station and all, why not go a little further and make it more pedestrian and transit-friendly? Now that it's done, who knows when the next developments will happen...definitely not before 20-30 years.

Very useful video. We'll be taking the train from Middletown in June. First time since before Covid. Things have changed a lot.

Great honest review!

great video

Funny I was in Middletown in September 2021 and had no idea about the new station. Guess I ended up being one of the last people at the old station.

I wish I could say something positive about the new Middletown set-up but it falls so far short of what public transport planners do here in Europe, where the priority is to ensure there is total integration between all modes of public transportation. In the USA it's nearly always the case that a perfunctory approach takes place. Even the new station, when compared to Europe, looks like a temporary building with the bare minimum. What a pity! For a nation that led the world in passenger rail transportation and was united by the transcontinental railroad, this is a sad situation. I see Amtrak being a token gesture as a passenger railroad whose schedules are dependent on the whims of the rail freight companies.

The people are absolutely delighted with this excellent video presentation, the station looks superb, full marks to Amtrak. You are of course right about the other issues, especially to do with transit. Sadly as there are so few that use transit and I can pretty much guarantee that those that designed the placement of the bus stops just never take the bus anyway so they do not know what would be convenient but I am sure that if you submitted this excellent video to the authorities they may consider the important but very useful changes that you mention.

Hopefully they add that bus stop soon!

Being from Britain, this station is not too dissimilar from the kind new stations here are built to the standard. Convenience is key to improving America's public transport imo, and the high level platforms do exactly just that. A very professional new station, I hope others get the same treatment.

Amtrak still rockin those hi-tech Budd coaches from the 1970s

It looks like there must be only one design firm that does work for both here and several of new projects that are part of SEPTA.Same benches, trash cans, same building details even same construction materials. AS to your comments about some of the not too bright things done, I doubt Capitol Area Transit, Amtrak and the airport did not talk with each other...

It's kinda like how the NJT Atlantic City line goes right past theAC airport but doesn't stop there. Guess they figure no locals would ride the train for 1 or 2 stops to get to the airport. Also since the Keystone mainly serves people going to Philly.

I was one of the track foremans on that project. It was interesting and a challenge.

CAT Route that serves the station is the end/terminus point (East) or the beginning point (west) to Harrisburg. It stops to pick up or off load at the shelter and then turns around in the lot to start the return to Harrisburg. I am sure that if the Amtrak connection starts to get use, riders will petition for direct access to the station.

I enjoyed your video so much! Perhaps I missed it, but is there a station agent there...restrooms...a waiting room?

The Planing Board for the Amtrak and Airport should of had you attend the meetings..... things would have been better.

I find the bike parking nest to the massiv parkingolot very optimistic assuming anyone would bike in this car centred enviermnet.

This feels like a fail. Old station seemed to be in a neighborhood- you could walk to it. New station looks like car infrastructure only. Bus is a complete miss. Why not put station at airport and combine features. Missed opportunity. 17 trains a day and not staffed - no bathroom? Odd.

Reminds me of the Paoli station, which is SEPTA and Amtrak

It’s so true how they could have a better connection between the station and the airport. I was so excited but now just let down.

Granted they did a great job on the construction but for around 20 trains a day I feel they could have done without the bridge, just put in a gated pedestrian crossing to the platform from the parking lot with slight ramps that would be 100% ADA compliant.. Having the elevators, stairs, and the bridge adds a bit of cost rather than just a simple gated ped crossing. If they feel safety is a priority with the crossing really high-level platforms as of lately have been a challenge too, especially with what we have been seeing with the subways. Even though this isn't that big city where people seem to forget how to use a platform, eventually this station out in Middletown would need platform gates as well to keep everyone safe from those dangerous tracks. So my point is that for future newer station structures they don't need all the bridges, elevators, etc just a simple gated crossing and ramp to the platform should be able to do.

I saw little wrong with the old station. No one mentioned, is the parking (still) free (for now)? The new station is pretty, and closer to the airport, but at what cost? 50 million dollars, and it’s really an un heated overpass bridge with 2 elevators.

Is there a drop off area like Harrisburg has?

I noticed that too.. no shuttle from train to airport. Pa Money, Tax Hustle.

All I cared about was if its high platform or not and it is!!! I was about to be so upset if it wasn't. Now they need to do Parkersburg and Coatesville!

Originally the train station was going to be a part of or right next to the parking garage of the airport. I can't remember what ended up killing that idea. Probably cost, but the new location is closer to the student housing than it would have been if it was on the airport grounds.

No posted schedules, no heat, no restrooms, no ticket machines, bus shelters too far from the station.... lots of missed opportunities here.

I don't think I saw anything about buying a train ticket in this. Is there a way to do that?

are the Metroliner cab cars getting to the point they are useless now?

Here’s an idea that’ll never happen: Harrisburg “INTL” airport airtrain

Pretty frustrating that they did not build a bus-train-plane intermodal station at the nearby airport. That would have provided opportunities for those seeking non transit-accessible locales as their final destination to take advantage of the option of car rental.

Unfortunately that is more of the norm now of bus stops with no time table, as you can "look it up" using an app. As for the drive around the parking lot, that's amusing.

No restrooms, buses are unable to drive upto the station it's like most american public infrastructure. Expensive and exists but that's about it.

Middletown being rebuilt took like 6 years.

Again with the towere and the lack of heat.

Ok station, but no waiting area. 6/10 overall

Why are you so concerned with the transit connection to the airport when you highlighted yourself that the station is right next to the airport? The terminal is one mile from the train station.

I wish they would build a new amtrak station in Pittsburgh,the present one is a joke.

Everything is rediculous.. Third party app is a pain. I could go on! Everything is convoluted and not easilly possible for people who do not have access to phones or who have difficulty with the internet. Pennsylvania at it's best.

Hburg shall not be slighted. For instance, the diner food.

Elevators are too narrow.

Another American station with zero thought on how to connect it to the rest of the area.

Hgvvvvbb

Very nit picky on this beautifully designed station. I wouldn’t complain of such notions.

Get rid of the mask

Awesome video. Brought a lot of joy to my morning. Thanks man! :)

One thing to remember is you’re in the harrisburg area which isn’t too transit oriented as Philly for example. So the focus is for people with cars and not so much on people that rely on public transit aka buses