Rally For Rail

Fort Wayne - April 3, 2009
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With all the economic stimulus money being made available, it seems all Indiana's Governor Mitch Daniels and the legislators can talk about it roads-and-bridges, roads-and-bridges.

On April 3, 2009, Northeast Indiana Passenger Rail Association (NIPRA) held a rally at the Baker Street Rail Station to give people an opportunity to show support for passenger trains in Fort Wayne and to tell them of the importance of communicating their desires to the governor and the legislators.

I make a point of arriving at this type of event fifteen or twenty minutes early in order to get a good seat. Friday as I approached the station I saw people streaming in from the parking lots across the street. All the seats were filled and the standing room was being filled rapidly, and people were lined up at the doors to gain entrance. By NIPRA's estimate, more than 800 people turned out. It was a diverse and enthusiastic crowd and made a strong impression on speakers Rick Harnish of Midwest High Speed Rail Association, and Derrick James, Amtrak's Senior Officer for Government Affairs. I doubt if there have been many other occasions during the station's 90-plus years that it has seen that many people at one time.

Rick Harnish addresses the crowd:

I stayed around afterward as the crowd thinned out.

A small group stayed to watch videos presented by Rick Harnish showing High-Speed rail in Spain, and by Derrick James showing Amtrak trains in various places including Acela trains on the Northeast Corridor;

Fort Wayne's Baker Street Station was designed for the Pennsylvania Railroad by William Price, of Price McLanahan Architects, and built in 1914. It saw its last passenger train in 1990 when Amtrak rerouted its trains to the former New York Central line through Waterloo and the former Baltimore and Ohio line through Garrett. It stood vacant and vandalized for several years before being bought and extensively and impeccably restored by MartinRiley Architects.

The former station now houses MartinRiley's offices as well as those of other businesses. The main concourse can be leased for for private events, with catering available.

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