STANDARDS AND CRITERIA FOR LOCATING RAIL PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION CENTERS

The passenger terminal has been aptly described as the city gate. For many people, the first impression of a city is formed at the point of arrival. During the golden age of passenger railroading, civic pride demanded a fitting gateway to the city and the railroads believed it was their social responsibility to bestow a becoming and lasting monument to the communities they served. A part of that legacy is maintained by the graceful architecture and timeless beauty of the historic rail stations located in many American communities. Although the buildings still serve the communities as a reminder of their elegant past, they no longer serve their original purpose as the primary city gate for thousands of daily visitors arriving and departing from the city. Today, air terminals have replaced the railroad passenger terminal as the preeminent gateway to the city.