GASTONIA, N.C. – Amtrak customers now have a more accessible journey with the completion of a $3.2 million project at the Gastonia, North Carolina, station, which is served by the daily Crescent (New Orleans-Atlanta-New York). The upgrades are part of the company’s overall commitment to improve the customer experience at stations and on board trains across its national network.
“Making our stations accessible to all customers is a priority, and we’re actively performing construction, renovation, repair and upgrade projects at stations across our national network,” Dr. David Handera, Amtrak vice president, stations, facilities and accessibility, said. “We want Gastonia and all of our stations to be a welcoming and comfortable environment to all of our customers.”
Amtrak, working with the city, the North Carolina Department of Transportation and Norfolk Southern, advanced a series of accessibility improvements that included the construction of a new concrete platform with all new lighting, guardrails and signage. Additional work was undertaken in the depot to create an accessible restroom, renovate the waiting room and replace the heating and cooling system.
The parking lot was also paved with an entrance driveway and two accessible parking spaces for customers who use wheeled mobility devices. Three new ramps with railings ensure accessible paths of travel for passengers with disabilities between the platform, depot and parking.
Improvements at Gastonia are part of a larger group of Amtrak accessibility-related station projects within the company’s Americans with Disabilities Act Stations Program. Twenty stations were brought into compliance last fiscal year for $96 million, and another 39 stations are targeted for completion this fiscal year at a forecasted investment of $165 million.
The program is advancing 129 station designs and 40 station construction projects as part of Amtrak’s ongoing commitment to improving accessibility for its customers. To date Amtrak has completed work at 177 stations; 108 stations where Amtrak has responsibility are fully compliant and another 69 stations are compliant excluding the platform.
Posted April 6, 2023.
Amtrak established the Great American Stations Project in 2006 to educate communities on the benefits of redeveloping train stations, offer tools to community leaders to preserve their stations, and provide the appropriate Amtrak resources.
For more than 50 years, Amtrak has connected America and modernized train travel. Offering a safe, environmentally efficient way to reach more than 500 destinations across 46 states and parts of Canada, Amtrak provides travelers with an experience that sets a new standard. Book travel, check train status, access your eTicket and more through the