LA PLATA, Mo. – Officials from Amtrak and the La Plata-based American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation marked the completion of a $6 million upgrade of the former Santa Fe La Plata station with a ribbon cutting ceremony Nov. 12. The station is served by Amtrak trains Nos. 3 and 4, the Southwest Chief. APRHF is the caretaker of the depot for Amtrak.
Amtrak recently completed $1.74 million worth of improvements to the station building. These included work on the underground plumbing, roof deck, exterior facade and masonry, door improvements, and window systems. Another $4.3 million went for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) improvements, including extending the station platform from 25 to 85 feet, new walkways, signs, and restrooms.
The La Plata Amtrak station is an Art Deco-style depot constructed of wood and brick. The original passenger and freight depot was built in 1887. In 1945, after a fire burned portions of the building, the interior and exterior were remodeled and modernized in the popular Art Deco style. The remodeling actually preserved the original building within the inner and outer layers.
I wonder what they plan on doing to Kirkwood, Missouri’s station to make it ADA friendly. The building is less than 10 feet from the tracks and is at ground level. I don’t think they’d jack the whole building up a couple feet, as there is NO way to get a good ramp in there from door to platform in such a short distance. Also, I don’t even know if those old doors are wide enough for wheelchairs to begin with!
I should stop in and check it out. La Plata is on US 63, which is the route I take to go to my friends’ house in central Missouri. Usually I just stop long enough to use the bathroom at Casey’s.
lets get the amtrak running again through boise id lol lots of support for it out this way