This article is about the train station in Columbus, Wisconsin. For the former station in Columbus, Ohio, see Union Station (Columbus, Ohio). For articles with similar names, see Columbus Circle (disambiguation).

Columbus station is an Amtrak train station in Columbus, Wisconsin. It is served by the daily round trips of the Borealis and Empire Builder.

History

Built in 1906 by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road), the station is well preserved, and looks much as did when first built. The station area also includes an older freight station.[2] In 2016, a safety fence was constructed between the two mainline tracks running by the station.

Borealis service began on May 21, 2024.[3]

Amenities

Until 2017, the station was staffed Mondays through Fridays by an Amtrak station agent with full ticketing and baggage handling services. On weekends and holidays, the station was only opened and closed by support staff, and tickets had to be purchased in advance. Baggage service on weekends and holidays was self-serve; passengers checked bags train side after tagging their own bags at the station.

Since May 2017, however, the station has been unstaffed, even though a large number of Amish passengers used the station and almost always bought their tickets at the window. According to Rod Musel, who was station agent in Columbus from 2004 to 2017, many Amish passengers were likely to drive to the other two staffed stations in the state, Milwaukee or La Crosse. Baggage service is self-serve seven days a week.[4][5]

References

  1. ^ "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2022: State of Wisconsin" (PDF). Amtrak. June 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  2. ^ "Columbia County,WI". www.rrshs.org. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  3. ^ Magliari, Marc (April 30, 2024). "Introducing Amtrak Borealis trains with Expanded Service between St. Paul and Chicago via Milwaukee" (Press release). Amtrak.
  4. ^ "Columbus Amtrak station will be unmanned starting May 1". Wiscnews.com. Feb 4, 2017. Retrieved Feb 11, 2019.
  5. ^ "Columbus, WI (CBS) | Amtrak". www.amtrak.com. Retrieved 29 March 2023.

External links

Media related to Columbus (Amtrak station) at Wikimedia Commons