Misplaced Pages

Rensselaer, NY
Albany-Rensselaer station in April 2016
General information
Location	525 East Street Rensselaer, New York United States
Coordinates	42°38′29″N 73°44′28″W / 42.64139°N 73.74111°W / 42.64139; -73.74111
Owned by	Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA)
Line(s)	Empire Corridor (Hudson Subdivision)
Platforms	2 island platforms
Tracks	4
Connections	CDTA: 114, 214 Megabus: M27
Construction
Parking	512 spaces
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Accessible	Yes
Other information
Station code	Amtrak: ALB
IATA code	ZLY
History
Opened	December 29, 1968
Rebuilt	June 2, 1999–September 22, 2002
Electrified	No
Passengers
FY 2023	790,517 (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station Schenectadytoward Montreal Adirondack Hudsontoward New York Schenectadytoward Niagara Falls, New York Empire Service Schenectadytoward Burlington Ethan Allen Express Schenectadytoward Toronto Maple Leaf Reverses direction Berkshire Flyer(seasonal) PittsfieldTerminus Hudsontoward New York Schenectadytoward Chicago Lake Shore Limited Rhineclifftoward New York Pittsfieldtoward Boston South
Former services Preceding station Amtrak Following station Colonie–Schenectadytoward Chicago Lake Shore Poughkeepsietoward New York (Grand Central) Colonie–Schenectadytoward Detroit (Michigan Central) Niagara Rainbow Hudsontoward New York (Grand Central) Watervliettoward Montreal AdirondackRerouted in 1978 Former services at Rensselaer Preceding station New York Central Railroad Following station Albanytoward Chicago Main Line Castleton-on-Hudsontoward New York AlbanyTerminus Boston and Albany RailroadMain Line Nivervilletoward Boston East Greenbushtoward Boston Preceding station Delaware and Hudson Railway Following station AlbanyTerminus Albany – Troyvia Rensselaer Forbes Avenuetoward Troy
Location

Albany–Rensselaer station, formally the Joseph L. Bruno Rail Station, is a train station in Rensselaer, New York, located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from downtown Albany across the Hudson River. Operated by the Capital District Transportation Authority, it serves as Amtrak's primary station for the Capital District. The station is served by Amtrak's Empire Corridor routes – Adirondack, Berkshire Flyer, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Lake Shore Limited, and Maple Leaf.

Station design and services

The two floor station features a large main lobby that contains a coffee shop, a newsstand, and a post office. Trains call at two high-level island platforms serving two tracks in each direction. The platforms are connected to the main building by an aerial walkway that is accessed by stairs, escalator and elevator. Each 605-foot (184 m) platform can accommodate up to 7 Amfleet cars, not including an engine.

The station is served by multiple daily round trips of the Empire Service, most of which terminate at Albany–Rensselaer. It is also served by the daily round trips of the Adirondack, Ethan Allen Express, Lake Shore Limited, and Maple Leaf, plus the seasonal Berkshire Flyer. Albany–Rensselaer is the junction point between the New York City and Boston sections of the Lake Shore Limited. Most trains continuing south of Albany swap their engines there. Diesel GE P42DC locomotives are usually used on routes north and west of Albany, while dual mode P32AC-DM locomotives are used south of Albany because diesel locomotives are not permitted in Penn Station. The P42DC is readied for a train coming northbound from New York City. In the late 2020s and early 2030s, the corridor routes will receive Amtrak Airo trainsets, which will eliminate the need for most engine changes at Albany–Rensselaer.

The station is also served by Megabus and Vermont Translines intercity bus routes and by Capital District Transportation Authority local bus service.

History

The first station at Albany–Rensselaer was built by Penn Central in 1968 to replace Albany Union Station due to the construction of Interstate 787. It was replaced in 1980 at the same site. The 1968 building was torn down in order to expand the station's parking facility. The current structure was completed in September 2002 and opened on September 22. It was designed by the Schenectady architecture firm Stracher–Roth Gilmore and the New York firm Vollmer Associates, with Ryan-Biggs of Troy providing structural engineering, Sage/Engineering Associates providing MEP engineering services, Erdman Anthony of Troy providing facilities engineering, and constructed by U. W. Marx/Bovis joint venture.

The station was originally intended to have four tracks, but was built with only three due to cost concerns, leaving the station with fewer than preferable tracks. In October 2008, it was announced that a fourth track would be built after the two previous terminal buildings were demolished; a contract for that work was assigned at the same time. Design work was proceeding on the fourth track as of February 2010, but actual construction was placed on hold pending resolution of funding issues and demolition of the two terminal buildings to the north. On October 27, 2010, demolition of the two other buildings began. In a December 4, 2012 press release, Amtrak indicated that installation of the fourth track would begin in 2013, and the project was completed in March 2016.

By 2020, it was Amtrak's ninth-busiest station, as well as the busiest to serve a metro area with a population smaller than 2 million, a distinction it has held since at least 2010. This is primarily due to the large number of passengers who commute to and from New York City. In March 2020, Adirondack and Ethan Allen Express service was suspended north of Albany–Rensselaer as part of a round of service reductions in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Ethan Allen Express service was restored in July 2021, and Adirondack service was restored in April 2023.

The Berkshire Flyer began running on July 8, 2022, providing direct service to Pittsfield on summer weekends. The train reverses direction at Albany–Rensselaer. In October 2023, the station was formally renamed in honor of the late New York State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, who was instrumental in replacing the old station (which he once described as a "matchbox") with the current facility. It is one of two major public facilities in Rensselaer County named for Bruno, the other being Joseph L. Bruno Stadium in Troy.

References

1. ^ "Rail Stations". Capital District Transportation Authority. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
2. "Penn-Central to Open New Rensselaer Station Dec. 29". The Times-Record. Troy, New York. December 20, 1968. p. 3. Retrieved June 23, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
3. Holland, Jesse J. (June 3, 1999). "New Digs". The Post-Star. Glens Falls, New York. p. A5. Retrieved November 14, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2023: State of New York" (PDF). Amtrak. March 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
5. Anderson, Eric (June 26, 2017). "Rensselaer Amtrak station gets new escalators". Times Union. Albany, New York. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
6. "Introducing Our New Trains: Amtrak Airo". Amtrak. December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
7. "Amtrak FY 2022–2027 Asset Line Plan" (PDF). Amtrak. p. 132. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
8. ^ Anderson, Eric (October 27, 2010). "High-Speed Rail Chugs Toward the Fast Lane". Times Union. Albany, New York. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
9. ^ Woodruff, Cathy (February 14, 2010). "Train Late? Old Stations Derail New Track". Times Union. Albany, New York. Retrieved March 5, 2010.
10. "2002 Award of Merit: Transit Project". Engineering News-Record. McGraw-Hill. December 1, 2002. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
11. "Governor Cuomo Announces Hudson Rail Lease – Amtrak/CSX Deal Will Improve Passenger Service, Move Projects Forward" (PDF) (Press release). Albany, New York: Amtrak. December 4, 2012. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
12. Anderson, Eric (March 7, 2016). "Fourth Track Opens At Station". Times Union. Albany, New York. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
13. "2020 Corporate Profile" (PDF). Amtrak. April 2021. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
14. "Service Adjustments Due to Coronavirus" (Press release). Amtrak. March 24, 2020. Archived from the original on March 25, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
15. "Amtrak Adirondack Line to resume by April". NEWS10 ABC. March 10, 2023. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
16. Britton-Mehlisch, Meg (July 8, 2022). "'Sold out' Berkshire Flyer train is rolling towards Pittsfield, after on-time departure from New York City". The Berkshire Eagle. Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
17. Lauren Stanforth (October 5, 2023). "Rensselaer County now has two public buildings named for Joe Bruno". Times Union. Archived from the original on October 9, 2023.

External links

Media related to Albany–Rensselaer station at Wikimedia Commons

• Albany-Rensselaer Station – Amtrak
• Albany-Rensselaer Station – Station history at Great American Stations (Amtrak)
• Capital District Transportation Authority – Rail Stations

v t e City of Albany
History	General History (Prehistory–1664, 1664–1784, 1784–1860, 1860–1900, 1900–1942, 1942–1983, 1983–present) Architecture National Register of Historic Places listings 17th century Mohawks Mahicans Dutch West India Company (1621–1791) Fort Nassau (1614) Fort Orange (1624) Rensselaerswijck (1629–1840) Beverwijck (1652–1664) Stadt Huys (1635, 1646, or 1673) Fort Frederick (1676–1789) Dongan Charter (1686) 18th century Van Ostrande-Radliff House (1728) Quackenbush House (1736) Albany Plan of Union (1754) Schuyler Mansion (1765) 19th century Clermont (1807) Erie Canal (1825) Albany Basin (1825) Albany Lumber District (1830s–1908) City Hall (1832) Governor's Mansion (1856) City Hall (1883) New York State Capitol (1899) 20th century Albany Municipal Airport (1908) Miss Albany Diner (1941) W. Averell Harriman State Office Building Campus (1956–1994) Albany County Airport (1960) Empire State Plaza (1965–1978) MVP Arena (1990) Albany International Airport (1996–1998) 21st century Hudson River Way (2002) Albany Convention Center (proposed)
Government	Mayor of Albany (current: Kathy Sheehan) Albany City Hall Coat of arms Albany Fire Department See also: Government of New York (state)
Neighborhoods	Arbor Hill Buckingham Pond Center Square Chinatown Delaware Avenue Dudley Heights Dunes Eagle Hill Helderberg Hudson-Park Melrose New Albany Normansville North Albany Park South Pine Hills Sheridan Hollow South End (Kenwood, Krank Park, Mansion District, Mount Hope, The Pastures, Second Avenue) University Heights Washington Park West Hill Whitehall
People	Thomas Dongan (1634–1715) Peter Schuyler (1657–1724) Erastus Corning (1794–1872) Daniel P. O'Connell (1885–1977) Erastus Corning 2nd (1909–1983) John McEneny (1943–present)
Geography	Land Albany Pine Bush Westerlo Island Water Buckingham Lake Hudson River (Valley) Normans Kill Patroon Creek Rensselaer Lake Tivoli Lake Washington Park Lake
Education	Secondary City School District of Albany (Albany High School) Academy of the Holy Names The Albany Academy Albany Academy for Girls Albany Free School Bishop Maginn High School LaSalle School See also: List of school districts in New York's Capital District Higher Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Albany Law School Albany Medical College College of Saint Rose Excelsior College Maria College Mildred Elley Sage College of Albany SUNY Albany See also: List of colleges and universities in New York's Capital District
Religion	Episcopal Diocese of Albany (Cathedral of All Saints, Bishop William Love) Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany (Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Bishop Howard Hubbard)
Culture	Culture in New York's Capital District Sports in New York's Capital District
Transportation	Adirondack Northway Albany–Rensselaer Rail Station Albany International Airport CDTA Interstate 87 Interstate 90 Interstate 787 New York State Thruway Port of Albany–Rensselaer Streets of Albany, New York

v t e Capital District
Central communities Albany (history City Hall coat of arms) Schenectady (City Hall) Troy (history) List of all incorporated places Largest communities (over 20,000 in 2010) Bethlehem Clifton Park Town of Colonie Glenville Guilderland Halfmoon Niskayuna Queensbury Rotterdam Saratoga Springs Medium-sized communities (10,000 to 20,000 in 2000) City of Amsterdam Brunswick Cohoes East Greenbush Glens Falls Gloversville Malta North Greenbush Schodack Watervliet Wilton Small communities (5,000 to 10,000 in 2000) Town of Amsterdam Ballston Spa Cobleskill Village of Colonie Duanesburg City of Johnstown Town of Johnstown Kinderhook Mechanicville New Scotland Rensselaer Sand Lake Scotia Town of Stillwater Waterford
Counties Albany Columbia Fulton Greene Montgomery Rensselaer Saratoga Schenectady Schoharie Warren Washington History Mohawks Mohicans Fort Orange Rensselaerswyck Beverwyck Albany Plan of Union Timeline of town creation Toponymies of places Tech Valley Geography Hudson River (Valley) Mohawk River Erie Canal Lake Albany Lake George Albany Pine Bush (Rensselaer Lake Woodlawn Preserve) Adirondack Mountains Catskill Mountains Rensselaer Plateau Religion and culture Culture in New York's Capital District Sports in New York's Capital District Episcopal Diocese of Albany Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany Education List of school districts List of colleges and universities Newspapers Albany Times Union Metroland Glens Falls Post-Star The Saratogian Schenectady Gazette Troy Record Television v t e Broadcast television in New York's Capital District and surrounding areas This region includes the following cities: Albany, NY Schenectady, NY Troy, NY Glens Falls, NY Pittsfield, MA Bennington, VT Manchester, VT Reception may vary by location and some stations may only be viewable with cable television Full-power stations WRGB (6.1 CBS, 6.2 TBD, 6.3 Comet) WTEN (10.1 ABC, 10.2 Cozi, 10.3 ANT, 10.4 Mystery) WNYT (13.1 NBC, 13.2 MeTV, 13.3 Start, 13.4 Get) WMHT (17.1 PBS, 17.2 Create, 17.3 World, 17.4 PBS Kids) WXXA-TV (23.1 Fox, 23.2 Capital OTB TV, 23.3 Grit, 23.4 REW) WCWN (45.1 CW, 45.2 Charge!, 45.4 Nest) WNYA (51.1 MNTV, 51.2/.3 Catchy, 51.4 H&I) WYPX-TV (55.1 Ion, 55.2 Bounce, 55.3 Court, 55.4 Laff, 55.5 Ion+, 55.6 Scripps News, 55.7 JTV, 55.8 HSN, 55.9 QVC) Low-power stations WNCE-CD (8.1 YTA; Glens Falls) WYBN-LD (14.1 Buzzr, 14.2 Fun Roads, 14.3 This, 14.4 Retro, 14.5 Rev'n, 14.6 NOST, 14.7 Action, 14.8 NewsNet; Cobleskill) WNYT (DRT) 21 (NBC, Troy) W21CP-D 21 (NBC, Gloversville, via WNYT) WVBG-LD (25.1 Buzzr, 25.2 Fun Roads, 25.3 France24, 25.4 Retro, 25.5 Rev'n, 25.6 CRTV, 25.7 Action, 25.8 NewsNet; Greenwich) WNYT (DRT) 28 (NBC, Glens Falls) W28DA-D 28 (NBC, Pittsfield, MA, via WNYT) W35DU-D 35 (NBC, Adams, MA, via WNYT) WNGN-LD 38 / WNGX-LD 42 (Heartland; Troy/Schenectady) ATSC 3.0 digital WCWN (6.1 CBS, 10.1 ABC, 17.1 PBS, 23.1 Fox, 45.1 The CW) Cable-only stations MSG Network MSG Sportsnet NBC Sports Boston NECN NESN Spectrum News Capital Region SNY YES Defunct stations TW3 WEDG-TV (UPN, cable-only) WCDC-TV 19 (CBS/ABC, Adams, MA) WCDB 29 (CBS, Hagaman) WBAX-LD 47 Glens Falls) W52DF 52 (TBN, Albany) Radio v t e Radio stations in Albany–Schenectady–Troy, New York (Capital District) By AM frequency 590 810 900 930 980 1160 1190 1230 1240 1300 1330 1340 1400 1440 1460 1490 1570 By FM frequency 88.3 89.1 89.7 89.9 90.3 90.7 WGXC WPGL 90.9 91.1 91.5 92.3 93.5 93.7 94.5 95.5 96.3 96.7 97.3 97.5 97.7 97.9 98.3 99.5 100.9 101.3 101.9 102.3 102.7 103.1 103.5 103.9 104.5 104.9 105.7 106.5 107.7 LPFM 92.7 98.9 105.3 106.9 107.3 Translators 93.1 93.9 94.3 94.9 95.9 97.1 97.5 98.7 99.1 99.9 100.1 100.5 102.9 104.3 W282BI W282CU 104.7 NOAA Weather Radio frequency 162.55 Digital radio by frequency & subchannel 89.1-1 89.1-2 90.3-1 90.3-2 98.3-1 98.3-2 99.5-1 99.5-2 102.3-1 102.3-2 103.1-1 103.1-2 105.7-1 105.7-2 106.5-1 106.5-2 107.7-1 107.7-3 By call sign W226AC W230DK W232CE W235AY W240EC W246DS W248AX W254DA W256BU W260CH W261DP W263CG W275BS W282BI W282CU W284BZ WABY WAJZ WAMC WAMC-FM HD2 WCAA-LP WCDB WCSS WENT WEQX WEXT WFLY WFNY WGDJ WGNA-FM HD3 WGXC WGY WGY-FM HD2 WHAZ WHAZ-FM WHUC WHVP WINU WIZR WJIV WJKE WKKF HD2 WKLI-FM WMHH WMHT-FM HD2 WMYY WOFX WOOA-LP WOOC-LP WOOG-LP WOOS-LP WOPG WOPG-FM WPBZ-FM WPGL WPTR WPYX HD2 WQBK-FM HD2 WQSH WRIP WROW WRPI WRUC WRVE HD2 WSDE WSSV WTMM-FM WTRY-FM HD2 WVCR-FM WVTL WXL34 WYAI WYJB WYKV WZCR Defunct W47A/WBCA (101.1 FM) WCKL (560 AM) WCSQ-LP (105.9 FM) WDCD (1540 AM) WGEO (shortwave) WRL (833 AM) WTRI (102.7 FM) WXKW (850 AM, 1600 AM) ---- Notes 1. Clear-channel stations with extended nighttime coverage. 2. Transmits from Equinox Mountain in Manchester, Vermont.

• Amtrak stations in New York (state)
• Transportation buildings and structures in Rensselaer County, New York
• Railway stations in the United States opened in 1968
• 1968 establishments in New York (state)
• Railway stations in the United States opened in 1980
• 1980 establishments in New York (state)
• Railway stations in the United States opened in 2002
• 2002 establishments in New York (state)
• Transportation in Rensselaer County, New York
• Railway stations in Rensselaer County, New York
• Former Penn Central Transportation stations