Leonard Wilson: Get aboard Union Station

Regarding the Oct. 21 news article “Union Station’s added costs could reach $10M”: Although I am a great supporter of speedier and more dependable passenger rail travel, I am sick and tired of three years now reading about plans, various funding methods, frills, grand design, etc., of the planned Union Station in Raleigh, even as the ugly hulk of the future station appears untouched, except by spray paint “artists.”

A grand opening in 2017? Ha! To heck with lunchtime cocktails under a canopy on the roof and multiple restaurants and shops on the lower level. As pointed out by several council members, these things can come later if necessary. Perhaps Amtrak could build its own modest coffee and snack shop on the premises.

Nearby, a station as modern and as nice as the one in Cary but three times larger would serve Raleigh adequately for the next 20 years. Let’s cut out all of the mouthing, get on with the mortar or forget the whole thing! I’m driving by next week to see if anything has been done!

This story was originally published November 3, 2015 at 4:33 PM with the headline "Leonard Wilson: Get aboard Union Station."