Amtrak station upgrades in Camden and Denmark have been completed. The work totals nearly $6 million. It is aimed at accessibility, safety, and the passenger experience in South Carolina.
Photo: Amtrak Amtrak station upgrades in South Carolina
Also, the work was carried out at Camden Station. It was also carried out at the Denmark Railway Depot. In addition, both sites are served twice each day by Amtrak’s Floridian route. Meanwhile, according to Amtrak, the projects are part of a broader effort to modernize stations. They are also intended to make them accessible to all travelers.
“Ensuring our stations are accessible to every customer remains a top priority, and we’re actively advancing that goal through renovation, repair, and upgrade projects here in South Carolina and across our National Network,” said Amtrak Vice President of Accessibility David Handera. “The station stop is a critical link in the overall rail travel journey, and our aim is for every station to offer a welcoming and positive experience for all customers.”
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Beth Toll of Amtrak said the objective is to make stations comfortable and accessible for travelers. “It is important for all over our stations to really be a welcoming entrance for our customers. Making sure that it’s some place that people feel safe and comfortable going and making sure that the whole experience is more streamline,” Toll said.
Camden Station improvements Ridership and tourism
At the same time, Camden Mayor Vincent Sheheen said several thousand passengers already use the station each year. He said the station already serves several thousand passengers in a year. “We already have several thousand people take that train out of the train station there in Camden in a year. We hope to see that tick up. I think the biggest challenge for using the train station is that it comes through in the nighttime so the stop is during the night. We’ve talked with Amtrak about trying to have some daytime stops along the way as well,” Sheheen said.
Separately, Sheheen said tourism is a focus for Camden. He also said the stop on the Floridian route supports that effort. “I think it would be great if we had some of our friends from the Northeast take the train down to Camden. And there are other stops as well — you mentioned Columbia — and of course Columbia is historic. I think it is a great opportunity for us to really promote the historic vision of Camden and surrounding areas,” Sheheen said.
Camden project scope
For example, the Camden station project accounted for $3.5 million. The work focused on accessibility. It also focused on safety. As reported by South Carolina Public Radio, the work included:
- a new 600-foot concrete boarding platform built eight inches above the rail
- accessible pathways linking the platform with the station building
- sloped walkways
- safety barriers
- energy-efficient LED lighting providing full platform illumination
- detectable warning surfaces and updated signage
Still, Camden officials welcomed the completed work. “These improvements at the Camden station highlight the importance of ensuring that transportation is accessible to everyone. We are grateful for Amtrak’s continued investment in our community and for helping strengthen the connections that link Camden with the rest of the region,” said Camden Mayor Vincent Sheheen.
“Accessible public transportation is an essential part of serving a community well. We appreciate Amtrak’s investment in the Camden station and its commitment to making rail travel safer and more accessible for both residents and visitors,” said Camden City Manager Matt DeWitt.
Denmark Railway Depot improvements Denmark project scope
Also, at the Denmark station, Amtrak completed $2.3 million in upgrades. The project focused on access. It also included safety work. The project included:
- a 280-foot concrete boarding platform built eight inches above the rail
- accessible routes between the platform and station building
- sloped walkways
- safety barriers
- full LED lighting along the platform
- new detectable warning surfaces and signage
Meanwhile, local officials in Denmark said the project will help preserve an important transportation link for the area. “This station has served travelers here for generations, and with these improvements it will continue to welcome passengers and connect our community to destinations up and down the East Coast for years to come,” said Denmark Mayor Harold Johnson.
“The improvements at the Denmark Amtrak Station represent more than just upgrades to a facility; they reflect a continued commitment to providing safe, reliable, and accessible transportation for the people of Denmark and the surrounding region,” said Denmark City Administrator Barbara Williams.
ADA Stations Program and network goals
In addition, Amtrak said the station work falls under its broader ADA Stations Program. The program is intended to bring all station components for which Amtrak is responsible into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act by 2029. At the same time, as RT&S noted, 19 stations across the national network were brought into ADA compliance over the past year. Another 50 are expected to be completed within the next year.
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