Amtrak Station Celebration in Warrensburg

Ribbon-cutting on Thursday afternoon for a $2.6 million improvement

Community leaders in Warrensburg and Amtrak officials will celebrate the completion of the newest improvement of our station this Thursday afternoon, Oct. 27. We will also commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Warrensburg depot renovation at this ribbon-cutting. Current and past donors will be recognized.

To date, Amtrak has completed 174 ADA station-related projects, investing more than $570 million in Federal Railroad Administration funding for accessibility upgrades throughout the country.

Warrensburg is served daily by our Amtrak Missouri River Runner to and from Kansas City and St. Louis, with other stops in Independence, Lee’s Summit, Sedalia, Jefferson City, Hermann, Washington, and Kirkwood, with continuing service to and from St. Louis and Chicago. In Missouri, the service is operated by Amtrak under a contract with the state’s Department of Transportation, MoDOT.

WHAT: Celebration of improvements to our Amtrak station, with remarks and a ribbon-cutting

WHEN: 4:00 p.m. CT, Thursday, October 27

WHERE: 100 South Holden Street, Warrensburg 64093

BACKGROUND: The existing brick platform was renovated and converted into an accessible brick walkway that connects to a new 265-foot concrete platform. Included in this project is new station signage, a mobile lift enclosure, and lighting along the platform and pathways. A sloped accessible walkway connects the platform entry to the east with the renovated brick walkway adjacent to the city’s historic station.

The project Architect/Engineer of Record is Gannett Fleming of Harrisburg, Penn. Construction was managed by Granite Construction of California, with local subcontractors Eric Trott Creations (paver installation) and Shippy Electric, both of Warrensburg; T&E Fabrication (railings), Kansas City Coring & Cutting (coring), Kansas City Testing & Engineering (material testing), of Kansas City; and Tandem Paving from Blue Springs.

Opened to service in December 1889, the Warrensburg depot has been a steady presence in the lives of numerous generations of townspeople. Composed of the original one-story structure plus a later addition erected to the west, the depot was built with light grey sandstone quarried north of town. The walls of coursed, rock-faced ashlar give the building a strong textural quality; as the sun passes over the surface, it creates an evolving pattern of light and shadow. The third course from the ground protrudes slightly to form a water table at the level of the windowsills.