No person or group working to acquire and save it? Bozeman as well? Major college town- Where are the activists?
Sad day, for such a piece of history. I'm so glad the Ellensburg, WA depot is being faithfully restored.
Beware- The "Midnight Bulldozer" can strike at any time. No demolition permit, nothing. Just sweeping in after dark, when least expected. It has happened before....
The activists don't want the railroad coming through Bozeman. A while back they were whining about coal trains coming through town and leaving coal dust in town. Really ???????? If it weren't for the railroad, Bozeman wouldn't be what it is today. I can remember stopping at the depot in Miles City on the way to Chicago when I was a kid.
Coal trains have been coming through since the late 1800's. Seems as though they are about 130 years too late. You are correct. The railroad made Bozeman. That town would not exist today without the university, and it's gullible children.
Bozeman is not what it was even 25 years ago. When I was finally able to move back to Montana 40 years ago, we would go downtown to shop and spent a lot of time just talking with friends. It had hardly changed at all over the 13 years that I was gone. Now there is nothing in the downtown area but art galleries, boutiques, over prices restaurants and yuppies. Forgot the snowflakes. Unfortunately this is the fastest growing part of the state and few if any are aware of how the railroads helped grow the state. Really sad. Bozeman used to be one nice little town. I am so glad that I do not live in town. Any more about the only time I go into town is on Friday nights for bowling league, otherwise, I avoid going there if at all possible.
Typical of activists....they just need a cause to pursue, it doesn't matter if it makes sense or not. Alternative to coal trains........hmmmmmmm...........how about 350 semi trucks (per train), which would increase highway maintenance costs, burn 105,000 gallons of fuel (how does exhaust emissions compare to coal dust?), use 6300 tires (which would need to be replaced at least once a year and become hazardous waste). But on the plus side all those truckers would spend money on the way thru, and we'd add 350 jobs to the economy ( minus the train crew). And that's just for a single train............
They don't think rationally, but look for something to whine about. Gotta find a cause. Snowflakes ??????
And that snowflake disease is even heading east....sadly. And when the rails drop jobs, folk have less appreciation for them. That depot in Miles would make a decent place to put in a coffee shop and agriculture-railroads kind of thing. Just to remind people of the Major impact that it is and was in the state.
That depot could offer a lot of opportunities for a business like you mentioned. It isn't right in the middle of the business district, but is close enough. Looking at some other old depots, the Milwaukee Road depots in Great Falls and Butte are perfect examples of what can be done. The NP depots in Missoula and Butte are also now homes for businesses. Even in Bozeman, the old freight depots of the NP and Milw, which happen to be right across the street from each other are being used for businesses. The Milw depot is a lumber distributor and the NP depot is a micro brewery. The owners did make sure that the railroad names were displayed. Unfortunately, the NP depot in the Bozone is well off the beaten path and is also falling into disrepair.
At both ends of Missouri, spectacular union stations have become shopping malls. Both are widely known and both draw out-of-towners. They are real assets to both Kansas City and St. Louis. Goes to show what the combination of a fine, solid old asset and a little taste and vision can do for a city. But I guess not every city can take advantage of taste and vision. The classic novel Main Street certainly tells a true tale.
