During the early 1990s, Amtrak began to request upgrades in its ticket office facilities, which were housed in the station’s waiting room. JAHA and the Johnstown Redevelopment Authority restored the concourse of station in 1994-95, and relocated the Amtrak ticket office into the baggage section of the building. Amtrak’s ticket office now opens up on the concourse, and rail passengers use a separate entrance to the concourse.
The station was donated to JAHA by Carole Furst Gigliotti and Harvey and Katherine Supowitz in December with the intention that it would become a visitors center for Johnstown.
With the help of two major grants totaling $800,000, JAHA was able to address urgent maintenance needs and stabilize the building, which was endangered. These included replacing the roof and gutters; improvements to the HVAC and electrical systems; and a variety of additional repairs to the interior and exterior. In a separate but complementary project, Amtrak undertook repairs designed to bring the station into compliance with the Americans With Disabilities act, which included rebuilding the concourse entrance, floor, and ramp; the installation of new restrooms; and replacing sidewalks and a portion of the parking lot.
On November 15, Sen. Bob Casey’s office announced that Johnstown would receive a major federal grant from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program. This grant program is the main discretionary grant program for major road, rail, transit and port projects. Of the nearly $25 million allocated to Johnstown, $11.2 million will be used to restore the train station and $12.4 million will go to restoring the historic Inclined Plane, which is also important to JAHA and heritage tourism locally.
The revitalization work on the building will include restoration of the original features of the waiting room, such as wooden benches, marble fixtures, and lighting; refurbishment of the concourse; exterior work, such as repointing of the brickwork, window restoration, and new paving; and building infrastructure, such as HVAC, plumbing, and building systems. Work should begin by spring 2025 and be completed by fall 2026, when a second daily Pennsylvanian will be added to the Amtrak schedule, vastly improving our connection to New York City and points west, including Pittsburgh and Cleveland. It is our hope that the station will serve as an entryway to introduce travelers to Johnstown and its history.
