Amtrak to Name Rochester Station in Honor of Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter
In honor of the late Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter, Amtrak will be naming the Rochester Station as a dedication to her career in public service and commitment to leading several projects in the Northern New York area, including the station’s development.
“Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter was an incredible public servant, and Amtrak and rail supporter, who was instrumental in leading numerous rail improvement projects across New York, including the development and funding of our new Rochester Station. To celebrate her legacy and impact on the station, City of Rochester, and State of New York, we are pleased to announce that we will be naming Rochester Station in her honor through a commemorative plaque at the station or other appropriate means,” said Amtrak Board Chair Anthony R. Coscia.
“I applaud Amtrak for listening to our call to rename the new Rochester train station in honor of Congresswoman Slaughter. Congresswoman Slaughter was a larger than life figure who worked tirelessly to secure federal funding and make this project a reality. I am proud that this shining beacon of Rochester’s revitalization will bear the name of a leader who was integral to making it happen — Congresswoman Louise Slaughter,” said New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo.
The intermodal Rochester Station opened in October 2017, the result of nearly 15 years of visioning and planning by several stakeholders, including Congresswoman Slaughter, who secured a $15 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant for the work.
As requested by Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, Governor Cuomo, and former Mayor and Lieutenant Governor Duffy, Amtrak will work to name the station in the coming months. Amtrak will work with the city of Rochester and state of New York on the details of the naming, commemorative plaque and necessary funding for these efforts.
The Rochester Station is one of the busiest Amtrak stops in the state, serving more than 127,000 passenger trips last year. The Empire Service, Lake Shore Limited and Maple Leaf trains all make stops at the station.
The Rochester Station will be the second Amtrak Station named for a member of Congress. In 2014, legislation was passed to rename Philadelphia 30th Street Station after the late Congressman William H. Gray III, and Amtrak is actively working with Representative Gray’s family and others on plans to implement this change in the coming months.
