Rensselaer station
Rensselaer station is an Amtrak station in Rensselaer, Indiana, served by the Cardinal. It was additionally served by the Hoosier State until 2019, when funding for the train was cut.
History
A small shelter at Rensselaer was built in 1981 and maintained by the local Lions Club. The former Monon Railroad station was demolished in 1981, and preceding this station was a two-story wooden depot built in 1900. Some of the brick pavement and red tile flooring from the second station is still visible today.In 2007, the shelter was renovated. Vandalized windows were replaced, and the exterior was repainted. The station was vandalized again in 2014.
A new accessible concrete platform was constructed with funds from the 2009 stimulus bill. The platform, which cost around $500,000, was dedicated on April 20, 2011. The 1979-built shelter was later demolished and replaced with a one-story brick building, funded by Amtrak, which opened on August 21, 2013.
In December 2017, the station's concrete platform suffered damage in a 16-car derailment, triggered by a wheel detachment from a train car. The damage was not repaired until Summer 2024, when new LED lighting was installed and accessibility features were improved.