Complement depot
with station agent
Editor, Commonwealth:
Now that Greenwood’s historic train station has received a $5 million facelift, Amtrak needs to restore the station’s agent and checked-baggage service.
Agents can sell tickets and handle baggage — tasks the station’s current attendant cannot — and agents allow for more hours of station operation each day. They also can provide travelers with helpful trip-planning, reservation, and ticketing assistance, and their presence allows for children to travel alone with some restrictions.
Greenwood has the second-busiest Amtrak station in Mississippi. I would urge Greenwood residents to contact their federal lawmakers — Sen. Roger Wicker in particular — and ask them to direct Amtrak to restore Greenwood’s station agent and baggage service.
At Congress’ request, Amtrak recently restored the agent and baggage service at Meridian, and Meridian has fewer train riders than Greenwood. Last year’s Amtrak ridership at Greenwood was more than twice that of Meridian — 7,511 versus 3,478.
Barrett Williams
St. Louis
