June 7th was the ribbon-cutting for new platforms at the Ashland (VA) Amtrak station. Built at a cost of $10 million, the purpose of the project was to improve ADA accessibility and safety:
A quick glance in the image above begs the question of what exactly was done to improve accessibility? There is obviously no level-platform boarding. Passengers with mobility issues will still have difficulties climbing stairs into the train. Wheelchair riders will still have to rely on mobile lifts. This was the best that could be done for $10 million?
Sadly, this project serves as a template for stations all across the country. Amtrak is spending $58 million bringing 16 stations into ADA “compliance” — with another 120 stations in the pipeline at a cost of $126 million.
Systemic Failure 
Ok, a couple comments about your post concerning the Ashland Amtrak station.
1) The picture you posted is NOT Ashland, Virginia. I don’t recognize The station but having been to Ashland I can assure you that’s not Ashland.
2) The platforms at Ashland were rebuilt making them safer for everyone including disabled passengers. Below are a series of pictures from Google showing the platforms before and after reconstruction.
https://goo.gl/maps/jjZv9tkidM9xVhAX8
Ashland station looking south – April 2018
https://goo.gl/maps/BrR1ENcdwsPiAr9n9
Ashland looking north – July 2012
https://goo.gl/maps/B5gvzqdE5uFvEni18
Ashland looking north – August 2021.
The first two pictures show an old brick platform(s) where some of the bricks have sunk causing an uneven surface. The last picture shows the rebuilt platforms that are not only wider but have a slightly raised section in the middle. Zooming in on the last picture you can see the hand cranked lift to loading wheelchairs onto the train. This lift is secured with a railroad lock that the conductor has the key for. Prior to the work at Ashland there was NO lift available and the station was not listed as handicapped accessible.
Now you’re probably wondering why isn’t there a high level platform like they have on the northeast corridor? Well the reason for this is that this is the main line of CSXT between the northeast and the south. CSXT will NOT allow high level platforms adjacent to it’s tracks that might interfere with passing freight trains. In order to have a high level platform you’d need either a “Gauntlet” track (see East Chicago, Indiana on the South Shore) or sidings off of the two main tracks (see Greenbelt, Maryland MARC station). As you can see in the Google pictures there is no room for either due to streets on either side and the station building. A proposal to relocate the CSXT tracks to a bypass west of town was fought by the local NIMBY’s. This bypass would have featured a new station with siding tracks and high platforms.
The station at Ashland DOES meet the ADA requirements for a smooth platform, ramps and a lift where it is NOT possible due to local and railroad operating conditions to install a high level platform.
BTW – I worked in the railroad industry (both Amtrak and BNSF) so I have lots of experience with clearance issues involving freight trains and passenger platforms.