I like visiting train stations as much as I like standing by the tracks watching trains or model railroading. I’ve seen all this talk lately about missed and favorite fallen flags and was just wondering what station(s) you miss most that have either been demolished or converted to some other use.
I would choose Pennsylvania Station because I never saw it. It was demolished before I was born. In fact, I’ve never been to Pennsylvania. I have heard so much about it and seen all kinds of pictures in books, magazines, and videos.
Wichita, KS lost a gem when the victorian-style Missouri Pacific depot was demolished to make way for the architecturaly inferior Garvey Plaza, a collection of office buildings and hotel. The depot was demolished in the 1960s. Had it survived it would have made it onto the National Register of Historic Places.
Feel free to include the little small town depots, too, and any experiences and memories you have. The station’s I listed in the poll where one’s that I could think of off the top of my head with out looking in a book with the exception of the Chicago stations (I used TRAINS Magazine).
I was around when Penn Station was used, and I was in it a few times. One man I knew was head of security there and took me and my wife there to see some things you do not think about when you are running for a train. They should never have torn down the old station and built this new one. Now they are up-grading it to handle long island and excella trains. They have to re-do the tunnels from N.J and maybe add new tubes to keep up with increased commuter lines. I like small stations too. Would like to get dimensions for and photos of Erie and Erie-Lackawanna stations from Hoboken to Spring Valley N.Y as I lived on that line. (no, next to that line) Bernt T. Fla.
I grew up on the western suburbs, and as a kid would go into Chicago with my parents on the C&NW commuter trains (and occasionally the Kate Shelly 400) and visit my grandparents on The City of New Orleans (and once on the Panama Limited).
I didn’t know Chicago Grand Central even existed until after it was torn down. Tuhs that’s my pick.
NEVER GOT THE CHANCE TO VISIT A BIG TIME TERMINAL ONLY THE SMALL STATIONS ALONG THE LINE. WOULD HAVE LOVE TO SEEN AND VISIT ONE DURING THEIR HEYDAYS. NEVER GOT THE CHANCE TO TAKE THE TRAIN SERVICE OUT OF THE STATE I LIVE IN.MAYBE IF AMTRACK IS STILL AROUND I WILL LIKE TO THE TRAIN OUT OF STATE.
I voted for Pennsylvania Station by default. Never was there, nor at Grand Central, but feel as though I’ve been to Grand Central after seeing countless movies over the years. As for the Chicago terminals listed, there were just too many to choose from so . . . Pennsy by default.
I remember both the Portland and L.A. Union stations in their primes (or pretty close to their primes) and treasure those memories. There was just something undefinable special in being a small kid aboard the Daylight steaming into L.A. at twilight, watching the parade of Santa Fe and UP consists working their various ways into and out of the terminal simultaneously; likewise, you could pass the time at Portland waiting for your train to leave watching UP and SP&S put on their show alongside SP.
The terminal I’d really like to revisit, though? San Francisco’s 3rd & Townsend. Small, compared to the others, and it only served Southern Pacific, but what a place in its heyday! A steady stream of commute trains up and down the Peninsula, the Daylights, the Lark and the Starlight . . . a lot of hustle and bustle and pure railroad atmosphere in that funny little mission gothic-styled terminal, right down to the flagmen in their sheds at 4th Street popping out to stop traffic every five minutes at some parts of the day. Good stuff, great memories.
– Paul
Was Portland, Maine’s Union Station really dismal? I was born in 1960 the year most passenger train service ended in Maine except for the mediocre B&M RDC’s to Boston which were discontinued in 1965. My mother would tell me of taking the train from Portland to Newport to visit family with my older brother and sister in tow and how much fun it was to take the train. I know passenger service declined quickly in Maine after the war and could not compete with the automobile, but I’ve always heard how beautiful the station was and what a shame that they tore it down in 1961. I feel I was born too late as I missed the golden age of passenger trains in the US, but maybe that day will come again.
I sense there is a little anti-Santa Fe running loose here. Yes, the Dearborn station is listed, as is Kansas City, but what about Albuquerque, and San Diego, and San Bernadino, and LAUPT, plus all those smaller stations across Texas and the plains states.
My personal preference is Albuquerque. It was more than a Depot, it was more than a Station, it was the center of a financial, recreational, commercial complex that reached further than just getting people on and off trains. It was certainly a loss when it burned down a few years ago. I just hope the replacement which should be finished by now, does it justice.
Thank you for your input. I’m glad you mentioned those. Those are unknown to me, however. The poll was to reflect as many stations as I could think of (plus I was only limited to list 15).
It was my opinion that the ones I put in the poll would probably be the most recognized across the continent. I think we all dream a little of seeing in person something we’ve only read about or seen in books and magazines. Maybe you could help put up a second list of stations.
I’d also be interested what stations Canadians consider landmarks or most popular, since I don’t much about Canada it would be interesting to find out.
Also if anybody on any other continent has a story to tell I’d be glad to hear it, too.
Just a reminder to all those voting for NY Penn or Grand Central. In these “Temples to Transportation”, you couldn’t see the trains from the concourse!
As I have worked at Penn Station NY and seen some of the older areas that still exist, not to the public though, I would have liked to seen it in its heyday. My heart still belongs to the little stations however. Some of my fondest memories are working as an Agent/Operator at these stations.
Never have seen the grand stations of the east, I am accustomed to the small ATSF stations here in Oklahoma and Kansas, some that are still here and some that have long gone away. The smallest being the old Santa Fe Hulah station since been moved to Bartlesville Oklahoma and restored
KC Union has been reused nicely, although you obviously cannot go in there and take a warbonneted F powered train out west any longer.
Being from Buffalo NY we had 2 real Gems in the way of major stations. The old NYC depot on the east side was magnificent, still stands but is slowly crumbling as there is no financial effective use for it today, mainatanace and restoration costs would be outrageous, it is located in a slum and the Western NY economy is and has been in the ceptic tank. The building is fantastic, used to visit there regularly until we moved away a decade ago, would loved to have seen the place active in the early fifties.
Buffalo used to have a unique and beatuful station on the waterfront, the old Lackawanna depot, whickh also hosted B&O and Nickel palte trains as well. It was located close to the heart of downtown, and also served lake going passenger vessels as well. The trainsheds still stand, as thery were reused as maintanace sheds for the rapid transit system but the glorious passenger terminal and offices were demolished in jaunuary 1980.
What “little depots”? Your choices are all the obvious ones— and not much to choose from, in my estimation. How 'bout Pittsburgh & Lake Erie’s station in Pittsburgh? It was used by P&LE and B&O. Erie, too, according to the latest CT (altho I don’t specifically recall seeing Erie locomotives there).
About Penna Station, New York: Vaguely remember being taken through the orginal McKim, Mead & White designed structure at age seven (1964). However, I have more recently been to the Roman bath (Caracolla?) upon which they based their work. It’s worth a visit.
About CUT: Its design is impressive and I would have like to have seen it with actual train service and passengers.
Moreover, isn’t a station where you can seen trains approach in the outdoors rather than via a tunnel a little more satisfying? (Just a personal quirk.) MCFarrand
I would like to see all of those stations but I vote Los Angeles Union Station. I have heard a lot about it in videos and find it very interesting. New Yorks Grand Central would be my next choice. After seeing Omaha’s Amtrak station I really need to see someting much more fancy.