What Is Your Favorite Train Station?

There CNJ Jersey City terminal became surplus when almost all the passenger trains ended up being redirected to the PRR's Newark station in '67. The Newark Bay Bridge started to be removed in '80, which made it impossible to reach via rail.

ATSF station in Newton KS.  Spent hours ther transfering between the NB LONE STAR HOU-CHI and the WB SOUTHWEST LIMITED CHI-LAX.  And one could look at the Newton Derick parked behind  of the station with support cars.  In 1975 and 6 the old Ferd Harvey diner was open all night.  However I do not think FH was still running it.  Everything was very brightly light.  Nort of the station I think was the HQ for the ATSF division.  4 Amtraks came tbrough in 6 hours plus some freights.  Most of the freights ran on the Southern Line.  Interesting times for a teenager.

Hamlet, North Carolina

Hamlet Depot

645 posted:

trainroomgary posted:

Durand Union Station • Durand, Michigan

About 165 trains pass through the main lines at Durand Union Station, per day. 

There is NO way Durand sees 165 trains per day as CN's ex-GTW is not double tracked all the way from Chicago-Detroit now. Yes, a good portion of it is double track but not for the entire distance.  I submit that 65 trains per day is a much more realistic figure and even that is probably still on the high side.

Norfolk Southern's ex-Conrail/NYC Chicago Line and CSXT's ex-B&O Fostoria-Chicago mainline (both are double track the entire distance) never saw that much traffic in modern times! I don't know if even the Union Pacific's triple track mainline in Nebraska saw that many in one day but it would be the most likely candidate in America to handle that many trains in a day. I beleive per what Trains magazine reported a few years back the Chicago Line was about 100-130 trains per day under Conrail ownership. Think it is a bit less now after Conrail was split up between NS and CSXT. Probably about 90-100 trains per day now on the Chicago Line which includes CP trains from Butler, Indiana to Chicago.

That would have been close to right in its heyday. Maybe a tad high? Maybe a record? But for sure, Durand was a VERY busy station.

I can't post my own fav. No tools show up for Android for this thread.

Richmond VA's Broad Street station, which is now the Science Museum of VA.

For the last 30 years, it has hosted annual Tanksgiving weekend train show.

The River City 3 Railers have participated since 2010.

Peter

PRRMike posted:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsNKD_9rwOY

I vote for Point of Rocks Station, it even has its own song. Thanks to Harry Hieke.

Great choice.

Peter

one sorely in need of rehab:

Middletown NY, NYO&W

Peter

J Daddy posted:

Always wanted to model this one in its hey day!

 

That's beauty, too. Used it often, when I lived in Baltimore from 79-83. A great choice JDaddy.

Peter

George S posted:

I found this one on one of my journeys.

George, sorry, I didn't see your post before I placed a similar picture......it sorely needs rehab.....I hope it will be done some day.

Peter

I love the E. Francis Baldwin designed structures. Many in my area. He designed many of the famous B&O Stations along the Metropolitan Sub and even some of the historic, original buildings at my alma mater, which also sits right on the Met. Sub and once had a Baldwin-Designed station until the 1970s. 

Peter, 

I saw that picture too. I drove by it about 6 years ago when I was in town. I was surprised and impressed, but it was clearly abandoned. When looking for a picture of it online, I saw that it had a massive fire in 2015. What a shame. I also drove through downtown Middletown and was a little scared by the large boarded up buildings. It looks like it used to be a great town, but there is not much left. There's a big mall by the highway and a few newer office buildings, but the older parts of town are in decay.

George

I just have too many favorites.....

Here's another one that needs serious rehab.....the Westchester Avenue station of the New York Westchester & Boston RR. Since it paralleled the New Haven River Line into HellGate, it was shared by the New Haven until 1933.

1915 picture:

Recent pics:

If you ever travel that way, here is its relation to the Number 6 EL......the train is turning into the Whitlock Ave station.

Peter

I had done a (BTS) model of the East Broad Top Railroad Station, Orbisonia, PA.  A large two story station, that addressed most of the areas, and architecture, of a multipurpose station.

Gosh!  You guys raise some real tough questions and also examples.  And I have seen or visited most of the major terminals shown here and I just can't separate out a "favorite" station.  i'd like to add the Milwaukee Road station in Milwaukee as being a real classic, although i must admit to being a bit prejudiced, having grown up there and having used that station many times.

Why can't we just enjoy the lot of the suggestions from members, here?  So many great ones to choose from, both living and dead and gone.

Paul Fischer

Putnam Division posted:

Richmond VA's Broad Street station, which is now the Science Museum of VA.

For the last 30 years, it has hosted annual Tanksgiving weekend train show.

 

The River City 3 Railers have participated since 2010.

Peter

Actually, I'm more partial to the Main street station in Richmond, which I understand is now either an office building or a shopping center. 

But, in either case it's nice to see buildings being repurposed and kept around rather than being torn down and replaced with cheap boxes.

Speaking of which how goes the Buffalo, NY station restoration? 

YONKERS, NEW YORK on the Hudson line...

Adriatic posted:

645 posted:

trainroomgary posted:

Durand Union Station • Durand, Michigan

About 165 trains pass through the main lines at Durand Union Station, per day. 

There is NO way Durand sees 165 trains per day as CN's ex-GTW is not double tracked all the way from Chicago-Detroit now. Yes, a good portion of it is double track but not for the entire distance.  I submit that 65 trains per day is a much more realistic figure and even that is probably still on the high side.

That would have been close to right in its heyday. Maybe a tad high? Maybe a record? But for sure, Durand was a VERY busy station.

Hi Adriatic • Your facts are wrong.......

130 to 165 trains per day will pass by the main platform at Durand Union Station.  There are 130 through trains per day and then add in the locomotives that are backing out of the yard and going pass the station it will be over 165 locomotives.

I taught High School Photography in Michigan for over 36 years, I always took my day students and night school students Rail Fanning at Durand Union Station.  Yes: A great place to get excellent railroad photography, in a safe location. No railroad police as long as the students stayed at the appropriate areas.

** Below is a short video, that verifies that 130 trains per day pass through Durand Union Station in 2016 and a link to my source.

http://www.durandstation.org/   This is a link to all the facts.

Photos from my Favorite Railroad Station.

Hope: This gets you back on the right track to Durand, Michigan.

                                                                            and

George S posted:

Peter, 

I saw that picture too. I drove by it about 6 years ago when I was in town. I was surprised and impressed, but it was clearly abandoned. When looking for a picture of it online, I saw that it had a massive fire in 2015. What a shame. I also drove through downtown Middletown and was a little scared by the large boarded up buildings. It looks like it used to be a great town, but there is not much left. There's a big mall by the highway and a few newer office buildings, but the older parts of town are in decay.

George

George....we are coming up on this 60th anniversary of the fall of the O&W.....March29,1957.

That picture breaks my heart!

Peter

Sorry Gary, a tad high at its peak during the early 1900s. Our source is the same.

Quoted from the Durand Station site under history:

"This was a very busy station as the Grand Trunk Western and Ann Arbor Railroads crossed at grade there. During the early 1900’s when the railroad industry was at its peak, 42 passenger trains, 22 mail trains, and 78 freight trains passed through Durand daily. Durand Union Station handled approximately 3,000 passengers per day, making it a prospering hub of the industry."

42+22+78=142 at its peak or "heyday", hence my thoughts 165 might be a tad high. But still very busy, and the #2 in Michigan behind the huge Michigan Central Station in downtown Detroit; which is my choice for a fav. though I can't post pictures because my attachment tool won't work. It used to be stunning. Not so much now, Google it and see for yourself.

  In Pennytrain's Cleveland post, the Mercury pictured, is very likely headed for Michigan Central.

Kansas City Union Station is my favorite, it was on the brink of being demolished at one time but was saved and restored thank goodness!

Michigan Central Station • Detroit, Michigan • December 2016

Shot with a Canon DSLR - T6i.  A few years back, the Detroit Police Department had plans to make this structure their head quarters, this deal did not work out.  I think now it is owned by the Ambassador Bridge Co.

You can still get inside, but their are locals who give tours. I go with a friend who is a retired police officer and a local camera club.

** Hi Adriatic, if you are still having issues up loading photos to the OGR Forum, hit me up with an e-mail and I will post them for you, under your name. (email in my profile)  :-)

Gary

  That's very gracious of you to offer Gary, thank you!

  The feature seems to come and go for me. There were fresh updates last night, I'll likely be able to use it again soon....Yep, its back!

Not mine, but "somewhere" I have a postcard just like this. There was once a stack of them around here in my youth, along with other examples of great architecture folks had built in Michigan. I have half found a dozen here and there, mostly used as bookmarks by my Grandparents.

jvega2 posted:

Kansas City Union Station is my favorite, it was on the brink of being demolished at one time but was saved and restored thank goodness!

It is an iconic landmark in KC. Working downtown for 30 years, it was always a wonderful way to start the day driving by it on the way to work. 

fisch330 posted:

Gosh!  You guys raise some real tough questions and also examples.  And I have seen or visited most of the major terminals shown here and I just can't separate out a "favorite" station.  i'd like to add the Milwaukee Road station in Milwaukee as being a real classic, although i must admit to being a bit prejudiced, having grown up there and having used that station many times.

Why can't we just enjoy the lot of the suggestions from members, here?  So many great ones to choose from, both living and dead and gone.

Paul Fischer

Well it's not really a contest to decide the prettiest and/or most popular but rather just a collection of the ones we all like best.  Notice how many are "hometown" stations?

I've admired train station architecture from when I was a little kid.  The Union Depot, Pittsburgh, PA is a beauty that I'm surprised no one has mentioned yet.  (I don't seem to have a photo.)   So, as others have done, I'm including a station near me that I pass at least once a week -- the West Littleton, Mass. Station, built in 1879.  I love it because it is still standing, which is a rarity in this area.  The architecture is classic and it is set amid buildings ranging from the 1700s to the 1930s. 

It was built for the original Fitchburg Railroad and then became the Fitchburg branch of the Boston & Maine Railroad.  The track is currently used by the Metropolitan Boston Transit Authority for the Boston-Fitchburg commuter rail.  I just took these photos today -- unfortunately there were some vehicles parked out front, so I limited my photos and wanderings to certain angles.  The station is owned by a man who restores antique cooking stoves to working order, hence the kitchen clutter outside. He meticulously restored the station to its original colors. This corner used to have a Post Office sign:

Track side with the freight wing (milk was a popular commodity; also apples?):

Long view showing the rebuilt crossing shack on the right (outbound). The fading B&M box cars are rumored to hold more stove parts:

Long shot of a classic New England setting:

In May 1956, the #108 B&M freight train from Mechanicsville, NY derailed about a half mile from the station and cars overturned and piled up near the building as a result.  Various freight spilled onto the tracks including the contents of "several coal cars".  The 2002 "Images of America" photographic source says that it took several days to clear and that coal can still be found from the accident.  In fact, here's my haul from today; no guarantee it's from 1956, but I've never seen such big and flat hunks of coal sitting in a pile of coal dust (center of each photo). Some is almost shale-like:

Today's coal haul with a xerox of an old postcard of the station from its steam days:

Tomlinson Run Railroad

The inside of the New Haven station has vintage O gauge New Haven models on the top of the benches.

Here's a closeup on one bench.

Peter

Once the largest train station in the world, St. Louis Union Station.  At one time,it handled over 100,000 passengers a day.

.

The famous picture of Harry Truman holding up the famous "Dewey Defeats Truman" photo was taken in the station.

As of Labor Day weekend, I'm adding the 1892 Boston & Maine Pearl Street Station, Malden, Mass. It's now a restaurant and very close to Charles Ro's model train store and a rail trail.  You can make a fun day of it.

Here are photos that I took on 9/2/2017, along with some historic postcards.  The "Orange Line" of the MBTA still runs behind the station.  Inside the entrance was really neat but too dark to photograph.  What was probably originally a ticket window immediately inside on the right was converted into a perfectly-sized take-out pizza kitchen.  Enjoy!

A little introduction to a once big station:

The terracotta roof details and the copper trim are still intact:

The track's got a third rail -- just like mine. :-) Note the corner architectural detail:

The "T" runs by quite frequently north and south and shakes the building when you're inside:

Interesting filled in arch, not present in the early postcards (below):

Great carved B&M detail over the main entrance:

And on the right side corner:

I recommend the four-cheese macaroni with bacon and peppers and the lemonade. The latter tasted hand-squeezed:

Early postcards of the front and track-side (from wikimedia):

Tomlinson Run Railroad

Not that I have been to a ton of these, but the Santa Fe turned Amtrak station in San Diego was pleasant.  I enjoyed the tile work and the Santa Fe logos in everything including the lights.   I sometimes would take the train through LA and avoid that traffic for work - a nice change. 

I also have good memories from the Kings Cross station in England.   Took a trip from London to Edinburgh and spent some time sitting there - not a bad spot to enjoy a coffee and sit on a duffel bag for a while.

I missed this one when it first went around, but hope it's not too late to chime in...

I have to agree with prior posts naming Grand Central Terminal. The last 7 years I was working, I commuted into Manhattan a couple of times a week on Metro North and had the pleasure of passing through GCT - truly a spectacular station.

I have to add the old Erie Lackawanna headquarters building/Scranton train station. It is currently a Raddisson hotel, but there are still active tracks that run by the property (including the occasional excursion train from Steamtown). I stayed there once, back when Steamtown first moved to Scranton - I think it was a Hilton then. The outside of the building is quite impressive:

The former waiting room is now the lobby and a restaurant. It has a spectacular glass ceiling:

But I think the most fascinating aspect of the lobby area is a set of ceramic tiles which circle the room. When I stayed there, we were told that the tiles are a pictorial representation of a trip (if I remember correctly - been quite a few years!!!) from Buffalo to Hoboken. You can see a few of the tiles in these two pics: