Baker’s Dozen
By Lowell & Kaye Christie, F47246
February 2007
Today when you hear the word “train,” your first thought may be Amtrak. This modern railroad serves an average of 69,000 travelers each day on 300 trains. But to many people, the word is more likely to evoke the image of a steam locomotive of yesteryear crossing the open plains or pulling into a small-town railroad station.
As we became interested in the history of trains and rail transportation, we found that many of the old railroad stations still exist. You just have to know where to look. All of the stations described in this column have significant historical value, and some are architectural treasures as well.
The Railroad Station Historical Society Web site, www.trainweb.org/rshs/great_railroad_stations.htm, includes information about 54 train stations. Most are in the Northeast, some in the Midwest, and several in the West. The site is a fantastic resource for gathering information about North America’s historic railroad stations, and can certainly help you plan your travels.
1. Cumberland, Maryland
The National Road figured prominently in the story of westward migration. Back in the 19th century, horse-drawn wagons hauled people and freight on the trail that stretched from Maryland to what eventually became Indiana. The canals followed in the mid-1800s, and then the railroads. The Western Maryland Railway in Cumberland is a particularly handsome relic of the past. The railway built a three-story brick depot in Cumberland and equipped it with elegant furnishings to further attract travelers. Today the station houses the C&O Canal Visitors Center and is home to the still-busy Western Maryland Scenic Railroad.
2. Orbisonia, Pennsylvania
Trains puffed by the East Broad Top Railroad Station for a century, starting back in 1856. Then, years after it closed, the station was designated a National Historic Landmark. But that wasn’t the end of the railroad. The station was restored and rail equipment refitted so that trains could once again chug through. Tourist train excursions are offered from June through October, attracting visitors with a love of trains and an appreciation of railroad history.
3. Niles, Michigan
Niles served as a major stop on the old Michigan Central Railroad. The company has shut down, but the century-old depot remains, and it’s now used as an Amtrak station. The handsome stone construction and elegant architecture roused considerable visitor interest. The interior was, and still is, lavishly furnished with oak wainscoting and ceilings. Other details include stained-glass windows and terra-cotta fixtures. The station may not be as elegant today as it was a century ago, but it is well worth a visit.
4. Glacier National Park, Montana
In the early 1900s there was a surge of public interest in the idea of preserving areas with great natural and/or historic value by designating them national parks. Glacier was one of the first. The Great Northern Railway gets credit for providing passenger service to the new park, and for building its train station at the East Glacier Gateway still exists. Amtrak still uses the station today.
5. Fort Edward, New York
The Delaware & Hudson Railroad was one of the earliest Eastern railroads built to serve the coal industry. The elegant and historic train station you’ll see today dates back to that time. At present, Fort Edward has a population of more than 6,000 people, and many of them are determined to preserve the large number of historic buildings still standing. Today Amtrak rail lines bring people and freight through Fort Edward, so the train station was restored for passenger use.
6. Portland, Oregon
Portland Union Station was built on a site once occupied by a lake and, as such, was subject to flooding by the nearby Willamette River. More than 5,000 wood pilings had to be driven into the ground to support this large brick station. The building’s slender clock tower is still a landmark of Portland’s North Downtown area. Major remodeling of the station in the 1920s added the classical marble interior.
7. Waterbury, Connecticut
One of the most unusual of New England’s railroad stations, the Waterbury Union Station opened its doors in 1909. Waterbury is well known for manufacturing clocks, a fact announced by the high clock tower that rises above the station. The station was a busy place, with 86 passenger trains passing by each day at the height of the passenger era. In the 1950s, railroad service began to decline, so the station now houses Waterbury’s newspaper, the Republican-American.
8. Smithville, Ontario, Canada
The Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway began in the late 19th century, permitting direct travel between Toronto, Ontario, and Buffalo, New York. By the end of World War I, six passenger trains stopped there daily, and sleeper car service to New York City was provided. Passenger train travel shrunk dramatically by the mid-1950s, so the depot closed. Today the station has regained its former elegance. The exterior and the magnificent fan windows have been restored, and the building now serves as a visitor information center.
9. Boise, Idaho
A subsidiary of the Union Pacific Railroad, the Oregon Short Line Railroad followed the general path of the Oregon Trail. The large Spanish-style station that’s situated on a hillside was, and still is, a showplace. An impressive boulevard connects the Idaho capitol to the station. The building’s exterior beauty is matched by a lovely interior, with a two-story waiting room, fancy ironwork, and mosaic tile floors. By 1968 passenger travel was minimal, but the arrival of Amtrak brought the depot back to life. Passenger service finally ended in 1997, but the building is used for special events, and remains a living museum of railroad history.
10. Santa Barbara, California
We agree with Santa Barbara’s claim to have the “Queen of Missions,” but it’s more than that. The historic train station is in central Santa Barbara near the historic district, and only a few blocks from the beach. Built in the tile-roofed Mission style, this station serves Southern Pacific’s Coastline route, considered one of the 10 most scenic railway lines in the United States. The station had a grand reopening in 1999 to celebrate renovation and improvements. It’s definitely worth a look.
11. Cincinnati, Ohio
While Cincinnati’s Union Terminal isn’t as old as others we’ve covered, it’s notable for its architecture. Opened in 1933, the station’s half-dome rotunda rises 120 feet into the air, making it resemble a giant, old-fashioned radio. Inside walls hold massive mosaics depicting local industries. Outside, the 20-foot-diameter clock with red neon hands in the massive arched window complements what may be the greatest Art Deco-style station in the United States. Amtrak still runs one route through the terminal, but the timeless beauty of the building remains, serving the public with several museums and an IMAX theater.
12. Utica, New York
This New York Central station opened its doors in 1914 and still has trains passing in and out. The history of the station’s location goes further back than the railroad’s arrival. Stagecoaches were the first to use the station early in the 19th century, followed by the first trains in 1836. The original station was replaced by a newer one in 1869, and a third in 1914. The station structure is impressive, and inside are coffered ceilings, marble columns, and skylights. A restoration project has returned parts of the building to their original beauty.
13. McAdam, New Brunswick, Canada
McAdam Railway Station & Hotel, now a National and Provincial Historic Site, lies on the border between New Brunswick and eastern Maine. The station, built in 1900, is unusual in that it also housed a multi-gabled stone chateau hotel on the floor above the main station. Tours of the still elegant McAdam Railway Station are offered daily between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.