# The Other Chicago Station



## MrFSS (Aug 7, 2010)

Just north of CUS is the *Ogilvie Transportation Center*, a Metra station. It didn't always look the way it does today.

When it was the *Northwestern Passenger Station*, it was a beautiful building that went by the wayside as so many of them have,







From my postcard collection


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## lthanlon (Aug 7, 2010)

I like this old backlighted sign in the old Chicago Daily News Building (2 North Riverside Plaza) at the entrance to the walkway leading to Ogilvie Transportation Center (Northwestern Station). Is this sign original?


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## Guest (Aug 7, 2010)

Cant answer your question re the sign but it probably is original. As always MrFSS came through from his amazing stockpile of old RR things, perhaps he can answer this one since he spent lots of time in Chicago! Another positive is that at least CHI didnt tear down all the old stations, even though they are used for other purposes!


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## had8ley (Aug 7, 2010)

Maybe Tom can answer this for me. I think this is where the C&NW stored their beautiful business cars under the shed.Too bad the UP busted the train up after the merger. Anybody know where the cars went ???


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## MrFSS (Aug 7, 2010)

Guest said:


> Cant answer your question re the sign but it probably is original. As always MrFSS came through from his amazing stockpile of old RR things, perhaps he can answer this one since he spent lots of time in Chicago! Another positive is that at least CHI didn't tear down all the old stations, even though they are used for other purposes!


I traveled out of the Northwestern and Union stations quite often in the 40's and 50's, but I never was in that walkway shown above by_* Ithanlon*_.

But, I'd have to say it pre-dates Amtrak since it says C & NW RY on it. If I remember correctly (may be wrong) the C &NW was at one time owned by a British company and they ran their trains on the "wrong" side of dual tracks. It may be why they called it a railway instead of a railroad. Just guessing on that. Bill H might know.


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## MrFSS (Aug 7, 2010)

had8ley said:


> Maybe Tom can answer this for me. I think this is where the C&NW stored their beautiful business cars under the shed.Too bad the UP busted the train up after the merger. Anybody know where the cars went ???


Jay - the last time I was in the old CN&W station was about 1955. Too long ago to remember what cars were parked where. I used to ride the _*Flambeau 400*_ trains north to Manitowoc, WI as I lived there for a while and my grandparents were in Chicago. We traveled back and forth at least once a month. Great trains!


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## MrFSS (Aug 7, 2010)

This station pretty much remains the same today as it was years ago.






Anyone know anything about this one? I was never in it, myself.






And, train stations aren't the only thing that have changed over the years.

How about The Cleveland Airport.


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 7, 2010)

Tom: Is the Little Rock Depot the same one that's still used by Amtrak, it looks similar but I have only seen it @ night from track side when on a fresh air break on the Eagles?

Back in the day I rode the Texas Eagle from AUS-STL but don't remember the LittleRock station since I was asleep in my Domecar bedroom! :wub:


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## MrFSS (Aug 7, 2010)

jimhudson said:


> Tom: Is the Little Rock Depot the same one that's still used by Amtrak, it looks similar but I have only seen it @ night from track side when on a fresh air break on the Eagles?
> 
> Back in the day I rode the Texas Eagle from AUS-STL but don't remember the LittleRock station since I was asleep in my Domecar bedroom!


See this *LINK* - it looks the same as what is used today.


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## Eric S (Aug 7, 2010)

MrFSS said:


> But, I'd have to say it pre-dates Amtrak since it says C & NW RY on it. If I remember correctly (may be wrong) the C &NW was at one time owned by a British company and they ran their trains on the "wrong" side of dual tracks. It may be why they called it a railway instead of a railroad. Just guessing on that. Bill H might know.


C&NW was known for left-hand running in multi-track territory. This can still be seen today on the 3 Metra lines that run on former C&NW tracks. I don't believe it had anything to do with British ownership, though.


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## the_traveler (Aug 7, 2010)

MrFSS said:


> This station pretty much remains the same today as it was years ago.


You mean it's called Union Station too?



Why not just call it by it's real name - Chez Traveler West!





I noticed the tower has the clock - but not the "*GO BY TRAIN*" sign!


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## Bill Haithcoat (Aug 7, 2010)

MrFSS said:


> Guest said:
> 
> 
> > Cant answer your question re the sign but it probably is original. As always MrFSS came through from his amazing stockpile of old RR things, perhaps he can answer this one since he spent lots of time in Chicago! Another positive is that at least CHI didn't tear down all the old stations, even though they are used for other purposes!
> ...



Nope, sorry I do not know either.


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## jphjaxfl (Aug 7, 2010)

MrFSS said:


> jimhudson said:
> 
> 
> > Tom: Is the Little Rock Depot the same one that's still used by Amtrak, it looks similar but I have only seen it @ night from track side when on a fresh air break on the Eagles?
> ...


The Little Rock Station pictured is the same one that Amtrak uses today. I lived in Hot Springs, Ark from 1960 to 1965 and also traveled to and from Hot Springs before that. I traveled through that station many times. There was two open air concourses that were on the same level as the waiting room with stairs that went down to two tracks. There was probably about 10 tracks and 5 sets of stairs. The reason for the two concourses dated to the Jim Crow era. By the 1960s one of the concourses was closed. There was no restictions on anyone going out on the concourse so it was a great place to watch trains. Most of the times it was possible to go down to the tracks and walk the consists. Mo Pac exchanged lots of cars between trains in Little Rock. The main line trains ran from Chicago to Texas, but would switch out cars to Louisiana and Hot Springs and switch in cars from Memphis to Texas. There were also trains from Kansas City and Fort Smith. The Texas Eagle normally ran in two and sometimes 3 sections to west Texas; Dallas, Fort Worth, El Paso, to South Texas; Austin, San Antonio, Loredo, Mexico City and to Houston and Galveston. The Sunshine Special which was the premier train prior to introduction of the Streamlined Texas Eagle was downgraded to a more local train which followed the Texas Eagle. It carried through Sleeping Cars to Texas points, Shreveport, El Dorado, Ar and Hot Springs. The secondary trains the Southerner and Texan also switched cars in and out of Little Rock. My last pre Amtrak trip to Little Rock was in 1969 when I rode the reminant of the South Texas Eagle which ran from St. Louis to San Antonio and Loredo/Nuevo Loredo where it connected with National Railways of Mexico's Aztec Eagle which still was a full service train to Mexico City. In 1969, Mo Pac's Texas Eagle was 4 coaches that had been converted to coaches from 14/4 Sleeping cars so not every seat had a window plus a diner lounge car. There were no sleepers. The Dining Car crew had to sleep in the lounge section of the car. The train was well patronized with a number of passengers going to Mexico City. At Little Rock, the long concouses had been torn down so you went into the station on the lower level and walked up the inside stairs to get to the waiting room. Today's Amtrak station occupies the lower level with access to the small platform and track that the Texas Eagle uses. The former grand waiting room on the upper level has been a restaurant and night club at various times over the years. I haven't travel on Amtrak to Little Rock in years so I am not sure what occupies the upper level

now. The other grand old railroad station in Little Rock is the Choctow, Oklahoma and Gulf later Rock Island Station on the south side of downtown Little Rock is now part of the Clinton Presidential Library and has no railroad tracks going passed it but is beautifully preserved. North Little Rock also has a smaller ornate railroad station which was the terminal for the Cotton Belt Brach line trains to Pine Bluff. I am not sure if it still exists.


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## Bill Haithcoat (Aug 9, 2010)

jphjaxfl said:


> MrFSS said:
> 
> 
> > jimhudson said:
> ...


I have Little Rock memories from when my sister lived in Dallas and I would travel there from Chattanooga via Memphis.

I would take the Memphis section of the Texas Eagle and be switched on to the big train from St.Louis.

Eve though I was in a through car I always got off and stood on the platform and watched the big trains arrive from St.louis, goingto all sorts of destinations in Texas.

One time, northbound, I got to ride the TE from Dallas to STL instead of Memphis and caught L&N Georgian from STL to Chattanooga. That, and seeing all kinds of neat trains in STL was one fantastic trip.

The TE at that time originated in STL but it did have through cars from Chicago and even from New York.


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