First time rider

[Darren]

june the 17th i will be coming into union station transfering to the cardinal to go to cincinnati ohio which will be my final destination and was just needing a few tips for my first time like when i get off the train at union station where exactly do igo and if my train happens to be late how do i get to the platforms to get on my train departing to cincinnati? never rode a train before just need some help thank you

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

Is that Chicago Union Station?

I think at least Chicago and Washington have a Union Station. Once upon a time, the freight railroads also operated passenger service, and inititally each railroad typically built its own passenger station, which was named after the railroad. Eventually, some of the railroads decided to work together to build stations served by multiple railroads, which is how the name Union Station came about.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Cincinnati's station is also a Union Station.

 

[the_traveler]

As does LA and Denver!

Getting back to the original question - when you get off, there will be monitors (like in an airport) in the waiting room. And if you are in a sleeper (on either segment), you will be entitled to use the Metropolitan Lounge!

 

[MrFSS]

Cincinnati's station is also a Union Station.

Cincinnati's is Union Terminal, not Union Station, and now is a MUSEUM.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

Getting back to the original question - when you get off, there will be monitors (like in an airport) in the waiting room. And if you are in a sleeper (on either segment), you will be entitled to use the Metropolitan Lounge!

How do we know he's transfering at Chicago Union Station and not Washington Union Station? (At the latter, the first class / sleeping car passenger lounge is called the ClubAcela.)

 

[MrEd]

cardinal only runs from chicago on june 17th, according to my schedule at least.

 

[darren]

sorry about that i should have put which union station i was coming into yes i will be arriving at union station june 17th just first time rider dont want to miss my train or get lost lol from there i will be going to cincinnati yes and thank you for all your help

 

[Darren]

sorry about that i should have put which union station i was coming into yes i will be arriving at union station june 17th just first time rider dont want to miss my train or get lost lol from there i will be going to cincinnati yes and thank you for all your help

SORRY AGAIN LOL YES THE CHICAGO UNION STATION LOL

 

[RRrich]

If it was me, I would get off the train in Union Station (whichever one ) and ask a Redcap where the train to Cincinnati is. If you have sleeper tickets for that day, you can use the First Class Lounge if there is time between trains. In Chicago its called the Metro Lounge.

Don't hesitate to ask Amtrak folks, I was impressed with how nice they ALL were!

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

If you are transferring at CUS, once you are squared away on your connections, take time to explore this amazing place, being sure not to miss taking a look at the Great Hall. Enjoy a bite to eat in one of the many eateries while being entertained by the endless stream of communters scurrying about. If time allows, check out some of the nearby sites in the city as well. Have fun!

 

[AmtrakWPK]

If it was me, I would get off the train in Union Station (whichever one ) and ask a Redcap where the train to Cincinnati is.

If you ask that at Tampa Union Station you will get some pretty strange looks!! :lol: :lol:

Come to think of it, I don't think they even HAVE Redcaps at Tampa Union Station. :lol:

 

[RRrich]

If it was me, I would get off the train in Union Station (whichever one ) and ask a Redcap where the train to Cincinnati is.

If you ask that at Tampa Union Station you will get some pretty strange looks!! :lol: :lol:

Come to think of it, I don't think they even HAVE Redcaps at Tampa Union Station. :lol:

LOL

 

[Cascadia]

Yes you won't get very far with that question at Portland Union Station either :lol:

(Sorry Darren!)

I hope you will have a fine trip and when you are in the train station be sure to keep an eye on your belongings. That goes for any travelling, anywhere. But yeah, hang on to your stuff.

 

[Guest]

"Cincinnati's is Union Terminal, not Union Station"

Can you explain why Atlanta had both a Union Station and a Terminal Station, a short distance apart?

 

[Darren]

Thank you very much all of your help is greatly appreciated will try to have a nice trip i have a coach seat from fort worth texas to chicago that should be tons of fun lol

 

[the_traveler]

"Cincinnati's is Union Terminal, not Union Station"
Can you explain why Atlanta had both a Union Station and a Terminal Station, a short distance apart?

Different railroads (in years gone past) used different rail stations. Thus some used Union Station and some used Terminal Station. As an example, New York City had at least 2 stations (Penn Station and Grand Central Terminal) and Chicago (in the railroad good times) had IIRC over 7 railroad stations (some only blocks apart)!

 

[MrFSS]

Chicago (in the railroad good times) had IIRC over 7 railroad stations (some only blocks apart)!

Here is what Chicago had and the rail lines for each station. No wonder they called it the rail hub of the country.

This map is from 1945.

One could walk Roosevelt Road a few blocks in both directions and cross many, many tracks full of great passenger trains.

 

[George Harris]

"Cincinnati's is Union Terminal, not Union Station"
Can you explain why Atlanta had both a Union Station and a Terminal Station, a short distance apart?

Different railroads (in years gone past) used different rail stations. Thus some used Union Station and some used Terminal Station. As an example, New York City had at least 2 stations (Penn Station and Grand Central Terminal) and Chicago (in the railroad good times) had IIRC over 7 railroad stations (some only blocks apart)!

That is only part of the answer. Quite frequently multiple stations, such as in Atlanta, and in Memphis were due the the various railroad companies being unablie to come to an agreement that all would accept. Thus you ended up with situations like Memphis where there were two stations separated by two blocks that faced the same street, both built at about the same time, that is in the 1910 to 1916+ time frame. There you had Central Station at the Main and Calhoun, sometimes called Grand Central, but the name engraved in the concrete on the face of the Main Street face of the building said Central Station. It served ICRR, SLSF and CRIP. It is still there and Amtrak's City of New Orleans, which runs on the ICRR line stops there. Two blocks east was Union Station, facing Calhoun between Second and Third Streets, which served L&N, Southern, NC&StL, MoPac, and SLSW. It was torn down in the late 60's and a post office sort center built on the site.

 

[jackal]

Once upon a time, the freight railroads also operated passenger service, and inititally each railroad typically built its own passenger station, which was named after the railroad. Eventually, some of the railroads decided to work together to build stations served by multiple railroads, which is how the name Union Station came about.

Were some of the Union Stations also named because they were built by the Union Pacific?

Union Station in Salt Lake City, which is now an entrance to the Gateway Mall, has a big Union Pacific logo on its roof. Just down the street is a beautiful station with the Rio Grande's logo on the roof.

I'm guessing this particular Union Station is "Union" because of the Union Pacific, not a union of disparate railroads.

Perhaps LAUPT is the same--though it may have been served by the SF (or AT&SF or whatever it was in those days), SP, UP, and maybe another company or two, so it could have been a "union" of railroads which coincidentally included the Union Pacific!

 

[MrFSS]

Once upon a time, the freight railroads also operated passenger service, and initially each railroad typically built its own passenger station, which was named after the railroad. Eventually, some of the railroads decided to work together to build stations served by multiple railroads, which is how the name Union Station came about.

Were some of the Union Stations also named because they were built by the Union Pacific?

Union Station in Salt Lake City, which is now an entrance to the Gateway Mall, has a big Union Pacific logo on its roof. Just down the street is a beautiful station with the Rio Grande's logo on the roof.

I'm guessing this particular Union Station is "Union" because of the Union Pacific, not a union of disparate railroads.

Perhaps LAUPT is the same--though it may have been served by the SF (or AT&SF or whatever it was in those days), SP, UP, and maybe another company or two, so it could have been a "union" of railroads which coincidentally included the Union Pacific!

Lots of thoughts on the difference between Union Station, Union Terminal, and Central Station. We have had discussion on the forum in the past, probably several years ago.

Here is a list of Union Stations across the country.

LINK

 

[RTOlson]

According to ye old Wikipedia, the Salt Lake building was initially a Union Station between two Union Pacific affiliates, but quickly became the "Union Pacific Depot" as UP took things over.

So I guess there were two rail depots in operation near each other in SLC. I wonder how that must've been.

 

[the_traveler]

Didn't the "station" (actually more of a waiting room and platform) in Las Vegas, NV be called Union Station? :huh: But I thnk it was because it was built off of, and in back of, the Union Plaza Casino - which just happened to be built by the Union Pacific Railroad!

 

[Green Maned Lion]

It is also possible it is built on the site of an old, long demolished, Union Station.