Stations without Trains

[Ashland Train Enthusiast]

After the spate of station-themed threads recently (Integrated Stations, Elevated/Underground Stations, and everyone's favorite, Ghost Stations), I've been in a Station-thinking mood, and wanted to start discussion on another facet of this topic: Stations that have been refurbished/maintained by an individual/organization/community without regular train service.

I think the epitome of this is the station at Selma-Smithfield, where I had the pleasure of stopping last year. It's an old, restored ACL station that in the 70s was in danger of being torn down before the town citizens stepped up to save and restore it as a local museum. Amtrak later started stopping at the station in the 80s, and it's now served by 4 trains daily (Carolinian and Palmetto). The inside is a fantastic museum to the path the building took from station to near ruin back to station.

Another station without service that comes to mind is Orange, VA, where the station has been maintained and restored as a local visitor's center. It still has the platforms along the tracks, and all it needs to be back in business is a train to make the stop.

So, what other stations are out there along active (or inactive) Amtrak routes that are just begging to have trains service?

~ DCTE

 

[oregon pioneer]

Well, it was never on an Amtrak route -- but the old depot in Prairie City Oregon was once the terminus of the narrow-gauge Sumpter Valley passenger and freight railway from Baker City, is now totally without tracks, and serves as a museum for narrow-gauge railway artifacts. There is one section of tracks left near Sumpter (where you can take scenic rides in season), and an interpretive trail on the Malheur National Forest near Dixie Summit where they made switchbacks on the railbed to get up the steep mountainside. You can read more about the history here.

 

[rusty spike]

The first one of these that jumps out at me is St. Louis Union Station revived from an uncertain fate in the 1980's following Amtrak's relocation (for the next 30 years) to an "Amshack". A brief overview from Wikipedia:

At its height, the station combined the St. Louis passenger services of 22 railroads, the most of any single terminal in the world. At its opening, it was the world's largest and busiest railroad station and its trainshed was the largest roof span in the world. In 1903, the station was expanded to accommodate visitors to the 1904 St. Louis Worlds Fair.

Listed as a National Historic Landmark, it now serves as a hotel, restaurant, shopping and entertatnment venue. http://www.stlouisunionstation.com

Technically though, it still has a train as MetroLink completed a tunnel under the old station and positioned a stop nearby. It will undoubledly never see scheduled long-distance passenger service as Amtrak is now served at the new St. Louis Intermodal station several blocks east of the old terminal.

 

[BCL]

Perhaps not stations without trains, but stations no longer operating as proper railroad stations are all along the Capitol Corridor route.

The old Southern Pacific station in Berkeley is now a bar and restaurant. One can watch the trains go by. The old station in Fremont is now the Depot Cafe. The old Santa Clara station is now unstaffed. They used to sell Caltrain tickets there, but no longer do so after installing automated equipment. They have Amtrak service, but no Quik-Trak kiosk. The trains definitely go by, but the buildings have been "repurposed".

 

[EMDF9A]

Union Station in Seattle (Accross the street from King Street Station) served the Milwaukee Road & UP. Its now headquarters for Sound Transit & the main hall can be rented for events

Union Station in Tacoma is now a Federal court house and you can still see beautiful NP monads in the stained glass windows in the routunda.

 

[Michael061282]

Doswell, VA although it wil lnever see service again, it's still standing at the junction of the RF&P & the ex C&O now Buckingham Branch lines. Right in the middle of a wye. I can't name names, but I know when I was on the Zephyr that took the Feather RIver detour in 2008 we saw a bunch of ex WP stations still hanging around.

 

[chrsjrcj]

The FEC's Boca Raton station was restored as a museum. http://www.bocahisto...bocaexpress.asp

The depot at High Springs, FL (NW of Gainesville, FL) was restored as the city's Chamber of Commerce. The Florida Northern Railroad still has an active line to the town, but I'm not sure how often it's used. A little south of High Springs in Newberry, Fl, that depot still stands and was used as a passenger station for the Florida Northern Railroad's Christmas special between Newberry and Trenton about 5 years ago. That part of the line has since been abandoned, which means I can say I've ridden on a train that traveled on now abandoned track :giggle: . In fact, on Google Maps, you can still see the two coaches that were used on the Christmas special (FNR engines on both ends provided power). Looks like they're stranded from any rail connections, now left to rot.

 

[EMDF9A]

I was going to say the Duluth Union Depot but then realized that the North Shore Scenic Railways departs from there, so in addition to all the trains as part of the Lake Superior Museum of Transportation, there is scheduled passenger service.

 

[CHamilton]

The station in Blaine, WA, just south of the Canadian border, is currently unused and in poor condition. But there is an effort underway to restore it and have Cascades trains stop there. Here's their website.

The original Milwaukee Road station in Chehalis, WA, was moved, and is now used by the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad as a museum and ticket office for their steam train excursions. The original NP station in Chehalis is still visible along the route of the Cascades. It houses the Lewis County Historical Society museum, and is supposedly haunted.

 

[EMDF9A]

The station in Blaine, WA, just south of the Canadian border, is currently unused and in poor condition. But there is an effort underway to restore it and have Cascades trains stop there. Here's their website.

The original Milwaukee Road station in Chehalis, WA, was moved, and is now used by the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad as a museum and ticket office for their steam train excursions. The original NP station in Chehalis is still visible along the route of the Cascades. It houses the Lewis County Historical Society museum, and is supposedly haunted.

Both the NP station in Centralia (current Amtrak stop) and the NP station in Chehalis (Lewis County Museum) operated right up to "A" day even though they are less than 5 miles apart. When AMTRAK took over from BN they closed the Chehalis station (though this is the county seat) and retained the station in Centralia. It was beautifully restored in the early 21st century and is a great AMTRAK Cascaded day trip destination from both Seattle and Portland (HEY.. You cant take the T&R guide out of me even though its off season LOL)

 

[Blackwolf]

Here's an obvious one to any passenger on the California Zephyr: Grand Junction, Colorado! The tracks and platforms for the original DRG&W station are still in use, but the depot (and I believe the former REA building(?) that had been a crew office until recently) are abandoned. In its place, a restaurant building has become the station facility. Always makes my head hang in shame when passing by on the CZ. Very depressing. There is a beautiful stained glass Native American mural inside the old station too, visible if you walk around front and look through the doors.

There is also the former Western Pacific depot in Sacramento, the original station serving the California Zephyr. It is now an Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant.

Also, the Woodland and Orland Espee depots on the former SP West Valley Line. Both were used by Amtrak until the Coast Starlight was rerouted in 1982 to serve Sacramento and Chico.

 

[Carolyn Jane]

Little station in Walthourville, GA, still passed daily by the Silvers. Have no idea when any train last stopped there, but it houses the post office, and when the City Hall moved into their new home, the police department moved in. CJ

 

[Blackwolf]

Actually, for a very diverse library of photos comprising passenger rail stations all across the United States (many of which are now abandoned or re-purposed) I highly recommend this Flickr Photostream page. It'll certainly keep you busy for a while, and is very relevant to this thread!

 

[CHamilton]

Baltimore's Mt. Royal Station (B&O) is now used by the Maryland Institute College of Art and houses a gallery, studio and classroom space.

Baltimore's Camden Station (also B&O) is now part of the Camden Yards baseball complex. MARC trains still go there, but the station isn't used for passengers.

Here's a huge list of old train stations in Maryland, including one of my favorites, Boring.

When I lived there a long time ago, Burlington, VT's Union Station housed the local power company. It's now part of a fancy mixed-use development, and may see trains again in the near future, if plans for extending the Ethan Allen are successful.

 

[EMDF9A]

Moose Lake Minnesota's Soo Line station houses a wonderful museum dedicated to the 1918 Cloquet fire that killed over 500 people. Unfortunately the beautiful NP brick depot is long gone

 

[Bob Dylan]

The Beautiful Old Sunset Station in San Antonio sits Empty most Nights while the Too Small Amshak right Next Door is used for the Texas Eagles and the Three Times a Week Sunset Ltds.! This Beautiful and Grand Old Lady is Occasionaly Rented Out for Celebrations, Concerts, Banquets etc. UP ( Purchaser of the SP) had Sold the Station to the City of San Antonio which then Sold it to Developers that had Plans to Tear it down and Build Condos but, since it is on the National Historic Register, they were Unable to do that!

On the other side of Town, the City just purchased the old Great Northern Station which had been Restored and used as a Credit Union for Several Years! The Southbound Texas Eagle Passes this Station Daily on it's Loooong Loop around the West Side of San Antonio which results in 30 minutes being added to the Arrival Times and a backup Move into the Amshak Station! The City plans to turn this Jewel into a Station for the Local VIA Bus System! :help:

 

[jebr]

Omaha Union Station comes to mind. Just an AmShack for the train, though you still pass right by Union Station.

 

[BCL]

I am a fan of our national parks and additionally a fan of our national park architecture (often referred to as "Parkitecture"). One of the preeminent architects of this style was Gilbert Stanley Underwood, who designed a lot of buildings for the Utah Parks Company - a division of Union Pacific that built and operated rustic lodges and buildings in hopes that they would attract rail passengers to visit our national parks. I've visited many of his works, including buildings in Yosemite, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Yellowstone, Sequoia, and Grand Teton.

However, one of his greatest projects was the Union Station in Omaha which was designed for the Union Pacific. I understand that it's now a museum.

http://en.wikipedia....Station_(Omaha)

http://en.wikipedia....i/Durham_Museum

Another of his projects that no longer serves as an operating station is in Greeley, Colorado. Apparently now a visitor center.

http://en.wikipedia...._Railroad_Depot

Of course there are stations that are mothballed. The 16th St Station in Oakland, California was closed after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake made it unsafe. It was pretty much replaced as an operating station by the Emeryville station. I think someone was supposed to be redeveloping the station although I don't think the plans have gotten off the drawing board.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

This could be a very, very lengthy thread. :excl:

Orange, Virginia is one of my favorites.

And speaking of Orange(s)...

Vero Beach, Indian River County, Florida is also a nice one. Here is a link to a picture and information on it.

 

[Shanghai]

The former Nickel Plate Railroad depot in Arcadia, Indiana was moved away

from the tracks and converted to a town museum, then later to the library.

The original structure has been maintained like the depot.

People in the town raised the money to move and refurbish the station.

 

[Ryan]

Suffolk, VA.

The original Seaboard station is now a visitor center/museum.

Unfortunately, it's several blocks away from the NS tracks that the new Norfolk service use to roll through town, so there's no chance of it returning to active service.

http://www.suffolktrainstation.org/history.html

Cool fact from that page:

In 1918, there were six railroads coming through Suffolk with 32 passenger trains and 70 freight trains per day.

.
32 freaking trains!!! Thirty two!!!

 

[user 1215]

Many towns West of Salisbury on the way to Asheville, NC refurbished their train stations in anticipation of Asheville service. After the refurbishments, though, the plans have been all but completely mothballed. These include Statesville, Conover, Valdese, Morganton, Marion, Old Fort, Black Mountain and Asheville.

I think to keep on topic here, there needs to be a distinction between "ghost" stations, and define refurbished stations without "stopping" trains. In other words, some may be on an Amtrak mainline but not be used, but may not be refurbished. Don't know whether to include those. There are hundreds. But I think in the spirit of the OP, there are many stations that have been refurbished - either into a museum or into a true station in anticipation of service which hasn't come...yet.

 

[JayPea]

There are several in the state of Washington that are now museums. Among them:

Dayton, WA (ex-UP station)

Ritzville, WA (EX NP station and on the EB's Spokane-Portland route)

Cashmere, WA (Ex- GN station and on the EB's Spokane-Seattle route)

Joyce, WA (ex Milwaukee Route station)

Warden, WA (ex Milwaukee Station)

Black Diamond, WA (Columbia and Puget Sound RR station)

Duvall, WA (Milwaukee Road depot)

Issaquah, WA (NP depot)

Snoqualmie, WA (NP depot)

South Cle Elum, WA (Milwaukee RR depot)

Oroville, WA (GN depot)

Newport, WA (Milwaukee depot)

Tenino, WA (NP depot)

Bellingham, WA (GN depot)

Toppenish, WA (NP depot)

There are also many stations used for either businesses or residences here in Washington, too many to list here, but here are some in my neck of the woods:

Pine City Ex-Milwaukee Depot; relocated and now used for farm storage

Pullman: Ex NP depot now used as a real estate office and ex UP depot now used as a visitors center for Washington State University

Elk: Ex GN depot now used as VFW hall

Milan: Ex GN depot now used as a private residence

Spokane (Hillyard) ex GN depot relocated and used as a residence

And an honorable mention to a portion of a train station still standing: The Clock Tower, in Spokane's Riverfront Park (home of Expo '74, Spokane's World's Fair) was once a part of Spokane's Great Northern Railroad Station. In the early 1970's, in preparation for Spokane's World's Fair, Expo '74, the then-BN abandoned its old GN right-of-way through downtown Spokane, and demolished the station. And in a compromise with preservationists, who wanted the whole building left standing, agreed to let the Clock Tower remain as part of the grounds for the World's Fair (and Riverfront Park, after the fair closed). And, today, the Clock Tower still stands as a focal point (and meeting place) for those on the grounds of Riverfront Park.

 

[afigg]

This could be a very, very lengthy thread. :excl:

Orange, Virginia is one of my favorites.

Yep, this could be very long thread. The number of former train stations with no trains stopping there, but are still intact or have been re-purposed has to be larger than the current number of Amtrak stations.

Then there is the subset of former stations that could possibly see a return to use as a working train station after a rebuild or refurb sometime in the next 10 or 15 years. I wonder if the town of Orange, VA has ever made serious efforts to have the VA Regional Lynchburger stop at Orange. The state is paying for the train after all.

 

[Tracktwentynine]

Well, there's the former ATSF station in Pasadena, California. The old ATSF line now hosts the LA Metro Gold Line, and the ATSF station is adjacent to (but not used for) the Del Mar Metro station.



There's also the B&O station in Silver Spring, Maryland. Until recently, it was still used by MARC commuter trains (and the platforms are still there). A few years ago, the MARC stop was moved about 1/8th mile north so as to be co-located with the Silver Spring Metro station and Silver Spring Transit Center.