Friday, March 29, 2024

St. Louis Union Station: A Great Place To Visit

The St. Louis Union Station (also known as SLUS) no longer serves passenger trains that travel eastbound or westbound. It is the most important station in the country and was built during the nation’s westward expansion. It can be used for entertainment or shopping. You will find many museums, cafes, restaurants, and plays. You can either take tours or stay at the hotel.

It was constructed in the middle of the 1890s. It was built in the middle 1890s.

The shed was transformed into an outdoor entertainment space with an aquarium, shopping center, and outdoor dining area. It was an amazing transformation. View of St. Louis Union Station, November 1977, just before Amtrak left.

A Brief History of St. Louis Union Station

St. Louis was known as the “Gateway To The West” during the last ten years (1920-1921), due to its location at the confluence between the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. The Transcontinental Railroad was built just over 20 years ago. Frontier is still receiving new lines. This city is the terminus for many trunk lines, both from Eastern and Western countries, as well as future subsidiaries.

Iron Mountain & Southern, Missouri Pacific.

St. Louis was America’s fourth-largest metro area after the Civil War. It is now fourth in size, following New York City and Philadelphia. Union Station is the home of Missouri Pacific’s #11, “Colorado Eagle”, train. Gulf, Mobile & Ohio E7A #22102 also houses train #4, “The Limited,” that will depart Union Station on April 17, 1963. Its gateway status allowed many westbound settlers to pass through the city. This was a key factor in the city’s growth. St. Louis recognized the importance of this station and desired a station that would connect multiple terminals throughout the city. It held a contest for global design and received submissions from architects in the United States and Europe. Link & Cameron were selected as the winners.

Brian Solomon’s Railroad Stations reveals that Thomas C. Link, also known as Edward B. Cameron and French Romanesque style designer Edward B. Cameron proposed a design that would be representative of the city’s French heritage. Hans and April Halberstadt wrote in their book, The American Train Depot & Roundhouse, that the building evoked a magnificent chateau on the Loire River. It is made from Missouri granite and has a unique appearance. It is unique among Midwestern cities such as Cincinnati, Kansas City, and Indianapolis built between 1878-1890. The #4 train of Gulf, Mobile & Ohio, also known as the northbound “Limited”, left St. Louis Union Station on April 16, 1963, bound for Chicago.

Its 280-foot clock tower was the most striking exterior feature. It featured towering Romanesque arches. Grand Hall featured a 65-foot vaulted ceiling and stained-glass windows made in St. Louis by Davis & Chambers. The interior was divided into 3 sections. The Grand Hall was located in the Headhouse. It was decorated with mosaics/frescoes by Healy & Millet from St. Louis, as well as gold leaf details and a scagliola floor. The main concourse was 610 feet long and 70 feet wide. It measured 610 feet in length. It measured 70ft in width and 610ft in length. George H. Pegram designed the 600-foot-wide Trainshed. It was almost 12 acres in size and had 32 tracks. In 1889, the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis was formed by MP, StLIM&S, Wabash, O&M, and L&N. Combining the design and construction plans as possible. Named after her, the Aloe Plaza was built in 1940 for $100,000. Bronze statues show the location where the Mississippi River meets the Missouri River. These bronze statues were designed by Carl Milles, a Swedish artist. At its peak, the station could serve 31 railroad lines and 22 railroads. Some of these railroads joined the association later. These are some of the most spectacular trains that have ever been in service on TRRA’s rails:

B&O’s National Limited Diplomat & Diplomat.

Knickerbocker NYC and Southwestern Limited;

Missouri Pacific’s Missouri River Eagle. Missourian, Ozarker. Southerner. Sunflower. Sunshine Special

Abraham Lincoln and Mobile

L&N’s Humming Bird

Pennsylvania’s Spirit Of St. Louis (joint enterprise by MP)

All Wabash’s names trains, including the Bluebird and the Wabash Cannon Ball

The TRRA railroad, built-in 1926 was still being used by BNSF Railways and CSX Transportation as a freight carrier.

Missouri Pacific PA-2 #8033 departs St. Louis Union Station via the “Texas Eagle”. (St. Louis, Texas).

On September 1, 1894, the St. Louis Union Station opened to the public. It was built for $6.5million, and it was a huge success. It was the first mall built in the United States. Shops lined the arcade near Grand Hall. It is light and airy, with an open feeling. After only 10 years, it was finally retired. It was renovated to accommodate the many visitors who came to the city during the 1904 World’s Fair. It was last renovated in the 1940s. The main focus was on the interior. It began to fall in the 1950s/60s as more people moved to highways and other airlines.

Amtrak took control of all intercity rail services in the country starting May 1, 1971. Three trains were lost from Union Station’s trainshed. On October 31, 1978, the last train to leave Union Station was the Inter-American (Chicago-Laredo in Texas). Oppenheimer Properties purchased the building for $5.5million. This marked a major change from the previous owners. The structure was immediately renovated by the new owners. The owners envisioned it as a popular entertainment venue, even though there was no train service. It was reopened to the public in August 1985 after a $150 million restoration. Saint Louis Union Station looks much better than when it was railroad-owned. The station is a landmark of the city because of its luxurious interior and newly renovated rooms. The station is home to more than 20 restaurants, specialty shops, and other amenities. 2011 saw major renovations at the station. The station was upgraded and received major renovations in 2011. Visitors and tourists have enjoyed more luxurious accommodation. Metro Link continues to offer service, even though four tracks were taken out.

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