What to see AT THE STATION

Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum

Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

anuenue

Train Attendant
Joined
Jan 7, 2017
Messages
93
Location
New Jersey
Are there threads about the what to see at the stations? If so, I'm not finding them.

Specifically, I'll be in three Union Stations (LA, Chicago and DC) later this month. My plan is to spend some time exploring each station. I know there are station maps available, but I'm interested in finding out what highlights I should look for. Things like cool artwork or architecture, views, history, quirks, etc.

Are there actual guidebooks for the stations?
 
Chicago-the great hall and the surround walls, the great marble staircases going up to street level(made famous in the movie Untouchables). Los Angeles- the old ticket counter area is roped off but you can visualize the days when it was busy. The outside and inside are filled with so much to see from floor to ceiling. Washington DC, the rotunda over the main entrance, several floors high. The outside, very familiar backdrop to several news shows from D.C. Again, this building has been through major renovations. The basement food court open to the floors above. The floors of stores throughout. With all three the track sheds are nothing much. In Chicago, the open area is now the basement of a large building. Each of the stations has so much to see. Actually, the more you look, the more details you will find. Have a great trip and I hope you find plenty to see and record.
 
Here are links for Los Angeles. Browse around for history, highlights, other info.

Metro owns the building, their site has several tours listed on the "Going Metro" tab.

https://www.metro.net/about/union-station/

The station also has its own website and a facebook page.

http://www.unionstationla.com/

https://www.facebook.com/UnionStationLA/

LA Conservancy is a non-profit trying to preserve historic architecture in LA.

https://www.laconservancy.org/events/union-station-walking-tour

Great American Stations has a long history page, look up your other stations here, too.

http://www.greatamericanstations.com/stations/los-angeles-ca-lax/

KCET (the local PBS station) profiled LAUS several year ago, info about current amenities is out of date.

https://www.kcet.org/history-society/a-los-angeles-primer-union-station

Huel Howser toured LAUS in 1994 so even more out of date but his shows were usually pretty entertaining.

https://www.kcet.org/shows/huell-howser/union-station
 
Chicago's Great Hall has some interesting features:

Re-air conditioned after nearly fifty years of non-air conditioned discomfort (was originally mechanically air conditioned and when this died in the 50's wasn't repaired until the late 90's or early 2000's).

Statues of Day and Night on the east side of the hall.

Light fixtures (specifically the torchieres around room) have interesting cast beasts and symbols in them that should be looked at up close.

Comparing the 90's renovations to the original (restored) portions of the station can be interesting.

The Chicago Architecture Foundation offers tours of the station and I took one week before last and found it very interesting and worthwhile since it talks about the history of the station and goes on the platforms and some of the lounges and private spaces (unfortunately, not the office space above and around the great hall).
 
Especially the three Union Stations being visited. Just be ready to explain if quizzed in a friendly helpful manner. The Amtrak Police and other LE Agencies have a difficult job trying to find the needle in the haystack while trying to keep us all safe.
 
Just be aware... Looking around Amtrak stations can be deemed "suspicious activity" by Amtrak police.
I can remember, in Poland in 1989, similar instructions to avoid gawking in public places so as not to attract police attention. I also remember thinking how good it was to live in the U.S., where freedom to move about the country and gawk at public place that interested me was considered a Constitutional right. How sad that this has changed.
 
I think I remember reading that the statues of soldiers surrounding the rotunda at Washington Union Station were originally supposed to be nude, but the shields were added for modesty.

Also, there is some damage to the marble in Chicago Union Station. Isn't this from some famous gun fight?
 
I think I remember reading that the statues of soldiers surrounding the rotunda at Washington Union Station were originally supposed to be nude, but the shields were added for modesty.

Also, there is some damage to the marble in Chicago Union Station. Isn't this from some famous gun fight?
There are marks on the exterior of Kansas City Union Station from the "Kansas City massacre" of 1933. Perhaps that's what you're thinking of? Or perhaps there was an incident at Chicago Union Station too that I'm not familiar with.
 
I think I remember reading that the statues of soldiers surrounding the rotunda at Washington Union Station were originally supposed to be nude, but the shields were added for modesty.

Also, there is some damage to the marble in Chicago Union Station. Isn't this from some famous gun fight?
There are marks on the exterior of Kansas City Union Station from the "Kansas City massacre" of 1933. Perhaps that's what you're thinking of? Or perhaps there was an incident at Chicago Union Station too that I'm not familiar with.
I saw this at CUS in January--it looks like bullet holes.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
The stone in Chicago is actually travertine from Italy, Bedford Limestone (from, shockingly, Bedford Indiana - same stone as would have been quarried in the quarries in Breaking Away) on the exterior and polished limestone from Tennessee (called Tennessee Marble, but not, in actuality, marble). There is a display somewhere in the great hall, SE corner, showing the wear on the original stairs - travertine is a very soft stone.

Also, be on the lookout for the name of the maker of the clocks on the exterior of the station. If you can talk your way into the Legacy Club there are great pictures of the station under construction and other historic views.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Los Angeles- the old ticket counter area is roped off but you can visualize the days when it was busy.
Ha! I bought a ticket at that counter once back in the '80s. Just a couple of blocks from LA Union Station is Phillipe's, home of the French dip sandwich and with a lot of railroad and circus memorabilia. Good food, too.
 
Here are links for Los Angeles. Browse around for history, highlights, other info.
Mary Colter was arguably the first best female architect in America, with masterpieces built for the Santa Fe railroad in Grand Canyon National Park, now landmarked. She also decorated hotels in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Gallop, and a few other places. Colter declared the La Posada Hotel in Winslow, AZ, to be her masterpiece. It has been restored and operates today.

Her works for the Fred Harvey restaurants were quite special as well. One was a space in the Santa Fe section of Union Station in CHI; I don't know if anything at all survives from that. (Her design work also included the Membreno pottery special to the Super Chief.

Wikipedia says this about her work in L.A.

Late in her career, Mary Colter designed the exuberant Harvey House restaurant at the 1939 Los Angeles Union Station. Under a spectacular arched ceiling, a dazzling floor appears to be random zigzags and geometrics; from another angle the pattern turns out to be a block-long Navajo blanket made of linoleum tiles. That fabulous dining room and her sleek, Streamline Moderne cocktail lounge are now padlocked except for occasional movie shoots and Los Angeles Conservancy tours.
She lived long enuff to learn of the demolition of the Fred Harvey Hotel in Gallup, N.M., causing her to exclaim, "It is possible to live too long!"

She died at age 88.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Here are links for Los Angeles. Browse around for history, highlights, other info.
Mary Colter was arguably the first best female architect in America, with masterpieces built for the Santa Fe railroad in Grand Canyon National Park, now landmarked. She also decorated hotels in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Gallop, and a few other places. Colter declared the La Posada Hotel in Winslow, AZ, to be her masterpiece. It has been restored and operates today.
Her works for the Fred Harvey restaurants were quite special as well. One was a space in the Santa Fe section of Union Station in CHI; I don't know if anything at all survives from that. (Her design work also included the Membreno pottery special to the Super Chief.

Wikipedia says this about her work in L.A.

Late in her career, Mary Colter designed the exuberant Harvey House restaurant at the 1939 Los Angeles Union Station. Under a spectacular arched ceiling, a dazzling floor appears to be random zigzags and geometrics; from another angle the pattern turns out to be a block-long Navajo blanket made of linoleum tiles. That fabulous dining room and her sleek, Streamline Moderne cocktail lounge are now padlocked except for occasional movie shoots and Los Angeles Conservancy tours.
She lived long enuff to learn of the demolition of the Fred Harvey Hotel in Gallup, N.M., causing her to exclaim, "It is possible to live too long!"
She died at age 88.
Interesting post, but confused about the "Santa Fe section of Union Station in CHI"....

Didn't you mean Dearborn Station in Chicago?
 
Her works for the Fred Harvey restaurants were quite special as well. One was a space in the Santa Fe section of Union Station in CHI; I don't know if anything at all survives from that. (Her design work also included the Membreno pottery special to the Super Chief.
Santa Fe never operated a train out of Chicago Union Station, although they may have maintained a ticket office there. However, Fred Harvey did have a substantial off-line concessions operation there. I'm sure they had a restaurant (even larger than their on-line operation at Dearborn) and I believe they also had newsstands, a gift shop, and cocktail lounge.
 
As far as I know, there was no real-life shooting incident at Chicago Union Station, but one was staged there in 1987 for a memorable scene in the film "The Untouchables":

 
During the late 50's and early 60's I remember boarding the Santa Fe at Dearborn Station, also returning into it. We would arrive in Chicago at the Grand Central on the B&O. I think there used to be 7 different stations in Chicago.
 
During the late 50's and early 60's I remember boarding the Santa Fe at Dearborn Station, also returning into it. We would arrive in Chicago at the Grand Central on the B&O. I think there used to be 7 different stations in Chicago.
From a very comprehensive thread with Fall 1956 info, northwest to southeast across Downtown:

  • North Western Station: Chicago & North Western
  • Union Station: The Milwaukee Road (Union Pacific partner); Pennsylvania Railroad; Burlington; Gulf, Mobile & Ohio (former Alton to St. Louis)
  • La Salle Street Station: New York Central (main line through services); Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific; Nickel Plate Road
  • Grand Central Station: Baltimore & Ohio; Chesapeake & Ohio; Soo Line
  • Dearborn Station: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Erie Railroad; Grand Trunk Western (Canadian National); Monon Route; Wabash; Chicago & Eastern Illinois
  • Central Station: Illinois Central; New York Central (Big Four and most Michigan Central lines; the Wolverine called at La Salle St.)
In addition, there was Millennium Station near the lake shore where the Chicago, South Shore & South Bend terminated (and still does), and the Roosevelt Road "L" station where the interurbans of the Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee used to begin and end their journeys.
 
I think I remember reading that the statues of soldiers surrounding the rotunda at Washington Union Station were originally supposed to be nude, but the shields were added for modesty.

Also, there is some damage to the marble in Chicago Union Station. Isn't this from some famous gun fight?
There are marks on the exterior of Kansas City Union Station from the "Kansas City massacre" of 1933. Perhaps that's what you're thinking of? Or perhaps there was an incident at Chicago Union Station too that I'm not familiar with.
I saw this at CUS in January--it looks like bullet holes.
Do you recall where it was you saw this?
 
I think I remember reading that the statues of soldiers surrounding the rotunda at Washington Union Station were originally supposed to be nude, but the shields were added for modesty.

Also, there is some damage to the marble in Chicago Union Station. Isn't this from some famous gun fight?
There are marks on the exterior of Kansas City Union Station from the "Kansas City massacre" of 1933. Perhaps that's what you're thinking of? Or perhaps there was an incident at Chicago Union Station too that I'm not familiar with.
I saw this at CUS in January--it looks like bullet holes.
Do you recall where it was you saw this?
They are in the passageway between the tracks and the main hall, on the left if you are coming from a train.
 
Here are links for Los Angeles. Browse around for history, highlights, other info.
Mary Colter was arguably the first best female architect in America, with masterpieces built for the Santa Fe railroad in Grand Canyon National Park ...
Her works for the Fred Harvey restaurants were quite special as well. One was a space in the Santa Fe section of Union Station in CHI; I don't know if anything at all survives from that.

Wikipedia says this about her work in L.A.

Late in her career, Mary Colter designed the exuberant Harvey House restaurant at the 1939 Los Angeles Union Station. Under a spectacular arched ceiling, a dazzling floor appears to be random zigzags and geometrics; from another angle the pattern turns out to be a block-long Navajo blanket made of linoleum tiles. That fabulous dining room and her sleek, Streamline Moderne cocktail lounge are now padlocked except for occasional movie shoots and Los Angeles Conservancy tours.
She lived long enuff to learn of the demolition of the Fred Harvey hotel in Gallup, N.M., causing her to exclaim, "It is possible to live too long!"
Interesting post, but confused about the "Santa Fe section of Union Station in CHI"....Didn't you mean Dearborn Station in Chicago?
All I know is what I read in the papers. But Google knows almost everything. And I stand corrected.

http://www.american-rails.com/cus.html

[union] Station was designed as two distinct sections, the main waiting room and passenger concourse ... worked as one with the two connected via an underground passageway. The concourse was destroyed in 1969 to make way for a new office building but the main waiting room still stands. Known as The Great Hall, the room measures over 34 meters in height to a magnificent vaulted skylight ... The hall was the building's hallmark feature ... Aside from the splendor of the The Great Hall, Union Station also has Tennessee marble and terracotta walls incorporated into it. Also of note was the station's famous Fred Harvey restaurant and shops designed by architect Mary Colter.

She was often employed by the Santa Fe to construct Harvey House hotels and other facilities for the railroad along its main line across the Southwest, which came to be known as the "Santa Fe Style" of architecture. Interestingly, the Santa Fe never used the terminal and instead dispatched from nearby Dearborn Station.
That highlighted sentence probably should be read "Also of note was the station's famous Fred Harvey restaurant, as well as shops designed by architect Mary Colter."

The only photo I could find of the Harvey House in Union Station, the decor of the room showed nothing to suggest any Southwestern or Mary Colter influence at all.

Another source only refers to "shops".

http://newmexicohistory.org/people/mary-elizabeth-jane-colter

Also during this time period [1923ish), Colter decorated shops at the Union Station in Chicago.
These few minutes of a Google search leave me feeling better. Apparently all evidence of Mary Colter's work in Chicago is long gone and forgotten. Knowing that Chicago is proudly, and rightly, architecture-obsessed, if an actual room by Mary Colter still existed, somebody would know it and write about it. So if the loss was only shops selling high quality souvenir Indian arts and crafts, that's a loss, but a much smaller loss than if a large dining room had been destroyed.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
The furthest 'offline' outpost of the Fred Harvey Company, was that located in Cleveland Union Terminal...they had a restaurant, lunch counter, and gift shops...IIRC, they were decorated more in the Art Deco style of the host Terminal Tower...
 
Back
Top