LA Union Station's Fred Harvey Room is officially restored

[MikeM]

One final thought, here is a link to an old article about CUT which includes an as built Floorplan of the station showing location of the Harvey House, Barber Shop and other amenities.

https://chicagology.com/skyscrapers/skyscrapers044/

 

[MikefromCrete]

One of the great things about the old Union Station was the cab driveways that left off passengers and picked them up right inside the station. No need to go outside and fight Chicago's weather. Of course, they are now closed due to "security" reasons.

 

[railiner]

Thanks to MikeM for those wonderful links...very nostalgic for me, as when I first started using Union Station in the late '60's, it was pretty much still in its original, 40 year old configuration....

I remember purchasing a railroad wristwatch (a Ball Trainmaster) from the official watch inspector located in one of those offfices on the north end of the station.

 

[Dakota 400]

One of the great things about the old Union Station was the cab driveways that left off passengers and picked them up right inside the station. No need to go outside and fight Chicago's weather. Of course, they are now closed due to "security" reasons.

Thanks for the memory! I do recall that and how easy it made for changing stations. There was a transfer service that operated between stations, i.e. from Union Station to the C&NW station. What was it called? It's name started with a "P". I think. They operated inside like the taxis.

 

[MikefromCrete]

Parmalee Transfer Service. It operated as such until Amtrak's inception in 1971 and the consolidation of service into Union Station. The company operates today as Continental Air Transfer, per Wikapedia.

 

[railiner]

Parmalee dates back to horse and buggy era, transferring passenger's and checked baggage between all of Chicago's railway stations. In 1955 they sold that operation to Keeshin's Railroad Transfer Service, which lasted up to the advent of Amtrak....

 

[Dakota 400]

Parmalee! Thanks so much! I guess my memory has not totally gone South by remembering that the company's name started with a "P".