Train station main halls - show yours

Cirrus · #1 Posted **Feb 9, 2009, 3:38 AM**

I love train station architecture. We've had lots of threads here in the past about train stations, but most have focused on their outside facades, or in some cases their concourses. In this thread, I want to see only a station's main interior room. If that happens to coincide with the concourse or waiting room, as it does in some stations, that's fine, but it should be fairly clear for most stations (even small ones) what the "main hall" is.

Here is the main hall at Washington, DC's Union Station. The station was built at the turn of the 20th Century in Beaux Arts style, and was intended to be a gateway for the "imperial capital" that Washington was at that time beginning to become. The passenger concourse is located behind this room, which is mainly decorative.

--------------------------->

The gold detailing is real gold leaf.

(This photo courtesy flickr user andrew.deci. Other photos are mine.)

Imperial-style Roman legionnaires protect the room.

Cirrus · #2 Posted **Feb 9, 2009, 3:52 AM**

A couple more I've taken, from other cities:

Chicago's Union Station:

Richmond's Main Street station:

Harrisburg's Penn Station:

All the above are still active Amtrak stations. Nashville's Union Station (below) is unfortunately now a hotel, but nonetheless lovely:

KVNBKLYN · #3 Posted **Feb 9, 2009, 4:01 AM**

Grand Central:

KVNBKLYN · #4 Posted **Feb 9, 2009, 4:10 AM**

A few London stations:

Liverpool Street

Charing Cross

St. Pancras

Waterloo

ColDayMan · #5 Posted **Feb 9, 2009, 4:14 AM**

Unfortunately, Dayton and Columbus destroyed theirs. Cincinnati's is still kickin' though!

Cincinnati Union Terminal

KVNBKLYN · #6 Posted **Feb 9, 2009, 4:23 AM**

Buenos Aires Retiro Station:

ardecila · #7 Posted **Feb 9, 2009, 5:51 AM**

Ogilvie Transportation Center, Chicago
-I think the name is poor (it should be something strong and simple, like "Ogilvie Station" or "Ogilvie Terminal") but the building is the most gorgeous example of Postmodernism in the city.

Jasonhouse · #8 Posted **Feb 9, 2009, 8:29 AM**

Tampa's Union Station

The station is pretty small, but then again, Tampa was a pretty damn small place when the station was built at the turn of the 20th Century.

KevinFromTexas · #9 Posted **Feb 9, 2009, 1:30 PM**

The one in Washington and Cincinnati are the best. That one in Cincy is gorgeous. And Grand Central is still king. Our train station sucks of course. It's just a nondescript little building. Our original station at 3rd & Congress was torn down long ago.

Cirrus · #10 Posted **Feb 9, 2009, 7:17 PM**

More, all from flickr.

Philadelphia 30th Street Station (flickr user sak1693)

San Diego Santa Fe Station (flickr user army.arch)

Paris Musee d'Orsay (flickr user loose grip 99)
Now a museum.

Buffalo Central Terminal (flickr user ~EvidencE~)
Currently derelict.

Kansas City Union Station (flickr user Rock Chalk Jayhawk Cartographer)

Los Angeles Union Station (flickr user St Stev)

Seattle (not sure which station) (flickr user onebrainy1)

Hoboken Lackawanna Terminal (flickr user beng777)

Denver Union Station (flickr user Jayjay P)

10023 · #11 Posted **Feb 9, 2009, 10:09 PM**

There's already a picture of it above, but this classic photograph should be here:

And the destroyed Penn Station. The current incarnation isn't worth looking at:

JivecitySTL · #12 Posted **Feb 10, 2009, 12:48 AM**

Though St. Louis Union Station is no longer used for train traffic, it was, in its day, the largest and busiest train station in the world:

Image from http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2118/...c7cce191d3.jpg

It is now a mall/hotel/entertainment complex:

http://pro.corbis.com/images/DH00278...1F74558B5DE%7D

Nowhereman1280 · #13 Posted **Feb 10, 2009, 2:17 AM**

This is completled but I can't find a good picture of it:

Milwaukee Amtrak:

lynnbecker.com

Cirrus · #14 Posted **Feb 10, 2009, 4:14 AM**

Here is a picture of the Milwaukee station from flickr user Craig Stephen

Okstate · #15 Posted **Feb 10, 2009, 4:22 AM**

I don't have time right now but Portland (OR) has a great one both exterior and interior.

seaskyfan · #16 Posted **Feb 10, 2009, 4:33 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cirrus

Seattle (not sure which station) (flickr user onebrainy1)

That's Union Station which is no longer in service. It serves as the headquarters for the regional transit agency (Sound Transit) and the hall is available for events. The main station in Seattle these days is King Street Station which is currently undergoing renovation.

Cirrus · #17 Posted **Feb 10, 2009, 4:36 AM**

Quote:

That's Union Station which is no longer in service. It serves as the headquarters for the regional transit agency (Sound Transit) and the hall is available for events. The main station in Seattle these days is King Street Station which is currently undergoing renovation.

I have always been confused about the relationship.

Beltliner · #18 Posted **Feb 10, 2009, 4:43 AM**

Can't give you any interior shots of Calgary's fourth and final stand-alone railway station, given that it was torn down to make way for the Calgary Tower and Palliser Square back in 1968, but here's an exterior shot from 1914:

and another from 1928:

Both shots courtesy of the Canadian Pacific Archives. The Palliser Hotel is right behind the station in the second shot.

seaskyfan · #19 Posted **Feb 10, 2009, 4:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cirrus

I have always been confused about the relationship.

It's pretty confusing. The two stations are right next to each other and a main entrance to the Transit Tunnel (buses now, light rail starting this summer) is right in front of Union Station.

tdawg · #20 Posted **Feb 10, 2009, 2:45 PM**

It's a tragedy that the old Penn Station was demolished. Such a beauty. Hopefully one day we'll get the new Moynihan Station built. A couple renderings of what New York may get:

It's a renovation of the Farley Post Office at 34th and 8th Avenue. Here is the exterior.