See Chicago Passenger Stations for an overview of all the major stations that were in Chicago and the location of this station. See 1881 Union Station for the predecessor station.
Chicago Union Station is a major railroad station that opened in 1925 in Chicago, Illinois, replacing an earlier station built in 1881. It is the only remaining intercity railterminal in Chicago, and is the city’s primary terminal for commuter trains. The station stands on the west side of the Chicago River between West Adams Street and West Jackson Boulevard, just outside the Chicago Loop. Including approach and storage tracks, it covers about nine and a half city blocks — mostly underground, buried beneath streets and skyscrapers.
Chicago Union Station is the fourth-busiest rail terminal in the United States, after Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station and Jamaica station in New York City. It is Amtrak’s overall fourth-busiest station, and the busiest outside of its Northeast Corridor. It handles about 140,000 passengers on an average weekday (130,000 Metra riders and 10,000 Amtrak.
[OldTimesPhotos]
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| Bill Molony posted in Facebook On the right is the previous Union Station |
A 1955 CUS brochure.
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| Bill Molony posted in Facebook, 1950s |
Please look at the beginning of the Union Station Master Plan for interior shots of the original concourse building. The station owners sold the "air rights" for the concourse building so the concourse building was torn down in 1968 to build yet another skyscraper. Now the passengers have to find their train by navigating the hallways of a basement. I found it rather confusing trying to find the commuter ticket counter and then the train. Fortunately, my wife knew where to go because time was an issue. Another issue with using a basement instead of a concourse is that when the commuter trains are delayed because of snow, it becomes a "mash pit" of people. The escalators keep delivering people, but there is no more room left in the concourse. I read an article in the Chicago Tribune about the millions of dollars they are planning to spend to try to fix the traffic patterns. The 1968 "concourse" is an excellent example of "newer is not better."
I don't use Union Station very often, but every time I have, the headhouse has been closed. But Vincent's picture is better than anything I would take. I assume the closures are because they are either renting the hall (and thus making money to help preserve the building) or are doing maintenance.
The following tidbits are from Wikipedia. An example of renting the hall is that the 1987 movie "Untouchables" used one of the staircases. I believe it was a "shootout" scene. The Great Hall is 110-feet (34m)-high.
Below is a November 2005 snapshot of the Amtrak routes. Wikipedia provides the desscription:
_Union_Station%2C_great_Hall%2C_1925.jpg) |
| "Chicago (ILL) Union Station, great Hall, 1925" by vincent desjardins - originally posted to Flickr as Chicago (ILL) Union Station, great Hall, 1925. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. |
The following tidbits are from Wikipedia. An example of renting the hall is that the 1987 movie "Untouchables" used one of the staircases. I believe it was a "shootout" scene. The Great Hall is 110-feet (34m)-high.
Below is a November 2005 snapshot of the Amtrak routes. Wikipedia provides the desscription:
The approaches to Union Station in Chicago, after Penn Central and Amtrak started consolidating terminals, traced on USGS topos. Current Amtrak routes are orange, and Metra routes are green. Former Amtrak routes are thin black lines.
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| Bob Hendrecks posted Via Chicago Trib.:The Union Station that opened in 1925 was shaped for an era that predated interstate highways, jet flight and express mail services like FedEx. The station primarily served long-distance intercity trains, not short-haul commuter trains that bring in passengers from the suburbs. Now, it is the only intercity rail terminal in Chicago and the primary terminal for commuter trains. (Chicago Tribune) Rich Kolar: “Chicago Union Station was first envisioned by famed architect Daniel Burnham. Ultimately designed by Graham, Anderson, Probst and White, Union Station opened in 1925 after ten years of construction. The station was built by a "union" of four railroads to accommodate the ever expanding demand for passenger rail to and from Chicago. Construction included not only the station itself, but also the rail yards coming into the station and the many blocks of viaducts and bridges necessary to separate trains from other traffic. Its awe-inspiring looks are the result of sweeping limestone exteriors (quarried in Bedford, Indiana) and larger-than-life ornate interiors. This grandeur is best experienced in the Great Hall, the station's main waiting room spanned by a 219-foot-long, barrel-vaulted skylight that soars 115 feet over the room. The skylight ceiling was blacked out during World War II in order to make the station less of a target for enemy aircraft.” Also Vintage: Union Station (source) |
Leo R. Foertsch contributed two photos of the Great Hall as comments on Bob's post:
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| Cory Steinberg posted the great hall at chicago’s union station, built 99 years ago in 1925 Cory Steinberg shared Chet Lunsford: The cleaning of the glass roof has greatly improved the visual impact of this space. |
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| 1 of 16 pages posted by Robert Daly Chicago Union Station opened on May 16, 1925, replacing the outdated 1882 building. This brochure was published to commemorate the new structure. After only 44 years the handsome passenger concourse was demolished to make way for a bland box of an office building, leaving passengers to navigate a crowded low-ceilinged basement space to reach their trains. [Fortunately, Rovert posted in a public group because it is well worth clicking the link.] |
The Chicago Tribune posted four photos with the comment:
The background of this photo of the Van Buren Street Bridge has an overview of both buildings of the Union Station. This photo was taken before 1956 because that is when this bridge was replaced.
Since this map shows AT&SF going to Los Angeles, that route should be orange. However, the Southwest Chief has since been rerouted to the CB&Q. And CB&Q carries the California Zephyr to San Fransisco as well as Illini trains to Galesburg and other Illinois towns. And plans are in progress to move the IC trains to the PRR tracks and abandon the lakefront route.
This would be the photo that was colorized to produce the image above that Bill posted. So that image is around 1933.
A Friend's comment:
Dennis DeBruler used the crowd photo to comment on a David Daruszka update with the text:
Use this link to get this search result in your own window so that you can access the photos.
Dennis DeBruler posted six photos with the comment:
Opened in 1925, Union Station stands on the west bank of the Chicago River, between Adams and Jackson, and replaces an earlier station built in 1881. The Beaux-Arts structure took over 10 years to build, due to World War I. It is the only intercity rail terminal in Chicago and the primary terminal for commuter trains.
Lots more here: http://trib.in/1GvM3md
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| 4 Ed Casper The front building (under construction) is now gone; covered by office buildings. John R. Miller That was the original building over the tracks. Bradley Brown what a great loss. ChicagoTribune Union Station is under construction in an undated photo. The building opened in 1925, after being under construction for over a decade. World War I impeded the construction process.(Chicago Herald and Examiner) [The web page contains several more vintage photos of the stations including a flood on July 21, 1936, due to a broken water main.] Xavier Quintana reposted Union Station is under construction in this undated photo. The building opened to the public in 1925, after being under construction for over a decade. World War I impeded the construction process. (Vintage Tribune) |
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| Tim M. Hickernell shared, cropped-50+30 It shows the Chicago Union Station head house evidently recently completed and the terminal building (long demolished) still being constructed. |
The background of this photo of the Van Buren Street Bridge has an overview of both buildings of the Union Station. This photo was taken before 1956 because that is when this bridge was replaced.
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| Todd Protzman Davis shared Zachary Tailor Davis posted |
Since this map shows AT&SF going to Los Angeles, that route should be orange. However, the Southwest Chief has since been rerouted to the CB&Q. And CB&Q carries the California Zephyr to San Fransisco as well as Illini trains to Galesburg and other Illinois towns. And plans are in progress to move the IC trains to the PRR tracks and abandon the lakefront route.
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| By User:SPUI (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
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| Chicago and the World's Fair, 1933, p. 112, from Internet Archive |
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| Yellow lines added to protect privacy |
Packed like sardines couldn't swim up stream to make the 5:04 train which left about 15 minutes ago. I was originally trying for the 5:26. I'm finally sitting on the 5:49 express train, its 5:54 and still boarding.To my knowledge, this is a normal day. Imagine what it would be like if trains are being delayed because of weather or a bomb threat or whatever. There was a reason the old concourse had a big room.
A comment on this posting was:
Brutal - not sure what is worse taking a hour to drive a normal 30 minute drive and seeing multiple accidents a day (actually can be a highlight of the day), or deal with commuting like this.
The old concourse spread the crowd over a huge floor in the center of the building. The new "concourse" is a rat maze in the basement that creates a trampling hazard. I read it gets tense in the winter if trains are delayed because the down escalators keep cramming more people into the hallways but they don't have a train to get on. After major events like a Stanley Cup Parade ending, they have learned to close all of the doors except the ones that open into the waiting room so they can control the number of people that enter the rat maze. (Yellow lines added to protect privacy.) And for people that visit just once because they are riding Amtrak, it must be exciting trying to find the food court and then trying to find their way back to the correct gate. Either the signage for the maze sucks or I'm stupid or both.And this is what the replacement looks like on the outside.
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| Bill Molony posted The concourse of Chicago Union Station during World War II. The travelers were predominately from the Armed Forces. [Can you imagine this crowd in the hallways of the current basement access to the gates? You can see some of the airplanes that are hanging from the ceiling.] |
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| CARLI's archive of Newberry's CB&Q "Daily Life Along the Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad" |
Because, at the beginning of the 20th Century, buying postcards was the tourist's equivalent of today's selfies, I've seen several photos of the exterior of the Union Station's Concourse building. But I have seen very few shots of the interior.
In 1948, CB&Q hired Esther Bubley to take photos along their trackside. These are six of the 20 photos in the search result of
http://collections.carli.illinois.edu/…/and/o…/nosort/page/1The "Collection home" box in the upper-left corner provides more information about this Newberry collection.
Views of the exterior while it still had its concourse building can be found inhttp://towns-and-nature.blogspot.com/…/chicago-il-depot-uni…
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| Jim Arvites posted View of a Milwaukee Road Hiawatha passenger train getting ready to depart Chicago Union Station on a cold and snowy day in January 1943. (Jack Delano Photo) |
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| Todd Protzman Davis commented on Zachary's posting The concourse in color. |
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| Rex Nelson shared Concourse building demolished for a office building in 1969. |
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| Dennis DeBruler commented on a post You can get the Jack Delano photos directly from the Library of Congress, http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2017843829/ with a choice of resolutions. [This link contains a link back to the search that let me find this photo at the LoC.] |
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| Restoration by Egon Schein of a photo posted by Jeff Nichols (source) Union Station under construction, 1925 |
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| Jack Spatafora posted (source) President Kennedy was a WWII-veteran president...for those who know the war only through books & films, a reminder of what it looked like here at home... Chicago's Union Station crowded daily with traveling GI's...many never to return.
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| Historic Chicago posted Waiting for the train at Chicago’s Union Station. (1950s) [This concourse part of Union Station was demolished in 1969. The headhouse has been recently (2022) refurbished.] |
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| Marty Bernard posted 8. Union Station Chicago, IL August 31, 1959, Bill Howes photo. [From the columns, I can tell that this was in the concourse.] Marty Bernard shared |
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| Dennis Byrne commented on Historic Chicago's post Here's another picture of the now-demolished concourse or "head house." When they built that ugly office structure that replaced it, they figured that commuter and intercity passenger was dead. What initially replaced it was an major city embarrassment: low ceilings, packed, corridors, one escalator up to Canal St. Schlock food court. Their assumptions, of course, proved to be wrong: The Regional Transportation Authority was soon created, rescuing not just the going-broke commter service (e.g. Chicago & Northwestern, Burlington Northern, Illinois Central, Rock Island and Milwaukee Road), but also the CTA and suburban bus lines. Amtrak came along at the same time to save intercity train service, of which Chicago was the national hub. The massive main waiting room has had several updates as has the space serving the train platforms. I wouldn't call that a concourse anymore because what remains is not even close to being a shadow of its former self. |
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| David Daruszka updated Eric Sibul The photo was a Chicago Daily Tribune news photo taking during a rail strike - early 1960s I believe - I found same photo in the Tribune archives. Scott Koltz Teenage Girl Waiting For Train(Original Caption) 9/1/60-Chicago, Illinois: Waiting in vain at Union Station here 9/1 Ellen Schmitz, 16, of St. Louis typifies plight of many travelers in Chicago and other cities as the strike of Pennsylvania Railroad stranded thousands of passengers. Bill Hartman People wait for trains - Trains don’t wait for people. David Daruszka Depends. I've had conductors wait for pretty girls running late for the train. Dennis DeBruler I saw an outbound Amtrak train continue to wait in Joliet after it was loaded. Fairly soon a guy comes running to the train, boards, and the train took off. That was back when they had the temporary platform with no signage at the old station as to where you were supposed to go. When I railfanned there, I would regularly explain to people on the old platform as to where they should go. ChicagoTribune Ellen Schmitz, 16, of St. Louis, waits in vain for a train at Union Station in 1960. Travelers were stranded in Chicago and other cities when the strike of the Pennsylvania railroad began. It also halted freight shipments.(Chicago Tribune historical photo) |
VintageTribune aerial of the north side of the concourse
And while the magnificent Union Station has thankfully survived did not and it is the second Union Station to occupy the site. Here is a lithograph of the original, and pics of Union and the annex in earlier years!David Daruszka The second station was built a little south of the original headhouse of #1 between Jackson and Adams.
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| Eric Sibul posted Union Station - Holiday Travel 1950 (Chicago Daily Tribune) |
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| David M Laz posted Model airplanes decorate the ceiling of the train concourse at Union Station in Chicago during World war II, February 1943. Chet Lunsford  A Jack Delano FSA/OWI photo. Delano had a special interest in railroads.During the Roosevelt Administration there was a section of photographers dedicated to documenting the American Way of life. A few of the other photographers include Ansel Adams, John Vachon, Russell Lee and Dorothea Lange. They took some of the most iconic photos of Chicago and many are frequently posted here at Original Chicago. Ned Carlson shared Eric Peterschmidt Looks like P 38s and P 51s providing protection for The Liberators and others bombers. |
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| John Nowakowski posted Switching nexus. South approach to Union Station, at Taylor Street looking south at the Roosevelt Rd bridge. (hat tip Joe Stupar) |
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| Steven J. Brown posted
Which way ya wanna go?
The plant at Chicago Union Station from the long gone Taylor Street overpass looking south at Roosevelt Road - May 13, 1988.
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| Eric Quick commented on the above posting I tried my best to merge the three maps. |
Fred Bowman posted four pictures of the Great Hall in a Public Group.
Paul Sanders posted a link to a Tribune article about the staircase used in the Untouchables movie being renovated. Another article about the renovation. It sounds like the renovation plans are progressing. A Jan 2020 update
After construction for more than a decade (because of WWI), it opened in 1925. The train sheds on the south side existed until just 1930 when work started on the "new" post office using the air rights of the tracks. A view of the north side. The Concourse still existed in 1959, but it was torn down in 1969.
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| A Roger Puta Photo posted by Marty Bernard with the comment: This is the south concourse of Chicago Union Station taken by Roger Puta on September 13, 1968. The gates led to PC (ex-PRR), CB&Q, and GM&O trains. Today all this space is gone except for the bottom few feet[I would add it has just the edge of the bottom few feet. A lot of commuters get crammed into a rather narrow hallway.] |
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| Bill Molony posted The Chicago Union Station Beaux-Arts train concourse, as it was built in 1925. In 1969, this concourse was demolished in order to make was for a modern office tower. |
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| Vincent Gortner posted AMTK #3 Southwest Chief departing from CUS as seen from SWA #2007 arriving MDW. Does this count? [Amtrak's coach yard on the right and a Metra (BNSF/CB&Q) coach yard on the right.] |
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| Metropolitan Planning Council - The future lies in the past |
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| Metropolitan Planning Council - Transit gets boost from General Assembly |
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| Wikimedia, 1924 [Note that Adams Street is still a swing bridge.] |
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| Jenna Morrison posted, FashionPro Old memories [Destruction of the Concourse Building] |
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| Jenna Morrison posted, FashionPro Rimas Novickis 1971ish? |
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| Xavier Quintana posted The new Union Depot (Union Station) in an undated photo. The building opened to the public in 1925. (Vintage Tribune Chicago, IL) [It looks like they are finishing the construction of the concourse building.] Historic Chicago posted Union Station’s Great Hall under construction. (1925) Robert Haugland: This is not the Great Hall, but the Concourse. The Concourse was across the street from the Great Hall and was torn down a little over 50 years ago. https://chicagology.com/skyscrapers/skyscrapers044/ Paul Webb shared |
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| Chet Lunsford commented on the above posting The demolition of the old concourse, 1969. |
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| Paul Bourjaily shared I remember it looking about the same in the early 60's [Concourse building.] |
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| David Daruszka commented on the above posting In all its magnificence. Paul Bourjaily That's what I remember from way back when. cavernous to say the least! And that beautiful staircase.......... |
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| Growing up in Chicago posted 1943- Union Station Marty Bernard shared Robert Wanner: Newspapers and magazines were everything before cell phones and TV. |
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| Greg Burnet shared a Uraiwan Dutkiewicz post Chicago-Union Station, 1948. (Source: photographer Esther Bubley) |
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| Paul Bourjaily shared 1943- Union StationIs it true that this area of Union Station has been torn down?David Daruszka Yes. The Concourse area was demolished and replaced by office buildings. The City of Chicago and Amtrak have undertake a major rehabilitation project for Union Station to undo some of the poor design choices made when the new Concourse was sandwiched in under the office tower complex. |
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| David Daruszka commented on the above posting The concourse in the foreground. [I thought I already had this view. But then I noticed there are double-deck tour (open top) buses in this view.] |
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| David Daruszka commented on the above posting Here's the shoe boxes that replaced the Concourse. Air rights? More like air wrongs. |
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| David Daruszka posted Union Station waiting room. David Daruszka It was one of a group of photos of the station I posted. Select the photo then use the right or left arrow to view the other photos. David Daruszka posted again |
Marty Bernard posted four photos by Roger Puta with the comment:
Marty Bernard shared [I added some photos to the share to show before and after.]
Marty Bernard shared
Bill Rizzo Here's a nice website that goes into some historical detail on Chicago's passenger stations.
https://www.american-rails.com/cus.html
Robert Daly posted three photos with the comment:
The Real Chicago Union Station ConcourseMarty Bernard posted again
Wikipedia says, "In 1969 the expansive Beaux-Arts concourse at Union Station was demolished to make way for a modern office tower." Roger was there on June 13, 1968.
And many of us have been in the basement that replaces the concourse.
Marty Bernard shared [I added some photos to the share to show before and after.]
Marty Bernard shared
Bill Rizzo Here's a nice website that goes into some historical detail on Chicago's passenger stations.
https://www.american-rails.com/cus.html
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| A Roger Puta Photo The Real Chicago Union Station Concourse, June 13, 1968. Looking west across the concourse. A Roger Puta photo. Paul Jevert shared |
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| A Roger Puta Photo The Real Chicago Union Station Concourse, June 13, 1968. Looking southwest across the concourse. A Roger Puta photo. |
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| A Roger Puta Photo The Real Chicago Union Station Concourse, June 13, 1968. The information desk in the concourse. A Roger Puta photo. |
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| A Roger Puta Photo The Real Chicago Union Station Concourse What was left of the concourse on August 30, 1969. A Roger Puta photo. |
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| David Thompson commented on Marty's share |
Robert Daly posted three photos with the comment:
Continuing our journey of destruction through Chicago: demolition of Chicago Union Station concourse, July 5 1969. This magnificent structure complemented the main building and provided a grand entrance to Chicago. It was only 44 years old when it was torn down. "Everyone" knew that long distance passenger trains were dying and that commuters could be accommodated in the dismal basement of a bland office highrise. Amtrak and Metra passengers are paying the price for this shortsightnedness to this day.
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| Michael Morris posted, cropped Patrick McNamara Photo by William Brubaker from the UIC Archives at the School of the Art Institute. [This operator is using a clamshell bucket instead of a wrecking ball.] Edward Kwiatkowski shared a Carey Wintergreen post Chicago Union Station Concourse | Opened 1925 Architects: Graham, Anderson, Probst & White Demolished: 1969 | (44 years) Photo credit: William C. Brubaker |
Grace Wahlstrom Frizane posted two photos with the comment: "July1969, the demolition of a large part, of the Union Station."
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| William A. Shaffer posted The Great Hall Chicago Union Station has been renovated many times over the yearss. I believe the last renovation took place during 1990-1991. Under this laters renovation, the skylight in the Great Hall has been cleaned of the blackout paint from World War II and light now pours into the Hall. As always, it is a place of Hustle & Bustle. (Photo by William A. Shaffer) |
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| Growing up in Chicago posted 1924 - Union Station, construction almost completed. Jim Balija They tore down the building in the foreground in the 70's, only the building behind it still stands. Bill Molony shared this posting Bob Lalich The concourse was magnificent! [David Daruszka confirmed the "black blob" between the concourse building and the swing bridge was the Old Union Station. [Comment on a posting] Dave also pointed out that construction of the canopies for the train shed has not been done.] |
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| Roger Wilhelmi posted |
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| Bill Molony posted Post Card picture of Chicago Union Station - 1938. Dennis DeBrulerGroup Admin One time I went down early for an evening meeting in CUS. I went out to take pictures of some bridges. This was during rush hour and I learned the wide sidewalks on the bridges are full of people walking BRISKLY towards the commuter station. I debated whether or not I would try to go out on the bridge to take pictures of another bridge because I would be going against the flow. And by just standing their, I would reduce the width of the sidewalk.Ted Fisk Yeah I am in that river of people every evening and wonder what people must think who are trying to go against the flow. |
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| Bill Molony posted Chicago Union Station picture post card - undated. Michael Bose Judging by the autos and bus in the image, it is probably from the immediate pre-war era or immediate post-war era, before 1949. Daniel Herkes Yes I agree on the date range. Look at the shadows cast by the light standards. The camera is pointing North West and the shadows are quite long. It seems to me that this was taken in the winter when the sun is low in the Southern sky. The shadows run North West, so the picture was taken in the morning. Timothy Leppert Stations? You can also see the CBQ building at 547 W Jackson. |
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| David Daruszka updated Timothy Leppert The "new"CUS in the background had a Huge Fred Harvey restaurant in it, and one floor below an impressive kitchen. The grill was about 20 ft by 30 ft and it was surrounded by room size refrigerators. Brian Deady Had to be early fifties! |
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| Raymond Lewis posted CHICAGO UNION STATION SINCE REPLACED BY A HIGH RISE OFFICE BUILDING [Actually, the headhouse in the back of the photo is part of the station and it still stands. (Facebooked)] |
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| David Daruszka commented on my posting asking about the "black blob" two images above. Yes that is the old union station headhouse on the right. The new station is not yet complete. They appear to be working on the concourse and if you look on the left the canopies for the train shed have not yet been constructed. Here is the actual image the postcard was taken from taken in 1925. Dennis DeBrulerGroup Admin So the Fred Harvey sign was "artistic license." I'm learning that the colorists do rather accurately render the base photo. I wondered if two different photographers picked the same spot to take a picture of the station. |
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| David Daruszka commented on m comment above The Fred Harvey sign was a later addition. It wasn't unusual for post card companies to update older images, I've seen postcards of the C&NW station where the horse carriages have been replaced by automobiles (and not very well I might add). |
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| Bill Molony posted Post Card picture of Chicago Union Station - 1959. Dennis DeBrulerGroup Admin The building to the north still exists, but it is rather short today: https://www.google.com/.../@41.8781217,-87.../data=!3m1!1e3 |
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| David Daruszka commented on my above comment The old Florsheim shoe building, Loft condos now. |
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| David Daruszka commented on Bill's share Truly. Dennis DeBruler I liked the fact that you could come out of the door from the waiting room and you could see where your gate was. Walking diagonally across a big floor is alot easier than running the rat maze we have now. More than once I have ended up in the Amtrak waiting room because I missed a turn on my way to the Burlington gates. |
Jeff Bransky posted two photos with the comment:
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While I was on Roosevelt Street Bridge taking photos of the Amtrak facilities, a push-pull train was inbound. I barely had time to run down the sidewalk to take a photo over the roof of the long train cleaning building. If it wasn't for the roof vent, I would have had a decent, but backlit, shot of a cabbage leading an Amtrak train. Note one of the new Charger locomotives is providing the power.
I was reading about the long gone Chicago Union Station Building (Concourse) on the Chicagology website. The Headhouse with the Great Hall at its center is still standing. My question is, were the tracks labeled Pennsylvania RR, serving the nearby freight facilities, just passing under the Headhouse? The train sheds and platforms still serve the new concourse which now resides under a high rise office building. See the map below. Notice where elevated commuter rail tracks once passed over the train sheds. (L track bridge over river not shown on map. May have been added later)
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| Xavier Quintana posted Chicago's main post office is the tall building in the background, with Union Station in the foreground, in 1938. (Vintage Tribune) [This is not only the first time I have seen a photo of the north side, this photo shows a different view of the Metropolitan Bridge. Note that I-290 has yet to be built.] Xavier Quintana posted Chicago's main post office is the tall building in the background, with Union Station in the foreground, in 1938. (Vintage Tribune) Brian Molina: You can see the Met Main Line ‘L’ in the distance in front of the post office. Replaced by what is today the Blue Line when the Congress (Eisenhower) Expressway opened! Andrew Roth shared Xavier Quintana posted, same description Gail Young-Fearon's Husband: Attached is a little info about what came first, the post office building or the Eisenhower expressway? Amazingly the post office was designed to accommodate a highway when it was built 20 years prior. It's the 2nd part of the article. Beauty of America posted Chicago's impressive main post office stands tall in the background, while Union Station is clearly visible in the foreground, in this 1938 photograph. Original Chicago: That is the concourse building. The headhouse (the part of the station that still stands on Canal), is across the street on the right in this pic. Daniel Bliss: The west side L was supposed to be replaced both by the Congress subway -- which was built -- and a subway directly serving Union Station -- which was not. You can see the two extra tunnel portals from the UIC Halsted station. And then there's the whole planning disaster of how the air rights on Union Station were handled; mostly for non-transport purposes and with scant consideration of transport use. Michael O'Connor: And the glorious Metropolitan West Side L transiting across the south train shed. Dean Schmidt: Michael O'Connor that El crossing explains the concrete pier still present on the west side of the river just north of Van Buren. |
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| Jeff Nichols posted Chicago River and Union Station, 1927 William Lafferty: This is from a Keystone View Company image (no. 29229 for those keeping score at home) published both as a stereoview and as a "magic lantern" slide. It would have been taken in 1923 or later since the tug in the foreground is the Helen H. Upham owned by the Consumers Company. Built as the fish tug H. Ewig at Ferrysburg, Michigan, it was converted to the towing tug Col. N. L. Howard in 1918 and became the Upham in 1923. Judging by the progress on the bridge, I'd say the year is the summer of 1925 since the tug has its awning in place and the guys are wearing straw hats. Blake Williams: would that be adams or monroe in the foreground? Tim M. Hickernell: Blake Williams Adams would be the bridge under construction just north of the concourse building. So one block north, the bridge at the bottom, would be Monroe. Paul Arden: Wow, the new station was just completed - what a great photo! Edward Kwiatkowski shared |
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| Paul Meier posted Summer 1945, Union Station in the background, unknown pilot from the European Theater greeting a girl friend who doesn't quite share his enthusiasm. Sorry no trains shown but Union Station was the scene of many such reunions at the end of WWII. Tom Carroll Aww Man She is Smiling Huge...This is 1945 and People didnt really show Public affection like they do today...People were Very Conservative. |
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Jack Bobby Lou Mulreavy posted
[The building on the right was the 1922 phase of the Old Post Office that was expanded in 1934. [Preservation, p14] See the posting for more photos of this first phase of the Old Post Office in the comments.] |
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| Tom Rutkowski posted Last summer downtown Chicago next to one of our jobs Jay Reitsma Amtrak's first F40PH Matt Ignowski Now that 90200 has been rebuild I'm sure it'll have a boring micro precision K5LA Kyle Steinke It already did before it was rebuilt. The whole thing was a total POC before it was shopped recently. Steve Kraus How so? Kyle Deming A peyote smoking gay guy named Fred Berry tuned the new MP k5la, he had an "in" with Nathan long before Robert E Swanson died. [It is called a "cabbage." I combination of a cab and baggage car. A cab car is used at the other non-power end of Amtrak trains that run in a push-pull mode so that the train does not have to be turned at the destinations.] |
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90200 itself was parked over by a couple of domed observation cars. I also contributed to Steve Kraus' posting of this unit. And to David Chapman's posting of a dome car coming to town.
Dennis DeBruler I just learned from a comment by Steve Kraus that "Amtrak cabbage 90200, former F40PH 200, was the very first F40PH."
Harold J. Krewer Well, kinda sorta...200 was damaged in a wreck when it was still a fully-operational loco. Beech Grove rebuilt her with parts from a couple of other wrecked F40s, so 200/90200 is actually a composite made up of several units.
The foundations were designed for more stories.
Dennis DeBruler I just learned from a comment by Steve Kraus that "Amtrak cabbage 90200, former F40PH 200, was the very first F40PH."
Harold J. Krewer Well, kinda sorta...200 was damaged in a wreck when it was still a fully-operational loco. Beech Grove rebuilt her with parts from a couple of other wrecked F40s, so 200/90200 is actually a composite made up of several units.
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| Riverside Investment & Development via Amtrak Richard Wronski shared a Trains link [They plan to put a five story hotel in the building. That glass "air conditioner unit" is apartments. Everyone seems to be appalled by this design. Many are comparing it to the "landing a UFO in Soldier Field" design, which cost that building its Historic Landmark status.] |
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| David Daruszka updated |
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| David Daruszka commented on his update [I see this photo is a copy of what I already have above, but it is worth repeating.] |
It is too bad they can't build buildings like they used to. The originally envisioned building would have been a fine expansion of the existing building.
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| Chicagology |
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| Todd Protzman Davis posted “Bird’s Eye View New Union Station and Vicinity” D. H. Burnham & Co., as published in a 1913 issue of the Construction News. Brendan Morse This looks like an early rendering that wasn’t built.Todd Protzman DavisTodd and 3 others are consistently creating meaningful discussions with their posts. Brenden, correct. It is simply a rendering that was published in the Construction News in 1913. |
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| Carey Wintergreen commented on Todd's posting The designs for this version of Chicago Union Station and New York's Pennsylvania Station we’re both inspired by the Baths of Caracalla. |
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| Jeff Bransky commented on Todd's posting This is a below street level view of the 1925 Union Station layout. At street level, Canal street cuts between the headhouse and concourse buildings. |
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| David Daruszka commented on Todd's posting The Plan for Chicago envisioned three stations that looked similar to the North Western Station. |
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| David Daruszka commented on Todd's posting The original plan called for an office tower but was never built due to funding issues. Todd Protzman DavisTodd and 3 others are consistently creating meaningful discussions with their posts. Indeed, and now they want to reappraise that idea by putting an air conditioning unit on top of it. https://archpaper.com/.../will-proposed-addition-turn.../... Carey Wintergreen Muffin-top style began with Soldier Field and is sadly, now being proposed now for Union Station. |
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| Grace E. Kennings-Kwiatkowska posted great atmospheric shot of Union Station, 1970s. Alan DonyAlan and 226 others joined Windy City Historians within the last two weeks. Give them a warm welcome into your community! I like the 73 Impala Stephen Boisvert We had one. So big we could fit nothing else in that side of our our garage. |
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| Marie Lopez posted Chicago’s main post office is the tall building in the background with Union Station in the foreground 1938 photo. Jack Kelly: This also is a good picture of the old Garfield Park L line that was torn down in the 50's. It ran along side Van Buren and Congress. I think there are still remnants of the bridge that crossed the river still there. Jack Kelly: Actually Union Station use to be two buildings. The one in the foreground in the picture was the concourse building and was torn down and replaced with office buildings in the 60's. The Union Station's main building that is still standing is seen on the right in this photo. Great photo though. remnants of the bridge that crossed the river still there. Paul Webb shared Roy Wojahn: There was an underground passage from the southside of Union Station (think CB&Q side) under Canal Street then up to the CTA station. Quick to get to the Loop. Dennis DeBruler shared This photo is from when the Union Station had two buildings. We are looking at the concourse building, which has been replaced by a skyscraper and a very confusing basement for train passengers. The headhouse, which is still standing, is on the right (West) in this photo. Note all of the coal smoke on the Old Post Office. This photo was also before I-290 so we get a rare view of the Metropolitan West between its bridge and its Canal Street "L" Station. https://www.chicago-l.org/maps/route/maps/1898met-map.jpg via https://www.chicago-l.org/maps/route/index.html |
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| Alex Mikhalevich shared Union Station, Chicago. January 1943. |
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| Dale Wickum posted Union Station yards in Chicago, January 1943....by Jack Delano Dennis DeBruler shared Jack Delano spent most of his time in Chicago at C&NW and IC facilities. Then he left town on the Santa Fe. I'm glad to see he did make a trip to the south platforms, not yard, of Union Station. This is a vivid reminder that CB&Q was the first railroad to switch to diesel power for their passenger trains. Timothy Leppert Actually, these South tracks in CUS have an Amtrak yardmaster glass house for their movements right near this spot. Dennis DeBruler So this spot is on the east side of the platforms looking west at trains that have arrived? Timothy Leppert Dennis DeBruler yes |
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| Mike Breski commented on Dale's post He spent a little time at the IHB too. Grandfather to actor Gary Sinese Daniel Senise and his crew with their engine in an Indiana Harbor Belt Line railroad yard. Left to right: Daniel Senise, switchman, conductor and foreman; Edward Kletecka, fireman; F.K. Gwinner, engineer; E.H. Albercht, switchman and John McCarthy, switchman Photographer Jack Delano Created February 1943 Location Blue Island, Cook, Illinois Dave Ladislas Sr. Mike Breski,actually I'm reading Gary Sinise's new book as we speak.Gary lived for awhile in Harvey and went to same grade school as me.He was lucky enough to get his Grandpa's old rr pocket watch from him,my late Father-in-Law would have worked at IHB at same time,I'm sure they knew each other..There are quite a few Delano pics of the Sinise Grandpa and also their home and family pics taken in Blue Island where Gary was born,at St. Francis.Some pics of the IC yard in Harvey/Markham,too,taken by Delano. Dave Ladislas Sr. Mike Breski ,don't ask me why but the Sinise pics are in with the Delano pics. Dennis DeBruler I see Jack took photos in RI's Blue Island and "IHB yard" as well as many of the Sinise family: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/search/... Dennis DeBruler In fact, the LoC has a group of the Sinise photos: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?q=LOT%20221&fi=number... |
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| Martin Sorenson posted January 1943. Chicago, Illinois. "Mrs. Marie Griffith, manager of the information room, at one of the boards listing rates to points all over the country at the Union Station." Photo by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. Justin Myers: Adjusted for inflation, that's $388.52 for a coach ticket from Chicago to San Antonio and $600.80 for first class, comparable to today's Amtrak room prices for the same trip. Amazing how consistent the costs have been against 70 years of inflation. |
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| John Morris posted Chicago Union Station - While dashing to catch GM&O's southbound "Limited", I noticed this nicely lighted view of a Burlington's E9 - No. 9987A and snapped a quick photo. This slide then languished in my collection for 54 years. With a little more time I my hands due to the current circumstances, I decided to scan it. While I did not realize it until today, this engine had a history, having been involved in the tragic Montgomery, Illinois wreck of September, 1964. 9987A ended up with a bashed in nose, but survived and was repaired to return to service. This view was taken in June, 1966. The engine finished out its days in BN commuter service until July, 1992. Harold J. Krewer Marty Bernard has photos and a narrative of the wreck here: http://railfan44.rrpicturearchives.net/archivethumbs.aspx... Dennis DeBruler Marty Bernard also described the wreck using a blog format: https://railfan44.blogspot.com/.../major-passenger-train... |
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| Jeff Toppen posted A new glass roof over CUS. Photo from 222 s riverside plaza. |
(new window) (article)
Marty made a Flickr Album of Roger Puta's photos.
Amtrak is now marketing the stations themselves.
Steven McCarthy took 11 pictures on 2/16/2017. Larry Cooper Delivered coaches there several times. Tracks look like a plate of spaghetti. Signals every 100 ft. Had to pull into the station once to get into the service track once. Had a pilot though. Glad to have him! Bill Rogers was still there then as their Master Mechanic. Wish I could of seen him that day!
David H. Nelson posted:
I'm hoping some of you guys here can answer this question: Back when railroads were really important, at Union Station, along the river, the Sanborn maps make repeated reference to the bridge approaches being level with the 2nd story of adjacent buildings. That's 16-20ft high. On occasional Canal St is marked as being above the 16ft high roof of the Union Station train shed.
My question is: If the land drops off along the river, where did it drop off? Was there something like a big retaining wall on the east side of Canal st? Or did the bridge approach rise dramatically so they could jump over the tracks?
I need to figure this out because if the land drops off I've laid my track 4m too high; ripping it all out and laying it at the right elevation will be a major chore (this is in software, not on plywood).
Thanks for any help.
David Daruszka
Starting at Roosevelt Rd. and going north the Canal Street level was raised above grade. If you walk into the any entrance of Union Station you go down to track level. This was done to accommodate the east west streets that spanned the tracks when the new station was built. More here: https://chicagology.com/skyscrapers/skyscrapers044/David H. Nelson David Daruszka's link provides the answer:
In order to obtain a clear conception of the station plan it is necessary to have a definite understanding of the arrangement of the street grades in their relation to those of the tracks and to the Chicago river. The level is normally at about Elevation minus 1.0, Chicago city datum, while the streets on both sides of the river are at an elevation that averages about plus 15. However, to obtain adequate under clearance the roadways of the river bridges have been raised to an elevation ranging from 20 to 26, making It necessary to provide ascending grades on all streets approaching the river bndges. But on the west side of the river the street grades are continued at the higher elevation to the east side of Canal street to afford adequate overhead clearance for the station tracks. From the east side of Canal street the east and west streets descend to Elevation 15 at Clinton street, one block west, while Canal street has an elevation ranging from plus 22 to plus 26 from Monroe street to Taylor street, with descending grades beyond these limits to meet the normal street. grades at Washington street and Roosevelt road, respectively..
THANK YOU!!
Timothy Leppert Stand on Track 2 in CUS and above you is street level. Plus, the "Pedway" that runs along the west side of track 2 heads south where doors are located that lead down to trolley car tracks and station that is no longer in use. The Trolley ran east and west under the railroad tracks and the Chicago river.
Amtrak now has a $1B upgrade plan: [I haven't read any of these myself.]
- ChicagoBusiness
- ABC7
- May 26, 2017 Chicago Tribune --- both a front page article and an article by the architecture critic in the Chicagoland section.
- DNAinfo (Facebook comments)
- Sun Times
I'm sharing this article not because I think its a good article, but for the fact that it is inaccurate. The article sites that the overcrowding of Grand Central (B&O) as the reason Union Station was built. GCT was underutilized and often empty. The actual reason was that the old Union Station had become obsolete. Shame on the Chicago Architecture Foundation for not getting the facts straight.
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| safe_image for FRA awards $3 million grant for Chicago Union Station concourse project "Each year, Chicago Union Station hosts nearly 20,000 trains and serves more than 3.3 million riders. Photo – amtrak.com" It is a $6m project with additional funding coming from 5 other sources. |
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| Chicago Architecture Center Union Station is seen every day by thousands of commuters—and yet, not really seen! Slow down and take in the gorgeous details of this historic landmark on our Union Station tour, including the stunning Great Hall, which was recently restored to its original 1925 glory. https://bit.ly/3qbRiBr Photo: Pete Capp |
Tim Adams posted four photos with the comment:
Railroad-themed holiday decorations in the Great Hall of the recently restored Chicago Union Station. The Christmas tree is decorated with past and present railroad heralds.A three-year restoration project was completed in 2019 to restore the Great Hall to its original appearance as designed by Charles Burnham and successor firm Graham, Anderson, Probst & White.Built by a “union” of four railroads in 1925, the building accommodated expanding demand for passenger rail to and from Chicago. Through the decades, the skylight system deteriorated leading to water damage to the skylight and to the walls of iconic, Beaux-Arts styled Great Hall.
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| Patrick McNamara shared Tree's up ! What a beautiful space ! |
Amtrak 7 derailed when leaving the station on May 7, 2023. This was the second in 10 days. On Apr 28, 2023, a locomotive left the tracks. And three days before that, Amtrak switch problems disrupted Metra service.
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| Devin Banner posted Good evening folks as we depart chicago, well MAYBE!!! No injuries. Joe DiBenedetto: Now arriving on track 7…8…9… [I wonder what the odds were that there were not Metra trains parked on the adjacent tracks.] Ethan Witt: For those wondering, this was yesterday's [May 7, 2023] Amtrak 7 in Chicago. No injuries, train was canceled and people were put up in hotels. Clayton Hartford: Switch failed from what I hear. J.B. Rail photog shared |
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| safe_image for Certain Metra lines experiencing delays after Amtrak derailment |
Amtrak has contributed to my collection of euphamisims. It was not a derailment, it was an "unforseen mechanical issue." [Twitter_Amtrak]
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| Bro_Nurse My Amtrak derailed before we left Union Station, little bumpy to say the least. |
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| Bro_Nurse That car right there going sideways across the closest track, that was mine. |
TransitRider Productions posted four photos with the comment: "Amtrak Empire Builder Derailement pictures provided by passenger found on social media. Pictures belongs to rightful owner. We dont own these pictures."
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A lmyers83 Flickr photo of the yards south of the station.
A 16-page .pdf about the station and its history.
Chicagology description of the old and planned stations (source)
I have seen, and taken, enough photos of trains on the south side to create four postings: buildings on the west side, Amtrak Yards, and two concerning the turning of the trains emphasizing the bridge and the Jefferson Connection. But Tom Bedwell took the only two I have seen on the north side.
This posting has a couple of photos of the first Union Station in the comments.
John W. Barriger III collection
Tom Rutkowski posted 24 photos. It appears he has access to Amtrak's propety.
Amtrak station grab no slam dunk (source) "The decision responds to an April filing by Metra seeking a declaratory order that STB oversight extends to CUS, notwithstanding Amtrak’s statutory immunity from federal economic regulation."
Chicago Union Station is awash in new light (source)
Amtrak wraps up Great Hall restoration at Chicago Union Station (source)
Union Station's Great Hall is bright for holidays, after skylight repair (source)
Repaired skylight keeps Union Station bright (source)
A water color of the inside of the Concourse Building during 1943 Note the model airplanes hanging from the ceiling. The source posting for the link includes the Jack Delano photo on which the painting is based and several other photos including its demolition. One of the comments has an article about the 4000 model airplanes.
What Went Wrong with Union Station? Note the date of 2015. Some of those grand old rooms have been restored and are now being used. But the concourse is still a crowded basement maze.
Kyle Burk posted nineteen photos with the comment: "Chicago Union Station Concourse 1925
Demolished, 1969 Daniel Burnham, Architect."
Kyle Burk http://cs.trains.com/.../lost-chicago-union-station-s...
Kyle Burk shared.
David Daruszka While Daniel Burnham is often credited for the station, he had little to do with its final design. The station is more the work of Pierce Anderson of the successor firm of Graham, Anderson, Probst and White.
Kyle Burk David Daruszka Correct but kind of a long story. While he died after design and before construction most consider his initial design as the primary idea. More vision, not final blueprints, etc.
Mel Patrick One of the photos in this group is from the Chicago Union Station multimedia program, produced in 1969.
David Daruszka By whom, for whom?
Mel Patrick By me. Shown to many rail oriented groups over the years.
Kyle Burk shared
The land at Canal and Adams was used by the Chicago Car & Locomotive Works in the 1850s. [midcontinent]
Five interior views with Christmas decorations
Four photos of the aftermath of the July 26, 1980 fire
Kyle Burk shared.
David Daruszka While Daniel Burnham is often credited for the station, he had little to do with its final design. The station is more the work of Pierce Anderson of the successor firm of Graham, Anderson, Probst and White.
Kyle Burk David Daruszka Correct but kind of a long story. While he died after design and before construction most consider his initial design as the primary idea. More vision, not final blueprints, etc.
Mel Patrick One of the photos in this group is from the Chicago Union Station multimedia program, produced in 1969.
David Daruszka By whom, for whom?
Mel Patrick By me. Shown to many rail oriented groups over the years.
Kyle Burk shared
The land at Canal and Adams was used by the Chicago Car & Locomotive Works in the 1850s. [midcontinent]
Five interior views with Christmas decorations
Four photos of the aftermath of the July 26, 1980 fire
Ken Jamin: The fire, which was believed to be electrical in origin, started in an area that had been used at a movie set “Shakey’s Pizza” for a Gary Coleman movie, “On The Right Track and occurred just a couple weeks after filming was completed.
I worked on the 7th floor but was not there that day as it happened on a Saturday (thank God) as there were one or two fatalities in the stairwell due to smoke. Workday could have been much worse.
Metra dispatchers (3rd floor?) were rescued on a fire ladder.
We were called at home and told to wear work clothes to the office on Monday. As we went up in the elevator and the doors opened onto a lower floor, the corridor looked as black as a coal mine, lit only by contractors lights which had been strung in the hallway. Each successive floor showed less smoke damage and by the time we reached the seventh floor, there was no obvious damage. But when I picked up a piece of paper lying on my desk, the outline of it had been “stenciled” by smoke on the paper under it.
8 photos in Oct 2022 of the restored interior
8 photos of the restored Great Hall
Dearborn Street: Santa Fe, C&EI, Monon, Erie, GTW, Wabash, C&O (initially)
Grand Central: B&O, GTW, Pere Marguette, Wisconsin Central (Soo), C&O (later)
Central: IC, Big Four (initially), Michigan Central (initially)
La Salle Street: Rock Island, Nickel Plate, C&EI, LS&MS, Big4 (later), MC (later)
Chicago & North Western: C&NW
Union Station: Pennsy, CB&Q, Milwaukee, Chicago and Alton (GM&O)
_Union_Station,_great_Hall,_1925.jpg#/media/File:Chicago_(ILL)_Union_Station,_great_Hall,_1925.jpg){kind=link}
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