Denver, CO: Union Station

(Satellite)

Bob Chaparro shared from HagleyDigitalArchives
Union Depot – Denver (1906)
James Vaitkunas: Note the three-rail track. D&RG RR heading west!

𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻: 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗼 posted

Union Station in the Late Nineteenth Century! 

📸 • History Colorado

 

Kevin McCarthy commented on the above post
This would be the 1894 incarnation after the March 1894 fire. It would remain in this configuration until it was remodeled in 1914. Below is Union Station as it looked from 1881 to 1894. Note the dual gauge trackage.

William A. Shaffer posted
Denver Union Station (Circa April,1982)
(Photo by William A. Shaffer)

My kids liked the train, so we used to take sleepers on the Zephyr when we went from Chicago to Denver. Back in the 1990s, this place was a lonely place when we got off the train. It looks like the neighborhood has been gentrified.

Street View

Chris Ness posted
Denver Union Station.
Date unknown, but before the abomination.

Paul Jevert shared
Rock Island "Rocky Mountain Rocket" with E7 #637 backs into Denver Union Station.
Donald Sims photo
Don Gerdts posted
An E7 backs Rock Island’s Rocky Mountain Rocket into Denver Union Station in the early 1950s. Meanwhile, five tracks to the right, a Union Pacific switcher pulls a consist from the station.
Donald Sims photo
Larry Ellis Reed: Obviously the Denver section; remember, the Rocky Mountain Rocket also had a section for Colorado Springs, with the two being set out westbound (and rejoined eastbound) at Limon, CO.
Paul Jevert shared
Rock Island at Denver

Ken Bryan posted
A nightshot from a couple years ago of Denver Union Station. Thankfully they saved some of the old architecture when they updated the trackside in a much more modern motif.

Dennis DeBruler commented on Ken's post
Because of the platform roof, it was hard to find a shot of the original station from the California Zephyr yesterday.
Ken Bryan: That new platform roof is kind of strange and a wild difference from the station architecture.

It is a long backing move with several stops and starts so the crew can step out and throw turnouts. This is not the biggest collection of locomotives we saw. But we did see this spot during both the arrival and departure. I took this photo when we departed. There is a loco still in Sante Fe behind the second BN loco at this diesel shop, but I didn't get the camera ready in time. There was also a CB&Q boxcar with the "Everywhere West" slogan still painted on it. But I see I didn't grab a photo of it. Bummer!

In 2019 we took the Zephyr to Salt Lake City. I presume the elaborate canopy was built when RTD service was added to the station. We see a RTD train in the background of the first photo I took when we stopped at the station. I also took a couple of photos to capture how elaborate the new canopy structure is.

20191128 0304

Chris Ness posted
Denver Union Station as it was. (5/5/08)

Chris Ness posted
Denver Union Station as it is now.
Nick Ploysa: Track 5, left. Track 4, right. Amtrak usually uses 4.

Chris Ness posted
One more of Denver Union Station after remodeling.
Randy Sweeney: Been there in the driving snow... doesn't work well.
Shooshie R: I absolutely love it, but I can see some future management scrapping it and putting up a shed, rather than trying to find someone to custom make the parts to fix it. But it is beautiful while it lasts! I wish more things were designed so well.
Ron Devito: Architectural clash. The remodel looks awful.

Chris Ness posted
I would be remiss to not include a photo of the interior before it ceased to be a train station.
Denver Union Station, Colorado. 5/17/2007