Chicago, IL Depot: Grand Central Station, Marty Bernard's Collection

Please see Grand Central Station for general information. These notes have photos posted by just Marty Bernard because he and his friends covered this depot well.

Marty Bernard posted five images with the comment:

Grand Central Station and Trains, Chicago, Part 1

From the Historic American Buildings Survey Collection of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

The pictures are the best I have seen of Chicago's Grand Central Station. It was an amazing structure. 

Captions with photos.

Brian A Morgan commented with some background:

Grand Central Station was a passenger railroad terminal in downtown Chicago, Illinois, from 1890 to 1969. It was located at 201 West Harrison Street on a block bounded by Harrison, Wells and Polk Streets and the Chicago River in the southwestern portion of the Chicago Loop. Grand Central Station was designed by architect Solon Spencer Beman for the Wisconsin Central Railroad (WC), and was completed by the Chicago and Northern Pacific Railroad.

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad purchased the station in 1910 and used it as the Chicago terminus for its passenger rail service, including its Capitol Limited service to Washington, D.C. Major tenant railroads included the Soo Line Railroad, successor to the Wisconsin Central, the Chicago Great Western Railway, and the Pere Marquette Railway. The station opened December 8, 1890, closed November 8, 1969, and was demolished in 1971.

Marty Bernard shared

Matt McClure: 50 years plus to redevelop Wells and Harrison. Goldberg's River City just south remains cold and horrible.

Marty Bernard shared

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Cervin Robinson, Photographer July, 1963

EXTERIOR: FROM NORTHWEST - Grand Central Station, 201 West Harrison Street (Corner of West Harrison & South Wells), Chicago, Cook County, IL

Reproduction Number: HABS ILL,16-CHIG,18--1

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Reproduction Number: HABS ILL,16-CHIG,18- (sheet 4 of 4)

Jerry Hund: Folks, this is no CAD drawing. It’s the real deal. Hand drawn with t square and triangle on vellum... Beautiful.

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Reproduction Number: HABS ILL,16-CHIG,18--3

Evan Stair: Take a look at the grease spots on the benches where heads would rest.

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 Cervin Robinson, Photographer July, 1963

INTERIOR: TRAIN SHED - Grand Central Station, 201 West Harrison Street (Corner of West Harrison & South Wells), Chicago, Cook County, IL

Reproduction Number: HABS ILL,16-CHIG,18--2

Larry J. Pearlman: One of the most European looking stations in North America.

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Reproduction Number: HABS ILL,16-CHIG,18- (sheet 3 of 4)

Peter Nieft commented on Photo 2
From the book ‘Chicago Stations & Trains, (John Kelly 2008) in 1947 some of Chicago’s stations were to be modernized with an Art Deco appearance. Here is an image from that book of Grand Central Station.

Marty Bernard posted four photos with the comment: "Grand Central Station and Trains, Chicago, Part 2   These are Roger Puta's photos."

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Marty Bernard posted again

Mike Bauer: Wish they would have saved the building like they did with Dearborn.

Matt McClure: Mike Bauer Richard J. Daley had zero interest in preservation and he [mistakenly] believed that the lot would be built on immediately. Excluding Goldberg's River City one block south, Daley was off by 50 years.

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B&O 1462 (E8A) with Train 7, The Diplomat, at Grand Central Station, Chicago, IL on August 30, 1969. Roger Puta photo

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B&O Nappanee (5 Double Bedrooms and a Lounge) at Grand Central Station, Chicago, IL on August 30, 1969. Roger Puta photo

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Waiting Room at Grand Central Station, Chicago, IL on August 30, 1969. Roger Puta photo

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B&O 1452 (E8A) with Train 6, The Capitol Limited, waiting to depart Grand Central Station, Chicago, IL on December 26, 1967. Roger Puta photo

Marty Bernard posted four photos with the comment: "Grand Central Station and Trains, Chicago, Part 3   These are Bill Howes's photos.  Captions with photos."

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Marty Bernard shared

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B&O E8Am 1435 with Train 10, The Washington Express, the last day at Grand Central Station, Chicago, IL on November 8, 1969. Bill Howes photo

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B&O E8Am 1435 with Train 10, The Washington Express (right) leaving Grand Central Station, while The Capitol Limited is being switched, the last day at Grand Central Station, Chicago, IL on November 8. 1969. Bill Howes photo

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B&O Train 10, The Washington Express at Grand Central Station, Chicago, IL on July 17, 1964. Bill Howes photo

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B&O E8A 1449 with Train 10, The Washington Express leaving Grand Central Station, Chicago, IL on October 4, 1964. Bill Howes photo

Marty Bernard posted six photos with the comment: "Grand Central Station and Trains, Chicago, Part 4  Captions with photos."

Marty Bernard shared

Marty Bernard shared

Marty Bernard shared

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B&O E8A 1452 about to leave and leaving Chicago's Grand Central Station with the Capitol Limited for points east the evening of December 26, 1967.

John Clark: Somewhere very close to 11 cars at GCS and about 13 cars after picking up # 20's cars at Willard.

Donald Dexter: One time on the old Cap, the Garrett high school band came down to serenade the train.

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B&O E8A 1452 about to leave and leaving Chicago's Grand Central Station with the Capitol Limited for points east the evening of December 26, 1967.

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B&OCT 9511 switching Grand Central Station below the Roosevelt Road Viaduct, Chicago, IL May 13, 1964.

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B&O 1425 E7A with Train 1 the Diplomat Grand Central Station Chicago, IL in February 1965. Rick Burn photo

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B&O 1446 E8A with Train 6 the Capitol Limited at Grand Central Station Chicago IL in November 1969. Rick Burn photo

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B&O 1465 E8A with Train 6 the Capitol Limited at Grand Central Station Chicago IL on August 27 1969. Tom Hoffmann photo

Ben Cornelius: Quite the plow there. Wonder what it hit.

John Clark: Ben Cornelius You can rule out the usual animal suspects, deer, possum and raccoon an other animals. My best hunch would be an obstruction such as a misplaced rr tie. I once hit a sun kink at 50 mph and was running an older wide-body. Needless to say it bent the snow-plow a little, but sounded like exploding dynamite. I would also believe, some one from the mechanical department, bent it up and out of the way so the 1465 could still be used in revenue service.

Marty Bernard posted five images with the comment:

Grand Central Station and Trains, Chicago, Part 5

Captions with photos.

Brian A Morgan commented with some background:

Grand Central Station was a passenger railroad terminal in downtown Chicago, Illinois, from 1890 to 1969. It was located at 201 West Harrison Street on a block bounded by Harrison, Wells and Polk Streets and the Chicago River in the southwestern portion of the Chicago Loop. Grand Central Station was designed by architect Solon Spencer Beman for the Wisconsin Central Railroad (WC), and was completed by the Chicago and Northern Pacific Railroad.

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad purchased the station in 1910 and used it as the Chicago terminus for its passenger rail service, including its Capitol Limited service to Washington, D.C. Major tenant railroads included the Soo Line Railroad, successor to the Wisconsin Central, the Chicago Great Western Railway, and the Pere Marquette Railway. The station opened December 8, 1890, closed November 8, 1969, and was demolished in 1971.

Marty Bernard shared

Marty Bernard shared

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B&O 1413 E6A built 1940 and SOO 2554 GP9 built 1954 at Grand Central Station Chicago IL in October 1960. Rick [B]urn photo

Rodney D Zona: Old B&O Railroad Garrett, IN based passenger train and engine crews worked to and from Chicago. Old Soo Line Railroad Stevens Point, WI based passenger train crews worked to and from Chicago. Old Soo Line RR Fond du Lac, WI based engine crews worked to and from Chicago.

Nate Beal: That's the laker next to it!

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C&O E8A 4009 built late 1951 at Grand Central Station, Chicago, IL about to take the Pere Marquette to Michigan the evening of December 12, 1967.

Rodney D Zona: Old C&O Railway Grand Rapids, MI based passenger train and engine crews worked to and from Chicago. In photos 2 and 3.

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C&O 4026 E8A with Train 8 at Grand Central Station Chicago IL in November 1969. Rick Burn photo

Arthur House: 4026 was renumbered 1471 and was the last C&O E unit in service, lasting several years in Amtrak service. It was never repainted out of C&O colors.

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