For decades America’s grand Union Stations remained a focal point of community activity – linking railroads from one region to another and moving passengers, commercial goods, and mail across the country. Some of these landmark stations, particularly those with significant architectural interest, have survived the test of time to serve their communities as transportation hubs, public meeting areas, and commercial spaces. Sadly, others have faded from the scene. Each of these structures has its own local story, yet all are interconnected to the history of rail travel. In the mid-twentieth century, cross-country rail travelers enjoyed innovative designs and improved speed from the new streamlined locomotives that shaved hours from travelers’ schedules. Still, with all the interest in efficient high-speed passenger rail service, the gleaming silver streaks could not remain competitive with other forms of public transportation. Today, America’s traffic-congested highways have caused some travelers to reconsider high-speed rail travel as an alternative. Passenger rail service and the city-center stations that serve them continue to be a topic of debate in a country that is constantly on the move.

On September 4–6, 2003, the Midwest Railroad Research Center of the Indiana Historical Society hosted a symposium on the history of Union Stations and rail passenger service, which was sponsored by The Indiana Rail Road Company. The following essays were among those presented at the symposium.

The full text is available online, but if you would like to download a copy, click the “download full essay” link at the top of each page or in the list below. You will need Acrobat Reader to view the downloaded files.

A Tale of Three Cities: The Union Stations of Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati
by Jeffrey T. Darbee (Download full essay)

The History of Union Station
by James R. Hetherington (Download full essay)

On the Wings of the Zephyr
The Rise and Fall of America’s High-Speed Streamliners, 1934–1960
by Mark Reutter (Download full essay)

The Future of High-Speed Rail Travel
by George M. Smerk (Download full essay)