The Chattanooga Choo Choo

The Chattanooga Choo Choo today is a living historical railroad structure and has its roots dating back to the Southern Railway, which originally constructed the station in the early 20th century. After being saved from near-certain destruction over 30 years ago today the station serves in a similar fashion to that of St. Louis Union Station, a modern shopping and entertainment venue with history well represented. Below is a brief history and overview of the station courtesy of the Chattanooga Choo Choo:

The property changed hands in 1905, when Southern Railway acquired it for $71,500. The railway leveled the neglected Stanton House in 1906 to make way for a new passenger station. The Terminal Station (site of the Chattanooga Choo Choo) was erected in 1908, with its centerpiece - a magnificent dome - that rose majestically over the concourse. Built of steel and concrete and buttressed by huge brick arches, the dome rested on four steel supports 75 feet apart. Suspended from the ceiling were four brass chandeliers, each with 40 lights circling an 18-inch opal globe. From an architectural standpoint, this dome over the entire 68 x 82 foot general waiting room was the most attractive design feature of its time.

It was on the underside of this dome, the part in view above the waiting room, that the only attempt to decorate in colors was made -- artistic plaster embellishments of heraldic emblems, which are now fully restored. The dome was truly lavish and beautiful in its different prismatic colors, especially when lighted at night.

An interesting bit of history surrounds the architectural drawings and specifications chosen for Terminal Station. In the year 1900, the greatest school of art, Beaux Arts Institute, was located in Paris, France. The students themselves offered a prize that year...open to all individuals in the architectural department...for the best plans which could be drawn up for a railroad station suitable for the needs of a large city. A flood of plans were drawn up by interested students; and soon railroad stations of every shape and size, big, little, round and square, were presented. The winner was an American, Don Barber, of New York City.

In 1904, when the president of the Southern Railway System decided to build a new passenger terminal in Chattanooga, one architect who offered an entry was none other than this same Mr. Barber. When the Southern Railway president saw Mr. Barber's design, he was much impressed and summoned the gentleman to his office. He said he felt the exterior plans were perfect but asked Barber if he could possibly alter the interior design to conform with the interior of the then fashionable National Park Bank of New York City. This young man agreed; and Chattanooga's Terminal Station became a combination of the plans which won Barber the first prize at the Paris Beaux Arts Institute and of the famous New York bank, which had been admired by visitors from all over the world.

On the bitterly cold winter morning of December 1, 1909, a crowd of several hundred gathered in the 1400 block of Market Street for the dedication of Chattanooga's "Gateway" - Terminal Station, and the first train pulled into the station that day. The depot grew to serve nearly 50 passenger trains a day. Over the years, the bustling terminal greeted Presidents Woodrow Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Franklin Roosevelt.

Passenger train traffic slowed to a near halt in the 1960's with the dominance of auto and air travel. Railway activity was replaced by these faster modes of transportation.Almost 61 years after the opening, the grand old building was closed to the public when the last train stopped on August 11, 1970. Doors and windows were boarded up, and Southern Railway vacated the entire building.

The Terminal Station seemed destined for the similar fate of Union Station (parts of which were built before the Civil War) at the center of town, which was demolished in 1973. But Terminal Station was saved from the wrecking ball by a group of local businessmen who were inspired by the theme of the "Chattanooga Choo Choo." They invested $4 million before its new grand opening on April 11, 1973, and the beautiful Terminal Station once again opened its doors to welcome visitors to Chattanooga - this time as a unique vacation complex. With its listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, the Chattanooga Choo Choo is considered one of the city's first historic preservation projects.

The terminal's dome room was converted into a huge dining hall. The area that once housed the baggage room became the "Station House," a restaurant with singing waiters and waitresses. A trolley car traveled the tracks behind the station, and retail shops opened along formal gardens in the former rail concourse. Authentic sleeper cars, once a refuge for wealthy travelers, were lavishly furnished as unique sleeping quarters. A hotel and convention center completed the complex.

In 1989, a group of Chattanooga investors, known as Choo Choo Partners, Ltd., brought new management and invested another $4 million+ dollars in renovations to the Chattanooga Choo Choo. The hotel was welcomed into the Holiday Inn family, assuring Choo Choo guests of superior, affordable accommodations. The Chattanooga Choo Choo, famous in history and song, is now a magnificently restored structure for all to enjoy. Today there is again the bustle that was so familiar in the railroad days.

For more reading about railroad stations you might want to consider a copy of Railroad Stations from author Brian Solomon. While the book is just a very general overview of some of the great stations that once stood in this country it is quite good with lots of historical photographs, including that of Grand Central Terminal and the late Pennsylvania Station (it also gives a history of the thousands of small depots that existed in most communities). All in all if you’re interested in stations and depots you’re sure to enjoy Mr. Solomon’s book on the subject.

Also, for an excellent pictorial history of the Southern and a general history of the railroad consider the book, Southern Railway, from Tom Murray. If you have any kind of interest in the Southern this book is a must have (all of MBI's "Railroad Color History" series which featur many fallen flags do an excellent job giving a general history and featuring tons of colored pictures to enjoy).