Kansas City Union Station, Pride Of The City

Kansas City Union Station today is the pride of the city. During the heyday of passenger rail travel in this country the terminal was used by several classic railroads, many of whose most important streamliners called at the building. However, from the 1970s through the mid-1990s this was not the case as the station, once the second largest in the country, was a mere eyesore on the city. After 1996 restorations have brought the grand building back to its former glory and today you cannot only still catch three different Amtrak trains at Union Station (the Ann Rutledge, Kansas City/St. Louis Mule, and Southwest Chief) but also shop, dine, and even watch movies! The terminal is one of the Midwest's most notable stations, particularly among those still standing (Chicago Union Station and St. Louis Union Station are two others which come to mind).

The building itself was constructed by architect Jarvis Hunt in the Beaux-Arts style employing wide open spaces and ornate decorations on the walls and ceilings, including a magnificent clock in the Grand Hall and three huge chandeliers. It took several years to complete the building but it finally opened in October of 1914 after eight years of construction. The station was impressive to say the least with marble and terra cotta used throughout its construction, three different sub-levels, restaurants, barbershops, offices for the owning railroads, a jail, and the building was even powered by its power plant! It was so large at the time, with its massive center concourse that only the recently opened Pennsylvania Station in New York City was larger. For instance, the Grand Hall topped out at 95 feet and the overall building fielded floorspace of some 850,000 square feet.

Despite being opened during the heyday of the railroad industry of the early 20th century through the 1920s, the terminal's peak passenger traffic did not occur until 1945 at nearly 680,000 travelers! This, of course, can be explained by the fact that it was during World War II when railroads were moving incredible numbers of people and freight. However, the terminal still saw very high passenger numbers throughout much of those early years, save for much of the 1930s when the nation was gripped in the Great Depression.

As has happened to almost all stations and depots across the country starting in the 1950s, Kansas City Union Station began to lose its luster as rail travel was displaced by the automobile and airplane. By the 1970s the building was beginning to show serious neglect even though it had been placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. In 1973 passenger rail travel was becoming so poor that barely 30,000 folks passed through the terminals doors that year. Things got so bad that by 1985 Amtrak, operator of intercity passenger rail services since 1971, decided to move out into a smaller building (this was due, mostly, to the building's deteriorating condition).

While the building sat all but empty over the next decade it was saved by the people of Kansas City when they approved a 1/8-cent sales tax that helped to partially fund the station’s restoration, which began in 1997 and was completed by 1999. Today, Kansas City Union Station has been completely restored to its 1914 opening appearance, right down to the authentic light fixtures! Once again the pride of the city the station is well worth the visit if you are in town. For more information about Kansas City Union Station please visit their official website by clicking here.

Please Click Here To Return To The Main Railroad Stations And Depots Section

One other book of interest is Kevin Holland's Classic American Railroad Terminals. While Mr. Solomon's book looks at depots and stations, large and small, found across the country Holland's work looks only at America's most famous and best remembered terminals. If you're interested in perhaps purchasing either (or both) of these books please visit the links below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.

Share Your Thoughts