Kansas City Union Station, A Jarvis Hunt Design
Last revised: September 10, 2024
By: Adam Burns
Kansas City Union Station today is the pride of the city. During the heyday of passenger rail travel the terminal was used by several classic railroads with many notable streamliners calling there.
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.
History
Since 1996 restorations have brought the grand building back to its former glory and today you cannot only still catch Amtrak trains from Union Station (the regional Missouri River Runner and long-distance Southwest Chief) but also shop, dine, and even watch movies there!
The terminal is one of the Midwest's most notable particularly among those still standing (such as Chicago Union Station, Joliet Union Station, and St. Louis Union Station).
Photos
Santa Fe F3A #21-C and F7A #338-L await evening departures from Kansas City Union Station during the 1950s. American-Rails.com collection.Kansas City, which laid some 250 miles away from St. Louis, across the state of Missouri, was situated at the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas Rivers.
It was originally established on June 1, 1850 as the town of Kansas during efforts to settle the West and later renamed Kansas City.
Following the Civil War the United States government expedited this process by funding the Transcontinental Railroad to push economic growth far beyond the Mississippi River.
One federally chartered line, which eventually became the Kansas Pacific Railway, was the Leavenworth, Pawnee & Western of 1855.
The railroad began construction from Kansas City in 1863 and extended to Lawrence by 1864. In August of 1870 the road reached Denver and was acquired by Union Pacific in 1874.
From the east the first line to reach Kansas City was the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad, which opened a branch there on July 3, 1869.
Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 #759 departs Kansas City Union Station with the "Centennial Limited" excursion in 1969. Carl Sturner photo. American-Rails.com collection.In the succeeding years more and more railroads reached KC, which established itself as the dominant center of trade in the region and became somewhat similar to St. Louis in this regard.
With a growing city it was clear a centralized rail terminal was needed and Union Depot opened on April 8, 1878 between Union Avenue and present-day West Bottoms near the riverfront.
It was designed partially in the Gothic Revival style by lead architect Asa Beebe Cross.
While a beautiful structure with a central clock tower, arched windows, and dormers of various size, alas, after just two decades of service it proved inadequate and was prone to flooding (there also lacked enough room for needed expansion).
And so, as early as 1903 plans were drawn up for a new terminal. As railroads and the city worked out the details the former established the jointly-owned Kansas City Terminal Railway for the purpose of operating the new facility.
Railroads Serving
There were a dozen railroads involved in the project including:
- St. Louis-San Francisco Railway (Frisco)
- Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (Santa Fe)
- Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (Burlington Route)
- Milwaukee Road
- Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific (Rock Island)
- Union Pacific
- Chicago Great Western
- Alton Railroad (later owned by the Baltimore & Ohio and then sold to Gulf, Mobile & Ohio)
- Kansas City Southern
- Missouri Pacific
- Missouri-Kansas-Texas (Katy)
- Wabash
The city sought a terminal that rivaled those in New York and hired architect Jarvis Hunt to design a magnificent facility.
Hunt was already known for his work having conceived recently-built 16th Street Station in Oakland and Joliet Union Station in Illinois. All three were dressed in the Beaux-Arts style.
Kansas City Union Station employed 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 but finally opened on October 30, 1914 after eight years of construction, then the second largest in the country.
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 very own 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 floor space of some 850,000 square feet.
Notable Trains
Naturally, some of the most well remembered passenger trains called there such as:
- Super Chief (Santa Fe)
- Rocket (Rock Island)
- Southern Belle (KCS)
- Colorado Eagle (MoPac)
- City of St. Louis (Union Pacific)
- Southwest Limited (Milwaukee Road)
- Oklahoman (Frisco)
- Night Hawk (GM&O)
- Mills Cities Limited (Chicago Great Western)
- City of Kansas City (Wabash)
- Kanas City Zephyr (Burlington)
The facility was also designed to handle the city's streetcar and interurban traffic.
Despite being opened during the heyday of rail travel the terminal's peak passenger traffic did not occur until 1945 when it witnessed nearly 680,000 travelers pass through its doors!
This, of course, can be explained by World War II when railroads were moving incredible numbers of people and freight tonnage.
Outside of the war years the terminal still saw very high passenger numbers during the early 20th century, save for the downturn following the Great Depression.
Kansas City Union Station's decline began after the war, following a trend across the country.
With the rise of the automobile, new Interstate highways, and improved air travel the public abandoned trains in increasingly larger numbers.
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.
A busy night scene at Kansas City Union Station during the 1950s. A Union Pacific and Missouri-Kansas-Texas (Katy) train can barely be made out in the darkness. A.C. Kalmbach photo. American-Rails.com collection.Restoration
Amtrak took over most intercity passenger rail travel in the spring of 1971 and by 1973 (due partially to declining service) barely 30,000 folks passed through the terminals doors.
Things got so bad that by 1985 Amtrak decided to move into a smaller building nearby (due largely to the building's deteriorating condition).
While the terminal 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 partially fund the station's restoration.
This project began in 1997 and was completed in 1999. Today, Kansas City Union Station has been completely restored to its 1914 opening appearance, right down to the authentic light fixtures!
Even the old Union Station Powerhouse was restored, now used by the Kansas City Ballet and known as the Todd Bolender Center for Dance and Creativity.
Amtrak would eventually return to the terminal and today the regional Missouri River Runner (St. Louis - Washington - Jefferson City - Independence - Kansas City) and long-distance Southwest Chief (Chicago - Albuquerque - Los Angeles) stop there.
Sources
- Halberstadt, Hans And April. American Train Depot & Roundhouse, The. Osceola: Motorbooks International Publishers & Wholesalers, 1995.
- Solomon, Brian. Railroad Stations. New York: MetroBooks, 2000.
- Solomon, Brian. Railway Depots, Stations & Terminals. Minneapolis: Quarto Publishing Group, 2015.
Recent Articles
-
Conway Scenic Pumpkin Patch Express (2026): Dates, Tickets & Tips
Aug 14, 26 11:01 PM
Conway Scenic Railroad Pumpkin Patch Express—North Conway to White Mountain Cider Co. / Glen area pumpkin pick, family October special, 2026 booking tips. -
Black River & Western Pumpkin Trains (2026): Dates, Tickets & Tips
Aug 14, 26 10:46 PM
Black River & Western Pumpkin Trains—Ringoes/Flemington family pumpkin package, steam #60 when rostered, maze and wagon activities, 2026 booking tips. -
Halloween Train Rides (2026): Pumpkin Patch, Haunted & Spooky Trips
Aug 14, 26 10:02 PM
2026 Halloween train rides—pumpkin patch trains, haunted excursions, and family fall specials at tourist railroads across the U.S. National hub with state directory and planning tips. -
Vermont Scenic Train Rides (2026): A Complete Guide
Aug 14, 26 09:35 PM
Vermont tourist trains—Green Mountain Railroad / Champlain Valley Dinner Train, Shelburne Museum context, foliage and lake-country planning. 2026 guide. -
Virginia Scenic Train Rides (2026): A Complete Guide
Aug 14, 26 08:04 PM
Virginia tourist trains and rail museums—Virginia Scenic Railway, Buckingham Branch context, VMT Roanoke, C&O Heritage Center, O. Winston Link Museum. 2026 planning guide. -
Scenic Train Rides (USA 2026): State Guide to Tourist Railroads
Aug 14, 26 07:44 PM
Find scenic and tourist train rides in every U.S. state—heritage railroads, steam excursions, dinner trains, and fall foliage. National hub with history, what to expect, and state-by-state guides. -
Rhode Island Scenic Train Rides (2026): A Complete Guide
Aug 14, 26 07:01 PM
Rhode Island tourist trains—Newport & Narragansett Bay Railroad and the Rhode Island Railroad Museum. 2026 Ocean State guide. -
Commuter Rail (USA): Definition, History & Systems Directory
Aug 14, 26 06:36 PM
American commuter rail—private suburban trains to public agencies (LIRR, Metro-North, NJ Transit, Metra, Metrolink, and more). History, vs light rail, and a national systems directory. -
New Jersey Scenic Train Rides (2026): A Complete Guide
Aug 14, 26 06:23 PM
New Jersey tourist trains—Black River & Western, Woodstown Central, Cape May Seashore Lines, Delaware River Railroad, Pine Creek, Whippany. 2026 guide. -
Rail Tours (USA & Canada): Luxury Trains, Cruise Trains & History
Aug 14, 26 06:11 PM
North American rail tours explained—luxury multi-day trains vs Amtrak packages vs tourist excursions. Rocky Mountaineer, Chepe Express, historic AOE, New River Train, and directory of AR profiles. -
Massachusetts Scenic Train Rides (2026): A Complete Guide
Aug 14, 26 04:23 PM
Massachusetts tourist trains—Cape Cod Central, Berkshire Scenic, Edaville, Shelburne Falls Trolley. 2026 Bay State scenic and heritage guide. -
Amtrak Unique Trainsets: TurboTrain, Turboliner, Metroliner & More
Aug 14, 26 03:44 PM
Amtrak’s distinctive trainsets—United Aircraft TurboTrain, French RTG and Rohr RTL Turboliners, German ICE and Swedish X2000 tests, and Budd Metroliners on the Northeast Corridor. -
Amtrak Locomotive Roster: Historical & Current Power
Aug 14, 26 01:55 PM
Amtrak motive power—heritage E/F/SDP40F/F40/Genesis roster research plus mid-2020s ALC-42 Chargers, state SC-44s, ACS-64 electrics, NextGen Acela, and Airo ALC-42E dual-modes. -
Connecticut Dinner Train Rides From Essex
Aug 14, 26 01:55 PM
Connecticut's rail heritage can be traced back to the industry's earliest days and a few organizations preserve this rich history by offering train rides. The Essex Steam Train also hosts dinner-theme… -
Virginia Dinner Train Rides From Staunton
Aug 14, 26 01:41 PM
If you’ve ever wished you could pair a classic scenic train ride with a genuinely satisfying meal—served at your table while the countryside rolls by—the Virginia Scenic Railway was built for you. -
Discontinued Amtrak Trains: Lost Named Services & Routes
Aug 14, 26 01:25 PM
List of discontinued Amtrak and Amtrak-era named trains—Broadway Limited, Floridian, Pioneer, Desert Wind, Metroliners, North Coast Hiawatha, and dozens more with route and date notes. -
Illinois Dinner Train Rides From The MRM
Aug 14, 26 01:11 PM
The Monticello Railway Museum (MRM) is one of those places that quietly does a lot: it preserves a sizable collection, maintains its own operating railroad, and—most importantly for visitors—puts hist… -
Georgia Dinner Train Rides From Nashville
Aug 14, 26 01:05 PM
If you’ve ever wished you could slow down, trade traffic for jointed rail, and let a small-town landscape roll by your window while a hot meal is served at your table, the Azalea Sprinter delivers tha… -
Amtrak Ridership by Year (1971–2025): Passengers, Miles & Revenue
Aug 14, 26 01:03 PM
Amtrak fiscal-year ridership tables 1971–2019 from American-Rails.com research, plus FY2024–FY2025 record years from Amtrak public reports. -
Amtrak (USA): History, Routes, Ridership, Fleet & The National Network
Aug 14, 26 12:21 PM
Amtrak history and network—Railpax 1970, May 1 1971 startup, Northeast Corridor and long-distance trains, ridership through FY2025 records, Superliners to NextGen Acela and Airo, ALC-42s, and route di… -
Kentucky Dinner Train Rides Departing From Bardstown
Aug 14, 26 11:10 AM
The essence of My Old Kentucky Dinner Train is part restaurant, part scenic excursion, and part living piece of Kentucky rail history. -
Railroad Infrastructure (USA): Track, Bridges, Signals, Yards, History
Aug 14, 26 10:54 AM
American railroad infrastructure—what it means (track, ballast, ties, bridges, tunnels, signals, yards, towers), T-rail and standard gauge roots, and a full directory of fixed-plant topics. -
Arizona Dinner Train Rides From Williams
Aug 14, 26 10:48 AM
While the Grand Canyon Railway does not offer a true, onboard dinner train experience it does offer several upscale options and off-train dining. -
Railroad Maintenance-of-Way Equipment: Machines, Track Work, History
Aug 14, 26 12:22 AM
Railroad maintenance-of-way (MOW)—section gangs to mechanized track work: ballast, tampers, undercutters, Jordan spreaders, spike machines, Sperry defect cars, and a full equipment directory. -
Railroad Freight Cars (USA): Types, History, AAR Codes, Modern Designs
Aug 14, 26 12:10 AM
American freight cars—from Granite Railway tram flats and B&O gondolas to boxcars, hoppers, tanks, reefers, autoracks, well cars, AAR type codes, and a full car-type directory. -
Maine Scenic Train Rides (2026): A Complete Guide
Aug 14, 26 12:03 AM
Maine train rides offers the public incredible views of the state's back country with experiences including narrow-gauge operations, trolleys, and more. -
Passenger Train Cars (USA): Types, History, Pullman & Streamliners
Aug 13, 26 11:53 PM
American passenger cars—from stagecoach-style coaches and B&O’s Imlay cars to Pullman sleepers and diners, heavyweights, air-conditioning, streamliners, and a full type directory (coach, dome, RPO… -
Electric Locomotives (USA): History, Models & Preservation
Aug 13, 26 10:41 PM
American electric locomotives—from B&O’s 1895 Belt Line and Sprague’s streetcars to PRR GG1s, Milwaukee Little Joes, Virginian rectifiers, NEC power, and a roster of preserved classic motors. -
Steam Locomotive Terms & Definitions: Glossary of Parts, Types & Talk
Aug 13, 26 09:14 PM
Steam locomotive glossary—articulated, Mallet, superheater, feedwater heater, cab-forward, camelback, Shay/Heisler/Climax, duplex-drive, pop valve, quartered drivers, and more shop and type terms used… -
Steam Locomotives (USA): History, Types, Whyte Notation & Builders
Aug 13, 26 08:47 PM
American steam locomotives—from Trevithick and Stephenson to Tom Thumb, Super Power Berkshires, Big Boys and Challengers, How steam works, Whyte types, Baldwin/Alco/Lima, dieselization, and living ste… -
Locomotive History (USA): Steam, Electric & Diesel Power
Aug 13, 26 04:50 PM
How American trains are powered—steam, electric, and diesel-electric locomotives from Tom Thumb and Stourbridge Lion through B&O’s Howard Street motors, EMD FT, and today’s Progress Rail &am… -
Interurbans & Streetcars (USA): Definition, History & State Guides
Aug 13, 26 04:09 PM
American interurbans and trolleys—what an interurban was, peak ~15,580 miles (1916), Hilton & Due, Midwest epicenter, decline, survivors (South Shore, Iowa Traction), and links to state traction h… -
Maryland Scenic Train Rides (2026): A Complete Guide
Aug 13, 26 03:09 PM
Maryland tourist trains—Western Maryland Scenic, Walkersville Southern, B&O Railroad Museum, streetcar museums. 2026 mountains-to-Baltimore guide. -
Streamliners (USA): History, Famous Trains & Why They Mattered
Aug 13, 26 02:51 PM
American railroad streamliners—UP M-10000, Burlington Pioneer Zephyr, Hiawatha, Super Chief, California Zephyr, Art Deco design, diesel power, and the decline into Amtrak. Full named-train directory. -
Michigan Dinner Train Rides From Owosso
Aug 13, 26 02:28 PM
The Steam Railroading Institute is best known as the home of Pere Marquette #1225 and even occasionally hosts a dinner train! -
Minnesota Dinner Train Rides From Duluth
Aug 13, 26 01:02 PM
One of the best ways to feel the region's history in motion today is aboard the North Shore Scenic Railroad (NSSR), which operates out of Duluth’s historic depot. -
Delaware Scenic Train Rides (2026): A Complete Guide
Aug 13, 26 12:58 PM
Delaware tourist trains—Wilmington & Western Railroad steam and specials in the Red Clay Valley. 2026 planning guide. -
Connecticut Scenic Train Rides (2026): A Complete Guide
Aug 13, 26 12:42 PM
Connecticut tourist trains—Essex Steam Train & Riverboat, Naugatuck Railroad, Danbury Railway Museum, Connecticut Trolley Museum, Shore Line Trolley. 2026 planning guide. -
North Carolina Dinner Train Rides From Spencer
Aug 13, 26 12:15 PM
Tucked into the Piedmont town of Spencer, the North Carolina Transportation Museum is the kind of place that feels less like a typical museum and more like a living rail yard that never quite stopped… -
West Virginia Railroads: History, Map, Coal Lines & Today’s Network
Aug 13, 26 12:09 PM
West Virginia railroad history—B&O, C&O, N&W, Virginian, Western Maryland; coal and logging heritage; abandonments; CSX, Norfolk Southern, short lines; Amtrak Cardinal; Cass and mountain tourist train… -
Railroad Bridges (USA): History, Types, Trusses & Famous Spans
Aug 13, 26 11:51 AM
History of American railroad bridges—from stone viaducts and wooden trestles to Howe, Pratt, and Warren trusses, plate girders, movable spans, and landmarks still carrying freights and Amtrak today. -
California Dinner Train Rides From Sacramento
Aug 13, 26 11:47 AM
Just minutes from downtown Sacramento, the River Fox Train has carved out a niche that’s equal parts scenic railroad, social outing, and “pick-your-own-adventure” evening on the rails. -
New Jersey Dinner Train Rides From Woodstown
Aug 13, 26 11:42 AM
For visitors who love experiences (not just attractions), Woodstown Central’s dinner-and-dining style trains have become a signature offering—especially for couples’ nights out, small friend groups, a… -
Texas Dinner Train Rides On The TSR
Aug 13, 26 11:38 AM
Today, TSR markets itself as a round-trip, four-hour, 25-mile journey between Palestine and Rusk—an easy day trip (or date-night centerpiece) with just the right amount of history baked in. -
Iowa Dinner Train Rides From Boone
Aug 13, 26 11:07 AM
If you’ve ever wished you could pair a leisurely rail journey with a proper sit-down meal—white tablecloths, big windows, and countryside rolling by—the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad & Museum… -
Railroad Landmarks (USA): Famous Bridges, Tunnels, Passes & Grades
Aug 13, 26 11:04 AM
U.S. railroad landmarks hub—Horseshoe Curve, Tehachapi Loop, Hoosac and Moffat tunnels, Starrucca and Thomas viaducts, mountain passes, cutoffs, and railfan hot spots. Engineering feats still carrying… -
Indiana Dinner Train Rides From Jasper
Aug 13, 26 10:00 AM
In the rolling hills of southern Indiana, the Spirit of Jasper offers one of those rare attractions that feels equal parts throwback and treat-yourself night out: a classic excursion train paired with… -
Panhandle Route (PCC&StL): PRR's Pittsburgh-Midwest Main Line
Aug 13, 26 09:26 AM
History of the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad—the PRR’s Panhandle Route—from Pittsburgh & Steubenville and Hollidays Cove through 1890 consolidation, Blue Ribbon passenger trains… -
Railroad Cowcatcher (Pilot): History, Design, Purpose & Evolution
Aug 13, 26 09:11 AM
What a railroad cowcatcher (pilot) is—why it existed, Isaac Dripps and the John Bull (1833), Charles Babbage’s 1830 idea, how wedge pilots work, footboard and drop-coupler types, snowplows vs pilots… -
Diesel Locomotives (USA): History, Builders, Models & How They Work
Aug 13, 26 12:31 AM
American diesel-electric locomotives—how they work, early boxcabs and McKeen cars, EMD FT demonstrator (1939–40), why EMD won dieselization, full Alco/Baldwin/FM/GE/EMD model directories, AC traction…
%20train%20can%20barely%20be%20made%20out%20in%20the%20darkness.%20%20A.C.%20Kalmbach%20photo.%20%20American-Rails.com%20collection.){kind=link}