St. Louis Union Station

Discussion in 'General' started by friscochoctaw, Mar 12, 2009.

  1. friscochoctaw

    friscochoctaw Member

    I'm back from my trip so, here's the scoop on the station. The Mariot Hotel has purchased the grounds and plan to bring in better stores and what-have-ya. It was neat to see a hotel built underneath the ole train shed. As far as the St. Louis Railcar they only have two baggage car combines in a two-tone gray paint scheme left. The inside of the main building is still well preserved as far as the ceiling artistry work; WOW!!! We tested the wispering arch also, it really does work.
     
  2. railroadguy65

    railroadguy65 Member

    :) Iam glad you had a great trip to old girl. I wish I could find my photos I shot of her in the early 80's when they were going to make a parking lot out the station:eek: She was in bad shape - and homeless people were living in their and in the train shed behind the main post office. It was a little scary walking around their back then.

    I just love the Grand Hall. But when you read the history of the station, it was not used as much as the Midway was. I often wondered how many people changed trains in St. Louis and never made it upstairs to to the hall

    I included a couple of shots I made on trip back not to long ago
     

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  3. meteor910

    meteor910 2009 Engineer of the Year Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    friscochoctaw -

    Glad you had a good StL Union Station visit. Hope our short-lived "blizzard" this morning did not cause you any trouble.

    I, too, am glad Marriott has bought into the Union Station scene, replacing Hyatt. Marriott will likely inject some resources into the StLUS complex that are needed. Last time I was down there (last July), the complex was looking a bit tired.

    You didn't happen to see that gray TRRA Baldwin VO still running around smoking things up, did you? ;)

    Ken
     
  4. railroadguy65

    railroadguy65 Member

    :) I almost forgot to put his up as well. There is nothing prettier than Union Station at night
     

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  5. yardmaster

    yardmaster Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Friscochoctaw, I loved hearing your impressions of the Whispering Arches.

    I spent the night w/my Uncle Carl in STL in the late 80s before flying out of Lambert for a church event. He lived near Forest Park Pkwy. and DeBaliviere (we ate at Tulaney's Pizza-sp?) and he took me to Union Station for my first visit. I didn't believe the Whispering Arches until I heard for myself! Incredible stuff for a kid who'd rarely been out of Chaffee!

    The Grand Hall simply took my breath away. I remember finding an old wooden bench and sitting on it, wondering if this was what my grandfather felt while waiting for a train in the midst of WWII?

    I remember wishing that tracks filled the trainshed, and not trendy shops, but that I'd take what I could get!

    Our "winter storm" in CoMo dumped a grand total of 1/4" of snow! Opening day is about a week away; surely spring isn't far behind.
     
  6. When I was working at Union Station (2007) in the brick buildings in front of the old tower, Amtrack would use the west wye to turn equiptment. I dont know if they still do. A leasing company serviced and stored private cars on one of the old yard tracks. One of the cars was painted in Frisco colors. I spent a lot of lunch hours standing on the bridge watching trains.
     
  7. meteor910

    meteor910 2009 Engineer of the Year Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    The Frisco passenger car often seen around StLUS is ex-SLSF 1466, "Cimarron River", a 14-4 sleeper used on The Meteor. It is now in excursion service.

    Ken
     
  8. railroadguy65

    railroadguy65 Member

  9. friscochoctaw

    friscochoctaw Member

    Only two two-tone gray combines are left beside the station. I didn't see a VO running around b/c my group was only there for 1.5hrs. I did see the museum section off to the side and took pics on my phone of the Frisco railroadiana. They're currently building an O-scale layout in it, or maybe it just has never been finished.

    From the Gateway Arch I noticed that about half of the tracks downtown have been taken up, but the wye is still there on the west side of the station. I must also say that I like how the signal bridges are preserved in the parking lot.
     
  10. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    I just ran into this thread and had to put in my two cents worth. I remember going into Union Station while visiting in St Louis in late 1956. It obviously really made an impression on a two year old, because I kept asking to go back again and again. The really disheartening thing was that in the process, I saw the decline almost step by step.

    When the restoration work was done in the 80's, I was really hoping that it would last and purchased one of the prints of the architectural rendering Union Station. It is framed and resides above the coach in my crew lounge (family room) and shares the walls with a few other pieces of art.
     

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