Grands Rapids Union Station was a union station in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A Georgian Revival building of two stories, it was built in 1900 and was closed in 1958 and demolished over 1958 and 1959 to make space for a highway.[1][2] Its address was 61 Ionia Avenue. It was a hub serving a few railroads going to different points in Michigan and other points in the Midwest.

Union Station in Grand Rapids, Michigan, c. 1910

History

In five years after the construction, 750,000 passengers passed through the station. In early decades, Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad excursion trains to the station brought upwards to 2000 visitors on Sundays, coming from southern Michigan and Indiana.[3]

Passenger services

The station served the Pere Marquette Railway (after the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway acquired the PM in 1947 C&O trains passed through), Michigan Central Railroad and Pennsylvania Railroad (which had acquired the GR&I). The Grand Trunk Western Railway and the New York Central Railroad were served at other stations in Grand Rapids.[4] By 1946, Michigan Central operations were entirely folded into New York Central operations.[5]

Noteworthy passenger train service at 1950 included:

Waning years

By the 1960s the Chesapeake and Ohio's trains were the only trains serving the successor to the station. The Chicago–Grand Rapids trains were added to the appellation, the Pere Marquettes in 1965. These trains ended in 1971 when C&O passed control of its passenger trains over to Amtrak.

Present-day station

In 1984 passenger trains returned with the introduction of Amtrak's Pere Marquette trains between Chicago and Grand Rapids. In 2004, the Vernon J. Ehlers Station, Grand Rapids' new station, opened.

Preceding station Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Following station
Grandville
toward Chicago
 Pere Marquette Railway
Main Line 		Terminus
Terminus Grand Rapids – Bay City McCord
toward Bay City
Grand Rapids – Bay View Comstock Park
toward Bay View
Grand Rapids – Detroit Fox
toward Detroit
Preceding station New York Central Railroad Following station
Terminus MCR Grand Rapids Branch Dutton
toward Jackson
Preceding station Pennsylvania Railroad Following station
Fuller
toward Mackinaw City
 Grand Rapids & Indiana Railway Moline
toward Richmond

References

  1. ^ Grand Rapids Historical Commission, "Taking the Train" http://www.historygrandrapids.org/audio/2532/taking-the-train
  2. ^ Great American Stations, 'Grand Rapids, MI (GRR)' https://www.greatamericanstations.com/stations/grand-rapids-mi-grr/
  3. ^ Grand Rapids Historical Commission, "Taking the Train" http://www.historygrandrapids.org/audio/2532/taking-the-train
  4. ^ "Index of Railroad Stations, p. 1556". Official Guide of the Railways. National Railway Publication Company. 69 (9). February 1932.
  5. ^ "Index of Railroad Stations, p. 1342". Official Guide of the Railways. National Railway Publication Company. 78 (12). May 1946.
  6. ^ "Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, Table 46". Official Guide of the Railways. National Railway Publication Company. 82 (3). August 1949.
  7. ^ "Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, Tables 48, 49". Official Guide of the Railways. National Railway Publication Company. 82 (8). January 1950.
  8. ^ "New York Central Railroad, Table 37". Official Guide of the Railways. National Railway Publication Company. 82 (8). January 1950.
  9. ^ "Pennsylvania Railroad, Table 192". Official Guide of the Railways. National Railway Publication Company. 82 (3). January 1950.
  10. ^ "Pennsylvania Railroad, Tables 11, 192". Official Guide of the Railways. National Railway Publication Company. 82 (8). January 1950.

External links

42°57′41″N 85°40′14″W / 42.9615°N 85.6706°W / 42.9615; -85.6706

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