Louisville's Union Station
Memories of Louisville by Ron Flanary
Historic Occasion at Louisville .
Our thanks to the Louisville and Nashville Archives at the University of Louisville and Charles Castner retired L&N Public Relations for allowing reprint of this article that apeared in the November 1976 Family Lines Magizine
Union Station Dispatches Last Train The departure was routine, but it was also historic. For on October 30, Amtrak Train No. 57. the southbound Floridian, pulled out of Louisville's Union Station, the last train to use the time-honored terminal . . . On the next day, October 31, Amtrak and Auto-Train together inaugurated a new passenger service and luxury auto-ferry carriage on the Midwest- to-Florida run. But not at Louisville~s Tenth-and-Broad- way location-rather at Auto-Train's new terminal at 7727 National Turnpike, on the city's south side. The start-up of the new Amtrak-Auto-Train service coincided with the end of 85 years of passenger op- erations in downtown Louisville. Erected in 1891, the Union Station-a stone Gothic-styled structure with its stained-glass windows, clock tower and vaulted train shed-had watched over arrivals and departures of thousands of travelers. including three U.S. presidents and countless other celebrities. During peak years of rail passenger travel-the l920's~some 60 trains rolled in and out of Union Station daily. Only once-when Ohio River flood waters swept across Louisville in 1937 -were trains unable to use the venerable building and its related yard facilities for any extended period. On Sunday evening, October 31, sleek, silver diesels accelerated a shiny new train southward from the aforementioned Auto-Train terminal. Earlier that after- noon, a northbound counterpart left Auto-Train's southern terminus at Sanford, Fla. The new service First northbound train handling both Amtrak Floridian and Auto-Train cars stoped under platform sheds at new Auto-Train terminal on Louisville's south side. became possible as a result of an agreement between Amtrak and Auto-Train whereby they will operate a combined train daily between Louisville and Sanford on a six months' experimental basis. At Louisville and Sanford, Auto-Train adds both passenger equipment and automobile carriers to Amtrak's Floridian, which continues its service to the east and west coasts of Florida, as well as to intermediate cities in South Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois, including Chicago. Each company provides full passenger services: separate coach and sleeping accom- modations, along with separate dining and lounge cars. With the Floridian's new schedule, passengers are provided a two-day, one-night trip between Midwestern and Florida points instead of the former two-nights-one- day trip. And, the Louisville-to-Sanford Auto-Train service offers travelers and vacationers an attractive alternative to nearly 1,000 miles of driving. What's ahead for famous old Union Station in Louisville'? The building has already been desiginated a historical landmark by the Historic Landmarks and Preservation Districts Commission of the city. Now, Louisville's transit company. TARC, has exercised an option to buy the old terminal and some 15 acres for a headquarters site. Thus, as one chapter of transportation history in Louisville ends, so another begins!
Post Script: The Auto Train Amtrak combined service ended in October 1977. With the move from downtown to the suburban station Amtrak lost many minority passengers who chose not to ride in a cab cost then $9.00 to the new Station. An alternitive station site was planned by Amtrak following the end of the Auto train Amtrak combined operation but never materialised. jon
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