Missouri Pacific's Missouri River Eagle, Missourian, Ozarker, Southerner, Sunflower, Sunshine Special, and Texan.NYC's Knickerbocker and Southwestern Limited the.B&O's National Limited and Diplomat the.Several of the very best trains ever put into service passed over the TRRA's rails including: The station would ultimately combine 31 different rail lines and at its height served 22 different railroads (some of which later joined the association). The terminal's cut-stone appearance, using nearby Missouri granite, was far different from others built in Midwestern cities such as Cincinnati, Kansas City, and Indianapolis between 18. Cameron, according to Brian Solomon's, Railroad Stations, they suggested a design that played on the city's French heritage in the Norman Revival style (also known as the French Romanesque style).Īs Hans and April Halberstadt note in their book, The American Train Depot & Roundhouse, the building evoked a grand chateau along the Loire River. Ultimately, a local firm, Link & Cameron, was awarded the winner. To do so it launched a worldwide design competition with architects from across Europe and the United States submitting proposals. Louis wanted a magnificent station to showcase its growing importance while combining several terminals then in use throughout the city. This growth was thanks largely to its gateway status with so many westbound settlers passing through the city. Louis expanded to the point that it boasted the nation's fourth largest metropolitan region behind only New York City, Philadelphia, and Chicago. Louis (Nickel Plate Road)įollowing the Civil War, a growing St. Louis (the 'Big Four' controlled by the New York Central) Iron Mountain & Southern (Missouri Pacific).In addition, many eastern and western trunk lines, or their future subsidiaries, terminated at the city such as: The Transcontinental Railroad had been finished just over 20 years prior and new lines were still being built across the Frontier. Louis found itself in an increasingly important role as ' The Gateway To The West' since it lay at the conjunction of the mighty Missouri and Mississippi rivers. It has been a very impressive transformation.īy the last decade of the 19th century St. The shed itself has been converted into an outdoor entertainment venue including an aquarium, mall, and outdoor eating area. Today, the city's light-rail transit service, MetroLink, still serves the station from directly below the train shed within the subway tunnel. The station was completed in the mid-1890s and served in its original role until 1978 when Amtrak's final long-distance passenger train left the magnificent train shed (at one time the station welcomed over 100,000 daily passengers through its doors). However, it is one of our country's largest, constructed during a time when the nation was rapidly expanding westward.įortunately, the building has been beautifully restored and now serves more as an entertainment and shopping venue with museums (including an operating model railroad), plays, restaurants, and tours available (there is even a hotel on the grounds). Louis Union Station (also known by its initials, SLUS), once one of the busiest terminals in the world, no longer serves dozens of inbound and outbound passenger trains heading east and west. Please make your request at least 48 hours in advance.Today's St. The curbside zone is located on the sidewalk in front of the main entrance at the drop-off and pick-up zone on Front street.įor more details or to make a request for curbside assistance, please call us (toll-free) at 1 888 VIA-RAIL (1 888 842-7245) or TTY 1 800 268-9503 (for the persons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing). The service animal relief area is located next to station’s entrance on York St. This station is equipped with a service animal relief area (SARA): a quiet place where service animals can relieve themselves, which is essential before and after a train journey with their owners. Special needs passengers requiring assistance should report at least 30 minutes before departure in the Great Hall and speak with our VIA Rail Personnel. Wheelchair has access to the station and train, with wheelchair lift. A courtesy wheelchair is available to assist during boarding.The platform is accessible by wheelchair.The entrance to the train station is accessible by wheelchair.Accessible services available at this stations upon departure and arrival:

Union station map