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Montgomery, AL
inter-city rail station
Union Station Montgomery.JPG
Union Station Montgomery, circa 1900.
Location Montgomery, Alabama
USA
History
Opened 1898
Closed 1979
Former services
Preceding station BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Amtrak Following station
Dothan
toward St. Petersburg or Miami
 Floridian Birmingham
toward Chicago
Greenville
toward Mobile
 Gulf Breeze Birmingham
Terminus
Preceding station Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Following station
Terminus Montgomery – Waycross Sprague
toward Waycross
Preceding station Seaboard Air Line Railroad Following station
Terminus Montgomery-Savannah Merry
toward Savannah
Montgomery Union Station and Trainshed
Built 1897
Architect Benjamin Bosworth Smith
Architectural style Romanesque
NRHP reference No. 73000368
Significant dates
Added to NRHP July 24, 1973
Designated NHL December 8, 1976

Montgomery Union Station and Trainshed is a really old and important building in Montgomery, Alabama. It used to be a busy train station where many people traveled. Built way back in 1898, it was a major hub for trains coming and going. Even though trains don't stop there anymore, it's still a special place. Today, it helps visitors learn about Montgomery and has different businesses inside. Because of its history, it was named a National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and a National Historic Landmark in 1976.

Montgomery Union Station: A Historic Train Hub

Building a Grand Station

Photocopy of a Postcard, Alabama Archives- circa 1915. VIEW LOOKING NORTHWEST - Louisville and Nashville Railroad, Union Station Train Shed, Water Street, opposite Lee Street, Montgomery, Montgomery HAER ALA,51-MONG,23A-16
Postcard of Union Station, Alabama Archives- circa 1915
VIEW LOOKING WEST, SHOWING LOCOMOTIVE AND TRAINSHED - Louisville and Nashville Railroad, Union Station Train Shed, Water Street, opposite Lee Street, Montgomery, Montgomery County, AL HAER ALA,51-MONG,23A-14
An Amtrak train under the Union Station Train Shed, 1974.

The Montgomery Union Station was built in 1898. It was constructed by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad (L&N). The building is made of strong brick and limestone. It sits on a high hill next to the Alabama River.

This station was a busy place. It served many different train companies. These included the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, Western Railway of Alabama, Seaboard Air Line, Central of Georgia Railway, and Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad. The station had six tracks. These tracks were covered by a long shed, about 600 feet (180 meters) long. There was also a special area for handling packages and mail. The station's design used a style called Romanesque Revival.

Busy Tracks and Famous Trains

Many famous L&N trains used this station. Some of them were the Azalean, Florida Arrow, Humming Bird, Pan-American and South Wind. Other well-known trains, like the Southern Railway's Crescent and Piedmont Limited, also passed through this station.

The End of Passenger Trains and New Beginnings

Over time, fewer and fewer passenger trains used Union Station. This decline happened during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1971, a new national passenger rail system called Amtrak started. Amtrak continued train service through Montgomery. They ran a train called the South Wind, which was later renamed the Floridian. This train traveled between Chicago and Miami.

However, in 1979, this train service stopped. Because of this, Union Station closed its doors as a train station. After being empty for a while, Union Station was fixed up. It was turned into a place for businesses and shops. The large train shed is still there today. However, the train tracks under it have been replaced with a parking lot.

In 1989, Amtrak brought back some train service to Montgomery. This was an extension of the Crescent train. It was called the Gulf Breeze. This train ran from Birmingham to Mobile. But Union Station was not used for this service. Instead, Amtrak used a nearby tall storage building, or silo. This Amtrak service ended in 1995. Since then, Montgomery has not had any passenger train service.

Today, Union Station is home to the Montgomery Area Visitor Center. This center helps people who are visiting the city. Other businesses also use the building.

Gallery

  • VIEW LOOKING WEST FROM INTERIOR - Louisville and Nashville Railroad, Union Station Train Shed, Water Street, opposite Lee Street, Montgomery, Montgomery County, AL HAER ALA,51-MONG,23A-11

    Looking West, Louisville and Nashville Railroad, Union Station Train Shed

  • 3-4 VIEW OF TRAINSHED LOOKING SOUTHEAST - Louisville and Nashville Railroad, Union Station Train Shed, Water Street, opposite Lee Street, Montgomery, Montgomery County, AL HAER ALA,51-MONG,23A-4

    Union Station Train Shed, 1974

  • 3-4 VIEW LOOKING NORTHWEST - Louisville and Nashville Railroad, Union Station Train Shed, Water Street, opposite Lee Street, Montgomery, Montgomery County, AL HAER ALA,51-MONG,23A-6

    Union Station Train Shed, 1974

  • Montgomery Alabama Union Station Trainshed on June 9, 1987 (22370799387)

    Union Station Train Shed, 1987

  • Union Station Montgomery 2008

    Union Station in 2008

  • Montgomery Union Station trainshed 2008

    The interior of the train shed in 2008.

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