Ocala Union Station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ocala, FL
A frontal view of the Ocala Union Station.
Location	531 Northeast First Avenue, Ocala, Florida 34770
Line(s)	Thruway Motorcoach service to the Silver Meteor and Silver Star
Other information
Station code	OCA
History
Opened	1917
Closed	2004
Former services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station Wildwood toward Miami Floridian (1971–1979) Waldo toward Chicago Palmetto Waldo toward New York Preceding station Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Following station Candler toward St. Petersburg Ocala District Kendrick toward Jacksonville Preceding station Seaboard Air Line Railroad Following station Wildwood toward Tampa or Miami Main Line Waldo toward Richmond
Ocala Union Station
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in Florida Show map of Florida Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Ocala, Florida
Architect	A. M. Williamson Walkup
NRHP reference No.	97001557
Added to NRHP	December 22, 1997

The Ocala Union Station, also called Union Station Plaza, is a cool historic spot in Ocala, Florida, United States. You can find it at 531 Northeast First Avenue. This station was built in 1917 by two big railroad companies: the Atlantic Coast Line and the Seaboard Air Line Railroad.

Before this station was built, these two companies had their own separate train stops in Ocala. The Atlantic Coast Line's old station was first built by the Florida Southern Railroad. The Seaboard Air Line's old station was built by the Florida Transit and Peninsular Railroad. Because of its history, the Ocala Union Station was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on December 22, 1997. This means it's an important place to protect!

A Look Back: The Station's History

This station was a busy place for many years! It served trains from the Atlantic Coast Line that started in New York. Some famous trains that stopped here included the West Coast Champion and the Havana Special.

These trains would connect in Jacksonville's Union Station to other trains. These connections could take passengers to cities in the Midwest. Other well-known trains like the City of Miami and the South Wind also used these connections.

The station was also on the main line for the Seaboard Air Line. This meant it served popular trains like the Silver Meteor and the Silver Star.

Amtrak's Role at the Station

In the 1970s, Amtrak trains used the station. This included the Silver Meteor and the Floridian, which traveled between Chicago and Miami. Later, in the 1980s and 1990s, the station served Amtrak's Silver Palm.

The station also served as a stop for Amtrak's Palmetto service until 2004. These trains used the old Seaboard Air Line tracks. These tracks are now part of the Wildwood Subdivision, which is a section of the CSX S Line. The old Atlantic Coast Line tracks are now used by the Florida Northern Railroad.

Getting Around Today

Even though trains don't stop here anymore, the Ocala Union Station is still a transportation hub!

Currently, Amtrak offers bus service from the station. These buses help people connect to Amtrak trains. One bus trip connects to the Silver Star train in Lakeland. Another bus trip connects in Jacksonville. There are also several stops in between for both directions.

Ocala's SunTran bus service still uses the station today. This is great for local travel! If you need to get to Orlando International Airport, the Shuttleliner limo/van service offers several trips daily from the station.

Gallery

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  Sign for the station.

Images for kids

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  A southbound photo showing the station and the abandoned platform.