I'm wondering the origin of the name Union Station. Cities all over the US have this name for their passenger terminals. I'm wondering if it was a commemoration of the reunification of the US following the Civil War? Possibly a commemoration of the driving of the golden spike that *unified* the East and the West?
Does anyone have historical data on this naming?
Thanks!
Stations that are named UNION STATION are stations that served more than one Railroad, like the airports we have today were many airlines land and use certain gates.
Thanks, Pabco. That would never have occured to me. I suppose that's why we had, alternatively, the Pennsylvania Station in New York - it served only the Pensy RR.
Ohh? I thought only union employees and customers went to union station......haha!
Actually, Pennsylvania Station was also served by the Long Island Railroad, which was a long time Pennsy subsidiary that was spun off in the 1960s when the railroad sold it to the state of New York.
Jim Mancuso
Don't forget that many stockyard where also served by "Union Stockyards Railways".
"Union Station" is almost always seen where service access and/or trackage is shared by more than one railroad company.