Kalamazoo Transportation Center

Last updated
Kalamazoo, MI
Michigan Central Depot-Kalamazoo.jpg
The 1887-built Michigan Central Railroad depot in 2014
General information
Location459 North Burdick Street
Kalamazoo, Michigan
United States
Coordinates 42°17′44″N85°35′03″W / 42.29556°N 85.58417°W / 42.29556; -85.58417
Owned byCity of Kalamazoo
Line(s)Amtrak Michigan Line
Platforms1 side platform, 1 island platform
Tracks2
Bus stands20
Bus operatorsAiga bus trans.svg Amtrak Thruway
Aiga bus trans.svg Greyhound Lines
Aiga bus trans.svg Indian Trails
Aiga bus trans.svg Metro Transit
Construction
ParkingYes; paid
AccessibleYes
Other information
Station code Amtrak: KAL
History
Opened1887
Rebuilt2006
Passengers
FY 202397,957 [1] (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Amtrak Following station
Dowagiac
toward Chicago
Blue Water Battle Creek
toward Port Huron
Wolverine Battle Creek
toward Pontiac
Former services
Preceding station BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Amtrak Following station
Niles
toward Chicago
Lake Cities Battle Creek
toward Pontiac
Dowagiac
toward Chicago
International Battle Creek
toward Toronto
Preceding station New York Central Railroad Following station
Mattawan
toward Chicago
Michigan Central Railroad
Main Line
Comstock
toward Buffalo
Portage
toward Elkhart
Kalamazoo Branch Argenta
toward Grand Rapids
Alamo
toward South Haven
South Haven BranchTerminus
Michigan Central Depot (Kalamazoo, Michigan)
Kalamazoo Transportation Center
Location Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
ArchitectCyrus Eidlitz
Architectural style Romanesque
NRHP reference No. 75000949 [2]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPJuly 11, 1975
Designated MSHSFebruary 21, 1975

The Kalamazoo Transportation Center is an intermodal complex in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. Both Amtrak and Greyhound provide regular service, and the center is also the major downtown transfer hub for Kalamazoo's Metro Transit bus system. [3] It is the second-busiest Amtrak station in Michigan. [4]

Contents

It is served by Amtrak's Blue Water and Wolverine trains and was formerly a stop for the International , which had started in 1982 as joint operation by Via Rail and Amtrak between Chicago and Toronto, was discontinued in 2004. [5] Amtrak does not allow passengers to check luggage at Kalamazoo, but does permit carry-on of up to two suitcases plus "personal items" such as briefcases, purses, laptop bags, and infant gear.

Development

Looking north towards the train station. The new bus bays are to the left and right. Kalamazoo transportation center bus 2006.png
Looking north towards the train station. The new bus bays are to the left and right.

The original depot was built in 1887 by the Michigan Central Railroad, to a design by architect Cyrus L. W. Eidlitz, [6] replacing an earlier structure. Regular passenger rail service between Kalamazoo and Detroit had commenced in 1846. [7] In the main part of its history in the latter 19th century and early 20th century, the depot hosted trains for the Michigan Central and the New York Central. Major NYC named trains passing through the station included the Canadian (east to Detroit and Toronto), the Chicago Mercury (east to Detroit) and the Wolverine (east to New York via Detroit and southwestern Canada, in contrast to the modern train). [8]

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 11, 1975. [9] [10]

The station was rebuilt as a multi-modal facility in the early 21st century.[ when? ] The project was a collaboration between local, state, and federal authorities, with the Department of Transportation awarding a $3.8 million grant. [11]

Description

The original Kalamazoo depot is a single-story Romanesque structure with a high hip-roofed central mass, and smaller hip-roofed sections on each end. A gable-roofed porch with a Syrian arch protrudes on one side of the central mass. The main structure has strong horizontal lines, counterbalanced by brick chimneys and an octagonal cupola that extend vertically from the roof. A conical turret and rock-faced masonry arches in the facade provide the Romanesque feel. [12]

Related Research Articles

<i>Michigan Services</i>

Michigan Services are three Amtrak passenger rail routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with the Michigan cities of Grand Rapids, Port Huron, and Pontiac, and stations en route. The group falls under the Amtrak Midwest brand and is a component of the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michigan Central Railroad</span> US railroad established 1846

The Michigan Central Railroad was originally chartered in 1832 to establish rail service between Detroit, Michigan, and St. Joseph, Michigan. The railroad later operated in the states of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois in the United States and the province of Ontario in Canada. After about 1867 the railroad was controlled by the New York Central Railroad, which later became part of Penn Central and then Conrail. After the 1998 Conrail breakup, Norfolk Southern Railway now owns much of the former Michigan Central trackage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harrisburg Transportation Center</span> Intermodal station in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

The Harrisburg Transportation Center is a railway station and transportation hub in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It is located on the eastern edge of Downtown Harrisburg between the intersections of Aberdeen and Market Streets and 4th and Chestnut Streets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michigan Central Station</span> Former railroad station in Detroit, Michigan

Michigan Central Station is the historic former main intercity passenger rail station in Detroit, Michigan. Built for the Michigan Central Railroad, it replaced the original depot in downtown Detroit, which had been shuttered after a major fire on December 26, 1913, forcing the still unfinished station into early service. Formally dedicated on January 4, 1914, the station remained open for business until January 6, 1988, when Amtrak service was relocated. The station building consisted of a train depot and a 230-foot office tower with thirteen stories above two mezzanine levels. The tallest rail station in the world at the time of its construction, the Beaux-Arts style architecture was designed by architects who had previously worked on Grand Central Terminal in New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Durand Union Station</span> Train station in Durand, Michigan, USA

Durand Union Station is a historic train station in Durand, Michigan. The station, which now serves Amtrak Blue Water trains, was originally a busy Grand Trunk Western Railroad and Ann Arbor Railroad hub, as well as a local office for Grand Trunk Western, from its construction in 1903 until 1974. It is currently owned by the city of Durand and leased by Durand Union Station, Inc. a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and maintenance of the building and its surrounding property.

<i>Wolverine</i> (train) Amtrak service between Chicago, Illinois, and Pontiac, Michigan

The Wolverine is a higher-speed passenger train service operated by Amtrak as part of its Michigan Services. The 304-mile (489 km) line provides three daily round-trips between Chicago and Pontiac, Michigan, via Ann Arbor and Detroit. It carries a heritage train name descended from the New York Central Railroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ann Arbor station</span> Train station in Michigan

Ann Arbor station is a train station in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States that is served by Amtrak's Wolverine, which runs three times daily in each direction between Chicago, Illinois and Pontiac, Michigan, via Detroit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle Creek Transportation Center</span>

Battle Creek Transportation Center is an intermodal station in Battle Creek, Michigan, used by Amtrak, Indian Trails and Greyhound Lines. It is at the split between the routes of Amtrak's Blue Water and Wolverine passenger trains. The International Limited, which had started in 1982 as joint operation by Via Rail and Amtrak between Chicago and Toronto, was discontinued in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dowagiac station</span> Railway station in Dowagiac, Michigan, U.S.

Dowagiac is a train station in Dowagiac, Michigan, served by Amtrak, the United States' railroad passenger system. The station was built by the Michigan Central Railroad in 1902, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michigan City station</span> Former Amtrak station in Indiana

Michigan City station was a train station in Michigan City, Indiana served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system. It was served by two eastbound and one westbound Wolverine train at the time of closure; other Wolverine and Blue Water trains did not stop. The station had a platform shelter near the former prairie-style Michigan Central Railroad depot dating from 1915, which is now a local restaurant. That earlier station served Michigan Central Railroad, and later, New York Central passenger trains. Major NYC named trains passing through the station included the Canadian, the Chicago Mercury and the Wolverine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union Depot (Lansing, Michigan)</span>

The Union Depot is a former train station, located at 637 E. Michigan Avenue in Lansing, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. Despite the union name, Grand Trunk Western trains stopped at a different station in Lansing 1.5 miles away.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jackson station (Michigan)</span> Railroad station opened in 1841

Jackson station is a historic Amtrak station in Jackson, Michigan, United States. It is served by three daily Wolverine trains between Chicago and Pontiac and a single daily Amtrak Thruway bus between Toledo, Detroit, Jackson, and East Lansing. The station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Framingham station</span> MBTA and Amtrak railroad station in Framingham, Massachusetts.

Framingham station is a historic Boston and Albany Railroad station located in downtown Framingham, Massachusetts. Designed by noted American architect H. H. Richardson, it was one of the last of the railroad stations he designed in the northeastern United States to be built. The station, built in 1884–85, served as a major stop on the B&A Main Line as well as a hub for branch lines to Milford, Mansfield, Fitchburg, and Lowell. After years of deterioration, the station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 as the Framingham Railroad Station, and restored a decade later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michigan Line</span> 110-mph Amtrak and Michigan state-owned rail corridor

The Michigan Line, sometimes known as the Chicago–Detroit Line, is a higher-speed rail corridor that runs between Porter, Indiana and Dearborn, Michigan. It carries Amtrak's Blue Water and Wolverine services, as well as the occasional freight train operated by Norfolk Southern.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle Creek station (Michigan Central Railroad)</span> Station in Battle Creek, Michigan

Battle Creek station, listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the Penn Central Railway Station, is a disused train station in Battle Creek, Michigan. It opened on July 27, 1888. Rogers and MacFarlane of Detroit designed the depot, one of several Richardsonian Romanesque-style stations between Detroit and Chicago in the late nineteenth century. Masonry of Lake Superior red sandstone, noted for its distinctive patterns, provides one of the most striking aspects of the Depot's exterior. Another prominent feature of the Depot is its clock tower.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greenfield Village station</span> Former railway station in Dearborn, Michigan

Greenfield Village was an Amtrak station in Dearborn, Michigan served by the Wolverine. It closed to regular seasonal service in 2006 and to all service in 2014. The station had a single side platform serving one of the two tracks of the Michigan Line. A pedestrian crossing from the platform led to The Henry Ford at Smiths Creek Depot on the parallel Weiser Railroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pontiac Transportation Center</span>

The Pontiac Transportation Center is an intermodal terminal station located in Pontiac, Michigan that is served by Amtrak's Michigan Services Wolverine. The transportation center is also served by Indian Trails intercity bus service and Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) regional bus service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort Street Union Depot</span>

The Fort Street Union Depot was a passenger train station located at the southwest corner of West Fort Street and Third Street in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It served the city from 1893 to 1971, then demolished in 1974. Today, the downtown campus of Wayne County Community College occupies the site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SEMTA Commuter Rail</span> Former commuter rail line in Detroit, Michigan

SEMTA Commuter Rail, also known as the Silver Streak, was a commuter train operated by the Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority (SEMTA) and the Grand Trunk Western Railroad between Detroit and Pontiac, Michigan. It began in 1974 when SEMTA assumed control of the Grand Trunk's existing commuter trains over the route. SEMTA discontinued operations in 1983. Amtrak began offering intercity service between Detroit and Pontiac in 1994 as part of its Michigan Services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ann Arbor station (Michigan Central Railroad)</span> Former railroad station in Ann Arbor, Michigan

The Ann Arbor station is a former Michigan Central Railroad station located at 401 Depot Street in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was converted into a restaurant, the Gandy Dancer, in 1970, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Michigan Central Railroad Depot in 1975.

References

  1. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2023: State of Michigan" (PDF). Amtrak. March 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  2. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  3. Jessup, Kathy (September 16, 2006). "Transportation center off to smooth start". Kalamazoo Gazette .
  4. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2023, State of Michigan" (PDF). Amtrak. March 2024.
  5. Matt Melzer (April 23, 2004). "Final Run of the Amtrak / VIA International". TrainWeb.org. Retrieved August 4, 2015. From 1982, Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada had jointly operated the International train between Chicago and Toronto
  6. Potter, Janet Greenstein (1996). Great American Railroad Stations. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. p. 344. ISBN   978-0471143895.
  7. "Michigan's Railroad History 1825 - 2014" (PDF). Michigan Department of Transportation. 2014-10-13. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
  8. June 1951 New York Central timetable, Tables 7, 15, 26 http://streamlinermemories.info/NYC/NYC51-6TT.pdf
  9. Kalamazoo County Listings
  10. Kohrman (2003), 23.
  11. "$3.8 Million Transit Grant Will Help Revitalize Downtown Kalamazoo". U.S. Department of Transportation. October 19, 2004. Archived from the original on September 24, 2006. Retrieved November 16, 2006.
  12. John Kern (April 22, 1975), NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY-- NOMINATION FORM: Michigan Central Depot, File Unit: National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program Records: Michigan, 1964 - 2013

Further reading

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Kalamazoo Transportation Center at Wikimedia Commons