(rshsdepot) Kirkwood, MO

[Bernie Wagenblast <brwagenblast_@_comcast.net>]

Mayor Says Rail Station Is Crucial To Kirkwood; He Wants To Buy It ; City
Will Begin Negotiations With Union Pacific

St. Louis Post - Dispatch

The train station sits snugly in the center of downtown Kirkwood, its
limestone walls, large sloping roof and cupola inviting passengers into
another time.
It could have been a set for an Alfred Hitchcock movie or a World War II
scene with soldiers departing or Harry Truman on a whistle- stop campaign
tour or even Harry Potter leaving for Hogwarts.

But Kirkwood Mayor Mike Swoboda believes that Kirkwood Station is valuable
for more than just nostalgia. He sees it as critical to the municipality's
future and wants to buy it from the Union Pacific Railroad.

"It is the core of what Kirkwood stands for," he said. "We just can't allow
it to be used for anything else. We must do everything to hold on to
historic traditions."

The station is now used by Amtrak, the National Rail Passenger Service. Two
outbound and two inbound Amtrak trains stop at Kirkwood Station each day.

Late last year, Kirkwood bought the Union Pacific Railroad's rights of way
on the south side of the tracks, a small parcel behind the Kirkwood Farmers
Market and land on the north side of the tracks. Kirkwood officials think
the prize is the station itself because the railroad could cancel the lease
for any reason.

"We don't want the station in the hands of a private individual who might
use the site for other purposes," said City Administrator Michael Brown.
"It's the centerpiece of Kirkwood."

Within weeks Brown and City Attorney John Hessel will begin negotiating with
the Union Pacific for the station and parking lot. Brown believes the
negotiations will go smoothly. "The tough work is behind us," he said.

Hessel says he is not quite so optimistic.

The station was built of wood in 1893 by Douglas Donovan. The builder's
grandson, Pete Donovan, lives in Kirkwood. It was named Collins Station for
Owen Collins, the farmer who had owned the property.

Swoboda believes that once Kirkwood owns the station, other possibilities
will open. MetroLink has no plan to come to Kirkwood, and the mayor believes
the station could be used for commuter trains as they were more than 50
years ago. In 1900, 14 trains a day ran each way between Kirkwood and
downtown St. Louis.

If negotiations with the railroad are successful, the tentative plan calls
for upgrading the property and maybe building a small history museum.

Swoboda also would like to see train service expanded.

"I am determined to find a way to consider a commuter route from St. Louis
to Washington, Mo.," the mayor said.

* * * * * Kirkwood train schedule

The outbound passenger train, The Kansas City Mule, leaves Kirkwood Station
at 7:59 a.m. and arrives in Kansas City at l:10 p.m. The Ann Rutledge leaves
Kirkwood Station at 3:29 p.m. and arrives in Kansas City at 8:40 p.m. The
round-trip fare for an adult is $40 coach class and $68 for business class.

Trains to downtown St. Louis leave Kirkwood at 12:33 p.m. and 8:03 p.m.;
they arrive about 42 minutes later. Coach-class tickets cost $2.
Business-class costs $9. For more information call 314-966- 6475 or
800-872-7245.


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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org

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