Re: (rshsdepot) Illinois Central Station, Chicago

[CoolGuy127_@_aol.com]

In a message dated 6/13/2003 12:44:22 AM Eastern Standard Time, jmb_@_msn.com 
writes:

> To me, the greatest crime of them all was the demolition of Northwestern 
> Station.

       Actually, I think that the greatest crime of all -- at least from a 
functional point of view -- was the demolition of the train concourse at Chicago 
Union Station and its replacement by an office building, with only minimal 
space in the basement reserved for a train station.  Today, we suffer the 
consequences, as Amtrak passengers are cramped into a stuffy waiting room with a low 
ceiling, and there is no room to expand to accommodate the ever-increasing 
number of commuters and long-distance travelers using Union Station -- the only 
station that still serves intercity and long-distance passengers in Chicago.  
At least, when Penn Station in New York was demolished -- and that was 
certainly a tragedy from an architectural point of view -- a reasonably adequate 
space in the new structure was reserved for rail passengers.

                Daniel Chazin
                Teaneck, NJ

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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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