St Louis Union Station Track Plan

[Anonymous]

As impossible as it might seem, I'm planning to build a layout of the St. Louis Union Station Terminal of several years ago. What I have not been able to find is a publication, website, or other resource that will give me the track layout.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Tom Salagaj
Chicago

[csmith9474]

What scale?????????

[Anonymous]

Standard O

[csmith9474]

This would be a good start. It is a great website for anybody interested in St Louis railroading. I have been to Union Station several times, and would love to see this when you are done. I considered scratchbuilding it HO but found that the entire complex would be enormous.

http://trra-hts.railfan.net/speciss2001.html

[csmith9474]

O!!!! WOW!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I'd love to see it too. I grew up there, and rode on the last Amtrak train to leave it before they abandoned it (and later turned it into a mall... But it's stunning and I'm happy they preserved it).

Your best bet may be the St. Louis NMRA chapter (www.gatewaynmra.org). Very active chapter, great website, and if you ask I bet they can point you toward a plan.

[csmith9474]

There is nothing like getting seafood under the trainshed!!

[Anonymous]

Thank You! This IS a great start. And, I will have to build a special building to house the layout.

[Anonymous]

If you feel like shlepping down to STL, it seems the Washington University library has more than enough material for you:

http://library.wustl.edu/units/spec/archives/guides/pdf/union-station.pdf

[cacole]

Oh, boy, are you asking for it. I have a video that shows the back of Union Station in Saint Louis (Pentrex, FFS14-DVD, Classic St. Louis Railroading) with several trains entering or departing. There appear to be at least 25 or 30 double-slip switches that allowed the 16 platform tracks to cross over onto any of the 10 or so different railroad outbound tracks, or vice versa. Saint Louis Union Station was a dead-end station, so trains backed in. According to the video, no through trains went to Saint Louis -- they all either originated or terminated in Saint Louis. If you wanted to go from, say, Chicago to Santa Fe, New Mexico, you had to change trains and even use a different railroad when you got to Saint Louis unless you were on one that didn't even go there. Some of the railroads that had tracks entering Union Station that I remember from the video are New York Central, Illinois Central, Kansas City Southern, Missouri Pacific, Saint Louis Southwestern (Cotton Belt), Norfolk Western, Wabash, Missouri-Kansas-Texas, Louisville and Nashville, and a couple of others.

If you really want to model Saint Louis in O scale, I hope you have a large warehouse to hold Union Station and all of its tracks. I think it was one of the most attractive Union Stations in the country.

[palallin]

I have a complete set, with updates. These are official TRAA prints, in large scale (perhaps full size for Z scale). Unfortunately, I have no idea how I could share the info with you. I know of no source close to me that could scan or copy these things.

Nevertheless, if you have an idea, I'm open to suggestions.

[Anonymous]

A friend of mine built this station in HO scale for a client of Raildreams. You can contact him at
chriscomport.com
He has a lot of info regarding this building. I believe the model of this is now located in one the northern suburbs of Chicago.Good luck.
Mark B.

[csmith9474]

QUOTE: Originally posted by palallin

I have a complete set, with updates. These are official TRAA prints, in large scale (perhaps full size for Z scale). Unfortunately, I have no idea how I could share the info with you. I know of no source close to me that could scan or copy these things.

Nevertheless, if you have an idea, I'm open to suggestions.

I wonder if Kinkos would be able to scan or copy them. What is really cool is that the signal bridges are still there (over the parking lot).

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by directortom
Standard O

Wow, I lived in the Plaza Square appartments right across the street from the station. It took me 30 minutes to walk around the perimiter of the thing.

[csmith9474]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Texas Zepher

QUOTE: Originally posted by directortom
Standard O

Wow, I lived in the Plaza Square appartments right across the street from the station. It took me 30 minutes to walk around the perimiter of the thing.

Do you remember the Great American Train Store that was there?? Boy, what a rip off!!!!

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by csmith9474

QUOTE: Originally posted by Texas Zepher

QUOTE: Originally posted by directortom
Standard O

Wow, I lived in the Plaza Square appartments right across the street from the station. It took me 30 minutes to walk around the perimiter of the thing.

Do you remember the Great American Train Store that was there?? Boy, what a rip off!!!!

No, when I lived there it was still just an abandon train station. The year I moved is when the developer purchased it to make into the hotel/mall.

[csmith9474]

I always enjoyed going to the Grand Hall and having a drink.

[mecovey]

Boy does this bring back memories. I worked for REA right after I graduated from high school (1963). Union station was still pretty busy in those days. I had the glamorous job of loading trucks with msd. that came in by rail. I also got a chance to drive a propane powered tractor pulling 2-3 jitneys. Pretty heady stuff for a 17 year old. I wish I had been a railfan in those days. I like to see your railroad as it comes together - it should be very impressive in O scale.

[palallin]

QUOTE: Originally posted by csmith9474
I wonder if Kinkos would be able to scan or copy them.

Nearest Kinkos to me is almost 100 miles away; hence my dilemma.

Truth be told, I'd like to have a useable copy of these things myself, not to mention what an awesome wall display they'd be. Above that, they need to be preserved: the paper will only last so long. But the expense and the time commitment are stumbling blocks just now.

hmmmm . . . .