The Decatur station, also known as the Wabash Railroad Station and Railway Express Agency, is a historic railway station located at 780 East Cerro Gordo Street in Decatur, Illinois. Built in 1901, the station served trains on the Wabash Railroad, the most economically significant railroad through Decatur. Architect Theodore Link designed the Classical Revival building. Service to the station ended in the 1980s, and it has since been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The railroad first reached Decatur in 1854, when the Great Western Railroad built a line through the city. Decatur built Union Station, its first railway station, in 1856 to serve this line. By 1901, the Great Western Railroad had consolidated into the Wabash Railroad, and the old Union Station had fallen into disrepair. The railroad built the present station that year at a cost of $70,000; railroad superintendent H. L. Magee considered the new building one of the most impressive on the line. The Wabash Railroad was the only east-west railroad through Decatur, and its passenger and freight services in the city were both busy. 72 daily passenger trains brought travelers to and from the city at the line's peak in 1907, and $350,000 to $400,000 worth of freight was shipped through the station yearly. The railroad was also Decatur's largest employer; as Decatur was a major hub, it kept division offices and a large dispatcher force there as well as employing railroad operators from the city. Passenger service from the station began to decline in the 1920s, though the railroad (which later merged into the Norfolk & Western) continued service to Decatur until the formation of Amtrak in 1971.[5] Amtrak attempted to restart service with the Illini in 1981, but the service only lasted until 1983 and the station closed for good.[6] The station was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 4, 1994; it is the only remaining historic railroad station in Decatur.[7]
In 1964 the Norfolk and Western acquired the Wabash RR. The Wabash Cannon Ball lasted until the end of N&W passenger train service at the station in 1971. The Blue Bird was truncated in 1968 to the City of Decatur (Decatur - Chicago); this train lasted to 1971 as well.
Architectureedit
St. Louis architect Theodore Link designed the station in the Classical Revival style. The station consists of two unconnected parts, built in a similar style from the same materials; the station building itself and the Railway Express Agency building. Both buildings are two stories tall and were built from yellow brick and limestone with terra cotta and sandstone trim. The station's main and east entrances are topped by a pediment with ornamental modillions and flanked by Ionicpilasters. The station's first-floor windows have arched sandstone frames and sills, and two terra cotta belt courses circle the building above and below the second floor The corners of the building have limestone quoins.[7]
Referencesedit
^Sampson, Bob (July 2, 1981). "Passenger Train Returns to Decatur". Herald and Review. Decatur, Illinois. p. 1. Retrieved February 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
^Krejcu, Emil (July 15, 1981). "Amtrak Begins Decatur Service". Cicero Life. p. 9. Retrieved February 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
^Taylor, Ron. "Amtrak Ends Run". The Herald and Review. Decatur, Illinois. p. 3. Retrieved February 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
^O'Connell, Mary Ann (May 1, 1971). "Attempt to Keep 'City' Run Fails". The Decatur Review. p. 16. Retrieved August 8, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
^Cahalan, Steve (July 8, 1983). "Amtrak service to end Sunday". Herald & Review. p. 1. Retrieved August 8, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
^ abAukamp, Kim (October 2, 1993). (PDF). Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
^"Wabash Railroad, Tables 1, 3, 8, 9". Official Guide of the Railways. 95 (3). National Railway Publication Company. August 1962.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Decatur station (Illinois).
Decatur Amtrak Station (USA Rail Guide -- Train Web)
January 01, 1970
decatur, station, illinois, decatur, station, also, known, wabash, railroad, station, railway, express, agency, historic, railway, station, located, east, cerro, gordo, street, decatur, illinois, built, 1901, station, served, trains, wabash, railroad, most, ec. The Decatur station also known as the Wabash Railroad Station and Railway Express Agency is a historic railway station located at 780 East Cerro Gordo Street in Decatur Illinois Built in 1901 the station served trains on the Wabash Railroad the most economically significant railroad through Decatur Architect Theodore Link designed the Classical Revival building Service to the station ended in the 1980s and it has since been listed on the National Register of Historic Places Decatur ILFormer Wabash Railroad and Amtrak passenger rail stationDecatur station in August 2006 General informationLocation780 East Cerro Gordo Street Decatur Illinois 62523HistoryOpenedJuly 1 1981 Amtrak 1 ClosedMay 1 1971 Norfolk and Western 2 July 10 1983 Amtrak 3 Former servicesPreceding station Amtrak Following station Terminus Illini Champaign Urbanatoward Chicago Preceding station Wabash Railroad Following station Wycklesvia Hannibaltoward Kansas City Main Line East Decaturtoward Chicago Knightsvia St Louistoward Kansas City Knightstoward St Louis St Louis Detroit East Decaturtoward DetroitWabash Railroad Station and Railway Express AgencyU S National Register of Historic PlacesShow map of IllinoisShow map of the United StatesLocation780 E Cerro Gordo St Decatur IllinoisCoordinates39 50 50 N 88 56 47 W 39 84722 N 88 94639 W 39 84722 88 94639Arealess than one acreBuilt1901 1901 Built byMenke Edward H ArchitectLink TheodoreArchitectural styleClassical RevivalNRHP reference No 94000029 4 Added to NRHPFebruary 4 1994 Contents 1 History 2 Noteworthy trains 3 Architecture 4 References 5 External linksHistory editThe railroad first reached Decatur in 1854 when the Great Western Railroad built a line through the city Decatur built Union Station its first railway station in 1856 to serve this line By 1901 the Great Western Railroad had consolidated into the Wabash Railroad and the old Union Station had fallen into disrepair The railroad built the present station that year at a cost of 70 000 railroad superintendent H L Magee considered the new building one of the most impressive on the line The Wabash Railroad was the only east west railroad through Decatur and its passenger and freight services in the city were both busy 72 daily passenger trains brought travelers to and from the city at the line s peak in 1907 and 350 000 to 400 000 worth of freight was shipped through the station yearly The railroad was also Decatur s largest employer as Decatur was a major hub it kept division offices and a large dispatcher force there as well as employing railroad operators from the city Passenger service from the station began to decline in the 1920s though the railroad which later merged into the Norfolk amp Western continued service to Decatur until the formation of Amtrak in 1971 5 Amtrak attempted to restart service with the Illini in 1981 but the service only lasted until 1983 and the station closed for good 6 The station was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 4 1994 it is the only remaining historic railroad station in Decatur 7 Noteworthy trains editWabash Railroad trains serving Decatur Station 8 Banner Blue St Louis Chicago Blue Bird St Louis Chicago Wabash Cannon Ball St Louis Detroit In 1964 the Norfolk and Western acquired the Wabash RR The Wabash Cannon Ball lasted until the end of N amp W passenger train service at the station in 1971 The Blue Bird was truncated in 1968 to the City of Decatur Decatur Chicago this train lasted to 1971 as well Architecture editSt Louis architect Theodore Link designed the station in the Classical Revival style The station consists of two unconnected parts built in a similar style from the same materials the station building itself and the Railway Express Agency building Both buildings are two stories tall and were built from yellow brick and limestone with terra cotta and sandstone trim The station s main and east entrances are topped by a pediment with ornamental modillions and flanked by Ionic pilasters The station s first floor windows have arched sandstone frames and sills and two terra cotta belt courses circle the building above and below the second floor The corners of the building have limestone quoins 7 References edit Sampson Bob July 2 1981 Passenger Train Returns to Decatur Herald and Review Decatur Illinois p 1 Retrieved February 12 2021 via Newspapers com Krejcu Emil July 15 1981 Amtrak Begins Decatur Service Cicero Life p 9 Retrieved February 12 2021 via Newspapers com Taylor Ron Amtrak Ends Run The Herald and Review Decatur Illinois p 3 Retrieved February 12 2021 via Newspapers com National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service July 9 2010 O Connell Mary Ann May 1 1971 Attempt to Keep City Run Fails The Decatur Review p 16 Retrieved August 8 2018 via Newspapers com Cahalan Steve July 8 1983 Amtrak service to end Sunday Herald amp Review p 1 Retrieved August 8 2018 via Newspapers com a b Aukamp Kim October 2 1993 National Register of Historic Places Registration Form Wabash Railroad Station and Railway Express Agency PDF Illinois Historic Preservation Agency Archived from the original PDF on April 2 2015 Retrieved March 22 2015 Wabash Railroad Tables 1 3 8 9 Official Guide of the Railways 95 3 National Railway Publication Company August 1962 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Decatur station Illinois Decatur Amtrak Station USA Rail Guide Train Web Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Decatur station Illinois amp oldid 1183196685, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
