Columbus Union Station, as it is recalled today, was the third Union Station in Columbus. The previous two served in the nineteenth century, and their replacement and upgrade reflected the rapid growth in traffic and importance of Columbus' railroads at that time. The subsequent decline in rail passenger traffic following World War II was reflected in Union Station's demolition and replacement with a convention center in the early 1980s.
First station (1851) In 1851, a site north of Naughten Street and east of High Street was purchased jointly from Orange Johnson by the
Columbus and Xenia Railroad (C&X) and
Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad (CC&C). A wood barn structure measuring was installed to serve passengers, the rest of the site given over to shops and freight tracks. The station had three tracks for loading and unloading of passengers. This station was the first
union station in the world, housing multiple railroad companies, although the first
Indianapolis Union Station was being planned, and involved more railroad cooperation than the Columbus station had, and a more equal ownership stake. In 1853, the
Central Ohio and
Columbus, Piqua and Indiana Railroads entered the city and connected to the station. In 1864, the
Steubenville and Indiana Railroad was connected the Central Ohio at Newark, and entered the station on shared tracks. This road was called the "panhandle route" because it crossed the
panhandle of West Virginia on its way east. The station was inadequate and in 1868 the railroads formed the Union Depot Company to undertake a replacement.
The second station (1875) In May 1873, work was begun on the second union station north of the existing station, and it opened on February 14, 1875. The first station was then demolished. Compared to its wooden predecessor, this new station was far more substantial. Constructed of brick, it had a large waiting room, ticket offices and railroad offices at the front of the structure. Seven tracks entered the structure and a long train shed kept passengers dry. In 1875, 42 daily passenger trains departed from the station.
High Street crossing The City of Columbus continued to grow northward with the opening of
Ohio State University in 1870. With the opening of the new union station, thirteen tracks now crossed North High Street. The congestion between train and road traffic became unbearable. In 1875, a $45,000 tunnel was built under the tracks to allow streetcars and horsecars to pass under the tracks. An extra mule was stationed at the tunnel entrance to assist
horsecars up the steep grade. The tunnel was long with approaches on either side. It was so dark and smelly that only the horsecar passengers, who had no other choice, would use it.
The third station (1897) In 1891 the traffic situation on High Street reached a crisis, with the roadway blocked for up to seven hours per day by crossing trains. As well, the Columbus Board of Trade (the city's chamber of commerce) rallied for support of a modern and grand station to fit their view of the city. In April 1931, the train shed was replaced with an enclosed concourse. Columbus was not spared from the sharp decline in train travel after the 1940s. In 1956, Columbus was down to 42 daily passenger trains, the lowest number since 1875. Daily passenger trains fell to 21 in 1962, and just 10 in 1970. It was clear that the completion of the interstates and popularity of automobiles would soon mean the end of passenger rail service in Columbus. On May 1, 1971,
Amtrak took over most of what was left of passenger service in the United States. On January 17, 1974, the station's arcade was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places, noted in emergency as plans existed to demolish the structure. Battelle Commons Corporation applied for grants to create a transit center as part of the convention center, including from the
Urban Mass Transit Administration (UMTA) and
Federal Highway Administration. The transit center project was supported by the
Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA), Columbus's mass transit agency. By 6 pm on the next day, a temporary restraining order secured by the
Ohio Historical Society halted the demolition. The order noted that improper procedures were followed in planning its demolition. Battelle then allowed the historical society 120 days to remove the remaining remnant of the demolition,
a single arch left standing; Battelle offered no funds to help preserve or move the arch. COTA's director still expressed his desire for TransCenter to be built, despite the arcade's loss. Battelle published development plans with the arcade removed as soon as October 24. The arcade's demolition prompted the UMTA to withdraw all $6.24 million in funding, stating the act violated the spirit of the law and was inconsistent with UMTA requirements.
Gallery Views from c. 1975: File:Columbus amtrak station 08.jpg|Station building exterior File:Columbus amtrak station 02.jpg|Tracks and platforms File:Columbus amtrak station 10.jpg|Platform and station view File:Columbus amtrak station 11.jpg|Hall File:Columbus amtrak station 13.jpg|Waiting room ==Proposed new station==