Pennsylvania Railroad - Major Passenger Stations

Major Passenger Stations

Main article: Pennsylvania Station

The PRR built several grand railroad passenger stations in major cities, either alone or in conjunction with other railroads. These architectural marvels served as the hubs for the PRR's extensive passenger service. Many of these stations are still in use today, served by Amtrak as well as regional passenger carriers. See also Pennsylvania Station, the name given to many of them.

Broad Street Station - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Main article: Broad Street Station (Philadelphia)

Broad Street Station was the first of the great passenger stations built by the PRR. Opened in 1881, the station was dramatically expanded in the early 1890s by famed Philadelphia architect Frank Furness, and for most of its existence served with City Hall as arguably one of the crown jewels of Philadelphia's architecture, and for thirty years had the largest train shed in the world (a 91 m span). It was the terminal station for the PRR service into Philadelphia, bringing trains right into the center of the city. It was demolished in 1953 after the PRR moved all its hub service to 30th Street Station.

Penn Station - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Main article: Union Station (Pittsburgh)

Built 1898-1903 and renovated in 1954 and partially repurposed in 1988 it was originally called "Union Station" as the terminal for some Pennsylvania Railroad subsidiaries.

Penn Station - Baltimore, Maryland

Main article: Pennsylvania Station (Baltimore)

The main train station of Baltimore, this Beaux-Arts building was built in 1911 from a design by architect Kenneth MacKenzie Murchison. It is served by Amtrak and MARC Train commuter service. Notably, both approaches to the station are via tunnels, the B&P Tunnel to the south and the Union Tunnel to the north.

Union Station - Chicago, Illinois

Main article: Union Station (Chicago)

The Pennsylvania Railroad, along with the Milwaukee Road and the Burlington Route, built Chicago's Union Station, the only one of Chicago's old stations to continue to be used as an intercity train station (the other five of Chicago's original passenger stations have either been demolished, substantially remodeled or repurposed, though three still host daily commuter service). It was designed by Graham, Anderson, Probst & White in the Beaux-Arts style.

Penn Station - Newark, New Jersey

Main article: Pennsylvania Station (Newark)

Newark's Pennsylvania Station was designed by McKim, Mead and White and is considered an architectural jewel. It opened in 1935 as part of the PRR's Northeast Corridor infrastructure, and was refurbished in 2007. Its style is a mixture of Art Deco and Neo-Classical. All Amtrak trains stop here, and the station serves three commuter lines, PATH rapid transit to Jersey City and Manhattan, and the Newark City Subway.

Penn Station - New York City, New York

Main article: Pennsylvania Station (New York City)

The original Pennsylvania Station was designed by the noted architectural firm of McKim, Mead and White and was modeled on the Roman Baths of Caracalla; it was notable for its enormous rail shed and the spectacular architecture of the high vaulted ceilings in the passenger terminal. It was infamous for being demolished for redevelopment in the railroad's waning years. The station was built in 1910 to provide direct access to Manhattan from New Jersey without having to use a ferry, and was served by the PRR's own trains as well as those of the PRR's subsidiary, the Long Island Rail Road. Its 1963 demolition did not extend to the platforms, the tracks, or even some of the staircases. The station continues as a completely underground operation (serving Amtrak, New Jersey Transit and LIRR) and is the busiest intercity railroad station in the United States.

30th Street Station - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Main article: 30th Street Station

In classical grandeur, the 30th Street Station displays its majestic—and traditional—architectural style with its enormous waiting room and its vestibules. The station, in spite of its apparent architectural classicism, opened in 1933, when modern and Art Deco styles were more popular. Its construction was needed to accommodate increased intercity and suburban traffic. It replaced the 32nd Street Station geographically, and replaced the Broad Street Station functionally. It is now the primary rail station in Philadelphia, serving both long-distance and commuter trains.

Union Station - Washington, D.C.

Main article: Union Station (Washington, DC)

Union Station, built jointly with the B&O, served as a hub for PRR passenger services in the nation's capital, with connections to the B&O, and Southern Railway (US). The station was designed by architect Daniel Burnham and opened in 1908. The Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad provided a link to Richmond, Virginia, about 100 miles (160 km) to the south, where major north–south lines of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and Seaboard Air Line Railroad provided service to the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida.