Many of these vintage structures have survived into the 21st century. However, not all retain their original purpose. The following 10 historic rail stations have been rejuvenated but repurposed without regular passenger rail service. Still, they remain a must-see for travelers and enthusiasts.
Ellicott City Station
Ellicott City, Md.: Historically the oldest surviving station in the United States, Ellicott City (originally Ellicott’s Mills) Station was built in 1831 as a freight depot for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Passenger service started in 1857 and lasted until 1949 on the original tracks out of Baltimore. Following its closure in 1972, the station was restored and reconfigured into the Ellicott City Station Museum that includes the adjacent car shop and turntable. While the platform sees no arrivals or departures, the adjacent Old Main Line of the ex-B&O is still active under CSX Transportation.
Terminal Station (Chattanooga Choo Choo)
Chattanooga, Tenn.: Looking to match Chattanooga’s growing stature at the time when railroads crossroad the South, architect Donn Barber took inspiration from New York’s National Park Bank when designing the Beaux Arts-style Terminal Station. The lobby’s skylight welcomed passengers from 1909 until the last regularly scheduled train departed in 1970. The station reopened in 1973, redeveloped into a multi-use complex with hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues, while rebranded as the “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” inspired by Glenn Miller’s legendary song.
Michigan Central Station
Detroit, Mich.: The regenesis of Michigan Central Station has been much discussed in rail preservation circles, and rightly so. The 15-story landmark, built in 1913, reopened in June 2024 thanks to the $950 million efforts of the Ford Motor Co. Though the upper office building floors have been repurposed as an “innovation center” research campus for Ford and other companies, the structure’s Beaux Arts exterior and exquisite interior main floor were still restored to their original glory. Guided tours are a must to experience this preservation achievement. The station was last used for passenger service in 1988 and is currently not possible due to the tracks and platform being replaced by a park.
Dennison Railroad Depot Museum
Dennison, Ohio: Built in 1873 for what became the Pennsylvania Railroad, Dennison’s depot was a true railroad canteen, especially during World War II when serving a million G.I.s with “homefront hospitality.” Regular service ended in 1971 when Amtrak’s New York-Kansas City National Limited passed through town without stopping. The building remains alive and well today as a museum, restaurant and theater, all under one beautifully restored roof. Limited excursions still operate from the depot with the out-and-back Polar Express along the Genesee & Wyoming’s Ohio Central Railroad.
Great Overland Station
Topeka, Kan.: Renowned architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood designed what was termed “one of the finest passenger stations on the [Union Pacific] line.” When completed for the City of Topeka in 1927, this station lived up to the claim, with its glazed terra cotta ornamentation welcoming passengers until May 1971. The station endured three decades that saw it repurposed, abandoned, and fire-damaged. But since 2004, the Great Overland Station has reopened as a museum and event venue for citizens and visitors to enjoy.
St. Louis Union Station
St. Louis, Miss.: Union Station was constructed in 1894 to help solidify St. Louis’ title as the “Gateway to the West.” After passenger service moved to a new station in 1978, the city believed in a new lease on life for this architectural landmark. It reopened in 1985 with an emphasis on balancing nostalgia and renovation. The Grand Hall, with its half-barreled ceiling, is a preserved centerpiece and hub for mixed-use consisting of retail shops, event spaces, restaurants, and hotels. Technically you can still visit Union Station by train, but it requires a 7-minute walk from Amtrak’s Gateway Transportation Center. Polar Express excursions also depart from Union Station’s glass-covered platform.
Omaha Union Station (The Durham Museum)
Omaha, Neb.: Underwood’s Art Deco mastery is also found at Omaha’s Union Station that was built in 1931. Until 1971, the 124,000-square-foot structure was a major terminus for multiple railroads, with Union Pacific, in its headquarters city, a primary tenant with domeliners. Today, Amtrak’s California Zephyr serves Omaha at a modest station (next to the former Burlington Station) that was built in 1984 and about 50 yards away, across the tracks from Union Station. The former UP terminal has been repurposed into the Durham Museum, filled with permanent and traveling exhibits that include railroad equipment.
Cheyenne Depot Museum
Cheyenne, Wyo.: Constructed in 1886 by the UP, the Cheyenne Depot stands as the last of its kind to be built along the original Transcontinental Railroad. Regular passenger service to and from its platforms ended in 1979 when Amtrak’s San Francisco Zephyr began stopping west of town in Borie, Wyo. Today, the depot is a multi-use facility and home to a museum that retells the region’s railroad and cultural history. Year-round events, such as the annual Depots Days in May, make this landmark a hot spot.
Galveston Railroad Museum
Galveston, Texas: The current Art Deco-style facility was built in 1932 as a depot and headquarters for the former Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railroad, although a portion dates to 1913. Passenger service ended in 1967 and the building, vacant by 1972, was transformed, along with its adjacent yard, into the Galveston Railroad Museum. At one time, it was the home of limited mainline excursions. Today, 15-minute train rides around the yard and Polar Express trips are still offered on select Saturdays and during the Holiday season, respectively. The depot houses both interactive and rotating exhibits. The waiting room’s “Ghosts of Travelers Past” is a highlight with full-sized plaster figures of passengers congregating as they would in the early 20th century. Don’t forget to step outside and explore the rail yard of displayed equipment.
Ogden Union Station
Ogden, Utah: The Spanish Colonial Revival-style Union Station in Ogden was part of the city’s identity as the “Crossroads of the West” from 1924 to 1971. Today it hosts multiple museums that reflect on the region’s history, including the Utah State Railroad Museum. The preserved Grand Lobby contains murals illustrating the Transcontinental Railroad’s history, exhibits, and a model railroad. Outside is the Rail Center with displayed railroading equipment. Like St. Louis, visiting Ogden Union Station by rail is possible thanks to the Utah Transit Authority’s FrontRunner, though it’ll be an 8-minute stroll from the commuter rail system’s active station next door.
There are historic stations you can still visit by train, all of which have retained the grandeur of the early days. Here are 10 favorites worth visiting.
