Akron Union Station

Akron Union Station was a series of three union stations serving several passenger railroads in Akron, Ohio from 1852 to 1971. The station's tenants included the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, Pennsylvania Railroad and Erie Railroad. It was a hub, serving train companies serving destinations in different directions, west, north, south and east.[1]

Akron Union Depot
Buckingham Building
The 1950 Akron Union Depot, c. 1950s
Coordinates41.0773°N 81.5167°W / 41.0773; -81.5167
Owned byUniversity of Akron
History
OpenedApril 28, 1950
Closed1971
Former services
Preceding station Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Following station
Gary
toward Chicago
 Main Line Mars
toward Jersey City
Barberton
toward Chicago
 Cuyahoga Falls
toward Jersey City
Barberton
toward Wheeling
 Cleveland – Akron – Wheeling Akron–Howard
toward Cleveland
Preceding station Pennsylvania Railroad Following station
Barberton
toward Columbus
 Columbus – Cleveland Cuyahoga Falls
toward Cleveland
Preceding station Erie Railroad Following station
Barberton
toward Chicago
 Main Line
at Union Station until 1950
 Warren
toward Jersey City
Tallmadge
toward Jersey City

First station

The original station was constructed by the Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad in 1852. The Atlantic and Great Western Railroad moved their passenger service from a station near the modern Quaker Square to this station in 1864. The at-grade station was replaced in 1891 when a grade-separation project was completed through downtown Akron.

Second station
the second Akron Union Station, c. 1906

The second station building at 245 East Market Street (41.0828°N 81.5099°W / 41.0828; -81.5099 (Akron Union Station (1891–1950))), was completed and in operation in 1891. The Akron Division of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad opened in the same year, directly connecting Akron to Lodi and Chicago. Upon opening to passengers, service was provided by the B&0, the Cleveland, Akron & Columbus Railroad (which had broken free of the Cleveland & Pittsburgh and its parent Pennsylvania Company), the New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio Railroad under lease of the New York, Lake Erie & Western Railroad, and the Pittsburgh & Western Railroad. The latter company later merged into the B&O, completing the main line from Pittsburgh to Chicago. The services of the Valley Railway were brought to the depot after a similar merge with the B&O. In 1899, the CA&C was returned to Pennsylvania Company control. The company merged into the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1919. The NYP&O was a part of the Erie Railroad by 1900. The station was closed in 1950 and it was demolished in 1951.[2][3]

Passenger services

Representative services in 1946 featured these trains:[4][5][6]

  • Baltimore & Ohio
  • Erie Railroad
  • Pennsylvania Railroad
    • Akronite (Akron - New York, NY)
    • Clevelander (New York, NY - Cleveland, OH, via Akron) (west-bound only)
    • Gotham Limited/Golden Triangle (Chicago, IL - Cleveland, OH, via Akron)
    • unnamed Cleveland - Akron - Columbus - Cincinnati service, unnamed Cleveland - Akron local service

Third station and final years

The third station, Akron Union Depot, reflecting the shift of location, was opened in 1950 and was located five blocks away, on the east side of the tracks, at 220 Wolf Ledges Parkway.[7][8] The Erie Railroad split away in 1949, moving to a separate station on the adjacent Broadway Street. The station was closed in 1971, as the last train being the B&O's Capitol Limited.[9] That train would be subsequently rerouted with the assumption of passenger services by Amtrak. Akron briefly saw train service in the 1990s with the arrival of the rerouting of the Broadway Limited and the Three Rivers.

Disposition today

The 1950 station is currently used by the University of Akron as its Buckingham Center for Continuing Education.[10][11] The depot was scheduled for demolition in 2010 as part of a new law school to be built by the university, but plans were scrapped due to local backlash. As a result, a new expansion and renovation was instead added to the C. Blake McDowell Law Center, across the street from Buckingham. Buckingham has been internally renovated as of March 2020.

See also

References
  1. Official Guide of the Railways, February 1932, Index of Railway Stations, p. 1465
  2. Great Union Stations, 'Akron' https://chicagorailfan.com/stbcakr.html
  3. Camp, Mark J. 'Railroad Depots of Northeast Ohio,' Arcadia Publishing, 2007, p. 27.
  4. "Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, Tables 1, 13, 20". Official Guide of the Railways. National Railway Publication Company. 78 (12). May 1946.
  5. "Erie Railroad, Tables 1, 8". Official Guide of the Railways. National Railway Publication Company. 78 (12). May 1946.
  6. "Pennsylvania Railroad, Tables 4, 6, 14, 179, 182". Official Guide of the Railways. National Railway Publication Company. 78 (12). May 1946.
  7. Camp, Mark J. 'Railroad Depots of Northeast Ohio,' Arcadia Publishing, 2007, p. 27.
  8. UA Buildings and Facilities, The University of Akron: University Communications and Marketing
  9. Former Union Depot, Waymarking https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM7DE5_former_Akron_Union_Depot
  10. Camp, Mark J. 'Railroad Depots of Northeast Ohio,' Arcadia Publishing, 2007, p. 27.
  11. UA Buildings and Facilities, The University of Akron: University Communications and Marketing
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