SPRINGFIELD IL

CLASSIC PASSENGER STATIONS

THE STATIONS

The major stations serving Springfield, during the golden age of passenger trains.

Alton Station
Opened in 1895
Location: 100 N. 3rd St.
Railroad: Alton Route/Gulf Mobile & Ohio
Continues in use by Amtrak.

Union Station
Opened in 1898
Location: 500 E. Madison St.
Railroads: Illinois Central, Baltimore & Ohio, Chicago & Illinois Midland
Building is now the Lincoln Presidential Library Visitor Center.

Wabash Station
Location: 10th St. and Washington St.
Railroad: Wabash
Building demolished.

The Great Western Railroad was a predecessor to the Wabash Railroad. Also worth noting is the Great Western Depot, also often known as the "Lincoln Depot", located at 10th St. and Monroe St. It was at this preserved station in 1861, that Abraham Lincoln gave his farewell address, as he departed Springfield for Washington DC to become President.

GULF MOBILE & OHIO

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  8  Fast Mail             Chicago         2:18 am
 10  Midnight Special      Chicago         3:03   8   2:20   6  12:51 am
  7  Fast Mail             St. Louis       4:00 am
  9  Midnight Special      St. Louis      (skip)  7   4:05   5   4:25 am
 22  Hummer                Chicago         7:30 am
117  (mixed train)         Roodhouse       9:20 am
  2  Abraham Lincoln       Chicago        10:48 am   10:48 am   10:54 am
 19  Ann Rutledge          St. Louis      11:45 am   11:45 am
  4  Alton Limited         Chicago         2:00 pm    1:54 pm    6:07 pm
 11                        St. Louis       2:10 pm
  1  Alton Limited         St. Louis       3:01 pm    2:48 pm    2:38 pm
  6  Prairie State Exp.    Chicago         5:05 pm   11:52 pm
 18  Ann Rutledge          Chicago         6:21 pm    6:21 pm
  3  Abraham Lincoln       St. Louis       7:59 pm    7:59 pm    8:21 pm
  5  Mail                  St. Louis      10:55 pm   12:50 am
 23  Hummer                Kansas City    11:15 pm
Passenger service retained by Amtrak in 1971.

ILLINOIS CENTRAL

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 18  Diamond               Chicago         2:40 am    1:50 am
 17  Diamond               St. Louis       4:30 am    4:15 am
 50  Green Diamond         Chicago        10:55  22  11:10 am    5:15 pm
 20  Daylight              Chicago         2:15 pm    6:50 pm
 19  Daylight              St. Louis       2:45 pm    1:42 pm
 51  Green Diamond         St. Louis       8:05  21   8:10 pm
Passenger service discontinued in 1971 with the creation of Amtrak.

BALTIMORE & OHIO

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 41  (Motor Train)         Beardstown      9:30 am
 40  (Motor Train)         Flora           5:20 pm
Passenger service discontinued in 1951.

From 1931 to 1947, when the Alton Route was controlled by the Baltimore & Ohio, the Baltimore & Ohio trains temporarily used the Alton Station.

CHICAGO & ILLINOIS MIDLAND

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  6                        Pekin           7:03 am
  8                        Pekin           3:00 pm
Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  5                        Pekin          12:12 pm
  7                        Pekin           8:05 pm
Passenger service discontinued in 1953.

In 1937, Chicago & Illinois Midland moved into a separate station at 15th St. and North Grand Ave.

WABASH RAILROAD

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  3                        Moberly         6:38 am
 73  (mixed train)         Bluffs          8:50 am
 72  (mixed train)         Bluffs          8:50 am
  2                        Moberly         7:11 pm
Passenger service discontinued in late 1940's.

Around the 1930's, Wabash passenger trains began making their stop at the Springfield Shops.

Until the early 1940's, also operating into Springfield was Chicago Springfield & St. Louis Railway, using its own separate station. In their final years these trains terminated at the Coalton station, 1 mile south.

Links/Additional Information
Springfield Amtrak Station (Wikipedia)
Springfield Union Station (Wikipedia)
Great Western Depot
Lincoln Depot (Wikipedia)

MAPPING THE STATIONS AND RAILROADS

Links to locations of past and present stations and railroads, using Google Maps. Satellite views are also available.