LOUISVILLE'S PASSENGER TRAINS

OF THE PAST

Intercity passenger trains serving Louisville in 1942, 1956, and 1971 immediately prior to the creation of Amtrak.

THE STATIONS

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

Union Station
1000 W. Broadway
Opened 1891

Number of station tracks: 6 stub
Non interlocked switches controlled by Kentucky St. switchtender

Central Station
7th St. and River Rd.
Opened 1891

Number of station tracks: 7
Non interlocked switches controlled by switchtenders at 5th St., 9th St., 11th St.

By 1963, dwindling passenger traffic resulted in full consolidation into Union Station.

LOUISVILLE & NASHVILLE

(Union Station)

Departures



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

  3                        Pensacola       1:20        1:50
  2                        Cincinnati      2:25        1:40
  6  Humming Bird          Cincinnati                  4:00
 35                        Springfield KY  7:00
  4  Azalean               Cincinnati      7:25        7:30
104                        Cincinnati      7:35
152                        Evansville      7:45
 20                        Lexington       7:55
 23                        Corbin          8:05
 99  Pan American          New Orleans    11:32       11:25    9   4:05 pm
  8                        Cincinnati     12:53
  7                        Birmingham      1:20
 15  South Wind            Miami           1:55        3:00
154                        Evansville      4:00
 98  Pan American          Cincinnati      5:20        5:15    8   2:25 pm
 21  Flamingo              Corbin          7:35        6:45
  1  Azalean               New Orleans     9:40        9:45
  5  Humming Bird          New Orleans                10:05
156                        Evansville     11:05       10:10
Arrivals



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

  3                        Cincinnati     12:59        1:20
  2                        Pensacola       2:00       12:50
  6  Humming Bird          New Orleans                 3:40
155                        Evansville      7:05        7:15
  4  Azalean               New Orleans     7:10        7:05
 24  Flamingo              Corbin          7:20        7:20
 99  Pan American          Cincinnati     11:15       11:10    9   3:35 pm
153                        Evansville     11:25
  8                        Birmingham     12:43
  7                        Cincinnati      1:05
 36                        Springfield KY  2:40
 16  South Wind            Miami           3:25       12:55
 98  Pan American          New Orleans     4:55        4:55    8   2:00 pm
151                        Evansville      5:10
 15                        Lexington       8:10
101                        Cincinnati      8:48
 22                        Corbin          9:15
  1  Azalean               Cincinnati      9:28        9:25
  5  Humming Bird          Cincinnati                  9:55
Passenger service initially retained by Amtrak in 1971, with the South Wind.

MONON

(Union Station)

Departures



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

  6                        Chicago         8:00 am     4:30 pm
  4                        Chicago         9:15 pm
Arrivals



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

  3                        Chicago         6:10 am
  5                        Chicago         6:45 pm     9:00 pm
Passenger service discontinued in 1967, last trains were numbers 5 and 6, then named the Thoroughbred.

PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD

(Union Station)

Departures



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

315  Blue Grass Special    Logansport      8:20   91   7:45
319                        South Bend     12:50
309  South Wind            Chicago         3:30   93   1:05        3:55 pm
327  Pennsylvania Limited  Indianapolis    7:30
307  Kentuckian            Chicago        11:30   95  11:00
Arrivals



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

306  Kentuckian            Chicago         7:25   94   6:30
326                        Indianapolis   12:30
308  South Wind            Chicago         1:50   90   2:50        2:20 pm
316                        South Bend      5:20
320  Blue Grass Special    Logansport      8:30   92   9:15
Passenger service initially retained by Amtrak in 1971, with the South Wind.

BALTIMORE & OHIO

(Central Station)

Departures



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

 54  Great Lakes Limited   Cincinnati      8:15  238   8:20 am
 50                        North Vernon    1:35        1:20 pm
 52                        North Vernon    5:35        5:10 pm
 58                        Detroit         7:00        7:10 pm
 56                        North Vernon   11:35 pm
Arrivals



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

 59                        North Vernon    7:05   55   4:15 pm
 57                        Detroit         9:50       10:05 am
 51                        North Vernon   11:50       12:05 pm
 63                        Cincinnati      9:15  233   8:50 pm
Passenger service discontinued in 1960.

CHESAPEAKE & OHIO

(Central Station)

Departures



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

 22                        Ashland         2:00 pm     1:50 pm     2:45 pm
 24                        Ashland         5:55 pm
Arrivals



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

 21                        Ashland         9:58 am    10:22 am    10:55 am
 23                        Ashland         4:55 pm
Passenger service discontinued in 1971 with the creation of Amtrak.

In 1963, remaining trains were moved to Union Station.

ILLINOIS CENTRAL

(Central Station)

Departures



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

101  Creole                Fulton KY      12:05 pm
103  Louisiane             Fulton KY       9:40 pm     9:10 pm
Arrivals



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

104  Louisiane             Fulton KY       7:40 am     7:30 am
102  Creole                Fulton KY       5:30 pm
Passenger service discontinued in 1957.

SOUTHERN RAILWAY

(Central Station)

Departures



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

 24                        St. Louis       9:20 am
 23                        Danville KY     7:45 pm
Arrivals



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

 24                        Danville KY     8:55 am
 23                        St. Louis       5:45 pm
In 1948, remaining trains were moved to a modest new station on 4th St., near the University of Louisville.

Passenger service discontinued in 1955.

Prior to 1942, also using Central Station were New York Central passenger trains.

STATIONS TODAY

Louisville Union Station was used by Amtrak until 1976, when Amtrak began using the Auto Train station south of the city for the next three years. The building still stands, and has been adapted into the headquarters and bus garage for TARC (Transit Authority of River City).

Louisville Central Station was demolished to make way for an expressway.

Union Station/Louisville (Wikipedia)
Link to Web site containing further historical information on Louisville stations.

MAPPING THE STATIONS AND RAILROADS

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