Memphis Central Station
Memphis Central Station | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Construction | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Parking | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bicycle facilities | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Accessible | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Station code | Amtrak: MEM | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Opened | 1914 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rebuilt | 1999 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Passengers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
FY 2022 | 38,891[1] (Amtrak) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Services | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Part of | South Main Street Historic District (ID82004054) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Added to NRHP | 1982 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Location | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Memphis Central Station, referred to as Grand Central Station prior to 1944, is a
History
Early history
Central Station was built on the site of a former station known as Calhoun Street Station. Both stations were owned by the Illinois Central Railroad or its predecessors. Construction of Memphis Central Station began in September 1912, and the station was opened for service on October 4, 1914. The track design included five stub-end tracks (station tracks 1-5), and five through tracks (station tracks 6-10).
The station was also used by
Lavender v. Kurn,
Decline and renovation
Like other large stations across America, the rapid decline of the passenger train network after World War II made Memphis Central Station an aging, nearly deserted monument to an earlier era. Rock Island passenger train service to Memphis ended in November 1967, and Frisco train service ended a month later, leaving Illinois Central as the sole occupant of the station. With the permanent closure of Union Station in 1968, Central Station became the sole intercity station in Memphis.
On May 1, 1971, Amtrak took over nearly all passenger trains in the United States. Amtrak cut back service to a single train, the City of New Orleans, and large sections of Central Station were closed off and abandoned. Illinois Central offices were moved from the station, and it appeared that the station would eventually be razed, facing the same fate as Union Station.
The station's upkeep deteriorated to an extent that for much of time from the 1970s to the mid-1990s, it had a reputation as one of the worst stations on the Amtrak system. In 1998 the property was acquired by Memphis Area Transit Authority, which undertook a $23.2 million renovation project.[2] Much of the former waiting area would become a public meeting area, the Illinois Central office space on upper floors was converted to condominiums, and Amtrak retained a smaller presence in the former midway area of the station. The station renovation, which was completed in November 1999, helped to speed the renovation and redevelopment of this once deserted area of downtown Memphis.
Role during Hurricane Gustav (2008) evacuations
In anticipation of the landfall of
Today
In 2019 the station underwent a major $55 million remodel that included a new Amtrak ticket office and waiting area. A new luxury hotel was opened in the station: Central Station Hotel, Curio by Hilton. The hotel includes a refurbished ballroom, two restaurants and a bar. The MATA Trolley Main Street Line heritage streetcar was extended to Central Station in 2021.[4]
The station continues to be served by the City of New Orleans, which has called here since the train's inception in 1949.[2] It previously served the train's nighttime counterpart, the famed Panama Limited.
Presently, this is one of only two Amtrak stations in Tennessee, the other being the
Named trains serving Memphis Central Station
A partial list of named trains in the pre-Amtrak period that served Central Station:
- Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway(Rock Island)
- Choctaw Rocket
- Cherokee
- Hot Springs Special
- Memphis Californian
- Southwest Express
- Illinois Central Railroad
- Panama Limited
- City of New Orleans
- Delta Express
- Irvin S. Cobb
- Louisiane
- Northern Express/Southern Express
- Louisville and Nashville Railroad (since 1964)
- Southern Railway (since 1964)
- St. Louis-San Francisco Railway(Frisco)
- Memphian
- Kansas City-Florida Special
- Sunnyland
- Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad (in latter years, absorbed into Illinois Central)
- Delta Express
- Planter
See also
- Union Station (Memphis)
References
- ^ "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2022: State of Tennessee" (PDF). Amtrak. June 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ a b "Memphis, TN (MEM)". The Great American Stations. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
- ^ Tom Charlier (2008-08-30). "Amtrak bringing hundreds of storm evacuees to Memphis". Commercial Appeal. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
- ^ "South Main shop owners ready for new trolley station to open this weekend". WREG.com. 2021-02-24. Retrieved 2021-10-29.
External links
Media related to Central Station (Memphis, Tennessee) at Wikimedia Commons
- Memphis, TN – Amtrak
- Memphis, TN – Station history at Great American Stations (Amtrak)
- Condren, Mike. "Memphis Central Station," Memphis Historical Railroad Pages
- Parker, Tom. "IC-Memphis Central Station," Illinois Central Net
- Memphis Amtrak Station (USA Rail Guide -- Train Web)
- Article from Railway Age Gazette (1915)