Union Station
Opened in 1907
Location: East Bay St. and Columbus St.
Railroads: Atlantic Coast Line, Seaboard Air Line, Southern Railway
Burned 1947.
Downtown Charleston was on a peninsula, with Union Station a stub station requiring a long backup move for Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line through trains. This was not a complication for Southern Railway, whose trains terminated. But Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line moved to other locations early.
Departures
No. Name 1942 Dest. 1942 Time 1956 Time 1971 Time 91 West Coast Champion Tampa (bypass) 4:25 am 4:35 am 80 Florida Mail Washington 4:40 376 4:30 86 4:15 am 1 East Coast Champion Miami (bypass) 3:19 am 77 Palmetto Limited Savannah 8:40 am 7:00 am 76 Havana Special New York (bypass) 1:45 pm 1:15 pm 75 Havana Special Miami (bypass) 12:45 pm 2:40 pm 78 Palmetto Limited Washington 4:55 pm 5:40 pm 52 Sumter 7:15 pm 2 East Coast Champion New York (bypass) 9:00 pm 92 West Coast Champion New York (bypass) 10:32 pm 9:20 pm 89 Florida Mail Tampa 11:55 375 10:20 85 10:20 pmArrivals
No. Name 1942 Orig. 1942 Time 1956 Time 1971 Time 91 West Coast Champion New York (bypass) 4:25 am 4:35 am 80 Florida Mail Tampa 4:20 376 4:30 86 4:15 am 1 East Coast Champion New York (bypass) 3:19 am 77 Palmetto Limited Washington 8:30 am 7:00 am 53 Sumter 8:35 am 76 Havana Special Miami (bypass) 1:45 pm 1:15 pm 75 Havana Special New York (bypass) 12:45 pm 2:40 pm 78 Palmetto Limited Savannah 4:45 pm 5:40 pm 2 East Coast Champion Miami (bypass) 9:00 pm 92 West Coast Champion Tampa (bypass) 10:32 pm 9:20 pm 89 Florida Mail Washington 11:35 375 10:20 85 10:20 pmPassenger service retained by Amtrak in 1971.
Atlantic Coast Line gradually phased out its use of Union Station in favor of its North Station. In particular, the streamlined "Champion" trains exclusively served North Station. And after Union Station burned in 1947, a few Atlantic Coast Line trains began serving a City Market station at John St. and King St., which continued until 1951 when Atlantic Coast Line began serving only North Station. In 1956, Atlantic Coast Line opened its station at 4565 Gaynor Ave. in North Charleston, immediately north of the North Station. This station continues in use by Amtrak.
Departures
No. Name 1942 Dest. 1942 Time 1956 Time 1971 Time 26 (Motor Train) Hamlet 11:45 am 1:20 pm 25 (Motor Train) Savannah 2:50 pmArrivals
No. Name 1942 Orig. 1942 Time 1956 Time 1971 Time 26 (Motor Train) Savannah 11:40 am 25 (Motor Train) Hamlet 2:45 pm 12:50 pmPassenger service discontinued in 1956.
In 1931, Seaboard moved to a new station at Grove St. and Rutledge Ave., north of downtown and eliminating its backup move.
Departures
No. Name 1942 Dest. 1942 Time 1956 Time 1971 Time 27 Carolina Special Cincinnati 8:25 am 7:45 am 11 Columbia SC 5:50 pmArrivals
No. Name 1942 Orig. 1942 Time 1956 Time 1971 Time 12 Columbia SC 7:00 am 28 Carolina Special Cincinnati 9:00 pm 8:15 pmPassenger service discontinued in 1962, last train was the Carolina Special.
Southern Railway entered Union Station via trackage rights via Atlantic Coast Line south of Hibernian Park. After Union Station burned in 1947, Southern Railway set up a temporary station at Line St. near Union Station, which closed in 1956.