CINCINNATI'S PASSENGER TRAINS

OF THE PAST

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


THE STATIONS

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

Union Terminal
1301 Western Ave.
Opened 1933

Number of station tracks: 15 through
Interlocked switches controlled from Tower A

In 1933, the new Cincinnati Union Terminal replaced the following older separate stations.

Central Union Station
Southwest corner of 3rd St. and Central Ave.
Opened 1883

Pennsylvania and L&N Station
Southeast corner of Pearl St. (now Pete Rose Way) and Butler St.
Opened 1880

Baymiller Station
Northwest corner of 5th St. and Baymiller St.
Opened 1864, replacing earlier stations built in 1846 and 1851

Fourth Street Station
South side of 4th St. between Smith St. and John St.
Converted 1891 from house built in 1869

Court Street Station
Northeast corner of Court St. and Broadway
Opened 1882


BALTIMORE & OHIO

Departures



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

 11  Metropolitan Special  St. Louis      12:05       11:59 pm
  1  National Limited      St. Louis       7:25        7:30        8:20 am
 57                        Louisville      7:30        7:35
 56                        Toledo          8:25
 12  Metropolitan Special  Washington      8:40        8:50        7:30 am
  3  Diplomat              St. Louis       9:50       10:00
 54  Great Lakes Limited   Detroit        12:55       12:50       10:00 am
 38                        Pittsburgh      2:30  238   1:15
 61                        Washington IN   5:30
  2  National Limited      New York        6:05        5:55
 63                        Louisville      7:00  233   6:30
 29                        St. Louis       9:25
  4  Diplomat              New York       10:05        9:45
 36                        Pittsburgh     10:50
 58                        Detroit        11:45       11:45


Arrivals



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

 35                        Pittsburgh      6:45
 57                        Detroit         7:00        6:55
  1  National Limited      New York        7:15        7:15
 30                        St. Louis       7:45        8:25
 12  Metropolitan Special  St. Louis       7:50        7:50
  3  Diplomat              New York        9:35        9:45
 54  Great Lakes Limited   Louisville     12:15  238  12:30
 62                        Washington IN   2:10
 55                        Toledo          3:05
 33                        Pittsburgh      5:40  233   5:55
  2  National Limited      St. Louis       5:50        5:35        5:40 pm
 29                        Cumberland      8:35
 53  Great Lakes Limited   Detroit         9:30        9:00        4:15 pm
  4  Diplomat              St. Louis       9:50        9:20
 58                        Louisville     11:00       11:05
 11  Metropolitan Special  Washington     11:25       11:25       11:20 pm


Passenger service discontinued in 1971 with the creation of Amtrak.

Prior to 1933, most trains used Central Union Station, while some local trains on the line north towards Hamilton used Baymiller Station.


CHESAPEAKE & OHIO

Departures



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

  8                        Hinton          7:10 am
 17                        Hammond IN      9:00 am
  6  F.F.V.                Washington     12:01 pm    11:00 am
  2  George Washington     Washington      6:01 pm     6:15 pm     6:35 pm
  4  Sportsman             Washington      9:45 pm    11:10 pm


Arrivals



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

  5  Sportsman             Washington      7:00 am     9:15 am
  1  George Washington     Washington      8:25 am     8:00 am     7:35 am
  3  F.F.V.                Washington      3:00 pm     2:40 pm
 18                        Hammond IN      5:40 pm
  7                        Hinton          7:30 pm


Passenger service retained by Amtrak in 1971, with the George Washington (renamed the Cardinal in 1977).

Prior to 1933, Fourth Street Station was the traditional C&O station. But at the end, most trains used Central Union Station. Trains on the line north towards Hammond and Chicago used Fourth Street Station.


LOUISVILLE & NASHVILLE

Departures



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

 33  Southland             Tampa           8:00 am     8:00 am
 99  Pan American          New Orleans     9:00 am     9:00 am 9  12:20 pm
 29                        Knoxville       9:10 am
  7                        Birmingham     10:45 am
101                        Louisville      6:10 pm
 31                        Corbin          7:10 pm
  1  Azalean               New Orleans     7:15 pm     7:05 pm
  5  Humming Bird          New Orleans                 8:00 pm
 17  Flamingo              Jacksonville    9:15 pm     7:50 pm
  3                        Pensacola      10:40 pm    10:50 pm


Arrivals



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

  2                        Pensacola       7:05 am     6:45 am
  6  Humming Bird          New Orleans                 8:00 am
 18  Flamingo              Jacksonville    8:10 am     8:15 am
 34                        Corbin         11:25 am
  4  Azalean               New Orleans    11:55 am    12:05 pm
104                        Louisville     12:20 pm
 30                        Knoxville       4:55 pm
  8                        Birmingham      5:05 pm
 32  Southland             Tampa           9:30 pm     9:25 pm
 98  Pan American          New Orleans     9:35 pm     9:30 pm 8   5:35 pm


Passenger service discontinued in 1971 with the creation of Amtrak, last train was the Pan American.

Prior to 1933, Fourth Street Station, the traditional C&O station, was used by L&N, which used the C&O bridge over the Ohio River into Kentucky. But at the end, most trains used the Pennsylvania and L&N Station, enabling more convenient connections with points north and east. While additional trains used Central Union Station.


NEW YORK CENTRAL

Departures



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

  3  James Whitcomb Riley  Chicago         8:15        8:30  303   8:20 am
426  Cleveland Special     Cleveland       9:00        8:45
415  Chicago Special       Chicago         9:00        9:25
312  Ponce De Leon         Detroit         9:15        9:00
448                        Cleveland      12:00
419  White City Special    Chicago        12:00
404  New York Special      Cleveland      12:25
405  Sycamore              Chicago         3:20        3:30
 16  Ohio State Limited    Cleveland       3:45        4:20   78   4:00 pm
424  Knickerbocker         Cleveland       6:00        3:30
428                        Cleveland       9:50
443  Chicago Night Exp.    Chicago        10:10       11:15
302  Michigan Special      Detroit        11:30       11:30
442  Midnight Special      Cleveland      11:50       11:00
437  Royal Palm            Chicago        11:55


Arrivals



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

425                        Cleveland       5:15
438  Cinc. Night Express   Chicago         6:10        7:30
  5  Cincinnati Express    Cleveland       6:50  417   7:00
309  Royal Palm            Detroit         7:05        6:45
444  Royal Palm            Chicago         7:55
 15  Ohio State Limited    New York        8:30        8:40   77   9:00 am
436                        Indianapolis   11:25
421  Cincinnati Special    Cleveland       1:50        1:10
447                        Cleveland       5:00
416  Cincinnati Special    Chicago         5:30        5:45
433  Cincinnati Special    Cleveland       5:55        6:35
303  Ponce De Leon         Detroit         6:00        6:05
435  Cincinnati Special    Cleveland       8:55
418  Queen City Special    Chicago         9:10  406   8:55
  4  James Whitcomb Riley  Chicago        10:55       11:00  304  11:15 pm


Passenger service initially retained by Amtrak in 1971, with the James Whitcomb Riley.

Prior to 1933, trains used Central Union Station.


NORFOLK & WESTERN

Departures



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

 26  Powhatan Arrow        Norfolk                     8:10 am
 16  Cavalier              Norfolk        11:00 am     8:55 am
  4  Pocahontas            Norfolk        10:15 pm    11:20 pm    11:25 pm


Arrivals



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

  3  Pocahontas            Norfolk         7:45 am     7:05 am     7:35 am
 15  Cavalier              Norfolk         5:45 pm     9:15 pm
 25  Powhatan Arrow        Norfolk                    10:45 pm


Passenger service discontinued in 1971 with the creation of Amtrak, last train was the Pocahontas.

Prior to 1933, trains used either the Pennsylvania and L&N Station, or Court Street Station.


PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD

Departures



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

206                        Columbus        9:05
215  Red Bird              Chicago         9:10   71   8:30   65   8:25 am
222  Iron City Express     Pittsburgh      1:00   76   1:00
207  Union                 Chicago         2:35   73   3:35
519  Northern Arrow        Mackinaw City   5:10        6:15
 40  Cincinnati Limited    New York        5:20        5:00
237                        Chicago        10:00
202  Pennsylvania Limited  Pittsburgh     11:20   78  11:15
201  Southland             Chicago        11:40   75  11:50


Arrivals



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

236                        Chicago         6:10
227                        Columbus        7:10   79   6:45
200  Southland             Chicago         7:30   74   7:20
 41  Cincinnati Limited    New York        8:15        8:35
520  Northern Arrow        Mackinaw City   9:40        8:45
267  Cincinnati Express    Pittsburgh      4:50   77   5:10
216  Red Bird              Chicago         6:05   70   5:15   66   7:05 pm
208  Union                 Chicago         8:15   72  10:15
213                        Columbus        9:40


Passenger service discontinued in 1971 with the creation of Amtrak.

Prior to 1933, trains used either the Pennsylvania and L&N Station, or Court Street Station.


SOUTHERN RAILWAY

Departures



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

  3  Royal Palm            Jacksonville    8:45 am     8:45 am
 15                        Chattanooga     8:50 am
 43  Queen And Crescent    New Orleans     7:05 pm
  1  Ponce De Leon         Jacksonville    9:50 pm     8:00 pm
 27  Carolina Special      Charleston SC  10:00 pm     9:50 pm


Arrivals



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

  2  Ponce De Leon         Jacksonville    7:40 am     7:55 am
 28  Carolina Special      Charleston SC   7:50 am     7:00 am
 44  Queen And Crescent    New Orleans     9:30 am
 16                        Chattanooga     8:25 pm
  4  Royal Palm            Jacksonville    9:25 pm     8:45 pm


Passenger service discontinued in 1970, last train was the Royal Palm.

Prior to 1933, trains used Central Union Station.


STATIONS TODAY

Union Terminal proved to be too large for the limited passenger service retained by Amtrak upon its formation in 1971. So in 1972, Amtrak opened a modest new station at 1901 River Rd. But the restoration of Union Terminal into a multi purpose center, made it feasible for Amtrak to return there in 1991.

Cincinnati Museum Center At Union Terminal
Link to an official Web site, showing how this great old station has been preserved and transformed for other uses.

All five older stations were subsequently demolished.

Hamilton County Ohio Railroad Stations
Links to Web pages containing further information on the historic stations.


MAPPING THE STATIONS AND RAILROADS

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