INDIANAPOLIS'S PASSENGER TRAINS

OF THE PAST

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

THE STATIONS

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

Union Station
39 Jackson Pl.
Opened 1914, replacing earlier stations at same location built in 1853 and 1888

Number of station tracks: 12 through
Interlocked switches controlled from IU Tower

BALTIMORE & OHIO

Departures



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

 48  (Motor Train)         Decatur IL      4:30 pm
 49  (Motor Train)         Hamilton        4:40 pm
Arrivals



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

 48  (Motor Train)         Hamilton       11:00 am
 49  (Motor Train)         Decatur IL     11:30 am
Passenger service discontinued in 1950.

ILLINOIS CENTRAL

Departures



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

333                        Effingham       2:45 pm
Arrivals



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

334                        Effingham      11:15 am
Passenger service discontinued in 1945.

MONON

Departures



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

 36  Mid Night Special     Chicago        12:30   12   6:30 am
 30  Hoosier               Chicago         5:00   14   4:15 pm
Arrivals



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

 35  Mid Night Special     Chicago         4:15   11   1:05 pm
 31  Hoosier               Chicago         9:15   15   9:30 pm
Passenger service discontinued in 1959.

NEW YORK CENTRAL

Departures-Westbound



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

443  Chicago Night Exp.    Chicago        12:10       12:35
 43                        Peoria         12:15
431  St. Louis Special     St. Louis      12:30
437  Royal Palm            Chicago         1:55
427  Gateway               St. Louis       2:45        1:50
 41  Knickerbocker         St. Louis       7:35        6:43
  3  James Whitcomb Riley  Chicago         9:05        9:28  303  10:45 am
415  Chicago Special       Chicago        10:20       10:45
 23  Missourian            St. Louis      10:20
 13  Corn Belt Special     Peoria         11:00   11   7:00 am
 11  Southwestern Limited  St. Louis      12:02       10:59
419  White City Special    Chicago         1:20        1:15
401  Terre Haute Express   Terre Haute     3:30
405  Sycamore              Chicago         4:35        4:50
407  St. Louis Special     St. Louis       5:45        5:35
Arrivals-Westbound



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

437  Royal Palm            Cincinnati      1:45        1:00
431  St. Louis Special     Cleveland      12:05
427  Gateway               Cleveland       2:40        1:30  315   6:05 am
307  Indianapolis Express  Detroit         6:00        5:50
 41  Knickerbocker         New York        7:25        6:30
  3  James Whitcomb Riley  Cincinnati      9:00        9:37  303  10:35 am
 23  Missourian            Cleveland      10:00
415  Chicago Special       Cincinnati     10:10       10:55
 11  Southwestern Limited  New York       11:55       10:50
419  White City Special    Cincinnati      1:10
405  Sycamore              Cincinnati      4:25        4:40
407  St. Louis Special     Cleveland       5:30        5:20
223                        Springfield O   7:00
443  Chicago Night Exp.    Cincinnati     11:55
Departures-Eastbound



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

438  Cinc. Night Express   Cincinnati      2:20        4:00
444  Royal Palm            Cincinnati      4:20
446  Cleveland Special     Cleveland       4:35        3:45  316   9:35 am
434  Local                 Galion          6:35
436                        Cincinnati      7:40
222                        Springfield O   8:15
416  Cincinnati Special    Cincinnati      2:15        2:05
 12  Southwestern Limited  New York        2:15        2:00
418  Queen City Special    Cincinnati      5:55
 24  Knickerbocker         New York        6:00        5:20
418                        Cleveland       6:10  406   5:30
  4  James Whitcomb Riley  Cincinnati      8:10        8:00  304   8:55 pm
304  Toledo-Detroit Exp.   Detroit        10:00        9:30
 38  Missourian            New York       10:50   40  10:30
420  Cleveland Special     Cleveland      10:55
Arrivals-Eastbound



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

438  Cinc. Night Express   Chicago         2:10        3:33
 44                        Peoria          3:45
434  Local                 St. Louis       4:10        6:00
444  Royal Palm            Chicago         4:10
446  Cleveland Special     St. Louis       4:15        3:10
402  Indianapolis Express  Terre Haute     9:40
414                        Chicago        12:55       12:35
 14  Corn Belt Special     Peoria          1:35   12   7:45 pm
416  Cincinnati Special    Chicago         2:00        1:43
 12  Southwestern Limited  St. Louis       2:05        1:50
418  Queen City Special    Chicago         5:40  406   5:08
 24  Knickerbocker         St. Louis       5:45        5:06
  4  James Whitcomb Riley  Chicago         8:05        7:50  304   8:45 pm
 38  Missourian            St. Louis      10:45   40  10:16
Passenger service initially retained by Amtrak in 1971, with the James Whitcomb Riley.

PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD

Departures-Westbound



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

307  Kentuckian            Chicago         2:30   95   1:40
 33  St. Louisan           St. Louis       4:15        2:35
 27                        St. Louis       7:10
 31  Spirit Of St. Louis   St. Louis       8:49        8:50       10:05 am
 65  Jeffersonian          St. Louis       9:06
315  Blue Grass Special    Logansport     10:43   91  10:00
 67  American              St. Louis      12:10    3  10:55
319                        South Bend      3:35
 11                        St. Louis       5:28
309  South Wind            Chicago         5:40   93   3:20        4:50 pm
 13                        St. Louis      10:58   11   5:48   13   6:33 pm
Arrivals-Westbound



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

155                        Pittsburgh      1:25    7   1:30
307  Kentuckian            Louisville      2:15   95   1:20
 33  St. Louisan           New York        4:07        2:35
 27                        Pittsburgh      6:48
 31  Spirit Of St. Louis   New York        8:44        8:50       10:05 am
 65  Jeffersonian          New York        9:01
 21  Spirit Of St. Louis   Washington      9:10
315  Blue Grass Special    Louisville     10:36   91   9:55
 67  American              New York       12:05    3  10:55
319                        Louisville      3:23
 11                        Columbus        4:58
309  South Wind            Miami           5:37   93   3:15        4:50 pm
327  Pennsylvania Limited  Louisville     10:10
 13                        New York       10:30   11   5:48   13   6:33 pm
Departures-Eastbound



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

306  Kentuckian            Louisville      4:45   94   3:35
  6  Allegheny             Pittsburgh      6:38        3:30
 88                        Columbus        6:50   12   6:30
326                        Louisville      9:20
308  South Wind            Miami          11:45   90  12:40        1:17 pm
 66  American              New York        1:45    4   2:05        3:40 pm
316                        Louisville      2:40
 30  Spirit Of St. Louis   New York        4:20        4:50
 20  Spirit Of St. Louis   Washington      4:25
 64  Jeffersonian          New York        4:30
320  Blue Grass Special    Louisville      5:37   92   6:55
102  Pennsylvania Limited  Pittsburgh     10:32   32  10:05       10:25 pm
 26                        Pittsburgh     10:45
Arrivals-Eastbound



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

306  Kentuckian            Chicago         4:20   94   3:05
  6  Allegheny             St. Louis       6:18        3:30
308  South Wind            Chicago        11:42   90  12:35        1:17 pm
 66  American              St. Louis       1:36    4   2:05        3:40 pm
316                        South Bend      2:27
 30  Spirit Of St. Louis   St. Louis       4:10        4:40
 64  Jeffersonian          St. Louis       4:25
320  Blue Grass Special    Logansport      5:20   92   6:45
 26                        St. Louis       9:45
102  Pennsylvania Limited  St. Louis      10:22   32  10:05       10:10 pm
Passenger service initially retained by Amtrak in 1971, basically trains 4 and 31 the Spirit Of St. Louis at the time, and the South Wind.

Until 1932, also using Union Station were Nickel Plate Road passenger trains.

STATIONS TODAY

This station eventually became part of a Crowne Plaza hotel complex. The actual old station building, on the north side of the railroad embankment, eventually became mostly unused, except for hotel special events.

A Greyhound bus station was carved out of the embankment on the south side, with Amtrak using a portion of the Greyhound station. A stairway leads up to a platform where Amtrak trains stop.

Indianapolis Union Station
Link to a Web page including photos and information on Indianapolis Union Station.

MAPPING THE STATIONS AND RAILROADS

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