Jacksonville Union Terminal HISTORY RECAP

[Ocklawaha]

Okay, the tunnels have brought the grand old lady of the City back to the front page of every forum.

Jacksonville has had several "union terminals" or "union passenger stations' The first appeared near the CSX building right after the "War of Yankee Aggression." Thousands of former enemy troops had seen the rich forests and villages and decided with the Southern economy in ruin, they would profit from the economic opportunities. Lumber, Chemicals, Fishing, Hunting, Tourism and farming we the leaders on the charts. By the 1880's enough rail had been put down to create connection problems. Several pioneer companies and their Nabob builders went in on joint investments for a central station. Flagler, Plant, the Savannah, Florida and Western, as well as the Jacksonville Tampa and Key West, and Florida East Coast all tooted the horns for the new station. By the end of the 1880's we had a grand old lady and by the 1890's we were already out-growing her FAST.

Weird thing about our location, EVERY railroad line into or out of Florida passes through Jacksonville. While it wasn't that way in the late 1800's, nothing else approaching the mainline volume could be found elsewhere. We truly became THE GATEWAY CITY... Traffic boomed, doubled and doubled again and again. By the early 1900's some interesting FIRST, a massive hurricane blew down the great train shed, a huge arched roof that once covered all of the boarding area, several City blocks in size was blown to splinters by a great storm. The many smaller railroad lines that served our City had pretty well boiled down to the handful of modern carriers that would last into the 1960's.

Florida was experiencing a real estate boom and by the early 1920's there was no limit to where this would take our state. In 1919, the City flung open the doors to the massive 1919 Greek Revival station we are so fond of today. Based on New York City's Penn Station, it would be the largest station ever built South of Washington, DC. The giant new station had a handsome black and white waiting room. There were also rooms for the restaurant, a stained glass hall to the beanery, men's and women's lounges, games, arcades, shops and services, as well as Ticketing. We had 29 passenger tracks in the station, split pretty much in half by dead end or stub terminal tracks, and through tracks which passed on the South Side of the Station and continued on to the FEC RY.



A little known fact in the South was that the railroads were very early in the Civil Rights fights, and Jacksonville Terminal was no different. Separate but equal was very expensive and it choked the life out of smaller market passenger train routes. Soon the railroads went to the government saying, we can't afford to run trains for each color of folk we may pick up! The government relented and the Black Waiting room was just a voluntary space after that.



During the Florida Boom of the 1920's and during WWI and II, this was the busiest station in the United States in many reporting quarters. In fact during the Florida Boom it became the busiest station in the entire world for a short time. Trains were not (and should not today be) just "The Amtrak" or "The Train" to Chicago for example. Going to Chicago, you mailed post cards to all of your friends about YOUR train, the Atlantic Coast Lines FLAMINGO, or the Southerns ROYAL POINCIANA, or the Illinois Centrals CITY OF MIAMI, or Pensey's SOUTH WIND. Each and every one as unique a travel experience as possible. Unique sleeping car services, bed rooms, barber shops, beauty salons and consultants, valet, specialty menus, dining facilities, pub, bar or lounge services. Free OJ, newspaper and fresh flowers and shined shoes on wake up. No, no one at the terminal took "The Train" they took a certain, royal machine. One with a heart and soul. Over 200 daily trains came into the City and many times that many pulled out to head South, or came up from the South to consolidate in Jacksonville. If our station was about ANYTHING, it was all about switching cars... So you rolled to a stop while tucked in your bedroom aboard the "Gulf Coast Special" for St. Petersburg, at 11:45pm. Sound asleep. When she pulled in your train had 24 cars, 10 of which were postal or express cars. But your not going to St. Petersburg, and the ticket agent in Richmond assured you that would not present a problem. He was referring indirectly to Jacksonville, and by 6 am, you are walking into a lounge car, to order a continental breakfast and some coffee. Leaning into a curve, you peek out the window and realize your train now screaming along on the Florida East Coast, somewhere South of West Palm Beach... Your headed for North Miami! While you slept, Jacksonville Terminal went to work on your train. The express cars went to the Worlds largest Railroad Express Agency Depot, located where JTA currently sits. Of a hand full of baggage cars, only one is still with you now.
You are deep in a beautiful stainless steel train, called the Havana Special, everyone in your car is amazed by the change.

On your return trip North, you change routes in Jacksonville, so you climb off the East Coast Champion at about 4 in the afternoon, out on track 22. Down a long ramp you go into a busy two way freeway like sidewalk. Busier then Miami International, or Hartsfield Atlanta, this is Jacksonville Terminal. Many side ramps go up to different tracks and gates until finally the ramp climbs back to street level in the Southern end of the Concourse. You go inside and walk under the 8Th largest unsupported ceiling in the World. Dazzled by the afternoon light pouring through the stained glass above your hall, you enter the restaurant. Ham and Eggs any time of day, and you have heard this is the best place in town to order them... THAT was no lie! Just as you wander around the various shops, you hear the announcement, "Ladies and Gentlemen, Seaboard Air Line Railroad Train number 22, the Northbound Tidewater is now boarding on track 8, for ......."



The Tidewater has received cars from other trains over the last hour or so and now it's ready to roll, it's final destination Norfolk, Virginia. It too will undergo transformations en-route, taking parts of the Birmingham - Atlanta - New York, Silver Comet to Norfolk. Shortly it's time for bed again, and this time a friendly Seaboard Porter makes your bed, and fluff's your pillows... Tomorrow, a slice of Peanut Butter Pie, or Seaboards famous Peanut Soup! This was the era of the grand passenger trains... It all came crashing down in 1971 when a quasi-government agency called RAILPAX , and then AMTRAK, took control of a tiny fraction of the trains. Then Begin an odd experiment where Amtrak would be required to serve the whole nation. Required to make a profit. Required to quit using any government money. Required to serve a host of market pair cities, states and not own an inch of track. By 1974 the false world of Amtrak was already caving in, Jacksonville terminal was just too big, Florida wanted taxes, not trains, and the last of what was once the "East Coast Champion" of the ACL, SCL, which would have been today's CSX. Soon President Carter cut off the Champion, and the Floridian (the last remaining train to Chicago from Florida).

No one knows the future, but with fuel prices soaring, and plans for Union Terminal to reopen as the temple of transportation it was intended to be. Perhaps we are about to enter a new era of the Passenger Train. The map hasn't changed, the building is still there. Some might even argue that the Prime Osbourne improved it's chances of serving more transportation, such as Greyhound, or JTA. Even the old Tunnel concourse is still out there, between the old tracks, waiting for the footsteps of a million patrons...The trains will stop here, that is for sure, but will we regain our leadership in the passenger rail world? Only City Hall can make that RIGHT decision.

Ocklawaha

[Timkin]

Fascinating information, Ock! 

[gatorback]

Si.  The information is great.  But you failed to mention "Pullman".  Ocklawaha how could you, or are you just pacing yourself.  I don't know much about pullman except you want one.  I've got some pics of Pullmens  but I'd like your thoughts on these one off, custom, hand crafted cars owned by royalty, industrialist and the millionaires of the day.








Ever been to the Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum in Chicago, Illinois?

Check out the wood work?




What's the deal with car at the Prime Osbourne?

What's this?



So you need a haircut?  Step on up!



Theodore Roosevelt used this car on one of his trips to the 6666 Ranch in North Texas. It is believed that the Indian Chief �  Quanah Parker has also ridden in this unique Pullman Car.

[Ocklawaha]

Gatorback, Years ago, I owned the Private Pullman, "The Mountain Queen". I also came very close to buying FEC office car "95"... But it all worked out anyway... the Queen had a cracked frame and couldn't move, so she sold to go to a private property. 95, ended up in Morristown NJ, where I last saw her. Another was the St. Lucie Sound or the Lake Okeechobee, both Florida East Coast, Tavern Lounge Observation Cars. Both ended up in museums and I think my favorite the "Sound" is in Ohio now.  Ahhh, maybe someday, I'll make the leap for real, but you have to have deep pockets... Something where I'm not even close anymore.

Ocklawaha

[gatorback]

hahaha.  this one I like

[gatorback]

Is it a party!

[thelakelander]

Ever been to the Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum in Chicago, Illinois?

Hmmm.  Philip Randolph was born and raised right here in Jacksonville.  We should have or own museum dedicated to his civil rights works.

[lindab]

Ocklawaha, that was a beautiful write-up. Lots of us who read these forums or go to JTA meetings feel subdued by the engineering explanations. What you have written is what most folks remember - the excitement and out of the ordinary experience of Union Terminal. If you go today into Grand Central or Union Station in DC you feel the same. Thanks and here's hoping we see it again. 

No, no one at the terminal took "The Train" they took a certain, royal machine. One with a heart and soul.

[Ocklawaha]

Okay, so the Station piece was written with passion. Call it love if you want. One of my hobbies besides anything on rails is family history. No I don't wear special Mormon underwear, nor do I really care that I found everything from Kings to Quantrail in the records...I was able to connect with Lee, Jackson, Wallace, Bruce, McVey, Goodrich (OMG!), Stuart (Yes Gwynedd maybe cousin?) Wheeler and a host of other cool names. Most of the lines fade into an English or Scottish fog about 1100 or 1200. The cool thing was the two migrations of my last name to America. One via the Mayflower as a bonded servant, and others into the South. We stem from the same tree back in England, but the US tree not only doesn't meet, it was downright unfriendly. My uncle William D'Alton, was a Yankee officer in the "War of Yankee Invasion". He played carpet bager after the war and got tied to Uncle Goodrich's rubber business. By the late 1800's both were riding high. William was the first publisher of a "National Enquirer" type rag, called the New York Town Topics. He became known as the "Prince of Society Blackmailers". Moreover, the old white haired Yankee, had a mind for new ideas... He created a sleeping car company! He also went on to gain us trademarks and patents on Upper and Lower berths, bedrooms, Suites, Drawing Rooms etc... Though it is said this colorful bandit made his cars with plaster of Paris, the managed to stun the railroad world. Finally, George M. Pullman retired him by buying up the patents for all those sleeping car inventions. Uncle? Yes, looks like it, but I don't know if I claim him... Perhaps there's a railroad gene that got passed along sometime, long, long, ago.

Ocklawaha

[Timkin]

again... a fascinating informative and colorful look back into some Jacksonville History.... and at least one time in the Citys past that they retained a beautiful piece of its Architectural Treasures..

=)

[Jason]

I'm still working on modeling to old station Ock.


Here is what I have so far....

[Coolyfett]

Good stuff Ock!! Hey are you the guy that was featured in the Folio Weekly with "the little engine that can't" on the cover??

[Steve]

Yes he was, and the other picture was of Metro Jacksonville co-founder thelakelander

[Timkin]

Nice work, Jason

[gatorback]

Bravo!