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Union Station (Hartford)
Encyclopedia
Hartford Union Station is the main railway station in Hartford
, Connecticut, United States. . The historic station building is near the State Capitol Building
. It is a Richardsonian Romanesque
building designed by George Keller
and built in 1889. A 1914 fire required that it be completely rebuilt, and in 1987 the interior was renovated. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
since 1975.
It is served by what is now Amtrak
's New Haven-Springfield Line
which branches off from the Northeast Corridor
in New Haven. Of the 12 Connecticut stations served by Amtrak, Hartford was the third busiest in 2010, boarding or detraining an average of approximately 450 passengers daily.
carrying Interstate 84
and U.S. Route 6
, which curves around the north of the station as well. Across Asylum on the south is Bushnell Park
, also listed on the Register.
The main building is located between the tracks and Union Place. It is a three-story rectangular building in rough-faced Portland
brownstone
with two smaller, similarly shaped two-story wings on the north and south. The main building has a flat roof; the wings are gable
d and tiled, with dormer windows piercing them at regular intervals.
On the east (front) facade
, a wide set of steps rises to the main entrance, beneath a flat hood at the springlines of three of the large segmental arches that run across the first story. Above these is a stylized floral molded
course
. The second story has similar but smaller segmental arches set with a recessed panel and four-pane windows. The central bay
has "1914" carved into its panel; all others are blank. The two wings have four-pane rectangular windows.
At the station level are four tracks divided by a platform in the middle. Two sets of iron roofs create a train shed. On the wall side those roofs are supported by spiral-shaped iron brackets
. In the middle columns and simple curved brackets support the truss
es that hold up the shed roof. All are made of iron.
The interior has been thoroughly remodeled since the station was rebuilt. It is a mostly open area with stairs along the west wall leading up to the elevated tracks and benches along the east. Flooring is red tile. There are offices on the north and south; some look out over the main space.
, Central New England Railway
, Hartford and Connecticut Valley Railroad (all of which were acquired by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
) and the New York and New England Railroad
, but the entire structure had to be rebuilt after a fire in 1914. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
as "Hartford Union Station" in 1975.
Currently only Amtrak trains use the station, but there are plans to start a new commuter service on the New Haven-Springfield Line. The project is called the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail Line
. The station is currently served by 1 track and platform. The second track and platform were removed by Amtrak in the 1990s to reduce maintenance costs. The second track and platform are planned to be reinstalled with the upgrades to the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield track for the commuter rail service.
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, Connecticut, United States. . The historic station building is near the State Capitol Building
Connecticut State Capitol
The Connecticut State Capitol is located north of Capitol Avenue and south of Bushnell Park in Hartford, the capital of Connecticut. The building houses the Connecticut General Assembly; the upper house, the State Senate, and lower house, the House of Representatives, as well as the office of the...
. It is a Richardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque is a style of Romanesque Revival architecture named after architect Henry Hobson Richardson, whose masterpiece is Trinity Church, Boston , designated a National Historic Landmark...
building designed by George Keller
George Keller
George Keller may refer to:* George Keller * George Keller , administrator* Professor George Keller , American art teacher and animal trainer...
and built in 1889. A 1914 fire required that it be completely rebuilt, and in 1987 the interior was renovated. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
since 1975.
It is served by what is now Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's New Haven-Springfield Line
New Haven-Springfield Line
The New Haven–Springfield Line or Hartford Line is a railroad line owned by Amtrak from New Haven, Connecticut north to Springfield, Massachusetts. As a branch of the Northeast Corridor at New Haven, it is served by approximately seven daily Regional round trips, some continuing from New Haven to...
which branches off from the Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
in New Haven. Of the 12 Connecticut stations served by Amtrak, Hartford was the third busiest in 2010, boarding or detraining an average of approximately 450 passengers daily.
Building
The station is located on the western edge of downtown Hartford, on a three-acre (3 acres (1.2 ha)) block between Union Place and Spruce Street on the east and west and Church and Asylum streets to the north and south. Opposite the main building on Union Place are a mixture of other old buildings and parking lots. To the west is a triangular parking lot and the viaductViaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
carrying Interstate 84
Interstate 84 (east)
Interstate 84 is an Interstate Highway extending from Dunmore, Pennsylvania at an interchange with Interstate 81 to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, at an interchange with the Massachusetts Turnpike . I-84 has mile-log junction numbering in Pennsylvania; otherwise, exit numbers are roughly sequential...
and U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6 in Connecticut
U.S. Route 6 is the portion of the cross-country U.S. Route 6 within the state of Connecticut. West of Hartford, the route either closely parallels or runs along Interstate 84. Interstate 84 has largely supplanted Route 6 as a through route in western Connecticut. East of Hartford, the route serves...
, which curves around the north of the station as well. Across Asylum on the south is Bushnell Park
Bushnell Park
Bushnell Park in Hartford, Connecticut is the oldest publicly funded park in the United States. It was conceived by the Reverend Horace Bushnell in the mid-1850s at a time when the need for open public spaces was just starting to be recognized....
, also listed on the Register.
The main building is located between the tracks and Union Place. It is a three-story rectangular building in rough-faced Portland
Portland, Connecticut
Portland is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 8,732 at the 2000 census. The town center is listed as a census-designated place . It is situated across the Connecticut River from Middletown....
brownstone
Brownstone
Brownstone is a brown Triassic or Jurassic sandstone which was once a popular building material. The term is also used in the United States to refer to a terraced house clad in this material.-Types:-Apostle Island brownstone:...
with two smaller, similarly shaped two-story wings on the north and south. The main building has a flat roof; the wings are gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d and tiled, with dormer windows piercing them at regular intervals.
On the east (front) facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
, a wide set of steps rises to the main entrance, beneath a flat hood at the springlines of three of the large segmental arches that run across the first story. Above these is a stylized floral molded
Molding (decorative)
Molding or moulding is a strip of material with various profiles used to cover transitions between surfaces or for decoration. It is traditionally made from solid milled wood or plaster but may be made from plastic or reformed wood...
course
Course (architecture)
A course is a continuous horizontal layer of similarly-sized building material one unit high, usually in a wall. The term is almost always used in conjunction with unit masonry such as brick, cut stone, or concrete masonry units .-Styles:...
. The second story has similar but smaller segmental arches set with a recessed panel and four-pane windows. The central bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
has "1914" carved into its panel; all others are blank. The two wings have four-pane rectangular windows.
At the station level are four tracks divided by a platform in the middle. Two sets of iron roofs create a train shed. On the wall side those roofs are supported by spiral-shaped iron brackets
Bracket (architecture)
A bracket is an architectural member made of wood, stone, or metal that overhangs a wall to support or carry weight. It may also support a statue, the spring of an arch, a beam, or a shelf. Brackets are often in the form of scrolls, and can be carved, cast, or molded. They can be entirely...
. In the middle columns and simple curved brackets support the truss
Truss
In architecture and structural engineering, a truss is a structure comprising one or more triangular units constructed with straight members whose ends are connected at joints referred to as nodes. External forces and reactions to those forces are considered to act only at the nodes and result in...
es that hold up the shed roof. All are made of iron.
The interior has been thoroughly remodeled since the station was rebuilt. It is a mostly open area with stairs along the west wall leading up to the elevated tracks and benches along the east. Flooring is red tile. There are offices on the north and south; some look out over the main space.
History
The station was built in 1889, and served the Hartford and New Haven RailroadHartford and New Haven Railroad
The Hartford and New Haven Railroad was an important direct predecessor of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. Its railroad commenced service in 1844 and ended independent operations in 1872...
, Central New England Railway
Central New England Railway
The Central New England Railway was a railroad from Hartford, Connecticut and Springfield, Massachusetts west across northern Connecticut and across the Hudson River on the Poughkeepsie Bridge to Maybrook, New York...
, Hartford and Connecticut Valley Railroad (all of which were acquired by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...
) and the New York and New England Railroad
New York and New England Railroad
The New York and New England Railroad was a major railroad connecting southern New York state with Hartford, Connecticut, Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts. It operated from 1873 to 1893. Prior to 1873 it was known as the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad, which had been formed by...
, but the entire structure had to be rebuilt after a fire in 1914. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as "Hartford Union Station" in 1975.
Currently only Amtrak trains use the station, but there are plans to start a new commuter service on the New Haven-Springfield Line. The project is called the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail Line
New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail Line
The New Haven–Hartford–Springfield commuter rail line is a planned commuter rail line with a southern terminus at Union Station in New Haven, Connecticut, and a northern terminus at Union Station in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States...
. The station is currently served by 1 track and platform. The second track and platform were removed by Amtrak in the 1990s to reduce maintenance costs. The second track and platform are planned to be reinstalled with the upgrades to the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield track for the commuter rail service.
See also
- List of Amtrak stations
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Hartford, Connecticut