Opening the Gateway: St. Louis Union Station

This article describes the construction of the St. Louis Union Station in Missouri at the Mill Creek Valley. The 1875 opening of the original Union Depot, which was facilitated by the construction of the Eads Bridge, allowed for the young 19th century city to double its population in ten years. In order to accommodate the increasing passenger volume, ground was broken in 1892 for an all-encompassing station, to be designed by George H. Pegram, and which would feature three main areas: a headhouse for ticketing and amenities, a concourse for queuing, and a train shed. The Train Shed, which was the largest in the world at that time, spanned 32 tracks and covered 11.4 acres. It featured the Pegram Truss, which involved five steel trusses supported by six column lines, was designed to do away with the costly and almost impossible process of manufacturing long steel chords.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/10480594
• Authors:
  • Hansen, Brett
• Publication Date: 2007-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: pp 32-33
• Serial:
  • Civil Engineering
  • Volume: 77
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers
  • ISSN: 0885-7024
  • Serial URL: http://www.pubs.asce.org/ceonline/newce/html

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Architecture; History; Railroad stations; Structural design; Trusses
• Identifier Terms: St. Louis Union Station
• Subject Areas: History; Railroads; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01042974
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: UC Berkeley Transportation Library
• Files: BTRIS, TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 1 2007 1:19PM