Canton station (Ohio)

Canton station, or Canton–Akron station, is a former train station in Canton, Ohio.

Canton–Akron, OH
The former Amtrak station, 2021
General information
Location846 S. Market Ave
Canton, Ohio 44702
Coordinates40.7920°N 81.37666°W / 40.7920; -81.37666
Platforms1 island platform
Tracks3
History
Closed1990
Rebuilt1978
Former services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Crestline
toward Chicago
 Broadway Limited Pittsburgh
toward New York
Capitol Limited Pittsburgh
toward Washington, D.C.
Preceding station Pennsylvania Railroad Following station
Massillon
toward Chicago
 Main Line Louisville
toward New York or Exchange Place

History
1915 station in early years of use

Canton's Pennsylvania Railroad first station at the site was built in 1915. It served the Pennsylvania Railroad's Chicago–Philadelphia–New York City main line, with Canton being the largest Ohio city on the line. At the mid-century peak, the station served ten trains eastbound to Pittsburgh on the mainline, eight trains westbound on the main line, am and pm trains in both directions on the Detroit–Pittsburgh circuit, daytime departures both directions on an overnight Cincinnati–Columbus–Youngstown–Pittsburgh route. Prestige express trains, such as the PRR's Broadway Limited, did not stop at the station.[1]

Named passenger trains in 1958 included:[2]

  • Chicago–New York City: Admiral, General (eastbound only), Manhattan Limited, Pennsylvania Limited
  • Chicago–Pittsburgh: Fort Pitt and Golden Triangle
  • Detroit–Washington and New York City: Red Arrow (eastbound only)

Penn Central era

In 1968, the first year of the merged Penn Central, the storied Broadway Limited began making stops at Canton; the other trains serving the station included the Manhattan Limited and the Pennsylvania Limited. An unnamed successor to the Fort Pitt made a westbound only trip through Canton.[3] In 1970 the Penn Central petitioned the Interstate Commerce Commission to drop trains running through the station, among a total of 34 trains to cut. The ICC refused the request, and mandated that the service continue until the national service (the future Amtrak) would pick up the service.[4]

Amtrak era

The Broadway Limited was the train continuing to serve the station into the Amtrak era.[5] The city of Canton condemned the station and it was demolished in 1976. Amtrak agreed the next year to build a station building for $200,000, of a standard design to accommodate fifty passengers. The new building opened on June 29, 1978, after less than half a year of construction.[6][7]

Amtrak's Capitol Limited joined the station when the Amtrak incarnation of the train was launched in 1981. Amtrak service with the Broadway Limited and the Capitol Limited at the station ended in 1990 as those trains were rerouted that fall to the north: the Broadway Limited to Akron and the Capitol Limited to Alliance, Ohio.[8][9]

Post abandonment
The abandoned station's platform and canopy, 2021

After the station was abandoned, it was used first as a restaurant, then as a convenience store. As of 2022, the station currently sits unused. It was considered for use as part of the proposed Canton streetcar project, but ultimately ruled out.

References
  1. Pennsylvania Railroad timetable, March 15, 1946 Tables 1, 2, 12, 17 https://streamlinermemories.info/PRR/PRR46TT.pdf
  2. "Pennsylvania Railroad, Tables 1, 7, 87". Official Guide of the Railways. National Railway Publication Company. 90 (10). March 1958.
  3. "Pennsylvania Railroad, Tables 1, 7, 87". Official Guide of the Railways. National Railway Publication Company. 101 (1). June 1968.
  4. Sanders 2009, p. 40
  5. Amtrak National Timetable, October, 1972, p. 47
  6. Sanders 2009, p. 119
  7. "Canton Station Opens, City Officials Praise Amtrak". Amtrak News. Amtrak. 5 (7). July 1978.
  8. Amtrak National Timetable, October 28, 1990, p. 44, 45
  9. "Amtrak Switches Lines to Chicago". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. November 12, 1990. p. 10. Retrieved November 22, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. open access

Bibliography
  • Sanders, Craig (2009). Canton Area Railroads. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0738561110.


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