Charleston station (West Virginia)

Charleston station is an active intercity railroad station in Charleston, Kanawha County, West Virginia. Located on MacCorkle Avenue Southeast, the station services trains of Amtrak's Cardinal between New York Penn Station and Chicago Union Station. The two trains (nos. 50 (eastbound) and 51 (westbound)), make stops in Charleston on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Charleston station contains a single 800-foot (240 m) concrete side platform and has a station depot that provides a waiting room for customers.

Charleston, WV
Charleston station, April 2009
General information
Location350 MacCorkle Avenue Southeast
Charleston, West Virginia
United States
Coordinates38°20′47″N 81°38′18″W
Owned byGeneral Corporation
Line(s)CSX Kanawha Subdivision
Platforms1 side platform
Tracks2
ConnectionsBus transport Kanawha Valley Regional Transportation Authority
Construction
ParkingYes
AccessibleYes
Other information
Station codeAmtrak: CHW
History
Opened1905
2023[1]
Passengers
201811,251[2] Increase 14.7%
FY 20226,641[3] (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Huntington
toward Chicago
 Cardinal Montgomery
toward New York
Former services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Huntington
toward Chicago
 James Whitcomb Riley
1974–1977
 Thurmond
toward Washington, D.C.
James Whitcomb Riley and George Washington
1971–1974
 Prince
toward Washington, D.C. or Newport News
Preceding station Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Following station
Barboursville
toward Cincinnati
 Main Line Cabin Creek
toward Washington, D.C. or Old Point Comfort
Chesapeake and Ohio Depot
Charleston station (West Virginia) is located in West Virginia
Charleston station (West Virginia)
Charleston station (West Virginia) is located in the United States
Charleston station (West Virginia)
Area0.5 acres (0.2 ha)
ArchitectJ.C. & A.L. Pennock
Architectural styleClassical Revival, Beaux Arts
MPSSouth Hills MRA
NRHP reference No.84000782[4]
Added to NRHPOctober 26, 1984

The station depot, built by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway in 1905, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Description

The station was originally owned by the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway. In September 2010, the station was purchased by General Corporation, a commercial real estate company based in Charleston. The station is located on the south bank of the Kanawha River, opposite downtown Charleston which lies on the north bank. Much of the station's outdoor space is covered by the South Side Bridge which allows both vehicular and pedestrian traffic to access the downtown areas. A fine dining establishment, Laury's Restaurant, occupies much of the station's interior.

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 as the Chesapeake and Ohio Depot and part of the South Hills Multiple Resource Area.[4] It is a two-story, brick and stone structure in the Neo-Classical Revival style. The facade features a shallow pavilion of paired Roman Doric columns facing the Kanawha River. It also has a low hipped, tile-covered roof with bracketed deep eaves.[5]

Budget cuts in 2018 eliminated staffing of the station by an Amtrak station agent.[6] Staffing of the station was reinstated in October 2020.[7] Tickets to and from Charleston must be purchased in advance or from the ticket agent, as there are no Quik-Trak kiosks available. The station also provides checked baggage service.[8] Amtrak completed upgrades at Charleston station in 2023 as part of a $6.4 million project. The company installed a 800-foot (240 m) long concrete platform, along with fresh lighting and signage. A stormwater system and new guardrails, along with new pathways and bird netting were added. Parking spots compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 were installed. The project also upgraded the station depot, replacing the roof and renovating the restrooms and waiting room. A ribbon cutting ceremony occurred on October 12.[1]

See also

References
  1. "Amtrak Completes Upgrades at Charleston Station" (Press release). Amtrak. October 12, 2023. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  2. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, FY2018, State of West Virginia" (PDF). Amtrak. June 2019. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  3. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2022: State of West Virginia" (PDF). Amtrak. June 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  4. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  5. "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form" (PDF). Chesapeake and Ohio Depot. State of West Virginia, West Virginia Division of Culture and History, Historic Preservation. 2009-04-04.
  6. Pat LaFleur (May 3, 2018). "Amtrak will no longer staff train station at Union Terminal".
  7. Shannon Stowers (October 14, 2020). "Last Amtrak agent in W. Va. welcomed back to Charleston position".
  8. "Charleston, West Virginia Station Details". Amtrak. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
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