Prince station
Prince station is an Amtrak station in Prince, West Virginia, served by the Cardinal. It serves as the main depot for the Beckley area because it is on the CSX (originally Chesapeake & Ohio Railway) mainline while Beckley itself is not.
Prince, WV | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Eastbound Cardinal stopped at Prince station in 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| General information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | 5034 Stanaford Road (WV 41) Prince, West Virginia United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 37°51′24″N 81°03′38″W | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owned by | Fayette County Commission | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line(s) | CSX New River Subdivision | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 1 side platform | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tracks | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Construction | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parking | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accessible | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Architectural style | Art Moderne[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Unstaffed[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Station code | Amtrak: PRC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 1886 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rebuilt | 1946[3] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Passengers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FY 2022 | 1,555[4] (Amtrak) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Services | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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History
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway built the first facility in 1880 that was enlarged in 1891 to serve both freight and passengers.[5] In 1942, the C&O president, Robert R. Young, saw a need for "a stylish, streamlined, and efficient passenger rail system" that led to the development of the current station.[5]
Design
The design of the Prince train station is Art Moderne, similar to Art Deco,[6] with a horizontal design, emphasizing movement and sleekness.[1][7] Built in 1946, the architectural firm was Garfield, Harris, Robinson, & Schafer that was headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.[8] The main terminal building is 125 by 22 feet (38.1 m × 6.7 m) and the waiting area features tall ceilings and large windows, as well as a large wall mural depicting mining and the importance of coal.[5] The terrazzo floor has embedded in it the original C&O “Chessie” kitten logo.[1]
The depot has a minimum of ornamentation. Each end of the 500-foot (152 m) canopy is rounded and topped with Streamline Moderne stainless steel lettering spelling out "Prince".[9] The canopy is oriented so that the sun would warm waiting passengers in the winter time, while shading them in the summer.[5]
Building overview in 2022
Front entrance in 2022
Passenger platform side in 2022
Interior in 2022
Future
With an upsurge in activities in the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, and the development of the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve that is located 7 miles (11 km) from the station, plans were underway for improvements to the passenger facility as of late 2013.[10]
References
- Gresham, Caryn (June 27, 2020). "Notable structures reflect state's history". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
- Gunnoe, Chase (April 22, 2016). "Prince, W.Va., loses Amtrak station agent". Trains Magazine. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
- "Prince Played a Large Part in Beckley Area Development". The Raleigh Register. Beckley, West Virginia. May 5, 1946. p. 6. Retrieved January 4, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2022: State of West Virginia" (PDF). Amtrak. June 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- "Prince, WV (PRC)". www.greatamericanstations.com. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
- Castro, James E. (2006). The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. Arcadia Publishing. p. 35. ISBN 9780738543345.
- "Along the New River". Railfan & Railroad. 25: 5. 2006.
- Bittermann, Eleanor (1952). Art in modern architecture. Reinhold. p. 73.
- Chambers, S. Allen (2004). Buildings of West Virginia, Volume 9 of Buildings of the United States. Oxford University Press. pp. 111–112. ISBN 978-0-19-516548-7.
- Porterfield, Mannix (7 August 2013). "Prince train depot likely to have enhanced role in future Boy Scout functions". Register-Herald. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
External links
