…adapted from a blog entry written on
July 1, 2011.
I
woke early this chill February morning.
My bag is packed for the day, and I was eager to get going. My husband kindly drove me down to the San
Diego Santa Fe station in the dark predawn hours. Within minutes I have found my seat in the
Business Class car knowing I will see the ocean out my window as the sun
rises. I’m heading to up to LA on the
train to see a friend. It’s always my
favorite way of traveling. While I am
there, I will be visiting the restored LA Union Station. It waits shining but not at all resting in
the warm sunshine of Los Angeles.
The Wikipedia Union
Station entry says this about the building: “Union Station was partially designed by the
father and son team of John Parkinson and Donald B. Parkinsons…..assisted by a
group of supporting architects, including the famous Jan van der Linden. ….their
firm designed many landmark Los Angeles buildings from the late 19th century
onward. Th(is) structure combines Dutch Colonial Revival Style architecture
(the suggestion of the Dutch born Jan von der Linden), Mission Revival, and
Streamline Moderne style, with architectural details such as eight-pointed
stars.”
The voters approved replacing old Chinatown with a
station that would serve all the existing railroads plus the red line trolleys
that came into Los Angeles.
Built in a T shape linked by Spanish style
colonnades, the long main waiting room is flanked by gardens. Both the original ticketing area to the left
and the Fred Harvey Restaurant to the right are now empty used only for filming
and bypassed by modern spaces further into the building.
After being a hub of transportation during WWII,
slowly the station fell into disuse as the airplane took over as the only way
to travel. A major developer took over
the station in the 1980’s and 51 acres of the surrounding land, and by 1992 the
restoration of the building was finished.
In the fifties, you would stop for lunch at the
Harvey House, now restored but empty, Leave your baggage with the red cap, and
check the board to see if your train was on time and ready to go.
Down the tunnel you walk, the red caps following with
your bags. Turning left, you go up the ramp to the long train sheds and your waiting train. Today the deep rumble of the diesels has
overtaken the drama of steam. Still the
excitement is there. That sense of
adventure as you are welcomed to your car.
The race to find just the right seat on just the right side of the train
is still there. All Aboard.
