Joliet Union Station
| Company type | Railway terminal (dormant) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transportation (railway) |
| Founded | 1912 |
| Headquarters | Joliet , United States |
| Products | Passenger rail services (historical), event venue (current) |
| Owner | City of Joliet |
Joliet Union Station is a dormant Beaux-Arts style railway terminal located in the heart of Joliet, Illinois, constructed in 1912. It emerged as part of a significant modernization effort involving six railroads serving Joliet, an essential rail junction near Chicago. At its busiest period, the station managed more than 100 intercity trains each day, along with commuter and interurban lines.
Recognized for its architectural and historical value, Joliet Union Station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. It continued to accommodate Amtrak and Metra services until 2014, before being completely succeeded by the Joliet Transportation Center in 2018. Currently owned by the city of Joliet, the facility functions as an event venue.
History
Joliet obtained its city charter and its present name in 1852, coinciding with the commencement of service by the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad. By 1885, four major trunkline railroads served Joliet: Rock Island; Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe; Chicago & Alton; and Michigan Central. Each operated separate stations, solidifying Joliet’s status as a prominent rail center.
The volume of train traffic increased steadily during the late 1800s, reaching over 60 daily trains downtown. In 1909, the railroads initiated a project to elevate tracks through downtown to enhance safety and streamline traffic. This included constructing a new union station on the site of the former Rock Island depot from 1854, situated at the junction of Rock Island and Alton main lines. Ownership of the depot was shared by Rock Island, AT&SF, and Alton.
Designed by Chicago architect Jarvis Hunt, known also for Kansas City Union Station, the station exemplified the Beaux-Arts style. Built by Joliet’s Adam Groth Company, it featured a steel framework clad in Bedford limestone, complemented by bronze accents and interiors finished with Tennessee marble. Initially, passengers entered at street level through a ticket lobby before ascending to an expansive waiting room on the second floor. The construction cost totaled $250,000 (equivalent to roughly $7 million today).
The station officially opened on October 14, 1912, serving all four trunkline railroads. The inauguration attracted 450 guests to a banquet and approximately 1,500 onlookers. Despite their involvement in development, local officials boycotted the ceremony due to disagreements with the Commercial Club regarding recognition for the project.
At its height, Joliet Union Station accommodated over 100 daily trains across eight tracks: four aligned north-south for AT&SF and Alton services, and four oriented east-west for Rock Island operations. These tracks were served by Island platforms connected via tunnels beneath for passenger access. The station facilitated not only passenger movement but also handled U.S. Mail and express parcels for all four railroads; freight activities were conducted at separate city locations. An interlocking tower constructed around 1913 controlled train movements within this busy interchange.
Passenger service to Joliet by Michigan Central ceased in 1925; however, other railroads maintained their operations. Maintenance duties rotated among the three owning railroads over time, contributing to a gradual decline in condition. The ticket lobby on the ground floor was closed and sealed in the late 1940s; a lowered ceiling was installed in the second-floor waiting area in 1960, which subsequently experienced neglect including pigeon infestations. The tunnels providing platform access were filled in, forcing some passengers to cross tracks at grade.
Following Amtrak’s establishment in 1971, it assumed responsibility for most passenger services at Joliet Union Station except those operated by Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, which continued commuter trains to Chicago into the early 1980s before Metra took over operations and track ownership.
Despite opposition from successor railroad companies citing structural deterioration and limited historic importance, Joliet Union Station was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
In 1987, the city collaborated with Metra to acquire and rehabilitate the station. Restoration efforts revealed original ceiling designs and restored corroded metalwork. The refurbished station was officially rededicated in October 1991, nearly eighty years after its initial opening.
Infrastructure
Situated at the convergence of several major railroad lines, Joliet Union Station's location significantly influenced its operational development. The east–west rail lines, once part of the Rock Island main corridor, are owned by Metra to the east of the station and by CSX to the west. Four north–south tracks, heavily utilized for freight, belong to different companies: the two tracks on the western side are managed by BNSF as a segment of the Southern Transcon route connecting Chicago and Los Angeles, while the two eastern tracks are included in the Canadian National Joliet Subdivision, accommodating trains operated by Union Pacific.
Regarding distances, Joliet is located from Chicago's LaSalle Street Station along the Metra Rock Island District line; for the Heritage Corridor and Amtrak services, it lies from Chicago's Union Station.
Although the track layout initially promoted smooth train movements, it eventually led to operational conflicts. Commuter trains on the Rock Island District needed to cross all four north–south freight lines to access Union Station platforms, which interfered with freight operations. Meanwhile, Amtrak and Heritage Corridor services used platforms on the eastern tracks, compelling passengers to traverse active freight routes and complicating coordination among Metra, Amtrak, and freight carriers.
Replacement
In 2010, Illinois unveiled a $42 million initiative aimed at replacing Joliet Union Station and enhancing track infrastructure. This funding package included $32 million from "Illinois Jobs Now!", a statewide capital improvement program supported by state bonds alongside matching federal and local contributions; BNSF committed $2.2 million; and the city of Joliet provided $7.5 million.
Key elements of the project involved constructing new tunnels servicing Heritage Corridor and Amtrak platforms and establishing a new Rock Island District platform situated east of Union Station. During construction, Joliet Union Station ceased passenger operations in 2014; temporary facilities accommodated commuters until the opening of the new station on April 11, 2018.
The newly built Joliet Transportation Center resolved earlier operational issues by repositioning Rock Island District trains to a platform located before the freight tracks, thereby eliminating previous track crossings that delayed freight traffic. The interlocking tower was rendered obsolete and now serves as part of a railroad museum maintained by the Joliet Historical Museum.
While no longer serving as a train station, Union Station continues as an event venue; its former upper-level waiting room has been transformed into a banquet hall with capacity for up to 300 guests.