Kalamazoo Transportation Center

The Kalamazoo Transportation Center is an intermodal complex in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. Amtrak and Greyhound provide regular service there.[3] The center is also the major downtown transfer hub for Kalamazoo's Metro Transit bus system.

Kalamazoo, MI
The 1887-built Michigan Central Railroad depot in 2014
Location	459 North Burdick Street Kalamazoo, MI 49007 United States
Coordinates	42°17′44″N 85°35′03″W
Owned by	City of Kalamazoo
Line(s)	Michigan Line
Platforms	1 side platform, 1 island platform
Tracks	2
Bus stands	20
Bus operators	Metro Transit Thruway Motorcoach Greyhound Lines Indian Trails
Construction
Parking	Yes; paid
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Station code	Amtrak code: KAL
History
Opened	1887
Rebuilt	2006
Passengers
2018	122,115[1]  5.97%
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station Dowagiac toward Chicago Blue Water Battle Creek toward Port Huron Wolverine Battle Creek toward Pontiac
Former services Preceding station Amtrak Following station Niles toward Chicago Lake Cities Battle Creek toward Pontiac Dowagiac toward Chicago International Battle Creek toward Toronto Preceding station New York Central Railroad Following station Mattawan toward Chicago Michigan Central Railroad Main Line Comstock toward Buffalo Portage toward Elkhart Kalamazoo Branch Argenta toward Grand Rapids Alamo toward South Haven South Haven Branch Terminus
Michigan Central Depot (Kalamazoo, Michigan)
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Michigan State Historic Site
Location	Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
Architect	Cyrus Eidlitz
Architectural style	Romanesque
NRHP reference No.	75000949[2]
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	July 11, 1975
Designated MSHS	February 21, 1975
Location
Kalamazoo, MI Location within Michigan

It is served by Amtrak's Blue Water and Wolverine trains and was formerly a stop for the International, which had started in 1982 as joint operation by Via Rail and Amtrak between Chicago and Toronto, was discontinued in 2004.[4] Amtrak does not allow passengers to check luggage at Kalamazoo, but does permit carry-on of up to two suitcases plus "personal items" such as briefcases, purses, laptop bags, and infant gear.

Development

The original depot was built in 1887 by the Michigan Central Railroad, to a design by architect Cyrus L. W. Eidlitz,[5] replacing an earlier structure. In the main part of its history in the latter 19th century and early 20th century, it hosted trains for the Michigan Central and the New York Central. Major NYC named trains passing through the station included the Chicago Mercury (east to Detroit) and the Wolverine (NYC train) (east to New York via Detroit and southwestern Canada, in contrast to the modern train).[6]

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 11, 1975.[7][8]

The station was rebuilt as a multi-modal facility in the early 21st century. The project was a collaboration between local, state, and federal authorities, with the Department of Transportation awarding a $3.8 million grant.[9]

Description

The original Kalamazoo depot is a single-story Romanesque structure with a high hip-roofed central mass, and smaller hip-roofed sections on each end. A gable-roofed porch with a Syrian arch protrudes on one side of the central mass. The main structure has strong horizontal lines, counterbalanced by brick chimneys and an octagonal cupola that extend vertically from the roof. A conical turret and rock-faced masonry arches in the facade provide the Romanesque feel.[10]

Gallery

• 
  The complex viewed from the corner of Kalamazoo and Rose.
• 
  Looking north towards the train station. The new bus bays are to the left and right.
• 
  Amtrak's Wolverine service at the train station, eastbound.
• 
  Amtrak's Blue Water arrives as the sun sets. Note the Superliner consist.

Destinations

All Train Destinations

Routes	Destinations
Blue Water (Amtrak)	Battle Creek, Chicago, Dowagiac, Durand, East Lansing, Flint, Lapeer, New Buffalo, Niles, Port Huron
Wolverine (Amtrak)	Albion, Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Chicago, Dearborn, Detroit, Dowagiac, Greenfield Village, Hammond-Whiting, Jackson (MI), Michigan City, New Buffalo, Niles, Pontiac, Royal Oak, Troy

References

1. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, FY2018, State of Michigan" (PDF). Amtrak. June 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
2. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
3. Jessup, Kathy (2006-09-16). "Transportation center off to smooth start". Kalamazoo Gazette.
4. Matt Melzer (23 April 2004). "Final Run of the Amtrak / VIA International". TrainWeb.org. Retrieved August 4, 2015. From 1982, Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada had jointly operated the International train between Chicago and Toronto
5. Potter, Janet Greenstein (1996). Great American Railroad Stations. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. p. 344. ISBN 978-0471143895.
6. June, 1951 New York Central timetable, Tables 7, 15 http://streamlinermemories.info/NYC/NYC51-6TT.pdf
7. Kalamazoo County Listings
8. Kohrman (2003), 23.
9. "$3.8 Million Transit Grant Will Help Revitalize Downtown Kalamazoo". U.S. Department of Transportation. October 19, 2004. Archived from the original on September 24, 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-16.
10. John Kern (April 22, 1975), NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY-- NOMINATION FORM: Michigan Central Depot

Further reading

• Kohrman, David (2003). Kalamazoo, Michigan. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0-7385-2048-9.

External links

• Media related to Kalamazoo Transportation Center at Wikimedia Commons

• Kalamazoo, MI – Amtrak
• Kalamazoo Amtrak Station (USA Rail Guide -- Train Web)
• Kalamazoo County Listings on the National Register of Historic Places
• Kalamazoo Transportation Center (Michigan Passenger Stations)
• Kalamazoo Station (Ron's Amtrak Photos)
• Kalamazoo, MI (KAL) (Amtrak's Great American Stations)