Kalamazoo, MI
The 1887-built Michigan Central Railroad depot in 2014
General information
Location	459 North Burdick Street Kalamazoo, Michigan United States
Coordinates	42°17′44″N 85°35′03″W / 42.29556°N 85.58417°W / 42.29556; -85.58417
Owned by	City of Kalamazoo
Line(s)	Amtrak Michigan Line
Platforms	1 side platform, 1 island platform
Tracks	2
Bus stands	20
Bus operators	Amtrak Thruway Greyhound Lines Indian Trails Metro Transit
Construction
Parking	Yes; paid
Accessible	Yes
Other information
Station code	Amtrak: KAL
History
Opened	1887
Rebuilt	2006
Passengers
FY 2022	73,613 [1] (Amtrak)
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

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.

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. Regular passenger rail service between Kalamazoo and Detroit had commenced in 1846. ^[6] In the main part of its history in the latter 19th century and early 20th century, the depot hosted trains for the Michigan Central and the New York Central. Major NYC named trains passing through the station included the Canadian (east to Detroit and Toronto), 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). ^[7]

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 11, 1975. ^{[8] [9]}

The station was rebuilt as a multi-modal facility in the early 21st century.^{[ when?]} The project was a collaboration between local, state, and federal authorities, with the Department of Transportation awarding a $3.8 million grant. ^[10]

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. ^[11]

References

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, MI – Station history at Great American Stations (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)