Memphis Amtrak (Central) Station

[AmtrakCrescent20]

I was thinking of taking Amtrak out of Memphis, but I have read that the station is in an extremely dangerous area (in this travelogue), but on the TARP website, it appears that the station is newly renovated and not overly dangerous. Would it be safe to board the City here? Is there ever actually any crime in the station?

 

[greatcats]

I did not take the train there, but looked inside the station about three years ago and it is a rather attractive facility. As to the crime on nearby streets, I don't know, but I would not feel uncomfortable using that station from what I observed at the time.

 

[arkie]

Areas not that bad anymore. Police station is actually in the bottom floor of central station as i recall. Rode in from champagne a few months back. there was heavy police presence at about 6 30 am.

 

[jefffromark]

I've never had a problem at Central Station, its very clean and safe - I even ventured into the restrooms to find it clean and no one loitering. I got to the station around 9pm, the waiting room was open but I just stood outside since it was warm. If you arrive by taxi then you won't have to deal with the stairs. I even parked my car at the station for 2 weeks (free) and it was still there when I returned.

 

[George Harris]

You are within a few blocks of some really bad areas. The station area itself is approaching ghost town status. I really don't think it is as bad as it was 20 years ago. Sorry I can't say the same for the rest of the city. The place where I lived ages 1 to 7 is now so bad I don't like to drive through it in the daytime.

I think if you stay in the station you would have no problem. Getting to it for the northbound should be an exercise in caution. Don't know which direction you are coming from, but I would say keep it on the interstate to as close as practical and then to major streets. Southbound arrival departure should not be a problem. Most of the truly nasties that you would have to worry about in the dark to 3:00am time frame are passed out by that time.

George

 

[had8ley]

You are within a few blocks of some really bad areas. The station area itself is approaching ghost town status. I really don't think it is as bad as it was 20 years ago. Sorry I can't say the same for the rest of the city. The place where I lived ages 1 to 7 is now so bad I don't like to drive through it in the daytime.
I think if you stay in the station you would have no problem. Getting to it for the northbound should be an exercise in caution. Don't know which direction you are coming from, but I would say keep it on the interstate to as close as practical and then to major streets. Southbound arrival departure should not be a problem. Most of the truly nasties that you would have to worry about in the dark to 3:00am time frame are passed out by that time.

George

I would have to agree with George that you are not far away from some seedy areas. At one time this was one of the most dangerous stations on the entire Amtrak route. The ticket office was downstairs and around a corner. You could be getting mugged in the stairwell and the agent would never know what was happening. I think George could give us the exact number but I believe it was six or seven railroads that came into Memphis at one time. It was quite a railroaders paradise for a passenger buff.

 

[AmtrakFan]

Had8ley,

Which Station now takes the honor as most dangerous?

 

[had8ley]

Had8ley,Which Station now takes the honor as most dangerous?

Wow...that is a loaded question. I honestly think that it depends on how you feel in certain environments. I, personally, am not comfortable standing on the Times Square subway platform even though there are numerous Transit Authority police in plain view. I'm going to go out on a limb and say Bridgeport, CT. I'm certain everyone on the site has his or her unfavorite spot but I personally witnessed someone getting mugged on the platform and the conductor would not even radio for assistance. His answer to me was, "I've got a train to run buddy."

 

[AlanB]

Had8ley,

Which Station now takes the honor as most dangerous?

Wow...that is a loaded question. I honestly think that it depends on how you feel in certain environments. I, personally, am not comfortable standing on the Times Square subway platform even though there are numerous Transit Authority police in plain view. I'm going to go out on a limb and say Bridgeport, CT. I'm certain everyone on the site has his or her unfavorite spot but I personally witnessed someone getting mugged on the platform and the conductor would not even radio for assistance. His answer to me was, "I've got a train to run buddy."

Hmm, I guess it's the Jersyite in me, now turned New Yorker, but I'm not that uncomfortable standing at TS, which of course isn't an Amtrak station. I'm far more uncomfortable standing at Broadway Junction in Brooklyn, than I am in TS.

Regarding Bridgeport, I'm curious, was that a Metro North conductor or an Amtrak conductor?

To Amtrakfan, while I haven't been to that station, based upon something that both Had8ley told me and which was just reported in the URPA newsletter, the worst station might well be Beaumont, Texas.

 

[Steve4031]

For transit, I would say the 95th street terminal in Chicago is pretty bad. It is a top drug dealing spot, and one of my students got shot in the alley behind a gas stating that is across the street from that station. He survived, but was transferred to another school.

 

[had8ley]

Had8ley,

Which Station now takes the honor as most dangerous?

Hmm, I guess it's the Jersyite in me, now turned New Yorker, but I'm not that uncomfortable standing at TS, which of course isn't an Amtrak station. I'm far more uncomfortable standing at Broadway Junction in Brooklyn, than I am in TS.

Regarding Bridgeport, I'm curious, was that a Metro North conductor or an Amtrak conductor?

To Amtrakfan, while I haven't been to that station, based upon something that both Had8ley told me and which was just reported in the URPA newsletter, the worst station might well be Beaumont, Texas.

Alan;

Unfortunately it was an Amtrak conductor on a rather packed regional train. I have heard of no violence at Beaumont but from the pictures and in person observations it is definitely in the running for last place in the Amtrak system. Lake Charles is not far behind.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

You are within a few blocks of some really bad areas. The station area itself is approaching ghost town status. I really don't think it is as bad as it was 20 years ago. Sorry I can't say the same for the rest of the city. The place where I lived ages 1 to 7 is now so bad I don't like to drive through it in the daytime.

I think if you stay in the station you would have no problem. Getting to it for the northbound should be an exercise in caution. Don't know which direction you are coming from, but I would say keep it on the interstate to as close as practical and then to major streets. Southbound arrival departure should not be a problem. Most of the truly nasties that you would have to worry about in the dark to 3:00am time frame are passed out by that time.

George

I would have to agree with George that you are not far away from some seedy areas. At one time this was one of the most dangerous stations on the entire Amtrak route. The ticket office was downstairs and around a corner. You could be getting mugged in the stairwell and the agent would never know what was happening. I think George could give us the exact number but I believe it was six or seven railroads that came into Memphis at one time. It was quite a railroaders paradise for a passenger buff.

I can start the ball rolling on the railroads which used to serve Memphis. George Harris may well want to expand, correct or modify. Mine is just a broad picture, over-view:

First there were two distinctly different stations. The Central Station which is what is now the Amtrak station. Then there was Union Station about 1/4 to 1/2 mile away The present day Amtrak station has some sort of history to it about exact buildings, exact locations, etc which I have forgotten. But to be sure: there were two distinct stations at one time.

Central Station had:

1.Illinois Central trains from New Orleans to Chicago , St. Louis

2.Frisco trains Kansas City to Birmingham, Atlanta, Florida poinits

3.Rock island trains to Texas and Oklahoma points, I think. Connections further west to California One of them, the "Chocktaw Rockett", eventually became an RDC car. Sometimes the RDC was supplemented with a regular coach or two. This will surprise those who think of RDC's in commuter service. They did, indeed, wind up very, very largely in commuter service. But they were originally meant for struggling longer distances rides, i.e. . one car could replace a locomotive, a baggage car and a coach. (NOTE: It is no typo that I put two "T's" at the end of Rockett. That is because it was a small train. Larger Rock Island trains were callled various kinds of Rockets, with one "T").

Union Station had:

1.Louisville & Nashville to Louisville, Cincinnati and points north such as NYC in one direction, Great Lakes in another.

2.Southern Railway to Chattanooga, Knoxville, Bristol, Roanoke, Lynchburg,, WAS, NYC.

3.Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis (taken over by L&N in 1957) to Nashville, connections to Chattanooga and Atlanta.

4.Missouri Pacific to Little Rock and all major Texas points, with trains splitting at various points to go so several end point destinations inTexas. You could go to California this way also, there was a through Dallas to LA sleeper put on down the road.

This is my knee-jerk response at work away from my beloved timetables. SO.... it is subject to error......I may have left somebody out or may have somebody at the wrong station. If I have anybody at the wrong station it might be the Rock Island. Maybe that was from Union but I really think it was from Central.

Bck to the original question. It was definately scarey in the old days. Maybe it has cleaned up a little by now. You are very near world-famous Beale Street, i.e. jazz, etc.

 

[AlanB]

Regarding Bridgeport, I'm curious, was that a Metro North conductor or an Amtrak conductor?

Unfortunately it was an Amtrak conductor on a rather packed regional train.

Thanks. I was just curious, especially since Amtrak doesn't make all that many stops at Bridgeport.

That said, packed train or not, there was no valid reason or excuse that he couldn't have radioed the Metro North dispatcher and told him to send the police over. :angry:

 

[George Harris]

First there were two distinctly different stations. The Central Station which is what is now the Amtrak station. Then there was Union Station about 1/4 to 1/2 mile away The present day Amtrak station has some sort of history to it about exact buildings, exact locations, etc which I have forgotten. But to be sure: there were two distinct stations at one time.
Central Station had:

1.Illinois Central trains from New Orleans to Chicago , St. Louis

2.Frisco trains Kansas City to Birmingham, Atlanta, Florida poinits

3.Rock island trains to Texas and Oklahoma points, I think. Connections further west to California One of them, the "Chocktaw Rockett", eventually became an RDC car. Sometimes the RDC was supplemented with a regular coach or two. This will surprise those who think of RDC's in commuter service. They did, indeed, wind up very, very largely in commuter service. But they were originally meant for struggling longer distances rides, i.e. . one car could replace a locomotive, a baggage car and a coach. (NOTE: It is no typo that I put two "T's" at the end of Rockett. That is because it was a small train. Larger Rock Island trains were callled various kinds of Rockets, with one "T").

Union Station had:

1.Louisville & Nashville to Louisville, Cincinnati and points north such as NYC in one direction, Great Lakes in another.

2.Southern Railway to Chattanooga, Knoxville, Bristol, Roanoke, Lynchburg,, WAS, NYC.

3.Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis (taken over by L&N in 1957) to Nashville, connections to Chattanooga and Atlanta.

4.Missouri Pacific to Little Rock and all major Texas points, with trains splitting at various points to go so several end point destinations inTexas. You could go to California this way also, there was a through Dallas to LA sleeper put on down the road.

Bill, you are really close, and you got the split between railroads right. There was one more, St. Louis Southwestern, usually known as the Cotton Belt. They used Union Station but their service ceased in the early 50's.

Central Station was and is at Main and Calhoun, on the west side of Main, south side of Calhoun.

Union Station was on the south side of Calhoun between Second and Third Streets. (Main took the place of First Street)

Service not mentioned:

Central:

Frisco trains to B'han and the southeast were through trains at Memphis, with their other end at Kansas City. The Sunnyland was through in number and name only. The Memphis to Birmingham set spent the day parked on Track 1 which was adjacent to Main St. In addition, they had trains to St. Louis. A section of the Sunnyland as a semi-local day train that made a fairly nice connection with the Zypher Rocket in St. L so you could go Memphis to the Twin Cities without going through Chicago. Up to sometime in the late 50's there was also a night train to St. L.

The IC also had a train to Greenville MS, al local operation called the Delta Express. At one time it went all the way to Baton Rouge along the Y&MV line parallel to the river.

CRIP at one time had a train to Hot Springs Arkansas that carried through sleepers from Chicago off the IC.

Union:

SSW had a night train to Dallas and Ft. Worth called the Lone Star. I believe it also carried a Shreveport sleeper in its earlier years.

The MoPac night train was a connection to the Texas Eagle, and at one time had through coaches and sleepers to both Houston and Ft. Worth, maybe also San Antonio in earlier years. The Ft. Worth sleeper was the last to stay. There was also a day train to Ft. Worth which had a Hot Springs coach as well. They also ran a very short train down the west side of the Mississippi River called the Delta Eagle.

Most routes out of Memphis lost patronage in the late 50's to the point that by 1962, the first year for which I have passenger timetables, other than the ICRR trains, you had no more than one sleeper on any route, and most trains had no more than 2 coaches. Only the Frisco's Kansas City Florida Special would occasionally have a 3rd or 4th coach and second sleeper, and on holidays Southern's Tennesseean might also get a 3rd coach and 2nd sleeper.

George

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

First there were two distinctly different stations. The Central Station which is what is now the Amtrak station. Then there was Union Station about 1/4 to 1/2 mile away The present day Amtrak station has some sort of history to it about exact buildings, exact locations, etc which I have forgotten. But to be sure: there were two distinct stations at one time.

Central Station had:

1.Illinois Central trains from New Orleans to Chicago , St. Louis

2.Frisco trains Kansas City to Birmingham, Atlanta, Florida poinits

3.Rock island trains to Texas and Oklahoma points, I think. Connections further west to California One of them, the "Chocktaw Rockett", eventually became an RDC car. Sometimes the RDC was supplemented with a regular coach or two. This will surprise those who think of RDC's in commuter service. They did, indeed, wind up very, very largely in commuter service. But they were originally meant for struggling longer distances rides, i.e. . one car could replace a locomotive, a baggage car and a coach. (NOTE: It is no typo that I put two "T's" at the end of Rockett. That is because it was a small train. Larger Rock Island trains were callled various kinds of Rockets, with one "T").

Union Station had:

1.Louisville & Nashville to Louisville, Cincinnati and points north such as NYC in one direction, Great Lakes in another.

2.Southern Railway to Chattanooga, Knoxville, Bristol, Roanoke, Lynchburg,, WAS, NYC.

3.Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis (taken over by L&N in 1957) to Nashville, connections to Chattanooga and Atlanta.

4.Missouri Pacific to Little Rock and all major Texas points, with trains splitting at various points to go so several end point destinations inTexas. You could go to California this way also, there was a through Dallas to LA sleeper put on down the road.

Bill, you are really close, and you got the split between railroads right. There was one more, St. Louis Southwestern, usually known as the Cotton Belt. They used Union Station but their service ceased in the early 50's.

Central Station was and is at Main and Calhoun, on the west side of Main, south side of Calhoun.

Union Station was on the south side of Calhoun between Second and Third Streets. (Main took the place of First Street)

Service not mentioned:

Central:

Frisco trains to B'han and the southeast were through trains at Memphis, with their other end at Kansas City. The Sunnyland was through in number and name only. The Memphis to Birmingham set spent the day parked on Track 1 which was adjacent to Main St. In addition, they had trains to St. Louis. A section of the Sunnyland as a semi-local day train that made a fairly nice connection with the Zypher Rocket in St. L so you could go Memphis to the Twin Cities without going through Chicago. Up to sometime in the late 50's there was also a night train to St. L.

The IC also had a train to Greenville MS, al local operation called the Delta Express. At one time it went all the way to Baton Rouge along the Y&MV line parallel to the river.

CRIP at one time had a train to Hot Springs Arkansas that carried through sleepers from Chicago off the IC.

Union:

SSW had a night train to Dallas and Ft. Worth called the Lone Star. I believe it also carried a Shreveport sleeper in its earlier years.

The MoPac night train was a connection to the Texas Eagle, and at one time had through coaches and sleepers to both Houston and Ft. Worth, maybe also San Antonio in earlier years. The Ft. Worth sleeper was the last to stay. There was also a day train to Ft. Worth which had a Hot Springs coach as well. They also ran a very short train down the west side of the Mississippi River called the Delta Eagle.

Most routes out of Memphis lost patronage in the late 50's to the point that by 1962, the first year for which I have passenger timetables, other than the ICRR trains, you had no more than one sleeper on any route, and most trains had no more than 2 coaches. Only the Frisco's Kansas City Florida Special would occasionally have a 3rd or 4th coach and second sleeper, and on holidays Southern's Tennesseean might also get a 3rd coach and 2nd sleeper.

George

Interesing about the Cotton Belt. Guess I just missed it, and though I had heard of it, guess it was little under my radar.

My sister lived in Memphis for two or three years (like 1958, '59,'60,etc) so I enjoyed at least watching as many trains as I could. Then my sister obligingly moved to Dallas, and I still got Memphis experience due to still changing trains there.

My usual trip was from Chattanooga to Memphis on Southern's day local, then change to the extremely beautiful blue section of the Texas Eagle to go overnight to Dallas. I always used that route except once when I got really innovative and went Dallas to St. Louis on the "real" Texas Eagle, spent the day in St. Louis, then rode the Georgian overnight from St.Louis to Chattanooga. Two nights in coach. I was really worn out, but would not swap it for anything.

 

[had8ley]

Regarding Bridgeport, I'm curious, was that a Metro North conductor or an Amtrak conductor?

Unfortunately it was an Amtrak conductor on a rather packed regional train.

Thanks. I was just curious, especially since Amtrak doesn't make all that many stops at Bridgeport.

That said, packed train or not, there was no valid reason or excuse that he couldn't have radioed the Metro North dispatcher and told him to send the police over. :angry:

Alan;

You might be on to something here. Amtrak used to stop fairly frequently at North Philadelphia. So much so that there was a ticket agent there until a few years ago. The area is remodeling with shopping centers and facelifts are springing up all around the station but if you look at the timetable there is no agent; no Quik-Tik machine and very few trains stopping. Bridgeport is falling out of favor as far as a station stop when I compare the number of trains stopping in older timtables.

Maybe you remember the lady ticket agent who had an Amtrak engine confiscated by the sherriff in New Haven and Amtrak was not allowed to use it ? She worked as the ticket agent and had been complaining about the poor conditions around the station. She was attacked one night and filed suit. She won a monetary judgment that Amtrak would not pay so off to the roundhouse she went. Sounds nutty but it actually happened.(Amtrak wrote her a check AFTER they found the engine sealed shut). My point being I really think Amtrak is watching security at lightly used stations and is deleting them in favor of local transit (Metro-North in the case of Bridgeport.)

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

And then----speaking of Memphis------there is always Elvis.

Somewhere on some railroad forum I have seen a classic shot of Elvis reurning to Memphis from military service.

But---strangley----the photographer focused more on Elivs, than on the equipment.

Does George Harris or anybody else know the photo I mean? And do you know which station, or which railroad, or even which train Elvis was on?

 

[jphjaxfl]

I have traveled through Memphis many times between the early 50s as a child through 2 years ago. I have never had any problem at Central Station even before the renovation. I visited and later lived in Hot Springs Ark and used to travel on the Mopac to Memphis and change to L&N, NC&SL, Southern and Frisco. Union Station at 3rd and Calhoun became dilapidated even in the early 60s when there were still 14 trains using it. There used to be a great restaurant called the Arcade across Main Street from Central Station that was very crowded with Railroad employees and passangers, since few of the trains terminating at either station had any food service by the 60s. The Choctow Rockette occassionally would be the RDC pulling the Choctow Rocket tear drop observation car between Memphis and Little Rock where it was more crowded. The trains using Memphis as a gateway were fairly crowded in the 60s, but the railroads downgraded their service each year. The good connections were eliminated and by the time Amtrak started, only the IC north/south route was left.

 

[George Harris]

And then----speaking of Memphis------there is always Elvis.
Somewhere on some railroad forum I have seen a classic shot of Elvis reurning to Memphis from military service.

But---strangley----the photographer focused more on Elivs, than on the equipment.

Does George Harris or anybody else know the photo I mean? And do you know which station, or which railroad, or even which train Elvis was on?

Remember the picture. Elvis stepping down with the door framed behind him.

Central Station, Illinois Central, sorry, don't know which train or from which direction, but it was almost certainly not the Panama because it was in the middle of the night both ways. On the other hand, maybe it was a drop off sleeper in addition to the normal drop off sleeper and the press waited around for his emergence.

Vaguely recall the article. It was referred to as his private car by some, and someone with the railroad said, not so, it was an "exclusive use" car added to the train. An exclusive use was like a charter added to the train which required the purchase of a certain number of spaces. I think it was 22 which would have been the capacity of a normal 10&6, even though at the time I did not know it. Think the picture was in the Press Scimitar, which meant it was not dropped off the Panama, it was most likely on the southbound Louisiane, as with its 7:30am or thereabouts arrival, it would give plenty of time for the photograph to make the afternoon paper. (My father took the Press, and my uncle who lived next door took the Commercial, and I am pretty sure I was in our own house when I read it.)

George