Staunton station is an Amtrak train station in Staunton, Virginia, located in the downtown Wharf Area Historic District of the city. It is served by Amtrak's Cardinal, which runs between New York and Chicago. The station has restrooms and benches, but no ticket office.

Staunton, VA
Locomotive at the station in 2021
General information
Location1 Middlebrook Avenue
Staunton, Virginia
United States
Coordinates38°8′51″N 79°4′19.2″W / 38.14750°N 79.072000°W / 38.14750; -79.072000
Owned byMH Staunton, LLC
Line(s)Buckingham Branch Railroad
Platforms1 side platform
Tracks1
ConnectionsBus transport Staunton Trolley: Green Line
Construction
Parkingshort & long term
AccessiblePlatform only
Other information
Station codeAmtrak: STA
History
Opened1886 (signal house)
Passengers
FY 20234,306[1] (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Clifton Forge
toward Chicago
Cardinal Charlottesville
toward New York
Former services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Clifton Forge
toward Chicago
James Whitcomb Riley
1974-1977
Charlottesville
James Whitcomb Riley and George Washington
1971-1974
Preceding station Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Following station
Swoope
toward Cincinnati
Main Line Brand
Location
Map

History

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The 1902-built station in use as a restaurant in 2020
 
The station in 2009

The site of the station has been a railroad depot since 1854:

The present railroad station is the third one on this site. The first station was destroyed by [Union] General Hunter's troops in June of 1864. A runaway train at the turn-of-the-century [in 1890[2]] destroyed the second station.

— Staunton in the Civil War[3]

The third and existing station building was designed by Staunton architect Thomas Jasper Collins and built by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway in 1902.[4]

The current station facility is the former telegraph tower from when the Staunton station functioned as a full passenger and freight railroad depot. While the platform still functions as the railroad platform for loading and unloading passengers, the former station passenger and freight buildings are now occupied by a reception hall for events, replacing a restaurant. Next to the station is a Chessie System caboose.[5][6]

References

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  1. ^ "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2023: Commonwealth of Virginia" (PDF). Amtrak. March 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  2. ^ "Wharf Area Historic District". National Park Service. Retrieved 2008-04-13.
  3. ^ "Staunton in the Civil War". Archived from the original on 2007-02-13. Retrieved 2008-04-13.
  4. ^ "The Canvas of T.J. Collins". porterbriggs.com. Retrieved 2017-03-16.
  5. ^ "Caboose, Index W". Central California Rails. Retrieved 2008-06-12. See also linked photograph.
  6. ^ Turner, Jack M. "Florida to Indianapolis and Return by Rail". TrainWeb. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
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  Media related to Staunton station at Wikimedia Commons