ALLEGORY OF THE RAILROADS

I’ll continue with images from our trip to Chicago until something else comes along. In its day, St. Louis Union Station was the busiest in the country. With the advent of air travel and the Interstate highways, rail travel went into great decline. Union Station became decrepit and empty. More recently, it has been gloriously transformed into a fine hotel and something of a small amusement park. This window is an allegory of the American railroads, with San Francisco on the left, St. Louis in the center and New York on the right.                      

Allegory

We move inside Union Station. It was the world's largest and busiest passenger rail station when it opened in 1894. (Not any more! Ever been to Sinjuku in Tokyo?) This stained glass window is over the main street entrance. It is an allegory of the American railways with San Francisco on the laft, New York on the right and St. Louis in the middle. 

The Great Hall has been transformed in a recent renovation (not that it was bad before). More about that tomorrow.

I got some time to walk around downtown Indy at lunchtime today and I was impressed. Modern, attractive and with many facilities. It's the center of Indiana state government and that seems to provide a steady economic anchor.