Cincinnati Union Terminal|Tower A

Cincinnati Union Terminal is beautiful. Just imagine stepping back into time in the Mid-1930s taking a train into Cincinnati for the first time. You depart from the train and enter the breathtaking domed concourse. Upon exiting the station you are greeted by the beautiful city skyline.

Tower A
Thousands of passengers would arrive or depart the terminal on one of the 200 trains daily. Above the concourses and lobbies, there is a room that overlooks 16 tracks and its 8 island platforms. Tower A is where all the action takes place to route inbound and outbound trains on those tracks by using nearly 200 levers. These levers control the switches approaching and departing the station. The levers are gone but the 5-foot by 42-inch track diagram board still exists.

Present Day Tower A
Today Tower A still overlooks the track but it has more freight traffic and very little passenger railroad traffic. I was able to visit Tower A for the first time at the beginning of April. What an amazing view of active railroad yards. There are nearly a dozen scanners frequencies in use between the two freight yards and adjoining railroad lines.

Looking out the windows
Looking straight ahead is the Norfolk Southern Gest St. Intermodal Yard and Norfolk Southern Car Shop. Looking slightly to the right is the NS Gest Street Yard, CSX Queensgate Intermodal Yard, just beyond Western Hills Viaduct bridge is CSX Queensgate Yard and Engine Terminal. Looking to the left are Norfolk Southern’s Cincinnati Southern Railroad Bridge and Ludlow Railfan Pavilion.

From 1990 to May of 2016 Tower A served as the Cincinnati Railroad Club headquarters. In 2016 the club had to move out due to extensive renovations of the Terminal. Now that some of the COVID restrictions are lifted the club plans on renting the space to host special events for the club and the general public. The club has been meeting at Cincinnati Union Terminal since 1938 and is one of the longest tenants of the building.