Train Station, Niles, Michigan

As the railroad was built to connect cities and towns across the United States of America, each town and city had their own passenger station.? You have train station in the major cities that are still in use today like the Main Street Station in Richmond, the capital city of the U.S. state of Virginia, Union Stations in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Illinois, Saint Louis, Missouri, and Kansas City, Missouri, Penn Station in Baltimore, Maryland, and Grand Central Station in New York City, New York.? You have those old train stations like the terminal in Cincinnati, Ohio and the old train stations in Salt Lake City, Utah and the Reading Terminal in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania plus the old train terminal in Detroit, Michigan and the Central Railroad of New Jersey terminal in Jersey City, New Jersey.? Oh, how it would have been great to see the original Penn Station in New York City, New York.? How about those small towns?? The train stations in Point of Rocks, Maryland, Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, and Lebanon, Pennsylvania were very impressive when they were in service.

Then you have the town of Niles in the southwestern region of the U.S. state of Michigan.? The train station in Niles was built by the Michigan Central Railroad in 1892.? For a small town, it is one fancy Richardsonian Romanesque style station built with brownstone and gabled roofs with a sixty foot clock tower and a garden surrounding the station.? The station was featured in the movies Continental Divide, Midnight Run, and Only the Lonely.? If the builders were to see this station today, they would see the same train station that was built in 1892 as the exterior has not been altered.? The interior has been rearranged with the elimination of the smoking rooms.

Some of you are saying, “This is very nice.? Too bad the station is not being used.”

Do not be mistaken.? The station is still in use today except Amtrak, not the Michigan Railroad or the New York Central System who took over the Michigan Central Railroad, brings passenger service today.? As mentioned, if the builders were to see the station today, they would see little change.? The station is also on the National Register of Historical Places and the Michigan State Register.

The Niles Train Station is now owned by Amtrak.? It is located on Dey Street just east of Michigan Route 51 north of the town center.? Parking is on site.? As mentioned, it is still an active train station.

You may not have heard of the town of Niles, Michigan.? When you visit, you will see a very special town with an amazing train station.