Overview
Have you ever wondered what happens to beautiful, archaic train stations after the trains that run through them halt for good?
Take a look at the some of the most gorgeous abandoned train stations from the around the globe to admire their classic beauty and discover some of the many secrets and stories hidden within their walls.
Abkhazia
The abandoned railway station in Abkhazia, Russia, is a historical relic of the former Soviet Union. A 185km railway line connected Russia’s North Caucasus Railway with Georgian Railways but was severed in 1992 following the war in Abkhazia. 54km of the railway was repaired in 2008, however, the operation was purely humanitarian and so this stunning structure remains untouched and hauntingly beautiful.
Michigan Central Station Depot
At the time of its construction in 1913, the Michigan Central Station Depot was the tallest rail station in the world. Located in the Corktown district of Detroit, this now abandoned station survived heavy military use during World War II and was almost closed for good in the '60s after maintenance costs became too high for the decreasing passenger volume. It was reopened in 1975 when Amtrak took over and initiated an enormous renovation program, however, the last train puffed past in 1988.
Montzen Gare
Montzen-Gare is located on the Eastern borders of Belgium and has become a hotspot for photographers wanting to capture the alluring beauty of its rusting trains, tracks and decaying rooms. The station was built by Russian prisoners of the First World War for the German Army but had to be rebuilt after a heavy bombing in 1944. The station also became available for passenger transport following the war, however it was abandoned for good in 1998.
Mapocho Station
Now used as an art gallery, the cavernous space of the Mapocho Station in Santiago, Chile was constructed between 1905 and 1912, and was once the heart and soul of Chile’s massive railway network. The grand building had its last train shudder to a stop in 1987, but it was restored to its former charm in the '90s. Today the station serves as the cultural nucleus of the nation with its spacious interior providing the perfect location for exhibitions, performances and many other cultural festivities.
Manchester Mayfield
Manchester's Mayfield station served as both a passenger and a goods station in its time and, since its demise in 2005, the abandoned space has been been slated for development into a city centre district, a National Express Coach Station or a super campus for civil servants. The space was originally constructed in August 1910 for suburban services and met its tragic end after the roadside building was guttered by a fire.
Croix Rouge
The unused station of Croix Rouge is an infamous Parisian phantom station, the only one which remains as it was when it was closed. Put into service as a terminus for line 10 in 1923, the station was amongst the non-essential stations closed in 1939 due to the mobilisation of Paris metro employees for the Second World War. The advertisements, seats and even station masters booth can still be seen on the platform.
City Hall Subway Stop
The City Hall Station in Manhattan was the original southern terminal of the first New York City Subway opened in 1904. The station lies beneath the public area in front of City Hall and was designed to be the showpiece of the new subway. The elegant architecture, coloured glass tiles and brass chandeliers meant that it was considered to be one of the most beautiful subway stations in the system. The passenger service came to a close in 1945.
Buffalo Central Terminal
A station designed to accommodate up to 3,200 passengers per hour (or 200 trains per day) is sure to be an impressive and eye-catching structure. And the Buffalo Central Terminal certainly doesn’t disappoint. The complex consists of a 17 storey office tower, four storey baggage building, a two storey mail building and the main concourse. It was opened to the public in 1929 and the terminal closed in 1979. Now in the hands of the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation, a huge campaign is being undertaken to preserve and restore the terminal to its former glory.
Anhalter Bahnhof
The oldest of the abandoned stations in the list is the Anhalter Bahnhof station in Berlin, born in 1841. Starting from humble beginnings, the station developed to become one of Berlin’s biggest and finest, with its trains departing to Prague and Vienna. The station is not without its history as the it was involved in the deportation of about a third of the city’s Jewish population between 1941 and 1945.
[Via Flavorwire]