06/13/2025
Allen Brown II, President/CEO of Railmark Holdings Inc., spoke to the club today about his ongoing renovation of the former Union Station passenger depot, which also serves as his company’s railroad services headquarters.
The depot, which opened July 1, 1902, served passengers of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad; the Louisville, Henderson & St. Louis Railway (aka, the Henderson Route) & the Illinois Central Railroad, replacing the three railroads’ separate depots. The last passenger train stopped there in 1971. After use by L&N rail crews, the building was abandoned in 1978. It was condemned by the city and scheduled for demolition, but local history advocates campaigned to save it. After it sat vacant for decades, the city in 2015 deeded the property to Architectural Renovators LLC, which it paid to stabilize the building structurally & restore its exterior. Allen acquired it in late 2021.
Renovation of the small adjacent Railway Express Agency building (the UPS of its day) has been completed. Allen said renovation of the former Ladies Waiting Room on the west side of the building should be complete by this August. Other portions will follow and should be complete in 2026, followed by the rebuilding of the passenger platform out back in 2027. Among other things, he has had 12 original stained glass windows reproduced based on old photos. “All original portions will be restored,” in some cases with recreated components. He hopes to someday rebuild the Henderson Tower, a former two-story signaling & switching tower, for rail fans to use as an observation platform.
Now, Allen is asking the public share memories of visits to the depot as well as photos & any artifacts. Folks can email him at [email protected]. Starting July 1, he said, the website railmark.org will include remembrances of Union Station.
