Gary’s Second Union Station
I discovered an article from 1910 that discusses the rumor of a second union station in Gary, Indiana. This station was to be shared by Michigan Central Railroad, Wabash Railroad, and Gary & Western Railway. Also, it was mentioned that Illinois Central Railroad would operate passenger service to Gary and utilize this second union station. Gary would be IC’s eastern-most terminus.
New York Central, whose epic power grab in the region rivaled no other, was fat with cash due to the original Gary Union Station it shared with its rival, Baltimore & Ohio. NYC paid Lake Shore & Michigan Southern’s share of Union Station’s construction costs (NYC inherited LS&MS by purchasing it). NYC was interested proposed a second union station in the city so it could further capitalize on its growth.
Wabash Railroad also enjoyed a financial boost from Gary. Yet, they delayed building a significant station. Wabash hoped Michigan Central and Gary & Western would share construction costs since they all ran side by side through the city's core.
Illinois Central negotiated with Gary & Western regarding utilizing its high line route in its bid to capture some of the wealth centering in Gary. According to The Times, Illinois Central operated in Hammond before Gary & Western was built (Gary & Western terminates at Indiana Harbor Belt Gibson Yard in Hammond).
However, G&W passenger revenue began to dwindle because of the success of streetcar lines. The article states that G&W discontinued passenger service in the winter of 1910. An Illinois Central contract with G&W could have revitalized passenger service and allowed cost-sharing of building a second union depot.
The proposed location for this new union station was 10th & Broadway. A portion of the property still exists — immediately south of the SaveMore grocery store at 921 Broadway, Gary, IN. Gary & Western had a short-lived stop above Broadway. This new depot would have taken its place.
New York Central owned a vast patch of land north of the Michigan Central right-of-way at Broadway. This station was to be built on the said property as an elevated facility, just like Gary Union Station, and made with the same money and fanfare.
However, New York Central balked at the notion that it should be made to pay for the new station. They financed half the cost of building the first Gary Union Station. They also controlled Michigan Central and Gary & Western, as it controlled LS&MS.
This would make New York Central financially responsible for two-thirds of the cost of building the new station and not be able to obtain revenue they deemed acceptable. Their passenger trains were already stopping at Gary Union Station. Michigan Central and Gary & Western would profit more than they would. As a result, the company wanted Wabash to pay more.
Wabash was not interested in New York Central’s complaints about the amount it was responsible for. Additionally, Wabash was skeptical of the benefit of using the new station.
Gary & Western and Michigan Central nearly ran into each other in the area of interest. Wabash, however, was about 188 yards to the north of the proposed location. They were interested. However, Wabash officials indicated that if New York Central did not agree to pay their fair share, Wabash would pull out of the project altogether. Ultimately, fights over financing and design issues involving the ground-level Michigan Central and elevated Gary & Western helped kill the second station plan.
