Galesburg station (Amtrak)

Galesburg, IL
The station house.
General information
Location225 South Seminary Street, Galesburg, Illinois
Coordinates40°56′41″N 90°21′50″W / 40.9446°N 90.3640°W / 40.9446; -90.3640
Owned byCity of Galesburg
Line(s)BNSF Mendota Subdivision, Ottumwa Subdivision
Platforms1 side platform, 1 island platform
Tracks3
ConnectionsBus interchange Galesburg Transit
Bus interchange Burlington Trailways[1]
Construction
ParkingYes
Bicycle facilitiesYes
AccessibleYes
Other information
Station codeAmtrak: GBB
History
OpenedDecember 7, 1854[2]
Rebuilt–May 10, 1884[3]
April 1912–[4]
–June 9, 1984[5]
Key dates
March 3, 18811854 station depot burned[6]
April 27, 19111884 station depot burned[7]
Passengers
FY 202360,368[8] (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Burlington
toward Emeryville
California Zephyr Princeton
toward Chicago
Fort Madison Southwest Chief
Macomb
toward Quincy
Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg Kewanee
toward Chicago
Former services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Burlington Desert Wind
Discontinued in 1997
Princeton
toward Chicago
Burlington
toward Seattle
Pioneer
Discontinued in 1997
Preceding station Burlington Route Following station
Cameron
toward Denver
Main Line Wataga
toward Chicago
Burlington
toward Oakland
California Zephyr Kewanee
toward Chicago
Abingdon Kansas City – Galesburg Terminus
Terminus Galesburg – Peoria Knoxville
toward Peoria
GalesburgRushville Henderson
toward Rushville
Knoxville
toward St. Louis
St. LouisSavanna Bouhan
toward Savanna
Location
Map

Galesburg is an Amtrak intercity train station in Galesburg, Illinois, United States. The station was originally built in 1984, after the razing of the large depot just south of the current site. It is located north of the large BNSF Railway classification yard. Just south the Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg diverge via the Quincy main line which bypasses the yard on the east side. The California Zephyr and the Southwest Chief continue to the southwest side of Galesburg near Knox College.

There are three tracks with one island platform and one side platform. Trains to California normally arrive on the track closest to the depot, known as track one. Trains between Quincy and Chicago arrive on track two and platform on the island platform as trains divert from the main line just south of the station and eventually on to the Brookfield Subdivision.[9][10] In the early 2010s, the island platform received a yellow tactile warning strip that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The project was funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 at an estimated cost of $75,000.[11] The side platform already had a tactile warning strip.

It is the main area for Galesburg Railroad Days when it runs during the last weekend of June as bus tours of the rail yards originate from here. A GE Evolution Series locomotive is also put on a side track for visitors to look at.[12] The Galesburg Railroad Museum is next to the property.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Amtrak was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Newton, A.W. (May 1950). "The Central Military Tract Railroad: February 18, 1851 to July 9, 1856". The Railway and Locomotive Historical Society Bulletin. 80 (80): 55. JSTOR 43517578. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  3. ^ "New Depot at Galesburg". The St. Louis Globe-Democrat. May 11, 1884. p. 5. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ "Burlington to Erect Station at Galesburg". The Moline Daily Dispatch. April 25, 1912. p. 4. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. ^ "Galesburg Celebrates Ties to Railroad". The Dispatch. Moline, Illinois. June 10, 1984. p. 1. Retrieved December 31, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ "Fire Record at Galesburg, Ill". The Chicago Tribune. March 4, 1881. p. 7. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  7. ^ "C. B. & Q. Depot at Galesburg Burned Thursday". The Bureau County Tribune. Princeton, Illinois. May 5, 1911. p. 1. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  8. ^ "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2023: State of Illinois" (PDF). Amtrak. March 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  9. ^ "Galesburg station (Amtrak)" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
  10. ^ "Illinois State Rail Plan: Chapter 4" (PDF). Illinois Department of Transportation. November 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 16, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  11. ^ Great American Stations[permanent dead link]. Retrieved January 30, 2011
  12. ^ "2010 Schedule". Archived from the original on 2010-06-27. Retrieved 2010-10-23.