New York City's nightmarish Penn Station is undergoing massive renovations to restore it to something close to its original grandeur. Central Station's original beauty, however, is still visible.
It does more than chauffeur commuters. Its architecture make you want to wander its halls.
Take a look at the seven most beautiful stops (past and present) on our railways, which started to blossom toward the end of the 19th century.
Grand Central Terminal in New York City.
Completed in 1913, the New York City station features elaborate moldings and beautiful marble. When commuters look up, they see a spectacular 25,000-square-foot mural of constellations with gold-leaf stars. At its center, there's the iconic gilded clock.
When it was built, Grand Central represented innovation in transit hub design, with features like an incorporation of luggage-friendly ramps instead than stairs.
The Cincinnati Union Terminal.
When the Cincinnati Union Terminal was completed in 1933, it was the largest rotunda in the Western Hemisphere.
The Art Deco-style station features a glass entrance and a fountain out front. Inside, four artists collaborated on massive murals that chronicle stories in American history. The German-American painter Winold Reiss produced 23 glass-tile mosaic panels that live on as impressive displays of public art.
Union Station in Los Angeles.
This glamorous train station almost wasn't built. In 1926, Los Angeles voters had the choice between the construction of a network of elevated railways or a much smaller Union Station.
The election took on a racial tone that reflected prejudice against the wave of Chinese immigrants, since the station would be in the heart of LA's original Chinatown. A majority chose Union Station, however, and it was completed in 1939.
Today, Union Station is the largest train terminal on the West Coast, with nearly 110,000 people passing through it each day. Some of its highlights include mosaic floors and gold chandeliers that hang from wooden beams.
The transit hub plans to finish upgrades by December 2016, including a faster rail, more shops and restaurants, and parking for bikers.
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