Dayton Union Station
Operators Named trains Western or northern destination Eastern or southern destination Year begun Year discontinued
Amtrak National Limited Kansas City , Missouri New York , New York 1971 1979
Baltimore and Ohio Great Lakes Limited Detroit , Michigan Cincinnati , Ohio 1947 1950
Baltimore and Ohio Cincinnatian Detroit , Michigan Cincinnati , Ohio 1950 1971
Cleveland , Cincinnati , Chicago and St. Louis , in 1930 absorbed into the New York Central Cincinnati Mercury Cincinnati , Ohio Cleveland , Ohio 1952 1956
Cleveland , Cincinnati , Chicago and St. Louis , in 1930 absorbed into the New York Central Cleveland Special / Cincinnati Special Cincinnati , Ohio Cleveland , Ohio 1919-1924 1932 1957
Cleveland , Cincinnati , Chicago and St. Louis , in 1930 absorbed into the New York Central Michigan Special / Ohio Special Detroit , Michigan Cincinnati , Ohio 1930 1958
Cleveland , Cincinnati , Chicago and St. Louis , in 1930 absorbed into the New York Central Midnight Special Cincinnati , Ohio Cleveland , Ohio 1939 1958
Cleveland , Cincinnati , Chicago and St. Louis , in 1930 absorbed into the New York Central Ohio State Limited Cincinnati , Ohio New York , New York 1924 1967
Pennsylvania Railroad American St. Louis , Missouri New York , New York 1925 1956
Pennsylvania Railroad Indianapolis Limited Indianapolis , Indiana New York , New York 1950 1953 1957
Pennsylvania Railroad Penn Central ( 1968-1970 ) Penn Texas St. Louis , Missouri New York , New York 1948 1970
Pennsylvania Railroad Penn Central ( 1968-1971 ) Spirit of St. Louis St. Louis , Missouri New York , New York 1927 1971
Pennsylvania Railroad St. Louisan St. Louis , Missouri New York , New York 1913 1967
Named trains
Station interior , 1908
Dayton Union Station was a railroad station serving Dayton, Ohio with daily passenger trains of several railroads. The station was located at 251 W. Sixth Street at the intersection of Ludlow Street, and it opened in 1900, replacing an earlier depot built in the mid-1850s. It was owned by the Dayton Union Railroad Co., which was owned by the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railway, the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway, and the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad. Colloquially called the Tower Depot, it included a seven-story clock tower. In the first 30 years of operation, the station hosted as many as 66 passenger trains a day. In 1931 the station opened an elevated platform to alleviate congestion between trains, streetcars and automobiles. Famous personalities that stopped by the station included child actress Shirley Temple in 1944, President Harry S. Truman in 1948 and President Ronald Reagan in 1983, both of the latter two making campaign stops, Reagan making a whistle stop tour.