Dan Antion

WOR Union Station Grand Hall

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I have a friend, Paul, who runs the blog Shadow & Substance, travels through Washington, D.C.’s Union Station on a regular basis. I hope he enjoys seeing a different Union Station and I hope he notices the similarity of the designs. I love Union Station in Washington. In fact, in my work-in-progress, an important scene is set in that station.

Today, we’re back in the Union Station in Worcester, Massachusetts. I shared a few pictures from my visit in last week’s post. The photos I shared last week were from the outside and in and around the station. Today, I’ve included a few from inside the main hall. I think the pictures and their captions speak for themselves. I hope you enjoy the gallery.

I also hope you will take some time, a few minutes might do, to look at the doors from the other participants. Thursday Doors depends on them, and they depend on you.

Train Ticketing – my favorite door in the station
A view of the station showing the rail platform on the right
That’s the train platform. They are currently building a second platform. It’s good to see work being done on a railroad station
Outside the main entrance to the station
Lineside structures like this might house switching equipment or signalling controls
The station is full of offices with doors like this one
Off the main hall is this smaller room. It has offices and stairs to access the second level
What a wonderful row of doors.
I love the staircases
Luciano’s Cotton Club – Al Capone’s Cafe – John dillenger’s Grille
Police station inside the small room behind the main hall
This staircase leads to a section of the second floor used for functions
Just inside the main entrance
Looking across the main hall to the Women’s’ Room
The main hall
Looking out toward the main entrance from the main hall

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129 comments

    • There are offices in the building, mostly rail and light rail related, although the Cannabis Control Office is also located there. The many large spaces can be rented and catered for functions. The train station is fairly active. It’s the western terminus of the “T” the light rail system system serving Boston and Amtrak runs trains through to Providence, Rhode Island and onto New York and along the seaboard to Washington, D.C.

      I liked your doors today!

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    • I’m glad you enjoyed the pictures, Robbie. I traveled through Worcester often while working, but I never had time to stop. You can see the towers from the highway, so I knew I had to go at some point.

      Liked by 2 people

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  10. It isn’t just doors — it’s windows! In this place, they especially go together. Such wonderful light in there that I have to wonder about those offices: are they as windowed? I do love the contrast and definition of the black; I think it’s beautiful. And thanks for more staircases!

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    • I know it’s Thursday Doors, Maureen, but I do love windows as well, and these are wonderful. None of the interior offices were open, but I hope they have nice windows. If not, I’d prop the door open so I could see into the interior (and then never get any work done). I loved the staircases. The one I was able to use had such a gentle curve, it was fun to climb.

      Liked by 1 person

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    • I think that term might have been used when Norm was running the show, but I don’t recall seeing it here. I understand, though. This was an amazing place. It was easy to include doors in the photos, but difficult to capture the scope of that grand hall.

      You brought us a nice collection today – thanks!

      Liked by 1 person

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  18. Marvelous set of photos Dan! The entrance oustide and inside photos are amazing. This is such a grand place, I felt I was exploring a hotel looking at the photos. The materials used are especially opulent. It looks like granite and marble were used.
    I like how you framed the stairs to the second level where functions are held.
    I am a huge fan of train stations and this one is aweome!

    Liked by 2 people

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    • Thanks Frank. Sometimes, I split these into a door and a non-door post, but there were so many doors, I had to spend two weeks here. It was hard waiting a week to share that grand hall.

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  24. Dan, this is a magnificent example of top notch architecture and art meeting in the middle. Grand doors and windows and staircases and lighting. Every detail of the walls, floors and ceilings was well thought out.

    I wonder how many folks who utilize this station to get to their vacation destination decide that the time spent in WOR Union Station was the best part of their vacation!

    Top to bottom, inside and out, this building is a gem. Thanks for taking me with you. Loved it!
    Ginger

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    • I am so glad you enjoyed this, Ginger. I regularly visit the same region or city, but I don’t often visit the same building twice. This one is remarkable. I was so happy to have the time to simply wander around.

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  27. Hi Dan,
    I thought I’d post doors from my ferry trips around Sydney Harbour tonight but it turned out there weren’t too many closed doors and not too much to see but I had a few functional door shots. I’ll come back and read yours tomorrow. I actually didn’t expect to get this post tonight/morning but I’ve stretched the envelope again and can stagger through tomorrow.
    Here’s the link: https://beyondtheflow.wordpress.com/2023/02/24/ferry-doors-of-sydney-harbour/
    Best wishes,
    Rowena

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      • Thanks, Dan. I would’ve had a much better run on ferry windows as I had a great time chasing reflections of the Harbour Bridge in them at odd angles.
        I also quite like the different perspectives of the Sydney Harbour Bridge around Sydney. You also see it reflected off surfaces and it really seems to be everywhere. I am wanting to do a collage and see how it pans out.
        Years ago, I used to have transfusions at Royal North Shore Hospital before they demolished it and I would be on the top floor (which you could call the “penthouse” looking out at the Bridge and I’d focus on the two little flags at the top of the bridge when they inserted the canula and the bridge and the flags became very special to me. I later found out that focusing on a point is a relaxation technique so a good idea. Recently, after a bit of debate the NSW state flag was replaced by the Aboriginal flag which was a big step forward. So, many stories to tell.
        Best wishes,
        Rowena

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        • I love learning about other countries through the small stories that are important to people as opposed to the timeline stories offered by historians. It’s why I like following bloggers from around the world.

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  29. Ooo, magnificent stuff!! It looks so polished and pretty and arched and full of doors. I love that shot of the stairs so much as well. Just excellent.

    You won’t believe this, but I found a new place – just that it was in my archives from last May. Strange how we forget things. A most glorious memory from the last time I saw Flavia (for now) on the Roman coast. https://manjameximexcessive6.wordpress.com/2023/02/23/thursday-doors-23-2-23-ostia/#Ostia#Lazio#colour#streetart

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Phew! When I saw, “You won’t believe this” I thought you were going to say you didn’t have doors. Perish the thought.

      I’m glad you like the train station. It has so many things that I love, including those staircases.

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  30. It’s truly a lovely building, Dan, but then the train stations of yesteryear often were. How did you manage all those photos without any people in them? That’s amazing in and of itself. :-) My doors are gates from Mission San Xavier del Bac that I featured in several earlier blog post and one other door post: https://sustainabilitea.wordpress.com/2023/02/23/thursday-doorsgates-at-the-white-dove/#whitedove#MissionSanXavierdelBac#gates#Southwestmissions

    Happy Thursday and thanks for hosting. I especially appreciate that you get the link out on Wednesday. It makes my life much easier and my Thursday morning less hectic. :-)

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Thanks Janet. I was amazed at the fact that the station was almost empty. I actually wondered if I had wandered into a room that was closed.

      I really liked the gates you shared. I love seeing metal work.

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    • I imagine this station is buzzing during the morning rush, but it was quiet when I was there (11:00 am). It was a great place to begin a tour of Worcester (something I need to finish at some point this year).

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  32. Oh my–this building is so beautiful. The staircase, the windows–look at that ticketing office! Is that really all marble for the pillars/walls? I’m so glad the restaurants request ‘proper attire.’ This building begs for proper attire. Outstanding, Dan.

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    • The restaurants were closed (and I didn’t have proper attire) but everything is real and beautiful. The place was almost empty. I just wandered around. No one questioned my taking pictures – I guess they see a lot of that. I’m so glad I stopped to visit.

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    • MBTA, the light rail into Boston, is a Metrocard like system (but it’s called a Charlie Card after the song by the Kignston Trio). AMTRAK (I thin) takes paper or e-tickets but I think you can only get a paper ticket at the station. This is an odd station for me, as there’s no good way to get there from here. I’d have to go to New Haven and wait for the appropriate AMTRAK train to get to Worcester. I can probably get to DC in less time, as that’s a straight shot.

      Liked by 1 person

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    • I’d love to see that in person. I’ve seen pictures, but I’ve never been. Union Station in DC is a favorite station of mine, but I rarely got into the main hall. I went from AMTRAK to the Metro, as I stayed in Silver Spring when I was working in DC.

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  43. Such a magnificent building, Dan. So grand. Really enjoyed seeing somewhere overseas today as I haven’t been getting out too much lately. I’ve always appreciated that international aspect to Thursday Doors.

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    • That’s one of the best things about Thursday Doors, Rowena. From a ferry ride around Sydney harbor (well done, by the way), to amazing doors in Spain, to roadside shops in India. It’s always interesting.

      Like

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