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Terre Haute Union Depot Replica

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Way back in 2001 the Model Railroad Club commissioned local modeler Dennis Kirchmann to construct a replica of the Terre Haute Union Depot (THUD) as it was originally designed:

    In 1891 construction began on the Terre Haute Union Depot (formerly located near the corner of 9th and Spruce), and on August 15, 1893 at 11:00am the first train came through the completed depot.  The depot had two platform sheds stretching 600 feet East-West and North-South each; the THUD tower stood 200 feet high.  THUD was razed in 1960, and none of the buildings remain.

    However, in 2001, former MR2C  treasurer Mike Raffay spent many hours on the research which made our HO (1:87) scale replica of THUD possible; and on Saturday, April 27, 2002 the THUD replica was unveiled before public media coverage.  The THUD replica sits on modules that are 12 feet long and 5 feet wide on the North end and 3 feet wide on the South end, consists of 70 feet of track, 4 buildings and the 2 train sheds.  The replica took 264 hours to complete.

Below are several photos of the Terre Haute Union Depot and various photos of the construction process.

-Photos from during construction:

Plan for The Modules Track Laid Completed Modules with Roadbed
Close up of The Diamonds Entrance Facade of Building Entrance with Doorway in Place Front Half of the Building Beginning of the Tower
Tower and Main Building Back of Main Building with Roof On Front of Main Building with Roof on Freight Houses Top of Train Sheds
Back of Modules Front of Modules Front of Station with Train Sheds in Place Back of Station with Train Sheds in Place Overhead View of Train Sheds
Back of Station with Completed Train Sheds Chicago & Eastern Illinois Tracks Facing North Pennsylvania Railroad Tracks Facing West Ground Level View of the Front of the Station

-Photos of the completed project:

Front Panoramic View of the Station Front View with Pennsylvania Railroad Train Shed Top View Facing Northwest Looking Through the C&EI Train Sheds on Ground Level
Back of the Station Looking Through PRR Train Shed Back of the Station Back of the Station Looking from the Top

-Photos of the actual station:

1893 Front Panoramic View 1897 View of Back of Building
Aerial Photograph; circa 1900 1907 Front View
1909 Postcard* 1909 Postcard*
1911 Postcard* Watercolor by a Local Artist; circa 1925
Main Walkway; circa 1930 1933 "The Royal Scot"**
1945 North Side of Building 1949 Front of Building
Back of Building; circa 1950 1951 Southern View

*These postcards were originally photographs in Black and White and color was added by hand in Germany.  The bottom 30 feet of the building was actually red stone.

**A British excursion train which operated in the United States.

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Photos were part of the previous web site.

Webpage created by Philip A. Ruehl for the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Model Railroad Club; last modified 10/2/2006.