Handbill and Timetable for Wabash Railway's "Midnight Limited," Leaving from Delmar Avenue Station, St. Louis, Missouri, 1929

The Wabash Railway, with origins dating back to 1838, was a strong Midwestern carrier until Amtrak took over the national passenger railroad system in 1971. In 1928, the Wabash Railway erected the Delmar Avenue Station, providing west-end and suburban St. Louis residents -- particularly businessmen -- convenient access to their railroad system without having to go all the way downtown.

The Wabash Railway, with origins dating back to 1838, was a strong Midwestern carrier until Amtrak took over the national passenger railroad system in 1971.

The Wabash Railway's Delmar Station, opened in 1929, took advantage of a significant streetcar suburb that had developed on the west end of St. Louis. This streetcar stop, called the Delmar Loop, had originally been the location of Delmar Garden and Amusement Park, a growing theater district and, by 1901, a race track. In 1904, the St. Louis Exposition had been held near this streetcar stop.

Soon after the St. Louis Exposition, this "West End" neighborhood changed. The amusement park and race track were torn down and it became a bustling commercial district with smart new apartment buildings that attracted both families and businessmen. Streetcars (and eventually buses) provided transportation for shoppers and residents. Increasing, resident got around via newly purchased automobiles and the area filled up with parking lots and filling stations.

Through the 1920s, however, railroads were still considered a viable option for long-distance travel -- especially for businessmen. In 1928, the Wabash Railway approved plans to erect an attractive new depot in "modern Roman style" as a way to offer passengers from this high-class residential community and the surrounding suburbs a convenient way to travel to other cities without having to go all the way downtown. Everything "for your convenience" could be found here -- travel information obtained, fares quoted, tickets bought, and baggage checked. It was also a convenient stop for relatives and friends coming to town.

This 1930 flyer boasted that the Delmar station was "the finest and most complete railway passenger station of its size in the country, combining beautiful architecture with service, comfort, and convenience." Overnight service from here on the Wabash Midnight Limited was particularly popular. In addition to the usual Midwestern stops, this brochure advertised "Winter Excursions" to Colorado, California, and the West.