There were attendants in both the Men's and Women's Lounges to assist the passengers. In the Men's Room showers were available and in the Women's Room there were tubs.
Boot Black
area
Men's Room Lounge
(Shoeshine)
Secretary's
Office
President's
Office
Board of Director's Room
On the second floor above the Kitchen area, were three small private dining rooms. The walls were movable so they could be configured into various sizes. The metallic, enamel decorated doors in this section were considered to be of such artistic merit that they were placed on display in the Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center in 1973. It is on the 2nd floor where the Men's and Women's Shops MAY have been located.
Private Dining Rooms
The Union Terminal Passenger Building was an immense T-shaped structure surmounted by, until 1973, the largest half-dome in the world. The Sydney Opera House's dome is now the largest. The main concourse measures 106' from the floor to its apex, and with a diameter of 180' at floor level. Two massive murals 16' by 70' each and made of colored mosaic glass cover the north and south walls of the rotunda. The murals, by Winold Reiss, depict a figurative summary of Cincinnati's history and presents a vision of the future as viewed in 1933. The Rotunda murals show frontiersmen and farmers, roustabouts and packet boat captains, railroad engineers, and construction laborers. In one spot Weiss sandwiched in political and economic figures in a narrow spot between the Rotunda the area known as the concourse "checking lobby". Weiss clearly wanted to emphasize the working class.
This modern postcard shows a complete 360 degree view.
Not a postcard
A large panoramic photograph from the front of the main concourse.
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The image above is a greatly expanded view of the pistol on the 4th figure from the left end. it clearly shows how intricate these mosaics really are.
Artistic postcard of dome
TRAIN CONCOURSE & WAITING ROOM
To reach the train concourse and waiting room area, that no longer exists, you had to go thru the connecting section of the terminal. This area is where the Omnimax theater is now located. The first part of this connector was the checking lobby. On the north side was for baggage and the south side was for parcels. There were two murals located here, one over each side. These murals are still at the museum and can be seen outside the Omnimax. The mural on the north side depicts the builders of the terminal and the one on the south side shows the political leaders of the day.
Mural North
Side
Mural South Side
No longer in existence is the train concourse and passenger waiting room seen below. You reached this area thru the opening you see in the cards above. The concourse measured 80' wide and 450' long, and stood directly over the railroad tracks. There were 8 gates on either side that led down to the 1,580 foot long loading platforms. These platforms could be extended to 2,400 feet if needed. Seven more large murals line each side and are of the same construction as the two large ones in the rotunda. When this part of the terminal was razed in 1973 these murals were transferred to the Greater Cincinnati Airport where they can be seen today (more on these murals later). The first image below shows the entire concourse very nicely. On the right below the first mural was the newsstand, directly across from it on the south side was the refreshment stand. In the center between these two areas was the Conductor's Visa. This is where you would get answers to any questions you might have. The second view is from the Conductor's Visa, and the third image shows this booth in operation.
Train
Concourse
From Conductor's Visa
Scene in 1944
At the East end of the Train Concourse were the Departure and Arrival Boards. Above each board were the murals seen below. The center image shows the Departure Board during construction. Taken from a position west of the newsstand, you can see the Main Concourse thru the opening on the right. The Arrival Board was on the other (south) side. These two murals are now located outside the entrance to the Cincinnati Historical Society Library.
Departure Board
Mural
Arrival Board Mural
Arrival/Departure
The photographer of the 4th image above was well known for manipulating his images. It looks to me that is what he has done to this one. He has combined the departure mural with the arrival trains heading on the departing trains board with the message "CUT 1933-1972 Died Young." I will leave it up to you to figure out his meaning beyond the obvious.
Postcards
The center postcard shows gate 14 in July of 1945. The scene is just before passengers go thru for boarding on the "George Washington".
Not a postcard
I believe that gate #14 was used exclusively (at least during this time frame) for the Chesapeake & Ohio's "George Washington" train. This photograph and the center postcard above have the same explanation.
The first image below shows the north side of the train concourse with the Conductor's Visa and the Newsstand. I believe the first gate on the right may have been a private track (not sure), the 2nd entrance was gate 1 (?). Gates 2 and 3 were on the left of the newsstand, then gates 4 and 5 etc. The 2nd image shows a close-up of gate 10. The 3rd photo show the ramp and stairs you went down on to get to (or from) the passenger platform. You went down (or came up) either the ramp, or stairs, depending on where your car was located on the train. Generally speaking stairs were for coach and ramps were for Pullman passengers. This kept confusion on the loading platforms at a minimum.
North side
concourse
Gate 10
Entrance
Stairs and Ramp
Platforms Under Waiting
Room
South Station
Platforms
Station
Platform
MAIL HANDLING BUILDING
View from Bald
Knob
The Mail Handling Building was one of a number
of smaller (compared to the Passenger Terminal) structures that was erected
to take advantage of Cincinnati's status as a major transportation node
during the 30's and 40's. Trains were by the turn of the century the primary
method of moving the mail. This building was used as a regional sorting
center, not only for Cincinnati but for other points as well. It was a major
transfer station for the postal department.
The mail was unloaded from the trains onto platforms in the
rear and also from the passenger terminal via a long enclosed overhead
conveyor. The mail was sent to a central location and sorted. Mail for the
Cincinnati area was sent by an other overhead conveyor directly into the
post office that was built in 1935 on the east side of this building.
With the abandonment of trains as a way of transferring the
mail in recent decades this facility was no longer needed and was closed.
After a number of years of disuse it, along with the nearby Railway Express
Building, was acquired from the Terminal by the City of Cincinnati for use
as a regional bus service center. The cost for converting these buildings
turned out to be prohibitive so the plans were dropped. Eventually the
United States Postal Service bought the building and demolished it for a
parking lot for the post office employees.
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