Winston-Salem’s union station renovation almost complete NEWSWIRE

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A 28-month, $11 million restoration of Winston-Salem’s 1926 union station is nearing completion, an amazing feat for a structure that had been an automobile repair shop for almost 40 years.

Serving Southern Railway, Norfolk & Western, and the Winston-Salem Southbound, Union Station served upwards of 20 trains a day. The last scheduled passenger train called on June 15, 1970. Occasional Southern Railway steam excursions sponsored by the Winston-Salem Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society departed here until Harvey Davis purchased the building in 1975. For the next 37 years, Davis Garage automobile repair facility occupied Union Station. Surprisingly, little of the interior was disturbed during this time when automobile lifts were installed in the passenger waiting area. That foresight of preserving history paved the way for what has truly become a marvelous renovation.

The city of Winston-Salem acquired the building in 2012, and plans are unfolding. The city signaling center will occupy the lowest level, and there is plenty of office space available on the middle level. On the main level, Union Station is now back to its 1926 glory with largely original pieces that were never removed during the time Davis Garage owned the building. Incredibly, even the flooring survived intact, and identical replacement tiles from the same quarry were used in the few places that were needed. Several of the original lighting fixtures survived as well, and duplicates were constructed as needed. Plans are to lease space to tenants on the main level, in addition to the large waiting room that will be available for banquets and other events.

These days, the closest passenger trains operated by Amtrak and the state of North Carolina stop in Greensboro, N.C., about 30 miles east, although possibilities and plans exist for extending service to Winston-Salem to service Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem State University, and the North Carolina School of the Arts in the future. If, and when, that happens, Union Station will once again host passenger service.

In the meantime, for railroad enthusiasts, an open-window balcony overlooking where the concourse once extended over the Southern (now Norfolk Southern) tracks will serve as a railfan viewing area, and a HO-scale layout showcasing Union Station will soon be on display for visitors. Display cases showcasing railroad memorabilia will soon be filled with artifacts, and a call has gone out to see if the original trainboard listing the passenger train schedule still exists. Final touches are still being applied to the building as construction efforts wind down, and a grand re-opening is expected in the coming months.