Puzzle for December 14, 2025: Union Station Interior
Our examination of the river confluence at White River Junction led me to dig a little deeper, and I found this wonderful photo of the interior of Union Station.
When I hear the phrase “the glory days of the railroad,” I compare this restaurant in Union Station to the current situation at the Amtrak station. This unfortunate reality has been played out many times and in many places.
Imagine how much the railroad changed Vermont, New Hampshire, and the country as a whole. Prior to June 26, 1848, when the railroad first came to White River Junction, people were much more isolated. For example, before the railroad, people from Texas to Kentucky to points north drove herds of turkeys to market, traveling roughly 10 miles a day.
But to Boston? Driving turkeys? (see related post and puzzle at Wild Turkey)
The railroad station in White River Junction is now in its third iteration. The current building was constructed in 1937. It was built on the foundations of Union Station, which had been built in 1880 and burned in 1911.
That leaves a gap of 26 years without a proper station due to an internecine dispute between railroads. Apparently, they used a freight barn in the meantime, although I’m not sure “the meantime” is meant to cover 26 years…
At its peak, 50 passenger trains came or left from White River Junction each day, and the number of freight trains often exceeded that. One source estimated 500 passengers a day passed through the station. At the time, there was a newspaper article exploring the idea of a subway; not with train cars, but a subterranean tunnel connecting the station to downtown, much like the present one in Lebanon. With 50 trains a day, the tracks often blocked foot traffic. It is easy to imagine there were unfortunate incidents.
Thanks for reading.
Cameron Cross