Union Station Los Angeles – The Golden Age of Train Travel Lives On

Random! Mod Betty and Retro Roadhusband just went to see the movie "Hail Caesar" and because I was researching for this post below I immediately recognized that one of the locations used for the film was Union Station! I love it when I spot things like that. Reminds me of my folks watching the TV show Spenser for Hire and pointing out all the Boston scene incongruities.

]If you're interested here's a list of more of the Hail Caesar L.A. movie locations,  and also a list here of a number of other films that used Union Station as a backdrop! 

But now, as they say in Hollywood - ON WITH THE SHOW!

Union Station, Los Angeles CA

Los Angeles' Union Station opened in 1939 and is the largest railroad passenger terminal in the Western United States.It has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1980 and according to some is the "Last of the Great Railway Stations" to have been built in the United States.

Mod Betty agrees, it is gorgeous - inside and out!

Don't let the fact that you don't need to take a train someplace stop you from exploring it when you're in LA., as it is one of Mod Betty's highlights from her last visit. Go check it out it for yourself, as it is like stepping back in time.
If you are traveling by train, sink into the comfy seat and notice the Art Deco and Mission style architectural details that surround you.

Being California, the exterior space is just as welcoming as the interior.

Check out  one of the courtyards that flank the main hall, where you can catch some fresh air between connections.

Take your own closeup look at the colorful tilework around the exterior fountains. I love that color palette and how the fish motif creates a rolling pattern, echoing the ripples of the water.

Even if you're inside and just want to buy a ticket, the floor and columns are equally as colorful.

And the ceiling of the grand hall is made to look like wood but it is really steel:

I'm showing you just a glimpse of the neat details you can see here, but even with all you'll see, L.A's station is still considered small in comparison to other Union Stations.

We stopped by the Union Station hotel in Nashville TN  a while back, and the Union Station on Worcester, MA  too now I think I'm gonna need to "collect 'em all!" :-))

To help you get started on your tour of Union Stations here's a handy list. Enjoy the adventure!

And isn't it cool that the glamour of this classic train station can still be enjoyed by today's  travelers?