# Limited access to station...



## Brakeman Jake (Mar 8, 2009)

I don't have all the space I wish I had so I will likely have this on my layout anyway.Since it may be (or have been),I feel I should ask,for curiosity' sake.

Is or was there any passenger service where the train has or had to leave the main and reach the station going in reverse?


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## Schwinn68 (Dec 22, 2016)

I'm pretty sure my dad has said that the old rock island had to back into the station in Morris. The station was on a spur just off the main.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Many, if not most, large city 'Union Stations' were
dead end. The passenger trains usually backed in
so that passenger loading would be more efficient.

There are many of these still in use today including Grand Central in NYC, Union Station in Los Angeles, Union Station
in New Orleans and Union Station in Tampa.

Oh yes, Central Station on my layout is another. Trains
must back in from the main.









Don


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## Brakeman Jake (Mar 8, 2009)

Good!...it will give my programming track a prototypical purpose.


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

Often times the train was handled by a switcher while the locos were being serviced.

Magic


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

I went to College in Ada, Ohio in the mid 60's. I use to eat at a restaurant that looked out at the passenger station there. One snowy night the local passenger slid all the way thru town. Even the crossing gates went back up and about 5 minutes later the the train backed into the station. The station is still there, but no passengers from the trains.


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## Dreadnought (Apr 19, 2016)

The answer is a yes, but usually it was reached by a Wye so that the cars which could only face one direction (combines and observations) could be turned round. The wye usually also led to a coach yard.

This was present on most larger stations, but not necessarily in most smaller ones. Here's one I can think of in Wilson, NC:









Sorry for the small size, but this one wasn't reached by a Wye. It was later replaced because the arrangement is impractical for through trains.


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