Fast Forwarding to the Past

Michael Round

October 18, 2009

A while ago, I watched a documentary of Hadrian's Wall, the Roman wall constructed across now-England in the 2nd century:

The wall, mostly built by Roman soldiers in the 2nd century, was approximately 73 miles long, 10 feet wide and 15-20 feet high.  After a few years, 14-17 full-sized forts were added, each holding 500-1000 soldiers.

These, as I remember, were really fortified cities.

All within a short distance - 73 miles.

You would think something like this would last forever.  Indeed, there are many parts of the wall still around.

And even if the wall were abandoned, you would think the wall would last forever - mentally.

A shocking part of the documentary has stayed with me: after a few centuries of it's construction, there were places along the line where residents did not even know a wall once stood there.

How could that be?

What happens to history?

FAST-FORWARD TO THE PRESENT

The Kansas City Union Station

The Grand Union Station of Kansas City, Missouri.  It was rescued from demolition in the 90s.  Inside this majestic building are many businesses, Science City, a Railroad museum, a restaurant, etc.  Also inside is the Amtrak station.  There are several arrivals and departures each day.  This is a far cry from yester-year, when passenger and train data was staggering:

How can this be?  80,000 trains in one year is approximately 220 EACH DAY!  That's almost 10 every hour - for each hour of the day - every day of the year. 

Logistically, how did this happen?

It's tough to tell, looking at the "lay of the land" now.  There are a couple rails outside Union Station right now, but nothing to suggest a national hub of transportation - except for the Union Station itself.

What is going on?

And then I came upon the following picture, giving me an idea of the logistics of this mammoth operation.  You can see Union Station in the upper left, but what's the rest of that?  Train sheds?  A series of tracks diverging from the main lines?  None of that is there today!  Also, look at the massive infrastructure at the bottom of the picture - the servicing of many cars, the roundhouse.

Phenomenal.

But none of this is here today.

Here is "Union Station", viewed from the other side.  There are at least 23 sets of tracks at this site!  How can this be?  None of this is here today?  How did this all work?  What happened to it?

This was just 1/2 of the picture from the book - the "before" picture.  Here is the before - and after.

This is "Hadrian's Wall" deja-vu to me.  You see, I once worked in the building in the foreground, and parked in this parking lot, where once the transportation hub of the United States rolled through!

(Pictures taken from Jeffrey Spivak's "Union Station").