Macomb’s Historic Train Depot (Amtrak)
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Opened in 1913, this historic train station was constructed by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad was designed by the railroad’s architect Walter Theodore Krausch and is still in operation today. You can comfortably enjoy it’s vintage ambiance while awaiting Amtrak‘s twice daily services between Chicago and Quincy, both of which pull into Macomb‘s beautifully restored classic railway depot. The station is owned by Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), leased by Amtrak and is managed by the City of Macomb.
The Macomb Amtrak Depot overlooks historic Chandler Park on the northern edge of downtown and is also about one half-mile east of the Western Illinois University (WIU) campus, which extends north to the La Moine River. The depot is composed of brick trimmed in sandstone and built at a cost of approximately $26,000. It is topped with a hipped roof whose wide eaves protect passengers from inclement weather. Numerous Go West Transit bus routes serve the depot area, providing easy access to various parts of the city. In March 2021, the depot became the new home of Visit Unforgettable Forgottonia the Macomb Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Working with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and Amtrak, the city made renovations and upgrades to the station in the 1980s. Local government has also sponsored replacement of the brick surround and driveway with new brick, adding to the charm of an already handsome original station.
Over the summer of 2014, the city made improvements to the parking lot. In conjunction with this work, students from WIU volunteered to paint the interior. Residents of the McDonough County Jail painted the exterior and undertook basic carpentry work. In both 2018 the station was brought into ADA compliance and in 2022 major upgrades were made to the depot’s platform.
Macomb, sitting just south of the East Fork of the La Moine River, was founded in 1830 as the county seat of McDonough County, and was named after General Alexander Macomb, an American general in the War of 1812. War veterans were given land grants in Macomb, part of the Military Tract set aside by Congress. The Northern Cross Railroad, a predecessor of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, built a line through Macomb in 1855, and the town grew as a result.
You can comfortably enjoy it’s vintage ambiance while awaiting Macomb Amtrak‘s twice daily services between Chicago and Quincy, both of which pull into Unforgettable Forgottonia’s beautifully restored classic railway depot.
The Unforgettable Forgottonia (MACVB) offices are also located in the historic station, where you can find brochures, booklets and other publications pertaining to Unforgettable Forgottonia and the region, all available free of charge.
The Carl Sandburg and Illinois Zephyr are financed primarily through funds made available by the Illinois Department of Transportation.
