Baltimore Penn Station

Baltimore Penn Station is the main intercity rail station in Baltimore, Maryland, and serves as an important hub in North America's rail network. The imposing building was constructed in 1911 in the Beaux-Arts style and was designed by New York architect Kenneth MacKenzie Murchison. Originally known as Union Station because it served both the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Western Maryland Railway, it has carried its current name since 1928. The station's architecture is strongly shaped by its setting: it stands on a raised island between two open cuts occupied by the Jones Falls Expressway and the tracks of the Northeast Corridor. Here you'll find a mix of historic grandeur and modern transportation infrastructure that reflects the vibrant character of the city.

The history of the site goes back to 1873, when a first wooden depot opened; it was replaced by a brick structure in 1886. The current building replaced that earlier structure and, as part of a restoration project in 1984, was returned to its original 1911 appearance. Today the station is owned by Amtrak and is served by numerous Northeast Corridor trains as well as other long-distance routes such as the Carolinian, Crescent, and Palmetto. It is also the northern terminus of the MARC Penn Line and of the light rail connection to Camden. One historic highlight for visitors is the memory of Richard Nixon, who delivered his famous Checkers speech here in 1952, when he was still a senator.

In the 21st century, the station is the focus of extensive modernization plans intended to accommodate an expected rise in passenger numbers. One controversial feature is the 15.5-meter-tall aluminum sculpture Male/Female by Jonathan Borofsky, installed on the forecourt in 2004. While critics feel the sculpture clashes with the station's classical architecture, supporters see it as an expression of contemporary art. Current development projects call for adding a new three-story terminal to the building and converting the upper floors into office space, with restaurants and shops at ground level. These measures are meant to transform the station into a modern, multimodal transportation hub that combines its historic fabric with forward-looking services.