Thurmond station is a train station in Thurmond, West Virginia, United States, that is served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system. The Cardinal, which runs three times each week between Chicago, Illinois and Washington, DC, passes by the station three times each week in both directions. The station is on CSX Transportation's New River Line and is located on the east bank of the New River.

Thurmond, WV
Looking southeast across the train tracks towards the Thurmond station building
General information
LocationCounty Route 25 & County Route 2
Thurmond, West Virginia
United States
Owned byNational Park Service
Line(s)CSX New River Subdivision
Platforms1 side platform
Tracks3 (1 unused)
Construction
Structure typeAt-grade
ParkingYes, extremely limited
Other information
Station codeAmtrak: THN
History
Opened1905, 1977 (Amtrak)
Rebuilt1995
Passengers
FY 2023466[1] (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Montgomery
toward Chicago
Cardinal Prince
toward New York
Former services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Charleston
toward Chicago
James Whitcomb Riley
1977
Prince
Preceding station Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Following station
Hawks Nest
toward Cincinnati
Main Line Prince
Harvey
toward Price Hill
Price HillThurmond Terminus
Thurmond Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Station
LocationThurmond, West Virginia, USA
Coordinates37°57′26″N 81°04′44″W / 37.95722°N 81.07889°W / 37.95722; -81.07889
Built1905
ArchitectChesapeake and Ohio Railway
Part ofThurmond Historic District (ID84003520)
Added to NRHPJanuary 27, 1984[2]
Location
Map

Ridership

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Amtrak train 51 arriving at Thurmond

It is one of Amtrak's least-busy stations, it was the second least-busy for fiscal year 2006, after Greenfield Village, Michigan, which was less traveled because it had been discontinued from the Amtrak regular schedule in April 2006 (being open only to groups after that point).[3] Of the 509 stations served by Amtrak in fiscal year 2012, Thurmond was again the second least-used station, just ahead of Sanderson, Texas.[4][5] In fiscal year 2023, however, Thurmond was the fourth least-used station.

In 2022, the Amtrak station in Thurmond, WV saw 399 passengers served, compared to 285 in 2018. [6] In 2023, 466 passengers were served at the Thurmond station.[7]

As of 2024, due to the low annual ridership in Thurmond, the station is unstaffed, there is no waiting room, and no in-person ticket booth or kiosk.[8]

History

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The long, narrow two-story slate-roofed wooden structure, built in 1905 by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, also houses a railroad museum and a visitor center for the New River Gorge National River. The depot features a projecting bay that served as a signal tower. The interior originally possessed three waiting rooms: one for white men, one for white women, and one for African Americans.[9] The building was renovated in 1995. It is a contributing structure in the Thurmond Historic District.[10] In 2023, a new small accessible platform was constructed to accommodate passengers with reduced mobility.

References

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  1. ^ "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2023: State of West Virginia" (PDF). Amtrak. March 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  2. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  3. ^ "Amtrak System Timetable: Spring 2005 - Summer 2005". April 25, 2005. p. 80. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
  4. ^ "Great American Stations: Thurmond, WV (THN)". Amtrak. Archived from the original on March 11, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
  5. ^ "Great American Stations: Sanderson, TX (SND)". Amtrak. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
  6. ^ "Amtrak service in Thurmond, WV" (PDF). www.railpassengers.org.
  7. ^ "Amtrak Fact Sheet Fiscal Year 2023 State of West Virginia" (PDF). www.amtrak.com.
  8. ^ "Thurmond, WV (THN) | Amtrak". www.amtrak.com. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
  9. ^ Chambers, S. Allen (2004). "Capital Center and South Central West Virginia". Buildings of West Virginia. Oxford University Press. pp. 114–115. ISBN 0-19-516548-9.
  10. ^ Harper, R. Eugene (September 15, 1983). "National Register of Historic Places Nomination: Thurmond Historic District" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
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