Union Terminal’s “Tower A”

I first read about Union Terminal’s main control room, Tower A, in a Cincinnati magazine article last year entitled “Hidden Cincinnati.”  It had a wide-angle photo of Tower A’s interior and briefly talked about its history.  I was flabbergasted!  I had been to Union Terminal dozens of times since my childhood (including a photoventure last year in which I explored off-limits areas!) and had never heard of Tower A.  I was determined to find it.

Well, it took me a whole year to find the time, but I hadn’t forgotten!  Yesterday, while at the Cincinnati Museum Center to see the fantastic exhibit of the Dead Sea Scrolls, Jon and I made a brief foray up to the top floor to check out the old main railway control tower.

The giant board at the top represents all of the tracks and junctions right outside the control tower.  The lights still change as trains come and go and the directions switch!

The entire face of the tower is made up of long panoramic windows with a spectacular view of the tracks and the river.

I love the vintage mint color scheme of the art deco interior.

This old phone still works!


The Cincinnati Railroad Club restored and continues to maintain Tower A.  Even though it’s now defunct, the tower still has an operating radio receiver, over which you can hear the locomotive engineers talking.


There’s something I really love about trains.  Maybe it’s a nostalgia, but I just think they’re awesome.

If you’re interested, you can read more about Union Terminal here, on the Cincinnati Museum Center’s website.