Depot celebrates 125th anniversary

This year the Painesville Depot turns 125 years old.

The building, which now houses the Painesville Railroad Museum and preserves railroad history and promotes model railroading, was once a passenger station.

The building located at 475 Railroad St., which was also known as the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Station, opened February 1, 1893, said Vice-President Tom Pescha.

Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Company merged with the New York Central Railroad in 1914, with that railroad taking ownership until 1968. Then the New York Central Railroad

merged with the Pennsylvania Railroad to form the Penn Central Railroad.

The depot served as a passenger station until 1971, when Amtrak was formed. After passenger service ended, it was used as a Greyhound Bus Station until June 1988.

CSX took over the rails in 1986 and still oversee them.

“In 1993 Ed Dunlap purchased the place and after five years he abandoned his plans to turn it into a restaurant,” Pescha said. “In 1997, the Western Reserve Railroad was formed and we took ownership of the depot. Now we are doing business as the Painesville Railroad Museum.”

The City of Painesville made Railroad Street and the Depot a Historic District in 2015.

Over the years, the museum has been dedicated to the restoration and preservation of this historic landmark.

“In the last two to three years we’ve made major strides in our restoration program adding the two ADA restrooms,” Pescha

said. We finished dry walling all the walls and ceiling, we added new chandeliers of the time period, we rebuilt all the windows in the caboose area and we’ve done major work in the Express Room.”

The Express Room received a fresh coat of paint, all new trim and the wood floors were sanded and refinished. It is often used as a meeting room.

Future plans for the museum includes expanding its collection and constructing a new 6,000-squarefoot Lionel Experience and Event Center.

To commemorate the depot’s rich history, there will be a celebration from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Aug. 4 at the Painesville Railroad Museum.

The event will feature complimentary birthday cake and ice cream. Hamburgers and hot dogs with soft drinks will be available for a small donation. There will also be live music, face painting, a balloon artist, games, a Chinese Auction and a 50/50 raffle.

Admission is free, but donations will be accepted.

Pescha said the public is invited to see all of the restoration that has been taking place to bring the depot back to its glory days.