The Indianapolis Traction Terminal was a major interurban train station in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. It was the largest interurban station in the world and at its peak handled 500 trains per day and seven million passengers per year. The station opened in 1904 and remained in use until 1941, when interurban operation ended. It continued to serve as a bus station until 1968 and was demolished in 1972. The Hilton Indianapolis now stands at its location.DesignThe terminal was designed by D. H. Burnham & Company, an architectural firm based in Chicago. The terminal consisted of three parts: a nine-story office building, a passenger waiting platform, and an adjoining train shed.The train shed was 133ft wide and covered nine tracks. It was positioned north-south, with trains entering from Market Street and exiting to Ohio Street. The train shed severed Wabash Street.East of the train shed was the waiting station. This consisted of a 37ft by 137ft platform covered by a skylight, with waiting rooms underneath.The office building stood nine stories tall and was 163ft by at its base. The building's frame was constructed with steel. The exterior of the first two stories was covered in Bedford limestone, native to Indiana, while the remaining seven stories were "speckled brick."
