There’s a natural tension between the need to preserve history and the need to make progress. A tension between culture and commerce.
In my hometown of Dallas, the needs of commerce generally win. Historical buildings are often sacrificed to make room for modern glass-encased structures like those shown in “X Marks the Spot”.
I was surprised to learn that the majestic St. Pancras train station – where someone wanting to get to Paris in under two-and-a-half hours would board the Eurostar service in London for a ride through the Channel Tunnel – was targeted in the 1960s for a similar fate as old buildings in Dallas.
The Channel Tunnel, also known as the Chunnel, is an engineering feat. Imagine high-speed train service between two of the more amazing cities in the world, through a tunnel under the English Channel.
Thankfully, preservationists stepped in and, as a result, St. Pancras and its accompanying hotel are now a bustling part of one of London’s many cultural centers, sitting between King’s Cross Station and The British Library.
I love train stations. I love the unique architecture. I love the history. I love the planning required to make train stations functional. I love the logistical accomplishment of keeping trains moving. I love trains as a form of transportation.
Maybe it’s the sheer number of train stations is why Europe is one of my favorite destinations.