Late in 2022, Industrial Services was contracted to complete a historic renovation of the Amtrak Depot train station and Express maintenance building in Jackson, MI in the spring of 2023.
In operation since September 1, 1873, Jackson’s train depot is the oldest continually operating passenger rail station in the United States! During the height of train travel, it was the largest stop on the line between Detroit and Chicago. The station currently services the Amtrak Wolverine line which still runs from Detroit to Chicago.
The depot, express building, and Le Grande Square are listed on the US Department of the Interior's National Register of Historic Places. Famous people have stopped at the Jackson Station including President McKinley in 1899, President Taft in 1910, and Presidential Candidates Dwight Eisenhower in 1952 and John F. Kennedy in 1960.
This project required the expert care of our team of restoration specialists to facilitate the removal and replacement of 100 year old building materials including original limestone, brick, and mortar, and interior plaster. Our team carefully completed the replacement of over 15,000 brick units on a condensed schedule without interrupting operational impact to the train station or schedule, working closely with our client and Amtrak team to safely work within the constraints of the train platform and allow full operation and train schedule.
In the fall, we increased the scope to include the replacement of the original limestone base surrounding the building, which had been affected over the years by salt damage. Our team of technicians worked to replace nearly 40% of the original building stone to match the profile and maintain the historical aspects of the structure.