Washington Union Station - Quiz
Washington Union Station
  • 1. Who was the primary architect of Washington Union Station?
A) Pierre Charles L'Enfant
B) André Le Nôtre
C) Louis St. Gaudens
D) Daniel H. Burnham
  • 2. Which architectural feature inspired the exterior and main façade of the station?
A) Pantheon
B) Baths of Diocletian
C) Arch of Constantine
D) Colosseum
  • 3. How high is the waiting room ceiling at Union Station?
A) 46 feet
B) 1837 feet
C) 600 feet
D) 96 feet
  • 4. What kind of stone was used in the station that came from a previously unused quarry?
A) Limestone
B) White granite
C) Sandstone
D) Marble
  • 5. Who designed the six colossal statues located in the Attic block?
A) Pierce Anderson
B) André Le Nôtre
C) Daniel H. Burnham
D) Louis St. Gaudens
  • 6. Which figure represents Electricity in the 'Progress of Railroading' statues?
A) Prometheus
B) Thales
C) Archimedes
D) Apollo
  • 7. The substitution of which category in the station's iconography reflects the power of an American lobbying bloc?
A) Manufacturing
B) Mining
C) Commerce
D) Agriculture
  • 8. How many centurion statues were created for the station's main hall?
A) 96
B) 1893
C) 6
D) 46
  • 9. Why were shields added to the centurion statues?
A) To represent military defense
B) To cover their nudity
C) To hold station signage
D) To act as structural supports
  • 10. What type of fireproof tiles were used in the loggias?
A) Marble tiles
B) Ceramic tiles
C) Granite tiles
D) Guastavino tiles
  • 11. Which event served as inspiration for the final aspect of the station's design?
A) The City Beautiful movement convention
B) The American Renaissance fair
C) The opening of Euston railway station
D) World's Columbian Exposition of 1893
  • 12. The station's layout is based on which type of Baroque garden plan?
A) Spiral
B) Gridiron
C) Goosefoot
D) Labyrinth
  • 13. What facility in the original station is now occupied by a restaurant?
A) Presidential suite
B) Waiting room
C) Barber shop
D) Mortuary
  • 14. Which ancient structure inspired the interior vaulted spaces of the station?
A) Arch of Constantine
B) Colosseum
C) Parthenon
D) Baths of Diocletian
  • 15. Who assisted Daniel H. Burnham in the design of the station?
A) Pierce Anderson
B) André Le Nôtre
C) Louis St. Gaudens
D) Pierre Charles L'Enfant
  • 16. What entity supported the Union Station project despite local opposition?
A) The D.C. homeowners board
B) The local police department
C) The Northeast Washington Citizens' Association
D) The federal government
  • 17. When were the preliminary plans for the Union Depot presented to the District of Columbia?
A) January 13, 1902
B) January 10, 1902
C) December 10, 1901
D) March 10, 1902
  • 18. Which streets were proposed to have tunnels built under the tracks?
A) K, L, and M Streets NE
B) Delaware, Massachusetts, and Florida Avenues
C) H, I, and J Streets NE
D) First, Second, and Third Streets NE
  • 19. What was the estimated extra cost to build a tunnel for H Street NE?
A) $1,000
B) $100,000
C) $10,000
D) $5,000
  • 20. Where did the Northeast Washington Citizens' Association meet to express their outrage?
A) Northeast Temple
B) The D.C. District Commissioner office
C) The U.S. Capitol building
D) The Union Depot site
  • 21. Who did the president of the Northeast Washington Citizens' Association claim controlled Congress?
A) The federal government
B) The District Commissioners
C) The residents of Swampoodle
D) The Pennsylvania Railroad
  • 22. What was the final decision regarding H Street as announced on March 10, 1902?
A) It would be permanently closed
B) It would remain open with a tunnel
C) It would be relocated to Florida Avenue
D) It would be replaced by a streetcar line
  • 23. Approximately how many houses were demolished to make way for the station?
A) More than 100
B) Almost 500
C) Exactly 50
D) Fewer than 20
  • 24. What was the name of the impoverished neighborhood erased by the construction?
A) The Northeast District
B) Swampoodle
C) Delaware Heights
D) Tiber Creek Village
  • 25. What happened to Tiber Creek during the construction process?
A) It was diverted to the Potomac River
B) It was completely drained
C) It was turned into a public park
D) It was put in a tunnel
  • 26. Which avenue disappeared from the map between Massachusetts Avenue and Florida Avenue?
A) Delaware Avenue
B) K Street
C) M Street
D) L Street
  • 27. What was a defining characteristic of the neighborhood called Swampoodle?
A) Affluence
B) Government offices
C) High-end retail
D) Rampant crime
  • 28. What area of the city were the railroads supposed to vacate as a result of the new station?
A) Capitol Hill
B) Georgetown
C) Foggy Bottom
D) The National Mall
  • 29. In what year was the Act to provide a union railroad station in the District of Columbia signed into law?
A) 1903
B) 1901
C) 1899
D) 1905
  • 30. Which president signed the act authorizing the construction of the union station?
A) Woodrow Wilson
B) Theodore Roosevelt
C) William McKinley
D) William Howard Taft
  • 31. What was the minimum cost requirement for the station according to the 1903 Act?
A) $4 million
B) $2 million
C) $10 million
D) $6 million
  • 32. What was the actual cost of the main station building?
A) Over $5.9 million
B) $1.5 million
C) Exactly $4 million
D) Over $16 million
  • 33. What was the total cost for all improvements associated with Union Station, including infrastructure?
A) $5.9 million
B) Over $16 million
C) $12 million
D) $4 million
  • 34. Which entity was authorized to construct the station?
A) District of Columbia Railroad Commission
B) Senate Park Commission
C) Washington Terminal Company
D) National Capitol Planning Commission
  • 35. How much government funding did each carrier receive to compensate for eliminating grade crossings?
A) $4 million
B) $1.5 million
C) $12 million
D) $16 million
  • 36. The total cost of $16 million is equivalent to what amount in 2025?
A) $120 million
B) $177 million
C) $481 million
D) $361 million
  • 37. In what year did Union Station open?
A) 1910
B) 1915
C) 1898
D) 1907
  • 38. What is the IATA airport code for Union Station?
A) WAS
B) IAD
C) ZWU
D) DCA
  • 39. Which entity took control of the station in 2024?
A) The federal government
B) The city of Washington D.C.
C) Amtrak
D) Private developers
  • 40. During which historical event did the station reach its peak traffic of 200,000 passengers per day?
A) World War II
B) The Great Depression
C) The Vietnam War
D) World War I
  • 41. In what year was a headhouse wing added and the station renovated into a shopping mall?
A) 1995
B) 1975
C) 1988
D) 2005
  • 42. On what date did the Trump administration announce plans to negotiate federal management of non-railroad areas?
A) August 27, 2024
B) December 31, 2024
C) August 27, 2025
D) January 20, 2025
  • 43. What was the name of the first B&O train to arrive at Washington Union Station?
A) Federal
B) Silver Streak
C) Capitol Limited
D) Pittsburgh Express
  • 44. How many station tracks entered from the northeast and terminated at the headhouse?
A) 9
B) 23
C) 32
D) 16
  • 45. The Presidential Suite was originally built to prevent a repeat of the assassination of which president?
A) William Howard Taft
B) Dwight D. Eisenhower
C) James A. Garfield
D) Harry Truman
  • 46. During World War II, what was the Presidential Suite converted into?
A) Food court
B) U.S.O. canteen
C) Ticket office
D) Stationmaster's office
  • 47. In what year did the Pennsylvania Railroad's Federal train crash into the station?
A) 1953
B) 1907
C) 1976
D) 1941
  • 48. What was the model of the electric locomotive involved in the 1953 crash?
A) Pittsburgh Express
B) Pennsylvania Special
C) GG1
D) Silver Streak
  • 49. What caused the 1953 crash according to the investigation?
A) A malfunctioning signal
B) Excessive speed on the tracks
C) A failed bumper block
D) A closed anglecock
  • 50. Which film's finale was inspired by the 1953 crash at Union Station?
A) Silver Streak
B) Capitol Hill
C) The Last Train
D) The Federal Express
  • 51. In what year did the Civil Service Commission chairman first express interest in using Union Station as a visitor center?
A) 1981
B) 1976
C) 1988
D) 1967
  • 52. What was the official name of the slide show presentation area in the Main Hall?
A) The Pit
B) The Visitor Center
C) The Main Concourse
D) Primary Audio-Visual Experience
  • 53. On what date were the theaters closed and staff laid off at the National Visitor Center?
A) October 28, 1978
B) February 23, 1981
C) July 4, 1976
D) December 29, 1981
  • 54. What was the most common question asked by visitors at the National Visitor Center?
A) Where is the Pit?
B) Where are the trains?
C) Where is the parking garage?
D) When does the slide show start?
  • 55. Which piece of legislation was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on December 29, 1981?
A) The Amtrak Restoration Act
B) The D.C. Infrastructure Act
C) Union Station Redevelopment Act
D) The Bicentennial Visitor Act
  • 56. Who awarded $70 million to the restoration effort in 1988?
A) Elizabeth Dole
B) The Department of the Interior
C) The United States Senate
D) Ronald Reagan
  • 57. What material was used to refit the Main Hall floor during restoration?
A) Marble
B) Tile
C) Plastic
D) Concrete
  • 58. What was discovered by crews while installing new HVAC systems?
A) Structural blueprints
B) A time capsule
C) Hidden gold
D) Antique items
  • 59. Who was the previous operator accused of neglecting the Union Station mall?
A) The Rouse Company
B) Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation
C) Phoenix Theatres
D) Union Station Venture II
  • 60. Which individual designed the Union Station Mall?
A) W. Graham Claytor Jr.
B) Jackson Ewing
C) Benjamin C. Thompson
D) Roy Williams
  • 61. What is the new passenger concourse named after?
A) Jackson Ewing
B) Benjamin C. Thompson
C) W. Graham Claytor Jr.
D) Joseph H. Boardman
  • 62. In what year did Amtrak move its headquarters out of Union Station?
A) 2017
B) 2013
C) 2019
D) 2022
  • 63. How many retailers and eateries were reported to be in the station in 2022?
A) About 75
B) Over 100
C) About 40
D) Exactly 10
  • 64. What was the main reason for the decline in stores during the early 2020s?
A) The end of the leasehold
B) Lack of passenger traffic
C) COVID-19 pandemic
D) Renovation construction
  • 65. When did Amtrak begin condemnation proceedings to take over the leasehold interest of Union Station?
A) April 2022
B) February 2025
C) March 2024
D) July 2024
  • 66. What entity did Ashkenazy hand the mall to through foreclosure?
A) Amtrak
B) Rexmark
C) USDOT
D) USRC
  • 67. How many years is the modernization and expansion plan intended to cover?
A) 25 years
B) 10 years
C) 20 years
D) 50 years
  • 68. Who ruled that Amtrak could seize the station's commercial space through eminent domain?
A) Judge Amit Mehta
B) Judge John Roberts
C) The Supreme Court
D) The Federal Railroad Administration
  • 69. When did Amtrak officially take over control of Union Station?
A) Late July 2024
B) August 2025
C) April 2022
D) March 2024
  • 70. Which former operator sued to prevent the approval of the leasehold agreement?
A) Ashkenazy
B) NCPC
C) USSM
D) Rexmark
  • 71. What track was reopened as a platform track for Amtrak and VRE use in August 2025?
A) Track 22
B) Track 10
C) Track 30
D) Track 5
  • 72. By what year is the Concourse Modernization Project expected to double passenger capacity?
A) 2026
B) 2024
C) 2025
D) 2027
  • 73. What program was launched in March 2026 to celebrate America250?
A) Civics-themed storytelling program
B) Railroad safety education initiative
C) National train museum gallery
D) Historical monument expansion
  • 74. Union Station is the busiest station capable of handling which type of railcars?
A) Horizon
B) Superliner
C) Viewliner
D) Amfleet
  • 75. Which commuter rail service links Washington to Maryland and West Virginia?
A) LIRR
B) Virginia Railway Express
C) Metra
D) MARC
  • 76. What kind of platforms serve the ground level tracks at Union Station?
A) Low-level track platforms
B) High-level bay platforms
C) Surface-level boarding zones
D) Elevated island platforms
  • 77. Which Metro line serves the Union Station Metrorail station?
A) Blue Line
B) Yellow Line
C) Red Line
D) Orange Line
  • 78. Where is the Metrorail station located relative to the main building?
A) Above the main concourse
B) Adjacent to the eastern parking garage
C) Underground beneath the western side
D) Across the street on Massachusetts Avenue
  • 79. What is another name for the H Street Bridge that serves the DC Streetcar?
A) Capital Crossing
B) Hopscotch Bridge
C) Union Span
D) Railroad Overpass
  • 80. What type of engine is typically used by Northeast Regional trains for the northern leg of their journey from D.C.?
A) GE Genesis diesel engine
B) Dual-mode turbine engine
C) Steam locomotive
D) Siemens ACS-64 electric engine
  • 81. Which government official announced the new bus facility in 2011?
A) Anthony Foxx
B) Pete Buttigieg
C) Ray LaHood
D) John Porcari
  • 82. When did Greyhound and Peter Pan Bus Lines move their D.C. operations to the new facility?
A) August 1, 2011
B) September 26, 2012
C) January 1, 2017
D) November 15, 2011
  • 83. Which company began offering service to Maryland, New Jersey, and New York from Union Station in 2017?
A) Megabus
B) BoltBus
C) OurBus
D) Greyhound
  • 84. Who took over Megabus's northeastern routes after it discontinued service?
A) OurBus
B) Peter Pan
C) Tripper Bus
D) Greyhound
  • 85. What is located just north of Union Station?
A) The National Mall
B) The Capitol Building
C) The Smithsonian
D) The Ivy City Yard
  • 86. Which high-speed train sets have a new maintenance facility at Ivy City Yard?
A) Silver Meteor
B) Acela
C) VRE
D) MARC
  • 87. Which maintenance facility is located in the southwest corner of the Ivy City Yard?
A) Metro's Brentwood facility
B) MARC's storage yard
C) VRE's fueling station
D) Amtrak's heavy repair shop
  • 88. In what year was the movie 'Hannibal' released, which featured Union Station?
A) 1939
B) 2001
C) 2003
D) 1951
Created with That Quiz — where test making and test taking are made easy for math and other subject areas.