On June 9, more than a dozen local bloggers and photographers were treated to a free behind-the-scenes tour of Cincinnati Union Terminal, led by Steve Terheiden, senior director of facilities and operations with the Cincinnati Museum Center. The tour was meant not only to highlight what a tremendous asset Cincinnati has and some of the restoration work already performed, but also to point out some of the estimated $150 million-plus in repairs necessary to fix rusting structural steel and other major issues in the National Historic Landmark.

Today's photos show what it looks like within the "guts" of the half-dome. Although this part of the structure often is opened up for public tours, cameras are not permitted.

Special thanks go out to Mr. Terheiden, Cincinnati Museum Center Digital Engagement Manager Lauren Bishop and Social Media Coordinator Natalie Nichols of the Cincinnati Museum Center, and Empower MediaMarketing Director of Marketing Kevin Dugan.

The remaining four parts of this series will be posted over the coming days, including shots of the building's rooftop, interior rooms, and rail yards.

These 36 photos have been added to the Cincinnati Union Terminal gallery, which now contains 173 photos.

Please click on each photo to enlarge to 800 x 600 resolution, and be sure to visit the Building Cincinnati galleries to view 4,570 photographs of dozens of Greater Cincinnati communities.

1. Before the tour, Gordon Bombay pointed out this cat's plaid pants on the rotunda mural, which I'd never noticed before.


2. See the holes in the ceiling? More on that later.


3. Heavy beams and rivets.


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5. Most are probably unaware that the glass they see on the building's façade is actually two sets of glass, separated by a walkway.


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8. With windows open, one can look east...


9. ...or look west, into the rotunda.


10. I want to film a crime drama here. This will be the detectives' interview room.


11. More beams.


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13. Stairs. Even getting up to the half-dome requires climbing six stories.


14. Here's Terheiden, giving some safety tips on the narrow staircase that leads over the half-dome.


15. The next several photos are from "the top".


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21. Okay...remember the holes in the ceiling. If I were to drop a penny here, it would fall right through one.


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26. Back down. Art is stored in this out-of-the-way space.


27. The room that controls the clock.


28. The back of the building's signature clock.


29. OLD equipment.


30. Into some of the spaces that follow the curve of the half-dome. Here, weather has taken its toll on the plaster.


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35. Hole of death.


36. "Mural". :)

Previous reading on BC:
Celebrate trains at Museum Center tomorrow (5/11/12)
Rogers, curator of Union Terminal, retires (3/29/11)
Museum Center hosts celebration of trains this Saturday (5/5/10)
Panel discussion makes case for Issue 6; Museum Center wins national award (10/6/09)
Inside Cincinnati Union Terminal (2/18/09)