Line(s) BNSF Railway Phone +1 800-872-7245 Added to NRHP 2 February 2001 | Opened 15 July 1918 Rebuilt 2004 | |
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Location 1170 West Third Street
San Bernardino, CA 92410
United States Owned by San Bernardino Associated Governments Platforms 1 side platform (Amtrak)
3 island platforms (Metrolink) Tracks 1 (Amtrak)
6 (Metrolink) Connections Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach; 19A (to Hemet) and 19B (to Indio) Address 1170 W 3rd St, San Bernardino, CA 92410, USA Owner San Bernardino Associated Governments Architectural styles Moorish Revival architecture, Mission Revival architecture, Spanish Colonial Revival architecture Similar Riverside – Downtown station, Fontana station, Los Angeles Union Sta, Orange, Riverside – La Sierra station | ||
The San Bernardino Santa Fe Depot is a Mission Revival Style passenger rail terminal in San Bernardino, California, United States. It currently serves one Amtrak (Southwest Chief) and two Metrolink lines (Inland Empire–Orange County Line and San Bernardino Line). The depot is a historical landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Passenger and Freight Depot.
Contents
Early history
Through its subsidiary California Southern Railroad, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (ATSF) first built a two-and-a-half-story wooden structure on the site in 1886 to replace a converted boxcar that had been used as a temporary station. The 1886 building was mostly destroyed in a fire on 16 November 1916.
Architecture and design
Local politicians requested ATSF to build a new station on a much larger scale than the previous. The new station, designed by architect W.A. Mohr, cost $800,000 (equivalent to $12,738,000 in 2016) to build and was officially opened on 15 July 1918. At that time, it was the largest railway station west of the Mississippi River. The San Bernardino Sun wrote "Santa Fe's Station to be the finest in the west." A few years after the depot's opening, an extension was added that included a Harvey House and living quarters.
The historic depot is built in the Mission Revival Style with Moorish Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival features. Utilizing hollow clay blocks, a red tile roof and stucco exterior, the depot was designed to withstand fire. Four domed towers are built around a large center lobby with polished tile walls and floor. The interior includes handcrafted high beams, coffered ceilings and decorative column capitals.
Decline and renovation
The station saw heavy use throughout the 20th century. But like with many railroad stations, there was a gradual decline in usage with the advent of automobiles, buses and air travel. The Harvey House closed in the 1950s. In 1971, ATSF transferred its passenger service to Amtrak. Metrolink began service to the station in the early 1990s.
In 1992, San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) purchased the historic depot from Santa Fe. While Amtrak and Metrolink stopped using the depot in favor for a much smaller newer structure on the west side of the older one, SANBAG acquired over $15 million from federal and local grants and funds to begin an extensive restoration of the historic depot beginning in 2002. In 2004, SANBAG and Metrolink moved some of their offices there. After renovations are complete, SANBAG will share ownership with the City of San Bernardino and both agencies intend on leasing space in it. The historic depot waiting area, along with a new snack shop, opened again for Amtrak and Metrolink passengers on 2 May 2008. Greyhound Lines also planned on moving passenger operations to the depot at some point in 2009, although as of 2016 that has not occurred.
Services
The San Bernardino station serves as the eastern terminus for most Metrolink San Bernardino Line trains which originate from Los Angeles' Union Station and the northern terminus for some Inland Empire-Orange County Line trains. Some San Bernardino Line trains continue southwestward towards Riverside on weekends.
San Bernardino is considered a 91 Line station, but no actual 91 Line (700-series) trains stop there. It is listed because the combination of the Orange County and IE-OC lines is listed on the 91-line timetable. When one transfers between the two in Orange, the effect is the same as riding the 91 Line.
Amtrak's Southwest Chief, which travels between Los Angeles, California and Chicago, Illinois, stops once a day in each direction here.
There are no ticket offices at the station, though tickets for both Amtrak and Metrolink can be picked up at Metrolink's ticket vending machines. Amtrak tickets must be reserved either via telephone or internet before being picked up.