San Bernardino (Amtrak station)

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The street side of San Bernardino station
San Bernardino
Station statistics
Address	1170 W Third Street. San Bernardino, California 92410
Lines	Amtrak services: Southwest Chief Metrolink services: San Bernardino Line Inland Empire-Orange County Line
Other information
Opened	July 15, 1918
Code	SNB
Owned by	San Bernardino Associated Governments

San Bernardino (Amtrak Station) is a passenger rail station in San Bernardino, California. It currently serves one Amtrak and two Metrolink lines. The depot is an historical landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places.^[1]

Contents 1 History and renovation 2 Depot architecture and design 3 Services 4 References 5 External links

[edit] History and renovation

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.^[2] The 1886 building was mostly destroyed in a fire on November 16, 1916.^[3]

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 ($11,551,475 adjusted for 2005) to build and was officially opened on July 15, 1918. At that time it was the largest railway station west of the Mississippi River. The newspaper 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.^[3]

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 1972, ATSF transfered its passenger service to Amtrak. Metrolink began service to the station in the early 1990s. ^[4]

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.^[5] Greyhound Lines plans on moving passenger operations to the depot in 2009.^[6] It is unclear if the depot will be used by rail passengers from Metrolink or Amtrak in the near future.

[edit] Depot architecture and design

The historic depot is built in the Spanish Mission Revival Style with some Moorish influence. Utilizing hollow clay blocks, a red tile roof and stucco exterior, the depot was designed to withstand fire. Four doomed 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.^[3]

[edit] 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 southeastward towards Riverside on weekends.

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.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Amtrak California station information
• Metrolink station information

Previous station		Amtrak		Next station
Riverside toward Los Angeles		Southwest Chief		Victorville toward Chicago
Previous station		Metrolink		Next station
Terminus		Inland Empire-Orange County Line		Colton toward Oceanside
Rialto toward Los Angeles		San Bernardino Line		Terminus

v • d • e Metrolink (website)
Commuter lines	91 Line – Antelope Valley Line – Inland Empire-Orange County (IEOC) Line – Orange County Line Riverside Line – San Bernardino Line – Ventura County Line
Connecting rail	Amtrak – Amtrak California – Los Angeles County Metro Rail – San Diego Coaster
Other information	Union Station – Transportation of Los Angeles