Santa Fe Depot (San Bernardino)

San Bernardino
Location 1170 West Third Street
San Bernardino, CA 92410[1]
United States
Coordinates 34°06′15″N 117°18′35″W / 34.10417°N 117.30972°W / 34.10417; -117.30972Coordinates: 34°06′15″N 117°18′35″W / 34.10417°N 117.30972°W / 34.10417; -117.30972
Owned by San Bernardino Associated Governments
Line(s) BNSF Railway
Platforms 1 side platform (Amtrak)
3 island platforms (Metrolink)
Tracks 1 (Amtrak)
6 (Metrolink)
Connections Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach; 19A (to Hemet)[2] and 19B (to Indio)[3]
Construction
Disabled access Yes
Other information
Station code SNB (Amtrak)
History
Opened 15 July 1918
Rebuilt 2004
Traffic
Passengers (2013) 11,349[4] Decrease 1.2% (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station   Amtrak   Following station
toward Los Angeles
Southwest Chief
toward Chicago
Metrolink
TerminusInland Empire–Orange County Line
toward Oceanside
San Bernardino LineTerminus
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Passenger and Freight Depot
Location San Bernardino, California
Built 1918
Architect W.A. Mohr; Cresmer Manufacturing Co.
Architectural style Mission Revival/Moorish Revival/Spanish Colonial Revival
NRHP Reference #

01000025

[5]
Added to NRHP 2 February 2001
Location
San Bernardino
Location within California

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.[6]

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.[7] The 1886 building was mostly destroyed in a fire on 16 November 1916.[8]

Architecture and design

Trackside of the San Bernardino Santa Fe Depot

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.[8]

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.[8]

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 1970, ATSF transferred its passenger service to Amtrak. Metrolink began service to the station in the early 1990s.[9]

Trackside of the original San Bernardino Santa Fe Depot, 1915

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.[10] The historic depot waiting area, along with a new snack shop, opened again for Amtrak and Metrolink passengers on 2 May 2008.[11] A new elevator, platforms, tracks, and an overpass are being built in March and April 2017 as part of the Downtown San Bernardino Passenger Rail Project, an extension of Metrolink service to the San Bernardino Transit Center.[12]

Services

The San Bernardino station serves as the eastern terminus for all Metrolink San Bernardino Line trains which originate from Los Angeles' Union Station and the northern terminus for some Inland Empire-Orange County Line trains.

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.

Platforms and tracks

Amtrak platform ■ Southwest Chief toward Los Angeles (Riverside–Downtown)
■ Southwest Chief toward Chicago (Victorville)
Metrolink platforms ■ Inland Empire–Orange County Line toward Oceanside (Riverside–Downtown)
■ San Bernardino Line toward L.A. Union Station (Rialto)

Former services

  Former services  
Amtrak
toward Los Angeles
Desert Wind
Discontinued in 1997
toward Chicago
Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe
toward Los Angeles
Main Line
Cajon
Major stations
toward Los Angeles
Major stations
toward Los Angeles
Main Line
Cajon
Major stations
toward Los Angeles
Major stations
TerminusRedlands Loop
Redlands
Terminus
Arrowhead
toward Redlands
toward San Jacinto
San Jacinto BranchTerminus

References

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