Santa Fe Passenger Depot (Fresno, California) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Santa Fe Passenger Depot Fresno, CA
Santa Fe Passenger Depot in 2009
Location	2650 Tulare Street Fresno, California United States
Coordinates	36°44′18″N 119°46′55″W / 36.73833°N 119.78194°W / 36.73833; -119.78194
Owned by	City of Fresno
Line(s)	BNSF Stockton Subdivision
Platforms	1 side platform 1 island platform
Tracks	2
Connections	Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach Greyhound Fresno Area Express Fresno County Rural Transit Agency Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System
Construction
Parking	11 short term spaces 98 long term spaces
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Station code	FNO
History
Opened	1899
Rebuilt	February 12, 2005
Original company	San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railroad
Traffic
Passengers (2018)	377,709  0.9% (Amtrak)
Rank	11th in California
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station Madera toward Oakland – Jack London Square or Sacramento San Joaquins Hanford toward Bakersfield
Former services Preceding station Amtrak Following station Storey until 2010 toward Oakland – Jack London Square or Sacramento San Joaquins Hanford toward Bakersfield Preceding station Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Following station Figarden toward Oakland Oakland – Barstow Calwa toward Barstow
Santa Fe Passenger Depot
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Area	1.1 acres (0.4 ha)
Architect	William Benson Storey, Jr.
Architectural style	California Mission
NRHP reference No.	76000482
Added to NRHP	November 7, 1976

The Santa Fe Passenger Depot, also known as Fresno station, is an historic railroad station and transportation hub in downtown Fresno, California. It is served by San Joaquins inter-city passenger trains, Greyhound inter-city buses, and regional transit services including Fresno Area Express, Fresno County Rural Transit Agency, and seasonally by the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System.

History

Depot circa 1910

The station was built in 1899 for the San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railroad (SF&SJV) and was designed by William Benson Storey for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (ATSF or Santa Fe). It is very similar to the Stockton – San Joaquin Street Station. The station was once the Santa Fe's Valley Division Headquarters, and was expanded or renovated nine times between 1908 and 1985. Sante Fe closed the station for passenger service in 1966 and completely shuttered the building in the early 1990s. When passenger service to Fresno was reinstated on 5 March 1974 Amtrak used a space in the nearby freight house. By the time the city of Fresno purchased the station in 2003, it had fallen into disrepair. The station reopened on 12 February 2005 after a US$6 million renovation project largely restored it to original 1899 appearance. After renovations there are now is 5,400 sq ft (500 m²) dedicated to passenger service and another 12,300 sq ft (1,140 m²) available for lease. The Santa Fe Depot was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

The Santa Fe sign on the Fresno Depot

From its beginning until Amtrak took over nearly all passenger rail service within the United States in 1971, the station was served by ATSF trains, including the famous San Francisco Chief and the Oakland-Barstow line. For the first few years after Amtrak's inception Fresno had no rail service. In 1974 service by Amtrak/Amtrak California's San Joaquin began. Initially, service only included daily service (once in each direction) between Oakland and Bakersfield. Originally, the next northbound stop was Merced, but by 1978 the Storey Train Station was added. (However, under Amtrak that station was known as Madera, rather than Storey.) As the years went by service increased substantially and by 2002 the San Joaquin ran twice daily (in each direction) between Sacramento and Bakersfield and four times daily (in each direction) between Oakland and Bakersfield.

Description

The station is located at 2650 Tulare Street, just off Santa Fe Street, across the street from Fresno City Hall. It is situated in the middle of a rough triangle formed by the three freeways in the city (California State Route 99, California State Route 41, and California State Route 180) and is easily accessible from all three.

Of the 74 California stations served by Amtrak, Fresno was the 11th-busiest, boarding or detraining 377,709 passengers in Fiscal Year 2018. Excluding passengers who are transferring to a Thruway Bus, Fresno has the highest ridership on the San Joaquins service.

Facilities

The station has an indoor waiting room open from 5:30 am to 10:00 pm daily. Inside the station there is a baggage check service, baggage assistance, and an automatic check-in device. In addition to the ticketing agent, there is a Quik-Trak ticket kiosk. There is also a bathroom and payphone. The station has 11 short term and 98 long term parking spaces.

Notable nearby destinations

• Chukchansi Park
• Fresno City Hall
• Fresno Convention Center
• Meux Home Museum
• Saroyan Theater
• Selland Arena

Services

Train platforms

The Santa Fe passenger depot has two tracks, but only one side platform sees regular service. Amtrak trains switch onto this track just north or south of the station, leaving the Main Line clear for freight trains. There is a very narrow island platform between the tracks that is occasionally used when Amtrak trains are not able to switch onto the station track. Passengers are not allowed to wait on the island platform.

Bus connections

• Amtrak California Thruway Motorcoach:
  • Route 1B to Los Angeles via Bakersfield (late night/early morning only)
• Fresno Area Express:
  • Route 22 – N West Ave. / East Tulare Ave.
• Fresno County Rural Transit Agency:
  • Coalinga
  • Orange Cove
  • Southeast
  • Westside
• Greyhound Lines
• Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System:
  • Highway 41 route to Yosemite National Park (operates May–September only)