Santa Fe Depot (Oklahoma City)

Last updated
Santa Fe Depot
Oklahoma City, OK
Oklahoma City Santa Fe Depot and Amtrak station from NW in 2022.jpg
Santa Fe Depot in 2022
General information
Location100 South E.K. Gaylord Boulevard
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
United States
Coordinates 35°27′55″N97°30′46″W / 35.4653°N 97.5128°W / 35.4653; -97.5128
Owned byCity of Oklahoma City
Platforms1 side platform
Tracks1
Connections Oklahoma City Streetcar
Construction
ParkingYes
Bicycle facilitiesYes
AccessibleYes
Other information
Station code Amtrak: OKC
History
Opened1999 [1]
Closed1979
Rebuilt1934
Passengers
FY 202353,529 [2] (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Amtrak Following station
Norman
toward Fort Worth
Heartland Flyer Terminus
Preceding station EMBARK Following station
Ballpark
One-way operation
Downtown Loop
transfer at Santa Fe Hub
Arena
Next clockwise
Bricktown Loop
transfer at Santa Fe Hub
Former services
Preceding station BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Amtrak Following station
Norman
toward Dallas or Houston
Lone Star Guthrie
toward Chicago
Preceding station Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Following station
Flynn
toward Newton
NewtonPurcell Britton
toward Purcell
Location
Santa Fe Depot (Oklahoma City)

Santa Fe Depot (Amtrak: OKC), also known as the Santa Fe Transit Hub, is an Amtrak station located in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It is the northern terminus of the Heartland Flyer , a daily train to Fort Worth, Texas.

Contents

The Art Deco structure was built in 1934 by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, colloquially known as the Santa Fe. It is the third station to have been built on the site. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2015. [3]

History

Previous stations

The second Santa Fe Depot in Oklahoma City, built 1901. Okc second santa fe depot.jpg
The second Santa Fe Depot in Oklahoma City, built 1901.

In 1887, the Santa Fe constructed the Southern Kansas Railway, which traveled south from Arkansas City, Kansas to modern-day Purcell, Oklahoma to connect to the Texas-based Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway. Among the stops on the railway was Oklahoma Station, a water stop. A townsite developed around Oklahoma Station, which evolved into a full settlement during the Land Rush of 1889. [1]

During the land rush, the railroad was assigned a two-block plot of land for use as station grounds. The first station was built in 1889. It was demolished in 1901 to make room for a larger station. [1]

Following a decades-long conflict between local railroads and the city council, the railroads opted to elevate their tracks to reduce the number of at-grade crossings in the city. This necessitated the creation of a new station, as the previous station was built at street level. The second station was closed in 1932 and was demolished a year later. [3] Sculpted limestone bricks from the station were later re-used in the construction of a local church, which itself was demolished in 1988. [4]

Current station

The current station was opened in 1934. The structure was built as a combination depot, containing both freight and passenger operations; the southern side of the depot housed the freight operations, while the northern side housed the passenger waiting room. [1]

While Oklahoma City was serviced by four rail lines, the station (like its predecessors) was used only by the Santa Fe. The Frisco and Rock Island railways were based out of Union Station, while the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad had its own station on East Reno Street.

Two Santa Fe passenger lines stopped at the station: the Texas Chief and the Chicagoan and Kansas Cityan . The Chicagoan and Kansas Cityan was retired in 1968, while the Texas Chief was transferred to Amtrak and later renamed the Lone Star.

In 1979, Amtrak terminated the Lone Star , ending passenger service to the station. While the track continued to be used by the Santa Fe (and its successor, BNSF Railway) for freight, the station was left vacant for 20 years and began to deteriorate.

Heartland Flyer

In 1998, Jim Brewer, a developer responsible for creating the nearby Bricktown entertainment district, purchased the station from Santa Fe Railway and oversaw a renovation using $2 million funds provided through the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) to make it accessible to people with disabilities and usable as a train station. In 1998, Amtrak and the state reached an informal agreement with Brewer Entertainment to use the station rent-free as the northern terminus of the new Heartland Flyer line, connecting to Fort Worth. The agreement required the state to pay for utilities and other costs associated with station operations.

Service on the Heartland Flyer began in 1999. Another $3.1 million renovation was completed in 2007, and additional accessibility features were added with a $30,000 project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. [1]

No official lease had been drawn up until at least 2010, when Brent Brewer locked the doors of the depot on September 27 and 29, forcing new negotiations with ODOT. [5] On December 21, 2010, it was announced that the ODOT had signed a lease of the station and parking lot for 25 months, with the option to extend the lease for up to ten years. [6]

The station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015. A renovation of the station was completed in 2017. [1]

On December 14, 2018, the Oklahoma City Streetcar commenced operations. The Streetcar has a stop named after the station on Reno Avenue, though it is on the opposite side of the railroad tracks.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway</span> Former railroad company in the United States

The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the largest Class 1 railroads in the United States between 1859 and 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dearborn Station</span> Former train station in Chicago, United States

Dearborn Station was, beginning in the late 1800s, one of six intercity train stations serving downtown Chicago, Illinois. It remained in operation until May 1, 1971. Built in 1883, it is located at Dearborn and Polk Streets, to the south of the Loop, adjacent to Printers Row. The station was owned by the Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad, which itself was owned by the companies operating over its line. The station building headhouse now houses office, retail, and entertainment spaces, and its trackage yard, behind the headhouse, was redeveloped into part of the Dearborn Park neighborhood.

<i>Heartland Flyer</i> Amtrak service between Oklahoma City, OK and Fort Worth, TX

The Heartland Flyer is a daily passenger train that follows a 206-mile (332 km) route between Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Fort Worth, Texas. It is operated by Amtrak and jointly funded by the states of Oklahoma and Texas.

Oklahoma City is near the geographic center of the United States and is an integral point on the U.S. Interstate Network. The city is served by numerous roads and highways, toll roads, three major airports, a train station, a bus station, and a transit system.

<i>Lone Star</i> (Amtrak train) Former named American passenger train

The Lone Star was an Amtrak passenger train that ran between Chicago and Houston, or Dallas via Kansas City, Wichita, Oklahoma City, and Fort Worth. The train was renamed from the Texas Chief, which the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway had introduced in 1948. Amtrak discontinued the Lone Star in 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norman station</span> Railway station in Norman, Oklahoma

Norman is an Amtrak station in Norman, Oklahoma. The station is serviced by the daily Heartland Flyer, which travels from Fort Worth, Texas to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The station building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991 as the Santa Fe Depot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union Station (Oklahoma City)</span>

Oklahoma City Union Depot is a building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma that served as a "union station" from 1931 until 1967. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. It now houses the offices of the Scissortail Park Foundation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ardmore station (Oklahoma)</span> Railway station in Ardmore, Oklahoma

Ardmore is an Amtrak train station in Ardmore, Oklahoma. The station is serviced by the daily Heartland Flyer, which travels from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Fort Worth, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Bernardino Santa Fe Depot</span> Railway station in San Bernardino, California

The San Bernardino Santa Fe Depot is a Mission Revival Style passenger rail terminal in San Bernardino, California, United States. It has been the primary station for the city, serving Amtrak today, and the Santa Fe and Union Pacific Railroads in the past. Until the mid-20th century, the Southern Pacific Railroad had a station 3/4 of a mile away. It currently serves one Amtrak and two Metrolink lines. 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gainesville station (Texas)</span> Railway station in Gainesville, Texas

Gainesville, officially the Gainesville Santa Fe Depot, is an Amtrak train station in Gainesville, Texas. The station is serviced by Amtrak's Heartland Flyer route, which travels from Fort Worth, Texas to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pauls Valley station</span> Railway station in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma

Pauls Valley is an Amtrak station in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. The station is serviced by the daily Heartland Flyer, which travels from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Fort Worth, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purcell station</span> Railway station in Purcell, Oklahoma

Purcell is an Amtrak station in Purcell, Oklahoma. The station is serviced by Amtrak's daily Heartland Flyer, which travels from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Fort Worth, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Passenger and Freight Complex Historic District</span> Historic district in Iowa, United States

The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Passenger and Freight Complex is a nationally recognized historic district located in Fort Madison, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. At the time of its nomination it contained three resources, all of which are contributing buildings. The buildings were constructed over a 24-year time period, and reflect the styles that were popular when they were built. The facility currently houses a local history museum, and after renovations a portion of it was converted back to a passenger train depot for Amtrak, which opened on December 15, 2021.

<i>Chicagoan</i> and <i>Kansas Cityan</i> Named passenger trains of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway

The Chicagoan and Kansas Cityan were a pair of American named passenger trains operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. They ran between Chicago, Illinois and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The trains were introduced as a Chicago–Wichita service in 1938 and extended to Oklahoma City the next year. A Kansas City–Tulsa connecting train, the Tulsan, was also introduced at that time. The Chicagoan and Kansas Cityan ran until 1968, while the Tulsan ran until 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Transcon</span> Rail corridor owned by BNSF Railway

The Southern Transcon is a main line of the BNSF Railway comprising 11 subdivisions between Southern California and Chicago, Illinois. Completed in its current alignment in 1908 by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, when it opened the Belen Cutoff in New Mexico and bypassed the steep grades of Raton Pass, it now serves as a mostly double-tracked intermodal corridor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guthrie station</span> Train station in Guthrie, Oklahoma, U.S.

Guthrie station is a former railway station in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Built in 1903, it saw passenger service until 1979 and is now a restaurant. The building is a contributing resource of the Guthrie Historic District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Bend station</span> Railway station in Great Bend, Kansas, US

Great Bend station was an Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway station in Great Bend, Kansas. The station was along Santa Fe's main line between Chicago and Los Angeles. It was on the "northern branch" of the main line as it split in Hutchinson, Kansas. It was also served by a line the ran to Garden City, Kansas, travelling through Ness City and Scott City. Both of these lines are now operated by the Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad. The depot was built in a Mission Revival, common for Santa Fe and Southern Pacific stations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big Dome</span> Fleet of streamlined dome cars

The Big Domes were a fleet of streamlined dome cars built by the Budd Company for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in 1954. Budd built a total of 14 cars in two batches. The Santa Fe operated all 14 on various streamlined trains until it conveyed its passenger trains to Amtrak in 1971. The Santa Fe retained one as a business car and sold the remaining 13 to the Auto-Train Corporation, which operated them for another ten years. All but two have been preserved in varying condition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad Passenger Station</span> Former railway station in Fort Worth, Texas

Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad Passenger Station is a former passenger train station in Fort Worth, Texas. From 1971 to 2002, it was used as Fort Worth's Amtrak station.

The Eastern Flyer was a proposed medium distance inter-city train traveling between Oklahoma City in central Oklahoma and Tulsa in north-eastern Oklahoma. It was originally planned to be a private operation by the Iowa Pacific Railroad, and its services were to have included a dome car, coaches and full meal service. This would have been the first regular passenger service to Tulsa since the Santa Fe discontinued service in 1971.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Oklahoma City, OK (OKC)". Great American Stations. Amtrak. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
  2. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2023: State of Oklahoma" (PDF). Amtrak. March 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  3. 1 2 Savage, Cynthia (2015-10-23). "Santa Fe Depot - National Register of Historic Places Registration Form". Digital Archive on NPGallery. National Park Service . Retrieved 2023-10-29.
  4. Nelson, Mary Jo (1998-07-24). "Rock of Age Gone By From Depot to Church, Sanctuary for Historic Stones Ends". The Oklahoman . Gannett.
  5. Lackmeyer, Steve (October 2, 2010). "Santa Fe Train Depot promises OU-Texas fans won't face lockdown of station". The Oklahoman . Gannett . Retrieved October 2, 2010.
  6. "State gains control of Oklahoma City depot". Trains Magazine. 21 December 2010. Retrieved 23 December 2010.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Santa Fe Depot (Oklahoma City) at Wikimedia Commons