San Antonio station (Texas)

San Antonio station is an Amtrak railroad station located on the eastern portion of Downtown San Antonio, in San Antonio, Texas.

San Antonio, TX
General information
Location350 Hoefgen Street
San Antonio, Texas
United States
Coordinates29°25′12″N 98°28′40″W / 29.42000°N 98.47778°W / 29.42000; -98.47778
Owned byAmtrak
Line(s)UP Del Rio Subdivision
Platforms1 side & 1 island platform
Tracks2
ConnectionsBus transport Amtrak Thruway
Construction
ParkingYes
Bicycle facilitiesYes
AccessibleYes
Other information
Station codeAmtrak: SAS
History
Opened1998
Passengers
FY 202353,039[1] (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Del Rio Sunset Limited Houston
Texas Eagle San Marcos
toward Chicago
Former services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Laredo
Terminus
Inter-American San Marcos
toward Chicago
Preceding station Southern Pacific Railroad Following station
Spofford Sunset Route Flatonia
Preceding station Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México Following station
Von Ormy Águila Azteca
Pre-1969[2]
Terminus
Southern Pacific Railroad Passenger Station
San Antonio station (Texas) is located in Texas
San Antonio station (Texas)
San Antonio station (Texas) is located in the United States
San Antonio station (Texas)
Built1902
ArchitectDaniel J. Patterson
Architectural styleSpanish Mission
NRHP reference No.75001955
Added to NRHPMay 29, 1975
Location
Map

San Antonio station hosts two long-distance Amtrak services: the tri-weekly Sunset Limited and the daily Texas Eagle. Four days a week, San Antonio is the southern terminus of the Texas Eagle, which originates in Chicago. The Texas Eagle joins with the Sunset Limited three days a week, continuing westbound to Los Angeles. It is the second busiest Amtrak station in Texas, behind Fort Worth Central Station.[3]

History

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Amtrak previously used the historic Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) Station, also known as Sunset Station. It was designed by SP's architect Daniel J. Patterson in the Spanish Mission Revival style, and built in 1902 by the SP. The train station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

Amtrak moved operations in 1998 to a smaller depot that was built adjacent to the older Sunset Station. Under its owner, VIA Metropolitan Transit, the historic Sunset Station underwent an extensive restoration and now serves as an entertainment complex. The station also neighbors the Alamodome and the Robert Thompson Transit Station.

A preserved 2-8-2 Baldwin "Mikado" steam locomotive, Southern Pacific No. 794 was donated to the City of San Antonio at the end of its service life in 1956, and placed on static display at nearby Maverick Park for decades before being relocated to the station in January 1999. Since September 2008, it has been under the care of volunteers from the San Antonio Railroad Heritage Museum.[4]

Postcard view of the 1902-built Sunset Station, the first San Antonio station.
Southern Pacific 794 on static display at the station.

References

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  1. ^ "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2023: State of Texas" (PDF). Amtrak. March 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  2. ^ "Reference Notes on Missouri Pacific Passenger Trains". www.arkansasrailroadhistory.com. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
  3. ^ Amtrak, State of Texas factsheet, Fiscal Year 2019, page 1 https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/corporate/statefactsheets/TEXAS19.pdf
  4. ^ "Southern Pacific Locomotive #794". San Antonio Railroad Heritage Museum. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
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