Whittier Train Depot - Whittier, CA - Train Stations/Depots on Waymarking.com

Whittier Train Depot - Whittier, CA

Southern Pacific Railroad Depot in Whittier, California is a train depot built in 1892 that has been preserved by the City of Whittier. The depot is a rectangular two-story, wood frame building. The station agent lived in the second floor apartment. In the 1890s the growth of Whittier caused the Southern Pacific Railroad to build a branch line from its main line in Santa Fe Springs, California. The depot was originally built at 11825 Bailey Street. The branch served local citrus packing houses and a gas works. In the early 1900s, the Pacific Electric Railway built a branch line that paralleled the Southern Pacific track.

With the arrival of the automobile, passenger traffic on the Pacific Electric decreased, and in 1938 the Pacific Electric ceased service to Whittier. The Southern Pacific then abandoned its tracks and took over the Pacific Electric tracks and extended them to the station. The Southern Pacific continued providing freight train service to Whittier until 1967. From 1967 until the mid-1980s, the Southern Pacific Depot was occupied by various industrial tenants. On July 1, 1978 the depot was first listed in the National Register of Historic Places. In the mid-1980s, plans began to develop for the restoration and preservation of the depot. The City took possession of the depot and after several years of neglect, the City received a $1.2 million grant to restore and reuse the depot. The depot was ultimately moved to 7333 Greenleaf Ave., near the Uptown Business District. Because of the move, the depot was removed from the National Register on October 1, 2004. The depot was subsequently relisted at its present location on March 29, 2005.

After restoration and refurbishment, the historic depot is being used as a transportation center by Whittier Dial-A-Ride, Whittier Transit and MTA buses, with Greenleaf Avenue used as a staging area for passengers.

Web References:
Wikipedia
Whittier Museum
RRHS

Is the station/depot currently used for railroad purposes?: No Is the station/depot open to the public?: Yes If the station/depot is not being used for railroad purposes, what is it currently used for?: The depot is being used as a transportation center by Whittier Dial-A-Ride, Whittier Transit and MTA buses. What rail lines does/did the station/depot serve?: Southern Pacific Railroad Station/Depot Web Site: Not listed

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