Temple station (Texas)

Temple is a train station in Temple, Texas, United States served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system. The station was originally built as an Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway depot. East of the station on another railroad line through Temple, a former Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad depot can be found, as the nexus for trains bound for Waco, San Antonio and Houston.[2]

For other uses, see Temple station (disambiguation).
Temple, TX
General information
Location315 West Avenue B
Temple, Texas
United States
Coordinates31.09574°N 97.3452°W / 31.09574; -97.3452
Owned byCity of Temple
Line(s)BNSF Railway
Platforms1 side platform
Tracks1
ConnectionsBus transport Amtrak Thruway
Other information
Station codeAmtrak: TPL
History
Opened1911
Rebuilt2000
Passengers
FY 202210,116[1] (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Taylor
toward Los Angeles or San Antonio
 Texas Eagle McGregor
toward Chicago
Former services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Taylor
toward Laredo
 Inter-American McGregor
toward Chicago
Brenham
toward Houston
Lone Star
Preceding station Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Following station
Pendleton
toward Purcell
 Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway
Main Line
 Silenus
toward Galveston
Belton
toward San Angelo
 San Angelo – Temple Terminus

History

The first depot in Temple was in a boxcar. Later a two-story depot was built. In 1898 a Harvey House was built next to the depot. The current station was opened on January 29, 1911. Services included:[3]

  • Texas Chief (Chicago–Fort Worth–Galveston)
  • California Special (west to Clovis, NM, Belen, NM, Los Angeles, CA) / Texan (east to Houston, and via Missouri Pacific Railway to New Orleans)
  • services to Brownwood, and to Houston

In 1995, the city of Temple bought 8.5 acres of land around the station and the Santa Fe Railroad donated the building. In 1999, restoration work began on the depot and it was reopened on June 8, 2000.[4]

The depot is currently home to the Temple Railroad and Heritage Museum and an Amtrak ticket office. The museum is open Monday through Saturday. The Amtrak office is open Monday through Saturday until the northbound Texas Eagle departs.

Next to the depot is the former Moody, Texas depot which is now home to the Central Texas Area Model Railroaders. Inside the depot is a model train layout which is open to the public on the first and fourth Saturday of each month.

North of Temple, the Texas Eagle is hosted by BNSF Railway; south of Temple, it uses the tracks of Union Pacific Railroad. Temple station also provides Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach service to Killeen and Fort Hood, Texas.

References
  1. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2022: State of Texas" (PDF). Amtrak. June 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  2. "Missouri-Kansas-Texas Lines, Table 4". Official Guide of the Railways. National Railway Publication Company. 82 (8). January 1950.
  3. "Santa Fe Railway, Tables R, 65, 66, 79". Official Guide of the Railways. National Railway Publication Company. 82 (8). January 1950.
  4. "John Watson: Visit the Santa Fe Depot Museum in Temple » Living » Cleburne Times-Review, Cleburne, TX". Archived from the original on 2013-01-19. Retrieved 2011-06-02. Cleburne Times Review, John Watson: Visit the Santa Fe Depot Museum in Temple.January 22, 2006

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