Creston station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Creston, IA
The historic station in 2012
Location	Pine Ave. & Adams St. Creston, Iowa United States
Owned by	City of Creston
Platforms	1 side platform, 1 island platform
Tracks	2
Construction
Parking	free
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Station code	CRN
History
Opened	1899
Rebuilt	1969, 2019
Traffic
Passengers (2016)	3,843  23%
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station Omaha toward Emeryville California Zephyr Osceola toward Chicago
Former services Preceding station Amtrak Following station Omaha toward Los Angeles Desert Wind Discontinued in 1997 Osceola toward Chicago Preceding station Burlington Route Following station Cromwell toward Denver Main Line Afton toward Chicago Kent toward St. Joseph St. Joseph – Creston Terminus Spaulding toward Cumberland Cumberland Branch
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad-Creston Station
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in Iowa Show map of Iowa Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	200 W. Adams St. Creston, Iowa
Built	1899
Architect	Burnham and Root
NRHP reference No.	73000739
Added to NRHP	August 15, 1973

The Creston station is a train station in Creston, Iowa. It is used by Amtrak, a company that runs passenger trains across the United States. The station is a stop for the California Zephyr train.

The original station building was built in 1899. It was constructed by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q). This historic building is special because it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical site.

Amtrak moved back into the old station in 2019. Before that, they used a smaller station built in 1969. Today, the historic station is also used by the city of Creston. It serves as the city hall and a community center. It is known as the Creston Municipal Complex.

Station History: A Journey Through Time

Building the Original Station

The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q) built the first Creston station. This happened in 1899. It cost about $75,000 to build. A famous architectural firm, Burnham and Root, designed the station. They designed many stations for the CB&Q railroad.

Creston was a very important place for the railroad. It was a "division headquarters." This meant that all the railroad's business in southwest Iowa was managed from here. The station also had offices for important railroad workers. These included the Master Carpenter, who managed track and bridge work. There was also a trainmaster, who organized trains in the Creston yards.

Besides the main railroad line, two smaller lines started from Creston. Another railroad also used this station. Creston also had places to fix trains and a roundhouse. A roundhouse is a building where trains are stored and repaired. These buildings are no longer there. Some were destroyed by a tornado.

Changes Over the Years

In the 1960s, fewer people were riding trains in the United States. The big Creston station became very expensive to keep up. So, in 1969, the CB&Q built a smaller, simpler station. This new station was just east of the original one.

When Amtrak started in 1971, they used this smaller 1969 station. The original, historic station was sold to the city of Creston for only $1. Some people thought the old station might be torn down. The mayor even suggested it could become a parking lot.

Saving the Historic Depot

Local people in Creston wanted to save the old station. They started a group called the "Save the Depot Committee." They collected 700 letters from people who supported saving the building. Their efforts worked!

In 1973, the building was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This helped protect it. Renovations were finished in December 1978. After that, the first floor of the building became community rooms. The second floor became offices for the city government.

Amtrak Returns Home

Amtrak service returned to the historic station on August 1, 2019. Amtrak and the city of Creston signed a 20-year agreement in 2017. Amtrak worked to make the waiting room easy to use for everyone. This included making it ADA-accessible. Even though Amtrak uses the old station's waiting room, trains still stop at the platforms of the 1969 station nearby.

• Amtrak – Stations – Creston, IA

The nearby 1969-built station in 2010, then still in operation