Orange station (California) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Orange
Metrolink commuter rail station
The former Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway station currently used by Metrolink
Location	100 North Atchison Street, Orange, California 92866
Coordinates	33°47′20″N 117°51′26″W / 33.7888°N 117.8573°W / 33.7888; -117.8573
Owned by	City of Orange
Line(s)	SCRRA Orange Subdivision
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	2
Connections	OCTA: 54, 56, 59, 453 Chapman University Shuttle
Construction
Parking	225 spaces
Disabled access	Yes
History
Opened	1888
Rebuilt	1938 December 6, 1993 (1993-12-06)
Services
Preceding station Metrolink Following station Anaheim Canyon toward San Bernardino–Downtown Inland Empire–Orange County Line Santa Ana toward Oceanside Anaheim toward Los Angeles Union Station Orange County Line
Former services Preceding station Amtrak Following station Anaheim toward Los Angeles Orange County Commuter Santa Ana toward San Juan Capistrano Anaheim toward San Luis Obispo Pacific Surfliner Santa Ana toward San Diego Preceding station Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Following station Anaheim toward Los Angeles Surf Line Santa Ana toward San Diego

The Orange station, also known as the Orange Transportation Center, is a busy place in Orange, California. It's where you can catch Metrolink trains and Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) buses. This station is built on the same spot where two old train depots used to be, back when the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway ran trains. The main building you see today was opened in 1938. It was even given a special historic landmark status in 1990.

A Journey Through Time: The Station's History

Early Train Lines

The very first train service in Orange started way back in 1886. It was a short horsecar line, about 4 miles long, that connected Santa Ana and Orange. A year later, a new company bought the line. They used a steam-powered "dummy" car and a gasoline motorcar.

In 1906, a famous businessman named Henry E. Huntington took over the company. He made the line electric. Passenger service on this new electric line, run by Huntington's Pacific Electric Railway, began on June 8, 1914. This line also helped local citrus farmers ship their goods. In 1961, the line was sold to the Southern Pacific Railroad, which stopped using it in 1964.

Santa Fe Railway and the "Surf Line"

The Santa Fe Railway laid its first tracks through Orange in 1886. They opened their first Orange station in 1888. This route became part of the famous "Surf Line" because it ran along the coast. By 1925, sixteen passenger trains, called the San Diegan, stopped in Orange every day.

The station was also very important for shipping farm products. During busy harvest times, as many as 48 train carloads of citrus fruits, olives, and walnuts were shipped daily from the Orange depot. The Santa Fe stopped passenger service in 1971, and the station closed.

Modern Train Service Returns

Train service returned to the station on December 6, 1993. This was when Amtrak's Orange County Commuter train started stopping there. This service later became Metrolink's Orange County Line on March 28, 1994. The Inland Empire–Orange County Line also began stopping here starting October 2, 1995.

Today, the train station building is home to a Ruby's Diner.

For a short time, Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner also stopped at Orange. This began on October 29, 2007. However, only a few trains stopped each day. By 2010, very few people were using this stop, so it was cancelled in early 2013.

Station Services

What Trains and Buses You Can Catch

The Orange Transportation Center connects you to many places. You can take Metrolink trains to Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, and Northern San Diego County. The Metrolink train platforms are right next to the historic Santa Fe depot building. This area also has a bus station for Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) buses.

Train Platforms and Tracks

The station has two platforms for trains.

Bus Docks

You can also catch several buses from the station's bus docks:

• Dock 1- OC Bus: 54, 59
• Dock 2- OC Bus: 56, 453 (These buses run during busy weekday hours in the main travel direction.)
• Dock 3- Chapman University shuttle (This shuttle runs Monday through Friday.)