Salt Lake City Union Pacific Depot facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Salt Lake City
Former Union Pacific Railroad and Amtrak station
Union Pacific Depot c. 2002
Location	South Temple at 400 West Salt Lake City, Utah United States
Tracks	None remaining
Construction
Structure type	At-grade
History
Opened	1908
Closed	1986 (for passenger rail service)
Former services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station Elko toward Oakland California Zephyr Provo toward Chicago Ogden toward Chicago Delta toward Los Angeles Desert Wind Provo toward Chicago Milford toward Los Angeles Ogden toward Chicago Ogden toward Seattle Pioneer Provo toward Chicago Preceding station Union Pacific Railroad Following station Sandy toward Los Angeles Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad Terminus
Salt Lake Union Pacific Railroad Station
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in Utah Show map of Utah Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Area	1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built	1908
Architect	D. J. Patterson and John Dove Isaacs
Architectural style	Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals, French Renaissance
NRHP reference No.	75001818
Added to NRHP	9 July 1975

The Salt Lake City Union Pacific Depot is a historic building in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was built between 1908 and 1909. This was a time when train travel was very popular in the United States. The building is also known as the Salt Lake Union Pacific Railroad Station. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its importance.

A Look Back: The Depot's Train History

This station was first called the Union Station. It was built by two different railroad companies working together. These were the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad and the Oregon Short Line. Later, the Union Pacific Railroad owned both of these companies. The station cost about $450,000 to build back then. That would be a lot more money today!

How Trains Used the Station

The train tracks behind the station ran from north to south. These tracks were actually older than the station building itself. Today, some of these old routes are still used by modern trains. For example, the UTA TRAX Blue Line and the FrontRunner commuter train use parts of these historic tracks. Trains coming from the west would use a special line to reach the station's platforms. Another local train line, the Salt Lake and Ogden Interurban, also had a stop nearby.

Amtrak's Time at the Depot

When Amtrak started in 1971, it took over passenger train services at the station. Amtrak is the main passenger rail service in the U.S. However, in 1977, Amtrak moved its services to another station nearby. The Union Pacific Depot stopped being a passenger train station in 1986.

Several famous Amtrak trains used to stop here:

• The California Zephyr
• The Desert Wind
• The Pioneer

The Desert Wind and Pioneer trains were stopped in 1997. The California Zephyr still runs today. It travels once a day between Chicago, Illinois, and Emeryville, California. In 1999, Amtrak moved to the Salt Lake City Intermodal Hub, which is a bigger transportation center.

The Depot's Amazing Architecture

The plans for this beautiful building came from the office of J.H. Wallace. He was an engineer for the Southern Pacific railroad. The building was finished in 1909. At first, the names of both original railroad companies were on the front. But for most of its history, the "Union Pacific" logo has been proudly displayed.

The Union Pacific Depot in Salt Lake City

Building Style and Art

The Salt Lake City Union Pacific Depot is made of sandstone. It is built in a style called French Second Empire. Inside, you can see a shiny terrazzo floor and beautiful stained glass windows. There are also two amazing murals painted on the ceiling.

• One mural is called "Driving The Golden Spike." It was painted by San Francisco artist John MacQuarrie in 1909. It shows the moment the First transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869. This happened north of Salt Lake City at a place called "Promontory Summit."
• The other mural is "Emigrants Entering Salt Lake Valley." It was painted by John MacQuarrie and August C. Wocker in 1909. This painting shows the Mormon pioneers arriving in what is now Salt Lake City in 1847.

Inside the Historic Building

The depot used to have many different rooms. There were separate waiting areas for men and women. It even had an emergency hospital, a lunch room, and rooms for baggage. Most of these original features are gone now. The building was repaired in the 1970s to fix damage. Also, the original roof was made of slate, but it leaked. So, it was replaced with copper plates.

What is the Depot Used for Today?

The main lobby of the Union Pacific Depot is no longer used for trains. Instead, it serves as an entrance to The Gateway, which is a large shopping and entertainment area. While most of the building is not used for its original purpose, the Union Pacific Railroad still uses some parts for offices and training.

In 2006, three floors of the building opened as a restaurant and music venue. It is called The Depot. This venue brings many different musical artists to Salt Lake City.

Images for kids

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  The Union Pacific Depot in Salt Lake City