Union Depot (El Paso) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids El Paso Union Depot
El Paso Union Depot in September 2014
Location	700 San Francisco Street El Paso, Texas United States
Coordinates	31°45′26″N 106°29′45″W / 31.75722°N 106.49583°W / 31.75722; -106.49583
Owned by	City of El Paso
Platforms	1 side platform
Tracks	1
Connections	Sun Metro, El Paso Streetcar
Construction
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Station code	Amtrak code: ELP
History
Opened	1906
Rebuilt	1982
Traffic
Passengers (2019)	14,362  1.61%
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station Deming toward Los Angeles Sunset Limited Alpine toward New Orleans Texas Eagle Alpine toward Chicago
Former services Preceding station Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Following station Terminus El Paso Branch Canutillo toward Albuquerque Preceding station Southern Pacific Railroad Following station Deming toward Los Angeles Sunset Route Marfa toward New Orleans Terminus Golden State Route Orogrande toward Tucumcari
El Paso Union Passenger Station
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
El Paso Union Depot interior view, showing the classic tile floor and large waiting room
Location	SW corner of Coldwell at San Francisco St., El Paso, Texas
Area	3 acres (1.2 ha)
Built	1905 (1905)
Architect	Daniel H. Burnham
Architectural style	Classical Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival
NRHP reference No.	75001970
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	April 3, 1975
Location
El Paso Union Passenger Station Location in Texas

The El Paso Union Depot is a historic train station in El Paso, Texas. It is still used today by Amtrak trains. You can catch the Texas Eagle and Sunset Limited trains here.

A famous architect named Daniel Burnham designed this station. He also designed the big Union Station in Washington D.C. The El Paso Union Depot was built between 1905 and 1906. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 because it's an important historical building.

History of the El Paso Train Station

A Busy Hub for Trains

For many years, the El Paso Union Depot was a very busy place. It was a major transfer point where people could switch from one train line to another. Many different railroad companies used this station.

• The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway ran trains north. These trains went to places like Socorro, New Mexico, Belen, New Mexico, and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
• The Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacífico operated trains south into Mexico. These trains went to Ciudad Madera, Chihuahua.
• The Southern Pacific Railway had long-distance trains. These trains traveled west to California and east to Louisiana, passing through Texas.
• The Texas Pacific and later the Missouri Pacific Railroad also ran trains to Fort Worth, Texas.

El Paso Station Today

Modern Train and Bus Services

Today, the El Paso Union Depot continues to serve travelers. Amtrak trains still stop here regularly. You can also catch Sun Metro local buses nearby. These buses help people get around the city.

There have been talks about bringing back the streetcar service. This service used to run across the border to Ciudad Juarez. The last streetcar ran in 1974.

A New Purpose for the Building

Besides being a train station, parts of the building are now used for education. The Texas Tech College of Architecture opened its campus here in 2013. Students learn about designing buildings in this historic space. Before that, the Sun Metro bus company had its main offices here until 2014.