Photos: Tucson's historic downtown train depot
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Rick Wiley
Photo editor
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The current Historic Train Depot in Tucson was built in 1907 by the Southern Pacific Railroad. It was designed by the SP's architect, Daniel J. Patterson.
In 1998, the City of Tucson purchased the depot property from the Union Pacific Railroad, which had merged with Southern Pacific RR. Restoration main depot building and three other buildings was completed in 2004. It restored the depot to the 1941 modernized Spanish Colonial Revival architectural style.
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The first Tucson depot was a 200-foot long Victorian structure built in 1880. The depot accommodated passenger and freight trains.Β
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A train carrying President William McKinley stops at the Tucson train depot on May 7, 1901 for a whistle stop visit.Β
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The historic train depot in downtown Tucson, 2012.
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The Southern Pacific Train Station, in Tucson. December 1907.
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Lowell Morgan works on a door jam during renovation of the old Tucson train depot in 2004.
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The historic train depot in downtown Tucson on May 3, 2012.
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N. Stone Ave. between Pennington Street and Alameda, Tucson, in 1903. Church at the far right is now the site of the Pioneer Hotel. Dark building at upper right is the San Xavier Hotel, now the historic Southern Pacific train depot.
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San Xavier Hotel, Tucson, probably about 1879. It was located where the historic Southern Pacific train depot now stands.
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The Hotel Heidel, at 345 E. Toole Ave., was built in 1908. It was a popular destination for travelers just off the trains, what with the depot just across the street. The hotel was built by Tucson pioneer John Heidel. It later became the MacArthur Hotel and now houses offices.
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The lobby of the Heidel Hotel, at 345 E. Toole Ave., built in 1908. It was a popular destination for travelers just off the trains, what with the depot just across the street. The hotel was built by Tucson pioneer John Heidel. It later became the MacArthur Hotel and now houses offices. Proprietor John Heidel is on the left, behind the counter.Β
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The Southern Pacific Railroad Station in Tucson, ca. 1910.
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Downtown Tucson in 1946, looking east from about where Interstate 10 is now. Congress Street is at right. The Manning House is lower left. The El Paso and Southwestern passenger train depot is lower right. Mucahy Lumber (no longer there) is foreground center.
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Armando Pain and Fernando Ronquillo load 300-pound blocks of ice for the cooling system on passenger trains in August 1945. Armando, who is about 17 in the photo, left the Southern Pacific to join the Army in World War II.Β
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Troop trains passed through Tucson day and night during World War II. Members of the American Legion were there to pass out care packages. Their baskets included matches, stationery, envelopes and pencils.Β
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-March 20, 1955. Southern Pacific steam locomotive 1673 pulls into Tucson on March 20, 1955, to recognize 75 years of service to Tucson. The event commemorated the arrival of the first train in Tucson in 1880.
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U.S. Marines bound for Camp Pendleton for basic training depart from the Southern Pacific train depot in downtown Tucson in 1950. The country was on a war footing when North Korea invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950.
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U.S. Senate candidate John McCain makes a speech off the back of a train to kick-off his campaign at the Amtrak station in Tucson on February 1, 1986.
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Major Bob Walkup, left, and Kenneth Karrels dressed up as historic figures for the celebration of the 129th year of train service in Tucson at the Tucson Historic Depot, March 20, 2009. The Southern Arizona Transportation Museum hosted a celebration of the first train's arrival to Tucson on Friday March 20, 1880. The event recreated the moment with people dressed as historic figures and 1880's music was played by the 4th Cavalry Band.
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Elephants are led from rail cars at the Tucson train depot for the Barnum and Bailey Circus in 2008.
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Workers trowel on plaster to exterior walls during the final stages of construction on the Train Depot in downtown Tucson on October 28, 2003.
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People in the waiting area of the Historic Train Depot on Toole Avenue on March 20, 2004 before the dedication ceremony. The ceremony commemorated the 124th anniversary of the arrival of the first-ever train to come into Tucson.
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The Southern Pacific rail yard east of the Tucson train depot in 1978.Β
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Conservative columnist William F. Buckley and wife Patricia wait to re-board the 20th Century Rail Tours train in Tucson on May 26, 1982.
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Chef John Morgan gets a bit of fresh during during a westbound Amtrak stop in Tucson in 2005. The train was 13 hours and 26 minutes late into Los Angelas trip.Β
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Ralph Ceballos relaxes in the lounge car of a westbound Amtrak train heading into Tucson in 2004. Ralph who's from New York, took the train from New York and is headed to Los Angeles.
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A conductor walks along the cars of Amtrak's Sunset Limited during its stop for passengers and fuel in Tucson, Ariz., August 15, 2019.
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Passengers line up to board Amtrak's west bound Sunset Limited from the depot in Tucson, Ariz., August 15, 2019.
Rick Wiley
Photo editor
As featured on
Losing train service on longer train routes hurts people unable to fly or drive.
A rail connection between Arizonaβs two largest cities hasnβt been seen since a deadly derailment in 1995 and a lack of funding to upgrade the tracks.
