User:Gfoley4/Santa Fe Railway Depot (Pasadena, California)

The Santa Fe Depot in Pasadena, California is a historic railway station on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The station was on the railway's Pasadena Subdivision, a single tracked line that snaked through the San Gabriel Valley. The station also served Amtrak from 1971 until the closing of the station in January 1994. The Santa Fe right-of-way is now used by the LACMTA Gold Line, connecting Los Angeles and Pasadena. Adjacent to the building is the Gold Line's Del Mar station. It was known as the "Gateway to Hollywood" as many celebrities got off at Pasadena – avoiding the press at Los Angeles Union Station.

History
The Santa Fe Railway completed its line (known as the "Second District") through Pasadena in 1887. The line was not very suitable for freight trains because of the steep grades east of Pasadena. The Santa Fe also completed a line passing through Fullerton and Riverside in that same year (known as the "Third District"). The second route became favored by most freight trains, while the Pasadena route carried most of its passenger trains.

The first depot in Pasadena was built in a Victorian style. It was constructed by Edward Webster, who built the station near his new hotel.

The station built in 1935 was the