ST. PAUL'S PASSENGER TRAINS

OF THE PAST

Intercity passenger trains serving St. Paul in 1942, 1956, and 1971 immediately prior to the creation of Amtrak.

Not listed are departures and arrivals only to and from Minneapolis.


THE STATIONS

The major stations serving St. Paul, during the golden age of passenger trains.

St. Paul Union Depot
240 Kellogg Blvd. E.
Opened 1917, replacing earlier station at same location built in 1881

Number of station tracks: 14 through/8 stub
Interlocked switches controlled from Division Street Tower
Non interlocked switches controlled by switchtenders at 3rd Street, Robert Street, and other locations


BURLINGTON ROUTE

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 22  Morning Zephyr        Chicago         8:25        8:25    8   8:15 am
 52                        Chicago         9:00        8:15 pm
 24  Afternoon Zephyr      Chicago         4:30        4:00   10   4:30 pm
 48  Black Hawk            Chicago        10:20       11:45
 44  Empire Builder        Chicago        10:55   32   7:15 am
 50  North Coast Limited   Chicago        11:00   26   7:00 am


Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 47  Black Hawk            Chicago         7:15        7:30 am
 51  North Coast Limited   Chicago         8:15   25   6:15 pm
 49  Empire Builder        Chicago         8:30   31   8:40 pm
 21  Morning Zephyr        Chicago         3:00        2:30    7   2:35 pm
 45                        Chicago         9:15        9:10 am
 23  Afternoon Zephyr      Chicago         9:45       10:30    9   7:45 pm


Passenger service discontinued in 1971 with the creation of Amtrak.

The Empire Builder operated via Great Northern west of St. Paul. And the North Coast Limited operated via Northern Pacific west of St. Paul.


GREAT NORTHERN

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 24  Badger Express        Duluth          8:00        8:00   53   8:10 am
  3  Western Star          Seattle                     8:15   27   8:30 am
 11  Alexandrian           Grand Forks     8:30        5:30 pm
 27  Fast Mail             Spokane         8:45        9:30 am
  1  Empire Builder        Seattle         8:50  am    9:10   31   8:25 pm
 20  Gopher                Duluth          4:30        4:30 pm
  7  Winnipeg Limited      Winnipeg        8:00        8:55 pm
  3  Dakotan               Williston       9:35    9   9:00 pm


Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 28  Fast Mail             Spokane         6:30        9:55 pm
  4  Dakotan               Williston       7:40   10   7:40 am
  8  Winnipeg Limited      Winnipeg        8:00        7:30 am
 23  Badger Express        Duluth         11:59       11:59 am
 19  Gopher                Duluth          8:00        7:45   40   8:35 pm
 12  Alexandrian           Grand Forks     8:28        2:00 pm
  2  Empire Builder        Seattle        10:30        7:00   32   7:20 am
  4  Western Star          Seattle                    10:55   28   6:15 pm


Passenger service initially retained by Amtrak in 1971, with the Empire Builder, with St. Paul stop initially discontinued. In 1979, the Amtrak Empire Builder was shifted to the former Northern Pacific route between Minneapolis and Fargo.

The Empire Builder operated via the Burlington Route east of St. Paul.


NORTHERN PACIFIC

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 62  Twin Ports Twin City  Duluth          8:15        8:45 am
  7  Manitoba Limited      Winnipeg        8:20
  1  North Coast Limited   Seattle         8:35   25   6:40 pm     8:15 pm
  1  Mainstreeter          Seattle                     8:40   29   7:30 am
 11  International Falls   Intern. Falls   9:40 pm     8:50 pm
  3  Alaskan               Seattle        10:15        9:30 pm
 66  Twin Ports Twin City  Duluth         11:59       11:40 pm


Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 65  Twin Ports Twin City  Duluth          5:55        5:55 am
 12  International Falls   Intern. Falls   7:30        7:15 am
  4  Alaskan               Seattle         7:45        7:25 am
 61  Twin Ports Twin City  Duluth         12:30        5:05 pm
  8  Manitoba Limited      Winnipeg       10:30
  2  Mainstreeter          Seattle                    11:00   30   2:55 pm
  2  North Coast Limited   Seattle        10:45   26   6:40 am     7:15 am


Passenger service discontinued in 1971 with the creation of Amtrak, last important train was the North Coast Limited.

The North Coast Limited operated via the Burlington Route east of St. Paul.


CHICAGO & NORTH WESTERN

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 62  Namokagon             Ashland         8:10
502  Viking                Chicago         8:45  508   8:15
203  North American        Omaha           9:15       12:10
400  Twin Cities 400       Chicago         3:00       12:30
514  Victory               Chicago         8:05        7:45
201  Nightingale           Omaha           8:45        9:45
209  Mondamin              Omaha          11:00
406  North Western Ltd.    Chicago        11:20       11:40
506  Chicago Limited       Chicago        11:25


Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

210  Mondamin              Omaha           7:25
202  Nightingale           Omaha           7:35        7:15
515  Victory               Chicago         7:45        7:35
405  North Western Ltd.    Chicago         7:55        7:40
509                        Merrilian       9:10
204  North American        Omaha           7:15        6:15
501  Viking                Chicago         7:20        9:20
 63  Namokagon             Ashland         8:35
401  Twin Cities 400       Chicago         9:15        9:30


Passenger service discontinued in 1963, last train was the Twin Cities 400.


CHICAGO GREAT WESTERN

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 44                        Rochester MN    8:20 am
 22                        Omaha           8:45 am
 24  Mill Cities Limited   Kansas City     3:30    5   2:35 pm
 26  Nebraska Limited      Omaha           8:45   13   8:45 pm


Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 21  Twin City Limited     Omaha           7:00   14   6:55 am
 23  Mill Cities Limited   Kansas City     8:00    6   8:10 am
 43                        Rochester MN    6:30 pm
 25                        Omaha           7:30 pm


Passenger service discontinued in 1965.


MILWAUKEE ROAD

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  6  Morning Hiawatha      Chicago         8:35        8:25        8:10 am
118                        Calmar          9:15
 15  Olympian              Tacoma          8:40        9:15 pm
 58                        Milwaukee      10:45       10:25
100  Afternoon Hiawatha    Chicago         1:00    2   1:00
122                        Calmar          7:20
 56  Fast Mail             Chicago         9:20        8:45        8:15 pm
 16  Olympian              Chicago        11:10        7:10 am
  4  Pioneer Limited       Chicago        11:30       11:40


Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  1  Pioneer Limited       Chicago         7:20        7:45
 15  Olympian              Chicago         8:30        9:15 pm
103                        Calmar         10:10
 55                        Chicago        11:59        1:50
  5  Morning Hiawatha      Chicago         5:05        5:05        6:40 pm
121                        Calmar          7:00
101  Afternoon Hiawatha    Chicago         7:15    3   7:15
 16  Olympian              Tacoma         11:00        7:05 am


Passenger service retained by Amtrak in 1971, initially moved to Great Northern Station and with St. Paul stop initially discontinued.


ROCK ISLAND

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

507  Twin Star Rocket      Kansas City    12:27       12:10 pm
 62  Zephyr Rocket         St. Louis       5:30        5:30 pm
 15  Mid Continent         Kansas City     8:15  509   7:10 pm
 17  Short Line Express    Kansas City    11:00       11:25 pm


Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

 61  Zephyr Rocket         St. Louis       7:00        7:10 am
 18  Mid Continent         Kansas City     8:00  510   7:45 am
 16  Short Line Express    Kansas City     2:15        7:15 pm
508  Twin Star Rocket      Kansas City     7:38        6:00 pm


Passenger service discontinued in 1969.


SOO LINE

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  2                        Chicago         8:20
105                        Enderlin        7:35    5   8:30
 62                        Duluth          1:55        1:50
  6                        Owen            6:35        7:10
  8                        S. Ste. Marie   8:20        6:40
109  Winnipeger            Winnipeg        7:45
  3  Soo Dominion          Moose Jaw      10:00   13   7:45


Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  4  Soo Dominion          Moose Jaw       7:15   14   8:00
110  Winnipeger            Winnipeg        7:55
  5                        Owen            7:20        8:15
  7                        S. Ste. Marie   7:35        7:20
  1                        Chicago         4:00
106                        Enderlin        6:20    6   6:50
 63                        Duluth          5:24        5:00


Passenger service discontinued in 1967.

The Soo Dominion operated via Canadian Pacific within Canada, and connected with Canadian Pacific trans Canada trains to and from Vancouver.


STATIONS TODAY

The St. Paul Union Depot was unused by passenger trains from the start of Amtrak in 1971, until its reopening in 2014 as an intermodal terminal.

Union Depot
Link to an official Web site, showing how this great old station has been restored as an intermodal transportation facility.

Saint Paul Union Depot (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia link containing further historical information on the station.


MAPPING THE STATIONS AND RAILROADS

Links to locations of past and present stations and railroads, using Google Maps. Satellite views are also available.