Mineola station (Texas)

Mineola is a station in Mineola, Texas, United States, currently served by Amtrak's Texas Eagle. The station was originally built in 1906 by the Texas & Pacific Railway and also used by the Missouri Pacific Railroad.

Mineola, TX
Mineola station in May 2018
Location115 East Front Street
Mineola, Texas
United States
Coordinates32.66197°N 95.4891°W / 32.66197; -95.4891
Owned byCity of Mineola (station and parking lot)
Union Pacific Railroad (track and platform)
Line(s)Union Pacific Railroad
Platforms1 side platform
Tracks2
Other information
Station codeMIN
History
Opened1906
April 28, 1996[1]
ClosedApril 30, 1971[1]
RebuiltJune 10, 2006[2]
Passengers
20197438 [3]  15.8%
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Dallas
toward Los Angeles or San Antonio
 Texas Eagle Longview
toward Chicago

History
Mineola station in October 1996, shortly after reopening

The Missouri-Pacific Railroad built the station in 1906. In 1951, as "modernization", the hipped roof was removed and decoration stripped from the station, leaving a rectangular brick building.[2]

The Missouri-Pacific Railroad ended service on its Texas Eagle on April 30, 1971, one day before Amtrak took over passenger services. In March 1974, Amtrak's Inter-American was extended from Fort Worth to St. Louis, restoring passenger service to the Missouri-Pacific Railroad's main line but without a stop in Mineola.[1] The Inter-American was replaced by the Eagle in 1981, which in turn was renamed as the Texas Eagle in 1988.[1]

On April 14, 1996, Newport station in Arkansas was closed as part of a deal with the Union Pacific Railroad to reopen the stop at Mineola. Trains began stopping at Mineola on April 28.[1] According to Mineola native Willie Brown, the station was reopened as the result of his persistent lobbying of President Bill Clinton. Responding to an Amtrak report that a survey did not reveal anyone wanting to get off in Mineola, Brown reportedly told Clinton: "The reason to stop in Mineola is not to let anybody off. It's to let the people on. It's not that great a place. Look at me! I left!"[4] Amtrak, however, credited "Mineola community leaders" with the successful effort.[5]

In 2005, the city began an $800,000 renovation project, funded primarily by the Texas Department of Transportation, to restore the station to its original appearance. A new angled roof was constructed, signage and landscaping built, and the interior converted for use as a railway museum. The station was rededicated on June 10, 2006.[2]

References
  1. "TEXAS EAGLE ROUTE - HISTORICAL TIMELINE". Texas Eagle Marketing and Performance Organization. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  2. "Mineola, Texas (MIN)". Great American Stations. Amtrak. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  3. "Amtrak service in Mineola, TX" (PDF). Rail Passengers Association. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  4. Brown, Willie (2008). Basic Brown: My Life and Our Times. Simon and Schuster. p. 255 – via Google Books.
  5. "Texas 'Railroad Town' Completes Restoration of Historic Depot" (Press release). Amtrak. June 8, 2006. Archived from the original on 8 November 2007.

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