Ephrata station

{{Infobox station

|name = Ephrata, WA

|style = Amtrak

|image = Ephrata Station and GTA bus.jpg

|image_caption = Ephrata station with Grant Transit Authority bus

|address = 24 Alder Street
Ephrata, Washington

|country = United States

|coordinates = {{coord|47.32089|N|119.54935|W|type:railwaystation_region:US-WA|display=inline,title}}

|line = BNSF Columbia River Subdivision

|other = {{bus icon}} Amtrak Thruway
{{bus icon}} Grant Transit Authority
{{bus icon}} Northwestern Trailways

|platform = 1 side platform

|tracks = 2

|parking = Yes

|mpassengers = {{rail pass box|system=Amtrak|passengers={{Amtrak ridership|Ephrata}}{{Amtrak ridership|citationWA}}|pass_year={{Amtrak ridership|date}}}}

|opened =

|rebuilt = 1994

|accessible =

|code = {{Amtrak code|EPH}}

|owned = City of Ephrata

|zone =

|services = {{Adjacent stations|system=Amtrak|line=Empire Builder|left=Wenatchee|right=Spokane|to-left=Seattle}}

|other_services_header = Former services

|other_services_collapsible = yes

|other_services = {{Adjacent stations|system=Amtrak|line=North Coast Hiawatha|left=Wenatchee|right=Spokane|line2=Expo '74|left2=Wenatchee|right2=Spokane}}

| mapframe = yes

| mapframe-marker = rail

| mapframe-marker-color = #{{rcr|Amtrak}}

| mapframe-zoom = 14

}}

Ephrata is a train station on Amtrak's Empire Builder line in Ephrata, Washington. The station and parking are owned by the city government, while the track and platforms are owned by BNSF Railway.{{cite web |title= Amtrak - Great American Stations |publisher=Amtrak |date= |url= http://www.greatamericanstations.com/Stations/EPH/Station_view/ |format= |accessdate=April 23, 2009}}{{cite web |title= Amtrak Fact Sheet, FY2008, State of Washington |publisher= Amtrak |date= October 2008 |url= http://www.amtrak.com/pdf/factsheets/WASHINGTON08.pdf |accessdate= November 29, 2007}} Northwestern Trailways provides inter-city bus transportation next to the station while local transit is provided by the Grant Transit Authority.{{cite web|title=Daily Trailways Service Schedule |publisher=Northwestern Trailways |date=September 1, 2006 |url=http://www.northwesterntrailways.com/schedule.htm |accessdate=February 4, 2007 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070123105032/http://www.northwesterntrailways.com/schedule.htm |archivedate=January 23, 2007 |url-status=dead }}

History

Passenger rail service to Ephrata began in 1893 with the arrival of the Great Northern Railway, particularly services like the Empire Builder and Western Star. Ephrata was the smallest town to be served by Great Northern's streamlined passenger trains through the mid-20th century.{{cite news |last=Starmont |first=Leon |date=February 22, 1948 |title=Ephrata: Desert Oasis Now a Thriving Capital |page=8 |work=The Spokesman-Review |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41754653/ephrata_desert_oasis_now_a_thriving/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=January 5, 2020}} {{free access}} After Amtrak took over the national passenger rail network in 1971, the Western Star was eliminated and the Empire Builder stopped serving Ephrata.{{cite news |date=May 6, 1971 |title=Goodbye To Some Old Friends |page=1 |work=Grant County Journal}} The loss of passenger rail service also affected postal deliveries to Ephrata, which were switched from trains to trucks.{{cite news |date=May 6, 1971 |title=Amtrak Causes Changes in Ephrata's Mail Service |page=3 |work=Spokane Chronicle |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41715914/amtrak_causes_changes_in_ephratas_mail/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=January 4, 2020}} {{free access}} Amtrak service to Ephrata began on June 11, 1973, with a routing change for the North Coast Hiawatha.{{cite news |date=May 3, 1973 |title=Amtrak Plans Ephrata Stop This Summer |page=5 |work=Spokane Chronicle |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41716085/amtrak_plans_ephrata_stop_this_summer/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=January 4, 2020}} {{free access}} The trains stopped at an existing depot that served freight until December 1973.{{cite news |date=December 7, 1973 |title=Depot Shut |page=5 |work=Spokane Chronicle |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41716132/depot_shut_ephrata/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=January 4, 2020}} {{free access}}

The Ephrata stop served few passengers and was slated for closure as part of cuts in 1977,{{cite news |last=Allen |first=Rob |date=March 4, 1977 |title=Passenger trains to skip Ephrata |page=1 |work=The Spokesman-Review |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41716214/passenger_trains_to_skip_ephrata/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=January 4, 2020}} {{free access}} but was kept as an unstaffed station.{{cite news |date=October 26, 1977 |title=Ephrata ticket sales to be halted |page=6 |work=The Spokesman-Review |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41716249/ephrata_ticket_sales_to_be_halted/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=January 4, 2020}} {{free access}} The North Coast Hiawatha was discontinued in 1979, ending passenger service to Ephrata and Wenatchee.{{cite news |last=Gilmore |first=Susan |date=September 30, 1979 |title=Few would mourn last Amtrak train through Wenatchee |page=A22 |work=The Seattle Times}} The Empire Builder returned to its original route in 1981, restoring passenger service to Ephrata.{{cite news |date=October 26, 1981 |title=Seattle-Spokane Amtrak route returns |page=C2 |work=The Seattle Times}}{{cite news |last=Moody |first=Dick |date=May 5, 1983 |title='Train nut' got Amtrak to stop |page=8 |work=The Spokesman-Review |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41716274/train_nut_got_amtrak_to_stop/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=January 4, 2020}} {{free access}} The existing Amtrak station was renovated and expanded to include a new multimodal transportation center and office space for the local chamber of commerce, re-opening on November 7, 1994.{{cite news |date=November 4, 1994 |title=Basin transit center dedicated |page=10 |work=The Wenatchee World}}{{cite news |date=November 8, 1994 |title=Hundreds greet arrival of special train in Ephrata |page=10 |work=The Wenatchee World}}

Notes and references

External links

[http://www.trainweb.org/usarail/ephrata.htm Current and former Ephrata Amtrak Stations (USA RailGuide -- TrainWeb)]

Category:Amtrak stations in Washington (state)

Category:Bus stations in Washington (state)

Category:Transportation buildings and structures in Grant County, Washington