Texarkana Union Station | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Texarkana station platform in February 2017 for Amtrak. The union station is on the right. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| General information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | 100 East Front Street Texarkana, Arkansas United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owned by | Jeff Sandefur | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 1side platform | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tracks | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Connections |  Texarkana Urban Transit District | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Construction | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parking | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bicycle facilities | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accessible | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Station code | Amtrak:TXA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 1930 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Passengers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FY 2025 | 7,037[1] (Amtrak) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Services | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Texarkana Union Station | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Location | State Line and Front St.,Texarkana, Texas | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 33°25′12″N94°2′33″W / 33.42000°N 94.04250°W /33.42000; -94.04250 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Area | less than one acre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Built | 1928 (1928) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Architect | E.M. Tucker, A.B. Butterworth | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Architectural style | Renaissance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MPS | Historic Railroad Depots of Arkansas MPS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NRHP reference No. | 78000611[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Added to NRHP | November 19, 1978 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Texarkana Union Station is a historic train station in theTexarkana metropolitan area servingAmtrak, the United States' national passenger rail system. The Arkansas-Texas border bisects the structure; the eastern part, including the waiting room and ticket office, are inTexarkana, Arkansas, but the western part is inTexarkana, Texas, meaning stopped trains span both states. The station was built in 1928 and was added to the U.S.National Register of Historic Places in 1978. Today it is the second busiest Amtrak station in Arkansas.[3]
Texarkana Union Station was constructed and operated by Union Station Trust, a subsidiary organization created as a joint effort between theMissouri-Pacific,Texas & Pacific,Cotton Belt andKansas City Southern railroads.E. M. Tucker, chief architect for Missouri Pacific, designed the building with a track layout and overhead concourse reminiscent of the style he had used when rebuildingLittle Rock Union Depot after a 1921 fire.
The present structure replaced an earlier Texarkana station on the same site, and was opened for business on April 17, 1930, with a large celebration and dedication held on May 12, 1930, according to Missouri Pacific Lines Magazine, June 1930. The station and the federal courthouse anchor the south and north ends of State Line Avenue, the dividing line between Arkansas and Texas. In 1876, Congress mandated that the Texarkana railroad station would straddle the state line, and the building has entrances and exits into both states. Missouri Pacific and Texas and Pacific, the two carriers with the most passenger trains serving Texarkana Union Station, were able to operate through the facility without a backup move. Kansas City Southern and Cotton Belt passenger trains both made back-up moves to access the station.
Provisions were made in the original station design for a restaurant, but as a result of theGreat Depression, the only food service was provided by a snack bar and news stand.
The station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.[2]
In April 2023, the Arkansas-side Board of Directors approved $200,000 toward purchasing and redeveloping the station.[4]
In 1976, the station was used for multiple locations inCharles B. Pierce's movie,The Town That Dreaded Sundown.
The following are notable cases of trains making stop in past years at Union Station:
During the heyday of private railroad passenger train service, Texarkana served as a major distribution point for mail and express, and a largeTerminal Railway Post Office was located in and adjacent to the station. In addition, express cars originating at such distant points asNew York City were routed to Texarkana, where the shipments were sorted for transportation in different trains to their final destination.
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