OGDEN, Utah — The City of Odgen has answered questions about the future of Ogden Union Station by purchasing the land under the historic structure from Union Pacific.
KSTU-TV reports the city agreed earlier this month to purchase the 8.06-acre parcel from UP for $5.56 million. The railroad turned the building over to the city in 1977 under a 50-year lease but maintained ownership of the land; unifying the land and building under city control addresses concerns that UP might sell the land and building at conclusion of the current lease in 2027.
“We knew that Union Pacific wasn’t interested in extending the lease term, and they weren’t interested in owning the building themselves,” Brandon Cooper, the city’s director of community and economic development, told the TV station.
The station, built in 1924, last saw passenger service in 1997, when Amtrak’s Pioneer ceased operation. The building currently houses the Utah State Railroad Museum and several other museums.
“If Ogden would have let the lease expire for the property in 2027, everything would go back to the Union Pacific,” said Steve Jones, who started a “Save Union Station” Facebook group. “The museums, the Eccles Rail Center [the rail museum’s equipment display], everything would be left without a home. And so there really was no choice except to purchase the property.”
At least for some residents, some questions about the future of the station complex remain. The Ogden Standard-Examiner reported when the city approved the purchase that some residents believe the city intends to redevelop the building and property at the expense of the museums, a claim Mayor Mike Caldwell called offensive.
“We are working really hard to protect and preserve that asset,” Caldwell said.
Ogden’s commuter rail service is the FrontRunner. Rail Runner is found between Belen and Sante Fe in New Mexico.
Ogden Union Station is a National Treasure. The building and surrounding campus hosts multiple museums and collections, including the Utah State Railroad Museum and the Eccles Rail Center. It played a major role in the transcontinental railroad when Ogden became the Junction City! Later, it was instrumental in troop and supply transports for multiple war efforts. Now that the property has been purchased from the UP the hard work starts. The museums, collections, and galleries need to be protected, preserved, and enhanced for future generations. A Transit Oriented Development project will either accomplish this or destroy the character and uniqueness that Ogden and the Union Station have to offer.
They’ll need the station anyways, should Amtrak ever bring back the truncated Pioneer that’s part of their alleged expansion plans.
Why not use Ogden Union Station for the “Rail Runner” Commuter trains?