Saint Paul Union Depot

The Saint Paul Union Depot (sometimes referred to as SPUD) was (and will be once again) the main railroad station in the city of Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Saint Paul Union Depot Company controlled 9.24 miles (14.87 km) of St. Paul trackage and terminal facilities, including the depot building. The company was operated in tandem with the Minnesota Transfer Railway Company, with effective control of both properties exercised by the same board, composed of representatives of the nine joint tenants. Passenger rail service in the region was restructured in the 1970s, with Amtrak taking over most passenger service in the United States.

In 1971, Amtrak moved its rail service for the Twin Cities to the Great Northern Station in Minneapolis, and in 1978 opened the new Midway Station about halfway between the downtowns of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The entrance to Union Depot, the headhouse, is considered a somewhat severe example of neoclassical architecture, with a number of tall columns in front. However, the concourse that extends out to platforms where trains once rolled in is considered to be one of the great architectural achievements in the city. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.