Fort Madison station (1968–2021)

For the former Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway station in Fort Madison now used as the Amtrak station, see Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Passenger and Freight Complex Historic District.

Fort Madison, IA

The Southwest Chief at Fort Madison station in October 2015

General information
Location| 1601 20th Street,[1] Fort Madison, Iowa 52627
Coordinates| 40°37′20″N 91°20′15″W﻿ / ﻿40.6223°N 91.3375°W﻿ / 40.6223; -91.3375
Owned by| BNSF Railway
Line(s)| BNSF Railway Chillicothe / Marceline Subdivisions
Platforms| 1 side platform, 1 island platform
Tracks| 2
Other information
Station code| FMD
History
Opened| 1968[2]
Closed| December 15, 2021[2]
Passengers
2017| 6,661[3] 0.76%
Former services
| Preceding station  |  Amtrak | Following station

|
|

La Plata

toward Los Angeles

|  | Southwest Chief |  | Galesburg

toward Chicago

La Plata

toward Dallas or Houston

|  | Lone Star |  | Galesburg (SF Depot)

toward Chicago

Preceding station  | Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway | Following station
Shopton

toward Los Angeles

|  | Main Line |  | East Fort Madison

toward Chicago

Location

Fort Madison was an Amtrak train station in Fort Madison, Iowa, United States. The former Amtrak station was built in 1968 by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway—commonly referred to as the "Santa Fe." Located at the east end of a Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF—successor to the Santa Fe) freight yard, it was about a half hour walk away from downtown. It replaced a downtown Santa Fe complex that included a 1910 depot, Railway Express Agency (REA) building, and freight office.[4]

On December 15, 2021, Amtrak moved its operations back to the historic Santa Fe Depot, located directly in downtown Fort Madison.

## Original station restoration

[edit]

The city, in collaboration with BNSF, Amtrak, the Iowa Department of Transportation, the Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission, and the North Lee County Historical Society (NLCHS), has worked since 2006 to restore the old Santa Fe station to accommodate an Amtrak waiting room and ticket office as well as exhibition and storage space for the NLCHS museum, which moved into the old depot in 1972.[4] Unfortunately, the depot remained susceptible to high water and was flooded several times in the late 20th century. Eventually, the city decided to sponsor a project to lift the depot off of its foundation, construct a new five foot high concrete base, and lower the building back into place; this work occurred during 2011.[4]

The total cost of the depot raising and restoration project is estimated at $3.2 million, and the city obtained funds from a diverse array of grant programs, including $1.5 million through the Federal Highway Administration's Transportation Enhancements program and $1.13 million through I-Jobs, a state investment program designed to renew Iowa's infrastructure, promote long-term economic growth, and help create and retain jobs.[4] Once the renovation was completed, Amtrak moved the Fort Madison stop to the depot, which also continues to house the NLCHS museum.[4]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Amtrak System Timetables". Amtrak. May 10, 2010. p. 12 - via Museum of Railway Timetables.
2. ^ a b Associated Press (December 14, 2021). "Amtrak Service Returns to Historic Fort Madison Station". KTVO-TV. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
3. ^ "Amtrak Fact Sheet, FY2017, State of Iowa" (PDF). Amtrak. November 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
4. ^ a b c d e "Fort Madison, IA (FMD)". Great American Stations. Amtrak.

## External links

[edit]

Media related to Fort Madison station at Wikimedia Commons

* Fort Madison, IA – Amtrak
* Fort Madison, IA – Station history at Great American Stations (Amtrak)
* Fort Madison Amtrak Station (USA RailGuide – TrainWeb)
* Fort Madison receives $1.1 million for Santa Fe Rail Depot Archived July 17, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
* Fort Madison (FMD)--Great American Stations (Amtrak)

* v
* t
* e

Amtrak stations in Iowa

Active stations|

* Burlington
* Creston
* Fort Madison ATSF
* Mount Pleasant
* Osceola
* Ottumwa

Former stations|

* Dubuque
* Fort Madison BNSF

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