The parking lot at Union Station in downtown Ogden sat mostly empty midday on a Monday in December. The front doors were locked. Along with a restaurant and offices, the former train station houses museums open to the public for five hours, four days a week.
On the edge of the lot, a sign commemorates the station’s history as a railroad hub during World War II. Up to 150 trains stopped by every day, bringing soldiers to and from the Pacific Theater. Men passing through town were known to visit brothels on nearby 25th Street or a canteen run by the American Red Cross.
Back in the day, this was Junction City, the crossroads where the Union Pacific and Central Pacific met.
“The whole reason we exist is because of the railroads,” said Ogden Mayor Ben Nadolski. “So let's leverage that history and make it our gift and our asset.”
City leaders heard that loud and clear through community meetings about the future of Union Station: Ogdenites want to breathe life back into it. On the campaign trail, Nadolski advocated for restoring the building and said transit would complement the existing museums. Plans were already in the works under the previous mayor to upgrade the building and the surrounding area.
One key step in revitalizing Union Station, Nadolski said, is bringing back trains, starting with FrontRunner, which lets commuters on and off one block north. The city is also in talks with federal lawmakers about bringing Amtrak service back to Ogden, but that’s much less certain.
City staff are working on conceptual plans with Utah Transit Authority, which operates FrontRunner and local buses. The biggest need is a new platform, said Taylor Nielsen, the deputy chief administrative officer and city engineer. Another thing to figure out is whether the rails outside Union Station are still in working shape.
The city is brainstorming potential layouts for the station with the transit authority’s engineers, Nielsen said. Then they’ll look into cost effectiveness and next steps.
“We'll be coming out with a website very soon that'll probably give a better indication of where we are in the process and what those things look like,” he said.
When FrontRunner launched in 2008, Union Pacific owned the land under Union Station. It now belongs to Ogden.
Utah Transit Authority spokesperson Gavin Gustafson wants to ensure transit remains convenient for riders who take FrontRunner and a local bus. The walk from Union Station to the bus bays is about a quarter of a mile.
“Most are not going to really want to walk a block and a half, especially if it's 100 degrees or 20 degrees, to then get on the bus,” he said.
Nielsen doesn’t think the distance to bus stops will be a problem, and he sees having a warm place to sit and wait as a draw for potential train riders. Bringing passengers in would deliver foot traffic to the museum and restaurants, Nadolski said, and that would lead to other opportunities inside the station.
“It brings light retail and commerce like coffee shops and restaurants and newspaper stands and shoe shining, and all the things that always took place there can take place there again,” he said. “And it would be a beautiful space to do it.”
The mayor plans to showcase the station and its museums, with free admission, at his State of the City Address in January.
The city is looking at a possible parking lot just south of Union Station for transit riders and museum visitors.
Nadolski also has an eye on the 2034 Olympics, which are scheduled to bring visitors to nearby Snowbasin Resort. Hotels will likely draw visitors looking to travel to other venues.
“We would love to welcome the world back through the Grand Lobby of the Union Station when we bring the Olympics back to Utah,” he said.
While city leaders work out the exact plan, along with cost and funding for moving the FrontRunner station, they’re chipping away at the 101-year-old building’s list of needs: repairing the roof, upgrading the electrical system, restoring the fountain out front and fixing windows.
Ultimately, city leaders see the project benefiting both residents and visitors. Locals want to preserve and highlight the historic station, while others might discover a new destination and support local businesses in the process.
“They're not just leaving Ogden for entertainment or tourism, they're coming to Ogden for entertainment and tourism. We want to be that city,” Nadolski said.
Macy Lipkin is a Report for America corps member who reports for KUER in northern Utah.
