Central Station was the main passenger terminal of the Southern Pacific Railroad in Los Angeles, California. Situated at the intersection of Fifth Street and Central Avenue in eastern downtown Los Angeles, the station served as the primary hub for Southern Pacific’s passenger operations throughout Southern California.
History and Architecture
The station opened on December 1 1914, with its building inaugurated on May 2 1915. Designed by the architectural firm Parkinson & Bergstrom in a Beaux‑Arts/Classic Revival style, the three‑story white stucco structure featured a large passenger lobby, ticket office, dining facilities, baggage handling areas, and an integrated power plant. Its design emphasized pedestrian–track grade separation, separate arrival and departure platforms, and extensive amenities for travelers.
Rail Services
Central Station accommodated long‑distance trains such as the Sunset Limited, Coast Daylight, Golden State, and other named services of the Southern Pacific system. Beginning in 1924, Union Pacific Railroad also used the station after its own downtown depot suffered fire damage. In addition to intercity service, the station was a terminal for local electric railways: Pacific Electric Red Cars stopped on the west side of the building, providing connections to Sierra Vista, Pasadena, Edendale, Long Beach and San Pedro; Los Angeles Railway streetcars (lines D, U, and 3) served the front of the station.
Decline and Closure
Voter approval in 1926 authorized construction of a new Union Station. When Union Station opened in 1939, all long‑distance passenger trains were transferred there, ending Central Station’s intercity service. Pacific Electric cars continued to use the facility until September 1940, after which they were rerouted to the Subway Terminal Building.
Demolition
The station remained vacant for several years before being demolished on August 22 1956.
Legacy
Central Station played a pivotal role in early‑20th‑century rail travel in Los Angeles, linking the city to major West Coast destinations and supporting extensive local electric‑rail networks. Its demolition marked the end of an era dominated by multiple competing downtown terminals, consolidating passenger rail service at the modern Union Station complex.