North Platte UP station circa 1930
North Platte UP station, circa 1930. Visible at right (west end of building) is the sign for the station lunchroom.
The Union Pacific Railroad has played an influential role in the existence of North Platte, Neb., since the railroad first established the city in 1866 along the first Western transcontinental rail line. North Platte became home to many UP employees when the company installed a major railroad car classification yard and locomotive facility here. (The World War II period population of North Platte was 13,500.)Among the city’s railroad landmarks was the 80-by-263 foot brick passenger station located on the south side of the UP tracks along Front Street and on the business district’s north edge. This structure, which replaced an earlier frame depot-hotel that burned in 1915, was dedicated March 20, 1918. Among its conveniences was a large public lunchroom contained in the west end. Once remembered for serving about the best meals in town, the facility closed about 1940. With this station space then vacant, the stage was set for its use during the canteen years.
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