 Kelso-Longview, WA | Amtrak Cascades | Olympia-Lacey, WA  |
| Coast Starlight |
Centralia, WA is a small city of 16,000 people in Southern Washington. Outside the depot is the main hub for Twin Transit as well as an infrequent (3 times a day, weekdays only) Guys Harbor Transit Route to Elma (where a connection can be made for a bus to Olympia providing a very indirect transit connection between those two Amtrak stations). The train station receives service five times a day in each direction with the four daily Amtrak Cascades trips plus the Coast Starlight. The station is staffed for some departures (those between 9:00am and 4:30pm). Checked baggage service is offered for the trains that stop during those times.
The 1912 Centralia Union Depot is a historic brick building with a mission style clay roof tiled roof. Inside the depot are many elaborate carved wooden benches with armrests that would make lying down on them nearly impossible. The large main waiting area has iconic columns with tiled walls up to about the first four feet (including for the columns) with cream above (the columns are white). There are three main historically accurate wood paneled windows to the ticket office, along with restrooms. The walls of the station are full of black and white photographs showing the history of transportation in Centralia. The depot is along Railroad Avenue where mostly minibuses belonging to Twin Transit stop as a hub. The depot is along a very long single platform that runs the full three blocks between the grade crossings of Maple and Main Streets. The platform has gates in numerous places but usually most of these are left open providing basically continuous public access to the platform, there is always access at the ends near the grade crossings. The platform is along two tracks and there are three crossings across the track that platforms provide access to another tiny, narrow second platform so a train can stop if running along the opposite track. South of the station is a small freight yard that serves the town of Centralia.
All photos taken on 15 October, 2011
