Staples station

Staples station is an Amtrak intercity train station in Staples, Minnesota, United States, served by Amtrak's daily Empire Builder service. It was built in December 1909 by the Northern Pacific Railway. The architects of the station were Charles A. Reed and Allen H. Stem, who also designed the Northern Pacific's King Street Station in Seattle, Washington, and the New York Central Railroad's Grand Central Terminal in New York City.

Staples, MN
The Staples depot from the south-southeast
General information
Location	First & Fourth Avenues Staples, Minnesota United States
Coordinates	46°21′16″N 94°47′43″W / 46.35444°N 94.79528°W / 46.35444; -94.79528
Line(s)	BNSF Staples Subdivision
Platforms	1 side platform (1 island platform removed)
Tracks	3
Construction
Parking	Yes
Accessible	Yes
Other information
Station code	Amtrak: SPL
History
Opened	1909
Passengers
FY 2022	5,363[1] (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station Detroit Lakes toward Seattle or Portland Empire Builder St. Cloud toward Chicago
Former services Preceding station Northern Pacific Railway Following station Aldrich toward Seattle or Tacoma Main Line Philbrook toward St. Paul Wadena toward Winnipeg Winnipeg – St. Paul Little Falls toward St. Paul Terminus Staples – Duluth Hayden toward Duluth
Northern Pacific Railway Depot and Freighthouse
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Built	1902
Architect	Northern Pacific Railway Engineering Dept
Architectural style	Classic Revival
NRHP reference No.	85003613[2]
Added to NRHP	June 13, 2008[3]
Location Staples, MN Location in Minnesota Show map of Minnesota Staples, MN Location in United States Show map of the United States

In the mid-2000s the city began negotiations with BNSF with the intent to purchase and rehabilitate the depot, which was largely empty and not well maintained. The sale was finalized in February 2008 and the depot is now owned and managed by the Staples Historical Society (SHS). Since then the SHS has undertaken a handful of important improvement projects, such as installing a new roof and repairing historic windows. The group is also searching for funding to undertake a full-scale rehabilitation of the interior and mechanical systems. Ultimately the SHS hopes to restore the second floor so that it can house the Staples Historical Society Museum. The local chamber of commerce currently occupies the ticket office adjacent to the waiting room.^[4]

The station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 13, 2008.^[3]

The station is one of three in Minnesota and 78 across the Amtrak network listed in a 2021 settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice over inaccessible facilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act.^[5] Under the ADA Stations Program (ADASP), Amtrak plans to update the station with new platforms, walkways, railings, signage and other improvements by the company's fiscal year 2026.^[6]

In 2023, $4 million was included in the Minnesota state budget to study a daytime train service between the Twin Cities and Fargo, North Dakota,^[7] a service that would include stops at Staples station.