La Plata station is an Amtrak train station in La Plata, Missouri, United States and is a passenger stop for Amtrak's Southwest Chief long-distance route between Chicago and Los Angeles. It was built in 1945 by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway as a replacement for an 1887-built, 1888-opened passenger and freight depot that was in deteriorating condition. Efforts to replace the station were stalled by a lack of construction material during World War II. The 1945 replacement was built in Art Deco style, and was restored between 1996 and 2001 by local preservationists, a model railroad club, and a garden club. The station was upgraded again in 2022 with upgrades done to the station building and the platform to bring it into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.[4] It also hosts two Virtual Railfan cameras.[5]

La Plata, MO
The La Plata station in November 2015 as seen from the coach of a Southwest Chief
General information
Location535 North Owensby Street
La Plata, Missouri 63549
Coordinates40°01′45″N 92°29′38″W / 40.0291°N 92.4939°W / 40.0291; -92.4939
Line(s)BNSF Marceline Subdivision
Platforms1 side platform
Tracks2
Construction
ParkingYes
AccessibleYes
Other information
Station codeAmtrak: LAP
History
OpenedJanuary 1, 1888[1]
Rebuilt–September 21, 1945[2]
1996–2001
2022
Passengers
FY 20238,559[3] (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Kansas City Southwest Chief Fort Madison
toward Chicago
Former services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Marceline
toward Dallas or Houston
Lone Star Fort Madison
toward Chicago
Preceding station Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Following station
Elmer Main Line Gibbs
toward Chicago
Location
Map

Nearby colleges

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References

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  1. ^ "The Santa Fe". The La Plata Home Press. January 6, 1888. p. 4. Retrieved December 31, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ "County Fair at La Plata Opens Today". Kirksville Daily Express. Kirksville, Missouri. September 20, 1945. p. 8. Retrieved October 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2023: State of Missouri" (PDF). Amtrak. March 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  4. ^ "La Plata Amtrak Station gets $6 million worth of upgrades". KTVO. 11 November 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  5. ^ La Plata(LAP) – Great American Stations (Amtrak)
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