ATSF Longview, TX Depot

Longview, TX

	At the end of its namesake branch, the Longview depot illustrates an adaptation of Santa Fe's 1910-standard plans and a number of unusual details in these two views by Frank Ellington from July 9, 1975. Note the board-and-batten siding on the freight room end, and the scar left by the removal of the raised freight platform. When Santa Fe dropped the use of "bronze green" trim on frame depots in the 1950's, white window sashes became hit-or-miss, with many depots simply receiving "colonial yellow" sashes to match the rest of the building. Longview not only has white sashes, but white eaves and roof brackets as well.
	By the time R.J. McKay photographed the depot seven years later, it had been given a nonstandard paint scheme, or rather, a locally devised paint scheme after Santa Fe ceased to have a system standard. The depot remained on its original site into the 1990's, long after most Santa Fe frame depots had been retired and removed from the property. In 1996, demolition work began on the depot, but rumors of its demise turned out to be only half true.

	The railroad had apparently started to demolish the building when a buyer purchased the remaining portion. It was moved to the Old Mill Marketplace on Hwy 64 near Canton, TX, where Jim Pasby photographed it in April 2001. Judging from the photo, most of the freight room was gone by the time the depot was saved. Thanks to Ron Duke, Chuck Harris, and Jim King for additional information on the building.