It has been the primary station for the city, serving Amtrak today, and the Santa Fe and Union Pacific Railroads in the past.

[10] Through its subsidiary California Southern Railroad, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (ATSF) first built a two-and-a-half-story wooden structure on the site in 1886 to replace a converted boxcar that had been used as a temporary station.

[citation needed] The trains of both railroads served disparate destinations in the west and in central United States.

[13] Named trains in 1960 included:[14][15] Local politicians requested ATSF to build a new station on a much larger scale than the previous.

Utilizing hollow clay blocks, a red tile roof and stucco exterior, the depot was designed to withstand fire.

After renovations are complete, SANBAG will share ownership with the City of San Bernardino and both agencies intend on leasing space in it.

Weekend service consists of 4 trains (2 in each direction) on both Saturday and Sunday, heading towards Orange County in the morning and towards the Inland Empire in the evening.

[23] Amtrak's Southwest Chief, which travels between Los Angeles and Chicago, Illinois, stops daily in each direction here.