Ca: The Historic Centerville Train Station and Depot Diner in Fremont California

What do commuters in San Francisco, a historic train station and a diner all have in common?

Well of course it's The Centerville Train Station and the Depot Diner in Fremont California!

Located in the City of Fremont's historic Centerville District in the San Francisco Bay Area, you'll find them all cohabitating peacefully - not only sending passengers on their way but filling them up with yummy treats and a good ole dose of rich history. Not only does the train station sport the original train station built in 1910, but it is also located on the ACE commuter line, which takes commuters into and out of the San Francisco Bay Area. Inside the train depot is a quaint little diner owned by the Lorenz family, who together with their family cook up delicious treats and fare for hungry commuters, train buffs and locals in the area. Located in the East Bay, the train station is a wonderful place to visit for both train enthusiasts and adventurers alike. There is something for everyone located at the depot - including an observation deck where visitors can sit and sip their coffee while watching passengers board and offboard the trains. Inside the diner there also gifts and other fun train things you can purchase or just admire.

Serving not only as a diner, the depot also serves up tickets for commuters getting back and forth to work between outlying cities such as Tracy and Livermore - bringing passengers into and out of the Silicon Valley and San Francisco Bay Area region. The ACE train is a commute service train in the Bay Area in Northern California that runs from Stockton to San Jose. Bus transfers are available and day trips can be made into Sacramento, the capitol of California, where you can visit Old Sacramento and the Historic train museum located in Sacramento's historic district, Amtrak trains provide this service, along with other Amtrak destinations along the Fremont route.

If you are just in the mood for a day adventure and some good eats, the menu for the diner is located here. Fresh pastries are baked and served up daily in addition to special brewed coffee treats, made to order deli sandwiches and some famous homemade chili. You can leisurely sip on a coffee and watch passing trains on the open observation deck. Hours and address for the Depot Diner are:

Depot hours
Monday - Friday: 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday: 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday: Closed

Depot address
37260 Fremont Boulevard
Fremont, CA, 94536

The diner has a meeting room which can be reserved for local meetings, birthday parties and special events. This could be a perfect gift to give a loved one or kids that want something fun to do on their special day (train rides can also be included in the birthday package at the Centerville Train Station) The ACE (Altamont Commuter Express) website is here for more information on fares and schedules.

To learn more about the Historic Centerville Train Station,Wiki also has a great article on the stations roots along with links for both Amtrak train service and the Altamont Commuter Express. A brief history on the Depot Diner there is an interesting read.

If you love trains but can't make it to the station on time, there are web-cams that you can visit to take a virtual "ride" of the station. Web-cams are available here. The web-cam feature gives you a nice peek into the classic diner and the train platform outside. If web-cams don't satisfy the adventurer in you, then you might want to drop in during the day when the Depot Diner is open. Inside you will probably be greeted by Vic or Norma, 2 longtime Fremont residents who will welcome you with open smiles. Serving up good vibes along with his fresh baked goodies, Vic will make you chuckle with some of his famous jokes. The depot is owned by the Lorenz family, Dirk and Lisa, themselves a historic family in their own right. The Lorenz family also own the longstanding Fremont Flowers across the street from the station and another historic icon - the Cloverdale Creamery.

The Centerville Train Station was entirely renovated during the years 1991-1999 and loving attention was paid to the minutest of details - even down to the the original Western Union signs and the working semaphore signal proudly displayed outside the train station. In an effort to preserve the rich train heritage of the area, every effort was made to renovate the station as it once stood in 1910. More on the history of the Fremont Centerville Train Station and the Depot Diner in Fremont Ca. located here.

(Dorsi Diaz is a freelance writer/publisher on the Internet. Dorsi's family were long time Fremont residents. Their Fremont sign company was used to reproduce the original Western Union signs which are displayed at the Centerville Train Station. Dorsi and her husband Joe have attended many local community events at the train depot and are avid fans and friends of the Lorenz and Magalang family - outstanding people who have been dedicated to preserving the rich history of Fremont)