Welcome back aboard. Turlock rail depot turned restaurant reopens with train theme again

Welcome back aboard one of Turlock’s most historic restaurants.

Central Bar & Station has opened in the former 10 East Kitchen and Tap House site, returning the restaurant to its railroad-themed roots. For much of its existence since 1976, the eatery just feet from the Southern Pacific tracks used train motifs to pay homage to the building’s beginnings as a depot.

But nine years ago, the restaurant switched from its train-themed foundation to focus more on craft beer and California cuisine. For years after the change, Turlock native and real estate agent Kris Klair had dreamed of purchasing the property and restoring it to its train-themed glory.

Central Station opened a couple of weeks ago, and already customers have flooded Klair with warm memories of restaurants past.

“We’re hearing beautiful stories from way back when it was Track 29,” Klair said. “(People) coming here for prom, things of that sort. And then you got Trax stories ... and the night scene part of it. Then you have the Wellington stories. And here we are trying to create our own future stories.”

The site once was a major train depot in Turlock. An article from 1914 in the Modesto News Herald, a precursor to The Modesto Bee, mentioned the need for the city to buy the property that was bounded by Main, Front and Crane streets in order to have a depot and other rail improvements approved. The depot opened about a year later, and remained operational until 1975.

Then in 1976, brothers Phil and Joash Paul purchased the property and turned it into Track 29, which was named after lyrics from Glenn Miller’s hit 1941 train-themed ditty, “Chattanooga Choo-Choo.” The men put in the site’s signature train cars, which have served as specialty dining cars over the years.

In 1990, Modesto entrepreneur Dan Costa and business partners kicked off the site’s next major incarnation as Trax Bar & Grill. The restaurant transformed again in 1999 and was renamed Wellington Station with a British theme and more upscale menu.

But in 2013 when the restaurant again changed, this time to 10 East (named after the site’s location at 10 E. Main St.) the train theme was abandoned altogether.

Klair had fond memories himself of spending his 20s at Trax, which had become a popular nightspot in Turlock. He hopes to recapture some of that magic and make some more with Central Station.

Klair, who also owns Turlock’s Exit Realty Consultants, took over the property at the end of April, and it was closed in May for renovations, which included finally and fully replacing its 107-year-old roof. Klair and his team also have refurbished the site’s three train cars, two for general dining and the third for private events and rentals. The cars each have been named after one of the former site’s other train-themed restaurants.

Inside, the bar area has been redone and, in an ultimate recycling move, the unused steel rails between the cars were pulled up and turned into foot rests for the bar. Klair also has added a large decorative metal engine to the front of the building, to reinforce its train history.

Klair is completing work on the interior of the third rail car and plans to greatly expand the site’s outside patio from seating for about 25 to 100.

In the bar, the model train that has run through the restaurant since the 1970s also has been restored and should be able to make the looping trip again after final repairs are made.

The menu has been similarly revamped. Klair and head chef Lynese Cabida have created sports bar fare with a twist — which in the case of their french fries is quite literal as they’re curly hybrids between chips and fries. Expect indulgent offerings like burgers and hot dogs smothered in spicy mac and cheese ($17 to $18). Or you can go more upscale with rib eye ($49) and lamb chops ($38).

The kitchen is also one of the few in the area cranking out oysters Rockerfeller ($20 for six), thick, juicy oysters on the half shell baked with butter, parsley, bread crumbs and plenty of Parmesan.

Central Station also will be open for brunch both Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with options like chicken and waffles and Mexican chilaquiles (both $18).

“We wanted anyone coming in here to have good choices on the menu. We are not trying to gear toward fine dining; however, we have some,” he said. “But with the sports theme we have the burgers and the fries and obviously the kids menu. So it’s for families and sports fans and everyone.”

Central Station Bar & Grill, at 10 E. Main St. in Turlock, is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. For more information call 209-669-1010 or visit www.facebook.com/CentralStationTurlockCA.