Barstow Station
World famous, Route 66
RTR&DC out of San Francisco designed the project and was contracted to design the Station, it was to be built on old rail cars. The cars themselves were formerly used to haul produce and were well insulated but they pre-dated refrigeration so they were phased out. In October of 1974 a crew of local builders began to haul the 50,000 ton cars into place. This task was accomplished by building a temporary rail spur off the existing railroad track, which is still located just behind Barstow Station. The crew devised a link from the temporary spur tracks to tracks that were designed to be the permanent home for the train cars, a small rail yard in its own right. From them, he welded a future of steel, commerce, and ingenuity. Currently the Caboose is the men's main restroom! Over the weeks and months that followed, many local contractors built Mr. Rosenberg's vision that would provide to all of us the World Famous Barstow Station. 
Barstow Station has been a very popular stop for all highway travelers since it opened in July of 1975. Serving approximately 20,000 tour buses a year and countless customers traveling by car, truck, RV,  bus and motorcycle. Barstow Station has remained a favorite for decades due to its many services offered to its customers. Currently Barstow Station hosts McDonalds, The Highway Stations, Barstow Station Ice Cream Shoppe, The Barstow Station General Store, The Hollywood Store, The Oriental Shoppe, Double R Gifts and Greyhound Bus Lines provides services right from the building.
In classic Barstow Station fashion there is always more to the story. During the transition from the old McDonald's building to the new building there would not be one day without business. So Mr. Rosenberg had the "girls" roller skate the food item from one McDonald's to the next, there is also a story that Mr. Rosenberg served Ice Cream Sundays for free to celebrate to opening of the new building.
Stories are told of how Fred Rosenberg won the rights to build the next big McDonald's from Ray Kroc in a poker game. Legend has it, Fred Rosenberg (the founder of Barstow Station), Ray Kroc (one of the fathers of McDonald's), and Jim Williams (President of Golden Gate Foods) were sitting at the table. Rosenberg, also a professional gambler, exclaimed "Ray, I'll bet you your next big restaurant spot that my hand is better."
"All right, Show em." 
Whether won or purchased later on, Fred Rosenberg came into possession of a lonely McDonald's in the middle of the desert town of Barstow, CA. built in 1969 and located where the current McDonald's parking lot is now. That original McDonald's was considered the world largest. It was a favorite stop for bus travelers and highway travelers alike. Although known to locals as "SUPER MAC" with only 36 seats just two buses would have the building overwhelmed in moments. From this McDonald's Fred Rosenberg saw the potential for growth along the I-15 Freeway. Being a man of vision, Mr. Rosenberg  quickly transformed the singular eatery into something more. After careful consideration and planning Mr. Rosenberg began a new exciting project. Bringing in the best railroad dining cars from across the country. Some found on lonely old tracks and brought in, some found in rail yards waiting for a new life as dining cars for the new McDonald's. These dining cars brought the seating for McDonald's guest to 147 seats.
Did I ever tell you about the time I spent on the Queen Mary in Long Beach?
Eventually the total cars numbered 17, plus "Doris" which was a 1917 Pullman, over 82 feet long and 185,000 punds and at the time likely the most expensive car ever built. It was ordered by James B. Duke the president of Piedmont and Northern Railway to serve as his private car. It was displayed at Barstow Station until it was donated to the North Carolina Transportation Museum Foundation in 1980.
The original Poe Station water tower built in 1942 and moved from New Berry Springs, Ca to Barstow Station in 1975 is still here to welcome all travelers.



Fred Rosenberg