The station was constructed in 1909 for the Southern Pacific Railroad and is built of masonry.[4] When Amtrak took over intercity passenger service in May 1971, Albany was dropped as a stop, though a Los Angeles–Seattle train (later the Coast Starlight) was run. Albany was added as a stop on the Coast Starlight on October 30, 1971.[1][5]
Beginning in 2004, the station and the surrounding area underwent an $11.3 million restoration that was funded with a combination of federal, state, local, and Amtrak money.[4][6] The Oregon Department of Transportation was in charge of the project.[6] The station was rededicated on April 18, 2006.[4] The City of Albany also restored the former Railway Express Agency building nearby as offices for the city's transit system.[7]