As a former Brookfield resident, I remember when the former “Cannonball” stopped here, made famous by Gil Reid’s paintings. Contrary to what the attached news article states the Depot was opened for the Cannonball in the morning and afternoon by a Milwaukee Road Passenger Department employee until that service ended in Spring of 1972 (the article mistakenly mentions the depot closed in 1971 with the advent of Amtrak…nope, stayed open for another year). My last glimpse of the inside of the depot was in the late 1970’s a track section crew was at the station (they stored section cars in the baggage / express section of the Depot). At that time the waiting room was still largely intact and not touched…so I have my doubts that the interior of the depot is currently “gutted” because CP continued with the former Milwaukee Road practice and only used the front half or baggage / express section of the depot for storing tools and section cars. In fact the big door on the station on the wall facing the street was used by the Railway Express Agency for trucks as well as USPS. It was used as a loading dock direct from the mail and express part of the depot.
Anyways here are some pictures and the article of what is going to happen to the depot:
http://www.schaarcommunications.com/brookfieldrails.html
The back half of the depot where the windows are is the waiting room. Inside the waiting room was a old wood framed ticket / train dispatch window (on the western view of the depot this was the bay window part). Wooden wainscotting up to your waist and above that painted walls. Church pew type benches for seating. Cieling had wood bracing and crown moudling. It was a nice small town depot waiting room.
Here are the plans for future use: