Celebrating 120 Years: The Legacy of Santa Susana Train Depot

2 minutes read.

Last year marked the 120th anniversary of the Santa Susana Train Depot. To celebrate this special milestone, let’s explore the fascinating history of this preserved and restored depot and its significant impact on the development of Simi Valley.

Santa Susana Depot History

In 1903, the Southern Pacific Railroad constructed the Santa Susana Depot to support the development of the Coast Line between Oxnard and Burbank in Southern California. Situated east of Tapo Street on Los Angeles Avenue in Simi Valley, the depot managed freight and passenger trains.

The Santa Susana Depot – Credit photo Santa Susana Museum

The Santa Susana Depot operated until 1974, significantly impacting the Simi Valley community. It played a crucial role in communication development through the telegraph and provided a reliable, larger, and faster transportation mode for citrus and walnut growers. The facility also enabled long-distance travel for travelers.

Predictably, it was abandoned due to technological and business developments that rendered the depot obsolete.

In 1975, the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District purchased the structure for $1.06. The depot was moved less than five miles from its original location and has been open to the public as the restored Santa Susana Depot and Museum since 2000.

The Agent’s Office and Passenger waiting room.

Cozy up to a pot-bellied stove and relax on wooden benches as you journey back to 1930s Simi Valley. The recreated passenger waiting room showcases numerous photographs of daily life at the depot and its history.

Discover the unknown Corriganville Movie Ranch, featuring a large collection of artifacts and a mini-scale reproduction of the now-destroyed recreational park.

Pop next door to explore the station agent’s office, a room that closely resembles the original furnished office.

The telegraph equipment highlights the depot’s significance as a communication hub. Customers would visit to send and receive Western Union telegrams, with the local agent skilled in using Morse code for this mode of communication.

The Tom Bergh Apartment

Located on the second floor of the Santa Susana Depot, the Tom Bergh Apartment, named after the museum’s founder, served as housing for railroad agents and their families. This apartment has been restored and furnished to reflect the 1930s, complete with a kitchen, dining area, living room, and bedroom.

Numerous original artifacts and black-and-white photographs provide a glimpse into daily life at the depot during the mid-1900s.

The Santa Susana Railroad Historical Society

The depot’s freight room showcases a scale model railroad, operated by the Santa Susana Railroad Historical Society. This miniature train layout represents the detailed railroading scene of the 1950s in Santa Susana and its surrounding areas.

Exterior Highlights

Outside, you’ll find various historical items, such as the railroad crossbuck, baggage wagon, semaphore signals, freight scale, and track speeder.

Don’t miss the 1929 Chevrolet 1-ton truck parked in front of the depot, looking as if it’s mid-delivery, straight out of the 1930s.

The depot features a circa 1880 three-wheeled velocipede hand car. Railway officials used this unique vehicle to inspect the railroad tracks.

The railroad motor car, or “Speeder,” was used for maintenance tasks. Accommodating up to six workers, they would hop on to inspect and repair the tracks.