The Train is Here And The Station’s Getting Ready for Visitors

Things have been moving forward at the Santa Clarita History Center in anticipation of the City of Santa Clarita taking over operations at Hart Park in the summer of 2025.
A small group of people, culled from the board of directors, staff, and other specially-skilled volunteers, are leading an exhibit development effort focused on one building. The Saugus Train Station Museum will explore all aspects of railroading in the Santa Clarita Valley in a history Southern Pacific station restored to the most active period of its life.
The team of experts working on the project include Eugene W. Moy, the President of the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California who serves as advisor, reviewer and presenter for projects related to public history and community preservation. Jean-Guy Tanner Dubé is an architectural historian specializing in buildings over 50 years old. An architectural draftsman experienced in historical research and documentation, he is the author of “Railroad Depots: A Southern Pacific Collection,” which features 50+ blueprints and histories. He is a member of the Southern Pacific Historical and Technical Society (SPHTS). Another member of the team is Michael Jarel, a retired SP engineer with 40 years experience who serves as an advisor to the SPHTS and has contributed to 25 books on SPRR history. He oversees all restoration projects on the 1629 Mogul engine at the History Center and is ensuring accuracy in the interior exhibit areas.
The focus of the group is on the first half of the station, the waiting rooms and agent’s office area and a room used as the former office for the Historical Society. Three giclee prints by artist Mian Situ (“The Last Spike,” “10 Miles in One Day,” and “Powder Monkeys, Cape Horn 1865”) are being prepared for hanging in the waiting room. The paintings depict the challenges faced by workers involved in the driving of the golden spike at Lang Station in 1876. Along with the prints will be an original woodcarving by Los Angeles artist Jackie Hadnot depicting the meeting of the rails.
Visitors to the museum will be able to follow the Southern Pacific San Joaquin rail route that ran through Santa Clarita, with images of all the stations and depots along the route and brief histories of each in the main waiting room. In addition, the station agent’s office will be preserved as a static display, viewed across historically-accurate counters on both sides of the space, where the myriad of agent responsibilities will be depicted – “Station Masters” wore many hats, serving as agents for Southern Pacific, Wells Fargo, Western Union and Pullman service simultaneously. The group is also selecting from a plethora of Southern Pacific Magazine covers to create a series of murals depicting life on the rails and specifically at Southern Pacific. The choices will capture the unique flavor of railroading and the many different aspects of train maintenance and travel.
Other exhibits are in the works, with details to be revealed soon. The Society is excited to be a part of the new Hart Park and is looking forward to welcoming visitors inside once more.
SAVE THE DATE: March 15, 2025, has been selected for the popular annual tour of the St. Francis Dam site. Tickets will be available in January from Eventbrite as soon as the lecture hall and busses are secured.