Welcome to the Freight Office, the “action center” of the Historic Goleta Depot. For nearly three-quarters of a century, this office was at the heart of Goleta’s rail operations, serving both the railroad and the local community, much like similar country railroad stations across America.
The Role of the Freight Office
Here in the Freight Office, the station agent received and processed train orders, which he then typed and delivered to the crews on passing trains. In the early days, these orders arrived from the dispatcher via the clickity-clack of the telegraph; later, a dedicated phone line was used. The Freight Office was equipped with multiple telephones, including a hand-crank box phone for communicating with other stations and rail facilities, as well as another phone for public use.
A pair of levers within easy reach allowed the agent to control the outside train-order boards, signaling whether an approaching train needed to stop at the station for orders or other purposes. Other essential equipment included an “annunciator” that warned of approaching trains and a switchboard used to choose between short- and long-distance telegraph lines. The station clock on the wall, always set to Pacific Standard Time, was crucial for maintaining precise train schedules.
The Freight Office also played a vital role in the community, serving as Goleta’s Western Union office and as the local agency for Wells Fargo Express (later American Railway Express). Train ticket sales were conducted through a window that connected the Freight Office with the adjoining passenger waiting room.
Funds collected for depot services were kept here, along with records related to freight, express, baggage, and passengers. A bank of tariff books provided the station agent with the necessary information to calculate shipping charges, a complex task due to the varying rates for different types of goods and the involvement of multiple rail carriers for long-distance deliveries.
Numbered Points of Interest in the Freight Office:
- Pot-bellied Stove: Provided warmth on cold days and doubled as a stovetop for cooking.
- Candlestick Phone: One of several phones in the Freight Office, used to maintain vital communication.
- Railroad Map: Displayed the extensive Southern Pacific Railroad routes.
- Tariff Books: Contained detailed rail shipping costs for various commodities.
- Ticket Validator: Activated a passenger’s ticket for travel.
- Ticket Window: Connected the Freight Office with the adjoining Waiting Room.
- Original Ticket Box: The only original artifact from the Goleta Depot, which is still in place in the Freight Office.
- Station Clock: Always kept on Standard Time; it was essential for coordinating train schedules.
- Dispatcher’s Bell: Used by the train dispatcher to get the station agent’s attention.
- Crank Telephone: Linked the Goleta Depot with other area stations and railroad workplaces.
- Teletype: An automated replacement for the telegraph, a key tool in modernizing communication.
- Window Shades: Typical of many depots, providing shade and privacy.
- Telegraph Sounder: Allowed the agent to hear incoming telegraph messages.
- Dispatcher’s Phone: Had a direct line to the train dispatcher, which is crucial for train coordination.
- Typewriter: Used by the agent to prepare train orders and depot records.
- Telegraph Key: The agent’s tool for sending messages across the wire.
- Annunciator: Alerted the agent of approaching trains, ensuring smooth operations.
- Order Delivery Devices: Used to deliver printed orders to train crews.
- Train-Order Board Levers: Controlled the signals for trains approaching the station.
- Flat-top Desk: Once used in the Santa Barbara Roundhouse Foreman’s Office.
- Express Counter: Where the public conducted business with the station agent.
- Balance Scale: Used to weigh express packages and other light items.