This article originally appeared in the “Goleta Depot Dispatch,” Volume 38, Number 2, Summer 2018. We think old Ben Franklin would have approved. We’re talking about the little free library located in front of our museum gates. It is a terrific replica of our train depot and was lovingly constructed by long-time volunteer Clay...
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Ellwood Station, a significant landmark in California’s railroad history, commemorates Ellwood Cooper, one of the state’s most notable pioneers in horticulture. Cooper played a crucial role in introducing the eucalyptus tree and advancing olive cultivation in Southern California. His influence extended far beyond agriculture, impacting both the landscape and the development of the Santa...
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Gary Coombs is a foundational figure in the history of the Goleta Depot and the South Coast Railroad Museum. As the chair of the Goleta Depot Committee formed in 1980, Gary was instrumental in saving the Goleta Depot from demolition, leading the effort to relocate and restore this iconic piece of history to its...
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Eugene G. Allen (April 13, 1921 – April 21, 2016) was a dedicated and influential figure in the Goleta Depot Project, remembered for his remarkable craftsmanship, community spirit, and profound love of trains. As a member of the original Goleta Depot Committee formed in 1980, Gene was instrumental in the effort to save and...
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The South Coast Railroad Museum mourns the loss of Phyllis Olsen, one of its most cherished and devoted leaders, who passed away on December 9, 2015. Phyllis’s legacy is woven into the fabric of the museum’s history and the preservation of the Goleta Depot. Early Life and Education Born in Seminole, Oklahoma, Phyllis Olsen...
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A small museum like ours needs lots of friends. When they are called upon to help, those friends become nothing short of heroes. Andrew, Angelica and Alexander Garcia have been museum friends and heroes for a long time, going back to their days as students at Dos Pueblos High School. The brothers and sister...
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The South Coast Railroad Museum played a small part in the 2014 Rose Parade. Aboard the Rotary float, which depicted a steam train in motion, were Rotary International President Ron Burton and his wife, Jetta Burton. The Burton’s costume for the event included engineer’s caps supplied by the museum – perfect attire for their...
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The first step in preparing the museum for the Candy Cane Train and other holiday activities is to decorate the buildings and property. This year, hundreds of ornaments were skillfully attached to the branches of trees and shrubs around the grounds by Hollanda Harwin, sons Evan and Connor, and her mother, Yollanda Leon. UCSB...
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The museum has a new intern for UCSB’s spring quarter 2013. Mariem Lambert is a senior majoring in anthropology. Her minor is American Indian and Indigenous Studies. After she graduates in 2014, she hopes to pursue a career in fieldwork or at a museum. Mariem grew up in the Bay Area and calls San...
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The Museum’s engine No. 1316 is a 1/8-size reproduction of an actual Southern Pacific diesel locomotive. The Southern Pacific purchased ten of these 1,000 horsepower engines from General Motors, all in 1941. They were built at GM’s Electro-Motive Division plant in La Grange, Illinois. Assigned numbers 1310 through 1319, these were among the first...
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