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Tehachapi Depot: another lost jewel is returned to Downtown
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Posted by editor Mon Nov 23, 2009 20:31:28 PST
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Downtown Tehachapi has been made whole again with the welcome return of the Tehachapi Depot, rising from the ashes of the old 1904 depot that burned on June 13, 2008.

The restored depot, whose exterior is virtually identical to the original, joins the elegant Art Deco-style BeeKay Theater, a nearby landmark that was also destroyed by fire and beautifully resurrected.

The depot project was undertaken and completed ahead of schedule by Aspen Builders, a well-regarded construction company based in Tehachapi whose headquarters happen to be located just down two blocks down Green Street from the depot itself.

The city officially accepted the restored depot from Aspen Builders on November 10 after a final walk-through inspection by city staff.

“It’s just beautiful,” remarked City Manager Greg Garrett. “I keep finding myself coming down here almost every day. I can’t keep away. We’re very pleased with the job that Aspen did and the professionalism shown during the entire project.”

I am personally delighted to see the return of our depot. The old building was such a familiar, integral part of Downtown and its absence during the past year was depressing.

I was in the old depot a number of times while growing up in Tehachapi, the first time in 1971 when I was in first grade and local school kids were given the chance to ride the train to Bakersfield when it became known that passenger service would be discontinued.

Later when I started working for the newspaper I would visit my friend Bill Stokoe at the depot when he was head of the signal maintenance department, for he was an unparalleled source of railroading information and would always try to make time for me and answer all my train questions cheerfully and thoroughly.

Touring the inside of the restored depot, I could clearly see some differences, but they are positive improvements such as a fire protection system, modern heating and air conditioning, insulation and better lighting.

The look and feel of the old depot has been preserved, and that effect should be intensified when the Tehachapi Depot is reopened as an engaging museum stocked with historic railroad artifacts (many of them from Bill Stokoe’s personal collection).

Now that the depot building itself is finished, there two remaining components to the overall project that must be completed before a ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for spring of 2010: creating the museum inside and landscaping the area surrounding the depot.

The term “landscaping” is a bit of a misnomer in this case, because the area surrounding the depot will be home to Stokoe’s collection of functional vintage railroad signals, as well as some grass, flowers, paths and other hardscaping. The City of Tehachapi construction crew led by Mike Pera will be doing much of the exterior work with help and guidance from the Friends of the Depot.

The interior will include a freight office furnished with period artifacts, a caboose stove, a three-dimensional map of the track layout surrounding the Tehachapi Loop, a railroad timeline, historical photos, a projection screen and video presentations and many other features according to Tehachapi Heritage League president Charles White, who is the chief consultant for the museum design.

Work continues virtually every day on different fronts in the effort to complete the Tehachapi Depot project and provide both residents and visitors with an attractive, compelling facility to celebrate railroading in the Tehachapi area.

It is a source of pride that many of those who performed the depot construction were from Tehachapi,  beginning of course with Aspen Builders under the direction of project superintendent Nick Cyr.

“We used local subcontractors whenever we could,” explained construction supervisor Grant Dunlop. “Among them were Rich Eaton and Sons Concrete, Barry Blagg Cabinets, All American Construction Services and Sage Custom Interiors.”

The next phase has already begun in earnest and in a few months the Tehachapi Depot will be welcoming us to Downtown.

Have a good week.