A Journey Through Time at the Saugus Train Station
A recent discovery at the Saugus Train Station has brought a piece of history back to life, revealing how the past and present can intertwine in unexpected ways. The story begins with a wooden angled counter found among other artifacts during the station’s renovation. According to Mike Jarel, a former Southern Pacific engineer and historical consultant, the piece was part of a collection being examined as the team worked on the remodel. At the time, no one knew its purpose or origin.
The breakthrough came when the team watched the 1954 Frank Sinatra film “Suddenly,” which featured the Saugus Train Station as a backdrop. In one scene, a man exits the baggage room, walking past the station agent’s office. Jarel pointed out that the wooden counter, mounted on the wall, appeared exactly as it did in the movie. When they held the piece up against the wall, it fit perfectly between the gaps in the molding, confirming its historical significance.
Reopening the Saugus Train Station Museum
The Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society recently hosted a soft reopening of the Saugus Train Station Museum at the Santa Clarita History Center in Old Town Newhall. This event marked the completion of phase one of the station’s restoration. The museum had been closed during the COVID-19 pandemic and had undergone extensive renovations since then.
Carol Rock, the marketing director of the Historical Society, explained that the new exhibit is more focused than before. Previously, the museum displayed a wide range of train-related items regardless of their origin. Now, the focus is on Southern Pacific and Union Pacific equipment, reflecting a more hyperlocal approach.
Southern Pacific built the station in 1888, and only Southern Pacific and Union Pacific used it. The station agent’s office now features authentic railroad artifacts, artwork depicting the “meeting of the rails” at Lang Station, a model of that location, items from the station’s relocation in 1980, and details about the first woman station agent.
Restoration Efforts and Attention to Detail
Alan Pollack, president of the Historical Society, outlined the plan for the station’s completion in three phases. He and others were eager to share their progress with the public, expressing excitement over the upcoming developments.
Leon Worden, secretary of the SCV Historical Society board of directors, played a key role in the restoration. He and his team worked to recreate the station as it looked between 1917 and 1958. One of the most challenging aspects was finding the right color of paint for the walls.
Worden highlighted the importance of original materials, such as color drift panels—actual paint swatches used when the station was built. These were preserved and stored in envelopes, with some even kept in a shop in Sacramento until recently. The paint used in the museum matches the original color from 1888, ensuring an accurate representation of the station’s appearance during its early years.
Santa Clarita Mayor Pro Tem Laurene Weste attended the event and praised the attention to detail demonstrated by Worden and others. She noted how the station agent’s office features both a passenger counter and a freight counter, recreated from original plans. The space is filled with period-appropriate items like a vintage typewriter and delivery hoops.
A Glimpse into the Past
Jarel shared insights into how a station agent would have used these items. In small-town depots, agents often took on multiple roles, including communicating with train dispatchers. Messages were delivered using sticks with prongs or hoops, allowing trains to pick up important information as they passed.
Barbara Martinelli, a docent coordinator, guided visitors through the station, leading them to a locomotive where guests could climb aboard and ring the bell. While the inside of the train caboose will be accessible in a future phase, the current exhibit offers a glimpse into the station’s busiest days.
The Saugus Train Station will be open on Saturdays from 1 to 4 p.m., with plans to add Sunday hours in the future. Visitors are encouraged to explore this historic site and experience a piece of local history firsthand.
