YOLO Spotlight - Historic Woodland Train Depot with Ron Burch
Woodland has had several iterations of a train depot, the first was near Lincoln Avenue and College Street and was built by the California Pacific Railroad in 1869. This was followed by another depot in 1872 when it was relocated to East Street, just south of Main Street. This depot was heavily used, but in 1911 a newer one was built with updated features and larger waiting areas under the auspices of the Southern Pacific Railroad.
Along the way, the depot saw several historic events. Two Presidential candidates, Charles Evans Hughes in 1916 and Franklin Roosevelt in 1932, stopped at the depot and gave campaign speeches. Many troops from different wars deployed and returned via Woodland by train.
But after World War ll life changed in the United States and less people traveled by train. After years of declining service and passengers in 1991, Southern Pacific dismantled the signal lines at the depot and the depot was officially no longer in service. The years preceding that event, however, included the community of Woodland working with the Railroad to sell or lease the depot for the community to refurbish. The eventually resulted in Southern Pacific selling the depot to Sacramento Valley Historic Railways for $5. But that was only the beginning!
Money was raised and the effort began to move the depot to its present location at Lincoln Avenue and Sixth Street. Once accomplished, the Woodland Train Depot committee was formed and restoration begun.
FUN FACT #1
Ron Burch is quite active in the Depot committee. He grew up as an Air Force brat and liked playing at the railyards. He loves to travel, particularly by train. He always had model trains as a kid and still loves hearing the train whistles at night as they come through town. He finds steam locomotives peaceful to see and hear and is amazed at their design and construction. He has two grown sons so he does have some time to tinker and dabble with his passion for all things rail.
FUN FACT #2
Ron worked at UC Davis for 30 years and began by designing a warehouse for all of the crafts. He then transferred to the electric shop and then became a lighting technician. He learned so much from the other craftsmen and has a smattering of skill in many things as a result. When he heard on the radio that the depot needed volunteers, he noticed that other craftsmen at UC Davis also volunteered their time and signed right up. He did odd jobs for the group then made a full commitment and joined the board when he retired.
FUN FACT #3
Ron is very excited about the depot’s upcoming fundraising event when Santa will be visiting the depot! Santa will arrive at 10, rain or shine, and, for a $10 donation, each child gets a visit with Santa and gets to make an ornament. Bring your camera to record this fun visit. There will also be family fun, activities, and refreshment. This will all happen on Sunday, December 5 from 10 to 2 at the depot at the corner of Lincoln and Sixth. See you there!
WHAT ELSE SHOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT THE WOODLAND TRAIN DEPOT?
1. The steam locomotive (#1233) on the depot site was originally in Oakland and was sold and moved to Woodland. A group, Friends of the 1233, formed and began the depot’s journey towards restoration. John McMahon organized the effort to move the depot 30 years ago when it was scheduled to be demolished and they were able to move the building without breaking a window! Having been abandoned for some time, the building was in a state of disrepair and there has been painstaking progress to not only refurbish, but to track down original and historic items to keep the depot as authentic as possible.
2. Square One at the Woodland Public Library is making a replica of the depot building using a laser cut printer. One of the missions of the depot group is to teach railroad history and this replica will be an excellent tool towards that goal. In the past, boy scouts could actually earn a railroad merit badge that was taught by the depot group. People have also donated family memorabilia, photos of railway depots and Woodland residents to use as props or décor and enhance the personal history of the depot. And Southern Pacific even shared its blueprints.
3. Pre-pandemic, the depot was opening up for booking small weddings and events. Parties for people with an interest in railroad history and trains were also becoming popular. The board is preparing for this again and adding public tours, club meetings and school tours in the future. The only requirement is that the building and its contents are not damaged in any way, though a small donation may be required depending on the event.
The Woodland Train Depot is a fun place to visit and even those who do not think they have an interest in railroad history will be fascinated by the true-to-life setup. The ticket counter, the waiting room, the steam engine, there is something to intrigue everyone. Join the gang for the Santa event December 5 and it is guaranteed you will want to visit this important part of our history again.
