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"In The News" ... from the museum newsletter, The Depot Dispatch. “Candy Cane Train” Opens Friday, Nov. 28 - (Vol. 23, No. 4 - Winter 2003-04) The first Candy Cane Train of 2003 will pull out of the station on Friday, Nov. 28 as the popular year-end family event begins its 11th annual run. The event will he held daily at the railroad museum through Wed., Dec. 24, except Dec. 1&2, 8&9, 15&16, when the museum is closed. During Christmas week, there will be special Candy Cane Train runs on Dec. 22 and 23. Hours are 1 to 4 p.m. each day, but it is important that those wishing to participate in all Candy Cane Train activities arrive at the museum no later than 3:30 p.m. Candy Cane Train tickets are $3 each, which includes a ride on the festively-decorated miniature train, plus an assortment of holiday treats and favors. Additional rides are 75¢ each. Members receive their usual 25¢ off on every ticket purchased. Tickets will be sold at the museum during event hours. In the interest of safety, the museum’s 34-inch minimum-height requirement applies for all Candy Cane Train riders. Depot Day Has Arrived! - (Vol. 23, No. 4 - Winter 2003-04) Holiday Party Slated for Evening of Dec. 4 - (Vol. 23, No. 4 - Winter 2003-04) The museum holiday party will be held on Thurs., Dec. 4, beginning at 7 p.m. The setting will again be the Goleta Library, 500 North Fairview Ave. All museum members, along with their families or guest, are cordially invited to attend this free event. Please bring a dessert or hors d'oeuvres to share with others. The beverages, cups, napkins, and plates will be supplied by the museum. The holiday party is a great way to meet other members, museum staff and volunteers. We hope to see you at this annual get-together. The party was first held at Goleta Library in 1993. Wish List - (Vol. 23, No. 4 - Winter 2003-04) Ted Cheesman and Lavonne Sanchez have made a generous pledge to kick-off the fundraising for a new engine that is needed to rejuvenate Goleta Short Line locomotive #1316 (which recently celebrated its 15th birthday!). A total of $450 is needed to complete the purchase. If you would like to help with a donation, please contact the museum (phone: 805-964-3540 or e-mail: museum@goletadepot.org), or send your check to: South Coast Railroad Museum, Attn: Engine Fund, 300 North Los Carneros Rd., Goleta, CA 93117. Special thanks to Perry and Pat Lorentzen, who donated a digital camera to the museum, fulfilling this previous wish-list request. Museum Receives Learning Opportunities Grant - (Vol. 23, No. 4 - Winter 2003-04) The museum has been awarded a $20,000 Learning Opportunities grant under a special one-year program offered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The funds will be used to develop and install an electronic kiosk, gateway exhibition and information desk – to introduce visitors to the historical landmark and museum. The South Coast Railroad Museum was one of only 12 California museums to receive a Learning Opportunities grant in this nation-wide competition open to museums of all sizes and disciplines. Throughout the U.S. only 169 grants were awarded from among more than 900 applicant museums. New Roof for Handcar Shed - (Vol. 23, No. 4 - Winter 2003-04) The handcar shed now has a new roof, thanks to the skills and hard work of Leif and Jim Reynolds, the father and grandfather of Junior Engineer Kelly Reynolds. Fairview Car Wash Renews Sponsorship of Free Wednesdays and Free Handcar Days for 2004 - (Vol. 23, No. 4 - Winter 2003-04) Free-ride Wednesdays will resume in January thanks to the renewed support of Fairview Car Wash. Visitors may ride as often as they like any Wednesday afternoon in 2004 until the Candy Cane Train returns in late November. Hours are 2 to 4 p.m. each day. Riders must meet the museum’s 34-inch minimum-height requirement. Fairview Car Wash is also continuing its sponsorship of free handcar rides at the museum, offered every third Saturday throughout 2004. Museum Shop Has Holiday Shopping Answers - (Vol. 23, No. 4 - Winter 2003-04) The museum’s Trackside Shop is the ideal spot to find those perfect gifts for the rail fans and history buffs on your holiday shopping list. For the youngsters, there’s a great supply of new Thomas The Tank Engine items. The selection of videos, CDs and T-shirts – for young and old – has never been greater. And, for the collector, you can’t beat the prices of the authentic Goleta lemon labels, available individually or in sets of six different labels. Every purchase benefits the museum. You benefit, too, with the 10% member’s discount that you receive on all shop purchases (Membership card required). We accept Mastercard, Visa, and personal checks. This Issue Sponsored By Mid-State Bank & Trust - (Vol. 23, No. 4 - Winter 2003-04) Depot Day Report - (Vol. 23, No. 4 - Winter 2003-04) The 21st annual Depot Day on Sept. 28 drew one of the largest museum crowds in recent memory. Everyone who enjoyed Depot Day, or who will benefit from the funds raised during the event, owe a debt of gratitude to the dozens of volunteers who gave their valuable time and considerable talents to make this year’s event a successful one. Depot Day wouldn’t be the same without the wonderful musical entertainment provided by the Monte Vista Elementary School chorus, directed by Radu Azdril. Parking services were the domain of the Santa Barbara High School Jr. ROTC, under Master Sergeant Steven D. Potts, which also helped with event setup, mainline track switching duties and other activities. Trustee John Locke was responsible for much of the planning and purchasing for the Depot Day barbecue. Cooks, servers and food vendors included David Chapman, Barbara Cornish, Eden Epling, John Hutchinson, Todd Littlehale, Samantha Matthew, Lorraine Saunders, Hannah Savage, Judy Savage and Dick Shelton. The silent auction tables were managed with great care by Kari Adams, Charlene Doty, Carol Matthew, Scott Matthew, Diana Mina and Leah Savage. Auction sales and receipts were handled by John Starr. Volunteers who kept the Goleta Short Line rolling were Glenn Anderson, Ted Cheesman, Jean-Guy Dube, Rick Marten, Jason Poole and Lavonne Sanchez. Rides on his Ventura County Railway speeder were given by Bob Mahan, while Noel Langle and Bruce Morden kept the handcar moving. Bruce also set up a railroad switching puzzle – to challenge our guests, young and old – which Andrea Morden helped to staff. Welcoming duties at the admissions table were covered by Peggy Langle, Jim Milner, Margaret Milner and Ken and Trevor Pontifex. Edee Brown and Arlene Radasky had the rare privilege of sharing the depot’s second floor – the former station agent’s living quarters – with Depot Day attendees. Operation Lifesaver, the organization devoted to fostering safety around railroad tracks and trains, was represented again this year by Tony Czuleger and Pineapple Leong. Agent responsibilities,
including ticket sales for rides, were handled by Pat Lorentzen
and Bruce Morden. The model railroad exhibit was shared by Richie
Garcia and Perry Lorentzen. Many of the above volunteers also joined staff members in the thankless chores of setup and cleanup, which spilled over into Saturday and the ensuing weekdays. A long list of other friends, businesses and organizations donated or loaned equipment, supplies and auction items for Depot Day. Depot Day Has Arrived! - (Vol. 23, No. 3 - Fall 2003) The 21st annual Depot Day will be celebrated on Sunday, Sept. 28, to commemorate the long and event-filled life of the historic Goleta Depot. The event is the South Coast Railroad Museum’s main annual community fund-raiser. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Donations At The Door All who attend the event will be asked to make a $1 per person contribution in support of the museum and the continued preservation of the historical landmark, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Rides Aplenty Inspection-car rides will be offered on Bob Mahan’s Ventura County Railway speeder. There will also be handcar rides and rides on the miniature trains of the Goleta Short Line. All rides are $1 each on Depot Day. Silent Auction Every year, the Depot Day auction is a popular spot for picking up some great buys, while helping to support the museum. This year, the tables will again be overflowing with nearly 200 items going up for bid, including luxury hotel stays, golf, admission to Southern California amusement parks, tickets to regional performing arts productions, winery tours, Amtrak adventure travel, meals at fine local restaurants, and much, much more. The auction is a very
important source of revenue for the museum. Please help the museum
and yourself by visiting the tables and placing bids on some of
these fabulous items. Special Guests Representatives from Operation Lifesaver will have a booth at Depot Day, where they’ll be giving out fun souvenirs and talking to visitors about keeping safe around trains and railroads. Musical Entertainment Making another triumphant return to Depot Day will be the spirited young performers of SHOWSTOPPERS and the Monte Vista Elementary School Choir, both directed by Radu Azdril. Barbecue Features Choice Of Tri-Tip Beef or Chicken The Depot Day barbecue will include your choice of chicken breast or sliced tri-tip, along with green salad, toasted french bread, and ranch beans. Tickets are $8 ($5 for children under 12) on the day, but they can also be purchased in advance, which earns $1 off the regular price. Advance tickets are available in the museum's Trackside Shop, (ticket purchases can be made by credit card), or from museum trustees and staff. Please buy your BBQ tickets before Depot Day. Besides saving a dollar on every ticket purchased, you'll be helping event planners estimate the number of meals for the day. Other Refreshments If a full meal is too much, hot dogs, snacks, soft drinks, and other refreshments will also be available. Films For The Railroad Lover Throughout the day, the museum’s Gandy Dancer Theater will feature a number of films and videos on a wide range of rail topics. The Circus Is Leaving Town Depot Day will also be your last chance to see Ken and Carolyn Weber’s HO-scale “K&C Famous Family Circus,” now on display in the model railroad exhibit room. Volunteer News - (Vol. 23, No. 3 - Fall 2003) Ted Cheesman, a longtime member of the Coast Starlight guides, and his son, local chef Kendal Cheesman, are the latest additions to the Goleta Short Line crew. Meanwhile, Patricia Weeks has been training to join Ted as a member of the Coast Starlight guide team. Three Dos Pueblos High
School students are also volunteering their time at the museum.
Paul Grayson has been helping around the grounds, while Ritchie
Garcia has been staffing the model-railroad exhibit. Ritchie then
recruited his good friend, Robbie Wright, to join us. Robbie has
been staffing in the model-railroad exhibit and filling in as agent
in the freight office. For their efforts, all three boys are receiving
community-service credit at their school. Welcome New Members - (Vol. 23, No. 3 - Fall 2003) Tierra Construction is
a new Milepost 100 member. Other new members are Peter S. Bennett,
Kendal Cheesman, Cathy Marten, Richard Marten, Patricia Weeks and
Ed Winnewisser. Railroad Museum Receives National Park Service Contract - (Vol. 23, No. 3 - Fall 2003) A $6,200 contract has been awarded to the museum by the National Park Service. The funds will be used to expand the Coast Starlight interpretive program to incorporate educational content related to the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail and to add a Santa Barbara-to-Oakland route to the current program offerings. The program expansion was described in more detail in the Summer 2003 issue of the Depot Dispatch. Building Progress - (Vol. 23, No. 3 - Fall 2003) The foundation for the new Visitor Center and museum store was poured on July 18! Wish List - (Vol. 23, No. 3 - Fall 2003) Special thanks are owed
to Isabel and Bob Newman for her generous donation for the purchase
of a weed-whacker. Their gift included an additional amount so we
could buy a 30-cup coffeemaker for event use. James Ryan also made
a donation toward the weed-whacker purchase. The Scott and Carol
Matthew family donated a new vacuum cleaner. Capital Funding Two-Thirds Home - (Vol. 23, No. 3 - Fall 2003) Michael Towbes and Geoffrey A. (“Al”) Turnbull are the latest museum friends whose names will appear on the permanent plaque that will acknowledge gifts to the capital project of $1,000 or more. $43,000 (33%) is still needed in order to complete the $130,000 building project. American Pension Co. Renews Reading Program Support - (Vol. 23, No. 3 - Fall 2003) The museum is again participating in the Summer Reading Program of the Santa Barbara Public Libraries, thanks to the sponsorship of the American Pension Co. Children who complete the program by reading 15 or more books receive free Goleta Short Line rides as a reward for their achievement. “Steaming Summer” Slated For July 26-27 Weekend - (Vol. 23, No. 2 - Summer 2003) It’s time once again for another Steaming Summer, the South Coast Railroad Museum’s only two-day event, which will celebrate its 17th anniversary over the weekend of July 26-27. The name, Steaming Summer, comes from the miniature steam locomotives that visit the museum just once a year, to strut their stuff and pull the Goleta Short Line trains and their eager passengers. This year’s event is sure to be another special one, with a large assortment of steam equipment scheduled to appear, including Gene Allen’s 2-8-0 Consolidation and his 4-4-0 American. Ed Winnewisser plans to bring his 0-6-0 switch-engine down from Atascadero, while Bill Brunner, Bill Hoey, and Mickey Zuker are all expected to attend with their 2-6-0 moguls. For the sixth year, Steaming Summer will feature a circus theme. One of the passenger-carrying trains will be a circus train, incorporating several unique circus cars from the collection of Ted Cheesman, including the ever-popular squirting-elephant car and the calliope car with the bubble-blowing bear. The circus motif will carry over into the model-railroad exhibit, where Ken and Carolyn Weber’s “K&C Famous Family Circus” will occupy a vacant lot near the Santa Barbara roundhouse. The HO-scale three-ring circus, including a big top and operating 20-car circus train, has been entertaining Steaming Summer crowds since 1999. Daily admission to Steaming Summer is only $4 ($3.75 for members), which includes unlimited train and handcar rides (Riders must meet minimum-height requirements: 34” for train; 48” for handcar.). Hours both Saturday and Sunday are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Museum members are invited to come early (10-11 a.m.) to watch the locomotives being steamed-up in preparation for the day's activities (Early-bird attendance is limited to members and their accompanying guests only, please.). The admission charge
applies to everyone, including those who choose not to ride. Infants
and any others who are unable to ride the train will be admitted
at no charge. For late arrivals, the admission price drops to $3
after 3 p.m. Advance tickets, at 50¢ off (75¢ off with
membership card) are now available in the museum’s Trackside
Shop. Tri-tip sandwiches, “Depot Dogs,” beverages, and other lunch and snack items will be available during the event. Don't miss this once-a-year chance to see and ride on a steam-powered Goleta Short Line train! Steaming Summer is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Toyota of Santa Barbara. Coast Starlight Program Will Soon Extend to Bay Area - (Vol. 23, No. 2 - Summer 2003) The museum is gearing up to expand its popular interpretive program aboard the Coast Starlight, thanks to a grant from the National Park Service. The current Santa Barbara-to-San Luis Obispo program will now be extended 200 miles north to Oakland. The program content will also be augmented to include material relating to the Anza Expedition, which brought the first European settlers to California in 1776. Much of the Coast Starlight route between Santa Barbara and Oakland follows the Anza Trail, which is now part of the National Park System. Museum volunteer guides receive meals and, for the expanded program, overnight accommodations at Oakland’s Jack London Square, compliments of program-partner Amtrak. Welcome New Members - (Vol. 23, No. 2 - Summer 2003) The museum’s newest members are Seth Cohen, Julia Earl, Ritchie Garcia Family, Stanley Richard Harms, Christopher Kayda, Mike Lewis, Allen Paneral, Reilly Pollard, Max Raphael, Hannah Vadnais, Thomas Vadnais, Peter Valente and Arlie and Debra Williford. Bermant Sponsors Free Rides - (Vol. 23, No. 2 - Summer 2003) Bermant Development Co. is underwriting two days of free miniature-train rides at the museum, on Sunday, Aug. 17 and Saturday, Sept. 13. Museum visitors may ride as often they like over the 1:15-3:45 period during which the rides will be offered. For safety, all riders must meet the 34-inch minimum-height requirement. Wish List - (Vol. 23, No. 2 - Summer 2003) The museum needs the
following items, in new or used condition: Easter Bunny Express - (Vol. 23, No. 2 - Summer 2003) It is a great pleasure to share these happy memories from the 2003 Easter Bunny Express with our readers. The joy that this annual spring event brings to so many people is a result of the hard work and dedication of dozens of museum volunteers and staff, including those shown here. A full listing would include Kari Adams, Connie Allen, Judy Blue, David Chapman, Judy Connors, Barbara Cornish, Jean-Guy Dubé, Bev Gruen, John Hutchinson, Kip Kramer, Noel Langle, Peggy Langle, Olivia Leonard, Pat Lorentzen, Perry Lorentzen, Bruce Morden, Jason Poole, Arlene Radasky, Hannah Savage, Dick Shelton, Sean VanderJagt ... and staff members Gary Coombs, Phyllis Olsen and Thea Cremers. Track Damage Repaired - (Vol. 23, No. 2 - Summer 2003) When recent heavy-equipment work on the new-building foundation caused some damage to the Goleta Short Line track, a volunteer crew headed by Gene Allen sprang into action. Sufficient repairs were completed on the morning of June 25 to allow train-ride operations to resume without any lost time. Volunteer News - (Vol. 23, No. 2 - Summer 2003) Mike Lewis and Rick Marten
have recently signed up as volunteers for the miniature-train ride. Photos Now Being Added To Cards - (Vol. 23, No. 2 - Summer 2003) The museum has begun to personalize membership cards with the addition of members’ photographs. If you would like to have one of these new cards, be sure to have your picture taken in the museum store. Then, the next time you visit, a replacement card, bearing your photograph, will be waiting for you in the museum shop. This addition is entirely optional. You may continue to have your membership card prepared without photo, if you prefer. “Hare-Raising” Easter Bunny Express Arrives April 19 - (Vol. 23, No. 1 - Spring 2003) The much anticipated Easter Bunny Express will be pulling into Goleta Depot on Saturday, April 19. You and your family and friends can hop aboard the museum’s most popular springtime event, which celebrates its 11th anniversary this year, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost is $3 per person, adult or child. Those holding the event’s trademark egg-shaped ticket will be able to take part in a number of fun activities, including visits to Wabbit-Twacks Station (to ride the decorated train); Harvey’s House (for a cookie & lemonade donated by Country Catering Co.); Easter-Bunnyville (to meet the Easter Bunny and receive an egg surprise); Jack-Rabbit Junction (to enter a drawing for some terrific prizes); and What’s Up Dock (to collect another souvenir). Tickets will be sold in advance at the museum. They will also be available during the event until 3:30 p.m. The decoration of the grounds is already in full swing, with the arrival of the first California poppy blooms. The colorful combination of fanciful signs (“Support Rabbit Transit” and “Wabbit Twacks Crossing,” for example) and spring flowers and blooming trees and shrubs is one of the most endearing aspects of the annual event. Hot sandwiches and other refreshments will be available for those wishing to enjoy lunch or an afternoon snack during the event, thanks to support from the Goleta Lions Club. Don’t be left at the station! The 2003 Easter Bunny Express is sure to be another “hare-raising eggs-perience” for the whole family (rain date: April 26). The museum will be closed on Easter Sunday, April 20. Wood-Claeyssens Foundation Awards $5,000 Capital Grant - (Vol. 23, No. 1 - Spring 2003) A $5,000 grant has been received from the Wood-Claeyssens Foundation, to be used toward the museum’s building project. This is the third grant made by the Wood-Claeyssens Foundation to the capital campaign, raising its total commitment to the project to $9,000. There are now 17 names that have earned a place on the commemorative plaque that will acknowledge gifts to the capital project of $1,000 or more. These include: INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES – RoseAnn Hill; Josiah F. Jenkins; Ellen G. Keeter; Perry and Pat Lorentzen; Isabel Friend Newman; Ken Pontifex; Louise Prottengeier; and Dr. and Mrs. William Radasky; BUSINESSES – Fairview Car Wash; Paradise Machining Corp.; and ZBE, Inc.; FOUNDATIONS – Alice Tweed Tuohy Foundation; La Vista Foundation for the Blind & Physically Handicapped; Mid-State Bank Foundation; Santa Barbara Foundation; Schulte Family Foundation; and Wood-Claeyssens Foundation. It’s not too late to add your name or your company’s name to the list! “Passports” Encourage Children To Visit & Explore Local Museums - (Vol. 23, No. 1 - Spring 2003) The railroad museum is again partnering with 16 other local museums and the Community Environmental Council in the “Passport To Santa Barbara” program. The program is built around a “passport” booklet that is available free to all South Coast school children in grades K-8. Pages in the booklet are devoted to each of the participating organizations. Upon completion of a special activity at one of the participating sites, the passport bearer receives a rubber-stamp impressions in their booklet, as proof of their visit. Children who obtain at least six stamps win a special program T-shirt. The program also includes free admission for the child and one adult at those museums where an admission fee is usually charged. Passport booklets can be obtained at the railroad museum through April 15, which is also the last day for completing passport activities at all of the participating sites. The Passport program is a project of the Santa Barbara Museum Educators’ Roundtable. Museum Director Gary Coombs is the senior editor of “Plugged In,” the Roundtable’s other major project, a full-color educational page for young readers published monthly in the Santa Barbara News-Press. Elks Sponsor February Free Day - (Vol. 23, No. 1 - Spring 2003) Santa Barbara Elks Lodge No. 613 took a turn at sponsoring a weekend afternoon of free miniature-train rides at the railroad museum. “Elks Day” was held on Sunday, February 23, much to the pleasure of scores of museum visitors, who enjoyed more than 140 free rides compliments of the Elks. Everyone who rode also received a ticket that acknowledged the Elks contribution and the role they played in making the free day possible. April Is Channel Communications - (Vol. 23, No. 1 - Spring 2003) Darren Wilson at Channel
Communications has kindly offered to sponsor two free ride days
this year. The first will be held on Sunday, April 27. Don’t
miss all the fun from 1 ‘til 3:45 p.m. Ride as much as you
like! Welcome New Members - (Vol. 23, No. 1 - Spring 2003) The latest additions
to the museum’s membership are Elizabeth Gregory, the Matthew
Family (Carol, Scott, Chris and Samantha), Charmee Padilla, Hubert
Stamps and Mike Toppin. “Candy Cane Train” Was A Holiday Crowd Pleaser - (Vol. 23, No. 1 - Spring 2003) Attendance for the 2002 edition of the popular year-end Candy Cane Train event proved to be lighter than it has been for several years, with ticket sales just passing the 1,000 mark. Much of the decline can be attributed to the fact that the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas was a week shorter in 2002 than it had been since back in 1996. Despite the smaller overall turnout, the Candy Cane Train once again delivered a unique and memorable holiday experience for its many delighted participants. Retired teacher Ethel King was the lucky winner of the Candy Cane Train’s Teddy Bear drawing. UCSB Interns Help Organize Museum’s Collections - (Vol. 23, No. 1 - Spring 2003) The railroad museum has been benefitting greatly from the assistance of UCSB students serving as museum interns. Through this program, students receive course credit while they work at the museum, learning about museum activities and practices. During the Winter 2002-03 Quarter, now ending, the museum enjoyed the help of two interns, Alexis Hickman and Thaswan (“Bee”) Tangsurat. Bee and Alexis have been helping organize the museum library, using the cataloging system developed by the Library of Congress. The museum’s internship program was created by Thea Cremers, the museum’s resource development coordinator, who is also the instructor of record for the intern course at UCSB. Thea has already signed up two new interns for spring quarter, which begins in early April. “Super Saturday VII” Sponsors Earn High Praise - (Vol. 23, No. 1 - Spring 2003) The 7th annual Super Saturday, which served up more than 170 free miniature train rides to museum visitors on Jan. 25, had 17 sponsors, one more than the record number for 2002. There were 10 sponsors returning from last year: American Pension Co.; Stephen A. Bailey, D.D.S.; Camino Real Café; Cold Spring Tavern; Michael J. Gartzke CPA; Gold's Gym; Ramada Limited; RP Printing; Santa Barbara Hobbies; State Farm Insurance (Ed Attlesey & Tammy Dobrotin, Agents). New sponsors for 2003 included MFC&V Insurance Services; Mid-State Bank & Trust; “Dr. J” Neel, Optometrist; Mike & Gail Pearl, Realtors; Peter Tiersma; Western Welding; and ZBE Incorporated. Special thanks to all of this year’s sponsors for making the 2003 Super Saturday another highly successful event. Annual Holiday Display Benefits From Member Sharing - (Vol. 23, No. 1 - Spring 2003) Kyle Lawson, a member of the museum’s Junior Engineer’s Club, was proud to share a Lionel train as his contribution to the 2002 holiday display, “Toy Trains and Teddy Bears!” Manufactured in the 1950s, the train had once belonged to Kyle’s father. Hundreds of museum visitors enjoyed the Waiting Room exhibition, which ran from Thanksgiving through New Year’s. Volunteers and other members who who made the display possible with loans of stuffed animals, antique and toy trains, or railroad keepsakes included Judy Blue, Edee Brown, Ron Bruns, Lynn Burtness, and Bob Burtness. Other Junior Engineer contributors included Ian Jimenez, Emily Mosbrucker, Ian Saunders, Kyle Saunders, and Kenzie Togami. “First Fridays Free” Finishes First Full Year - (Vol. 23, No. 1 - Spring 2003) “First Fridays Free,”
the free monthly train-ride program sponsored by Cox Communications,
completed its first year of operation on March 7. Goleta National Bank Is Sponsoring GSL Rail Car - (Vol. 23, No. 1 - Spring 2003) Another of the Goleta Short Line passenger cars has been adopted. Car No. 4 now sports two brass-finish plaques that announce, “Sponsored By Goleta National Bank.” The museum is also looking for sponsors for Engine No. 2655 (“Gray Engine”) and for Car Nos. 3, 8 and 9. If you are interested in becoming a car or engine sponsor, please contact Museum Director Gary Coombs (964-3540; gcoombs@goletadepot.org). The cost is $150 for the engine and $100 each for the cars, for a one-year period. Tuohy Foundation Grant Received - (Vol. 23, No. 1 - Spring 2003) The museum has been awarded a $1,600 grant from the Alice Tweed Tuohy Foundation. The grant funds will be used to purchase software and equipment to computerize the museum’s store operations. The Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce has also contributed to the project by donating one of their used computers to the museum. Trustee Noel Langle has donated a hard drive to help upgrade the computer to the required specifications. 22nd Spring Fundraiser Will Be May 17 - (Vol. 23, No. 1 - Spring 2003) This year’s “Great Goleta Rail Race” will be held Sat., May 17. For the public, the Great Race is a day of free miniature-train and handcar rides, but it is also the museum’s spring fundraiser and the organization’s oldest annual event. Known for many years as the “Asphalt Regatta,” the event was first held in 1982. The Great Race is one of the museum’s most important annual income sources, generating nearly 15% of the funds needed annually for operations. Funds are raised by the event participants, including members of the Board of Trustees, volunteers, staff, and others, who obtain financial pledges from sponsors, including area businesses, organizations, fellow members, and others, both in our community and beyond. This year’s goal is $16,000, more than has been raised in previous years and an amount critical to the museum’s contined well-being. Members and other readers are urged to participate more actively in this year’s event, either by contacting the museum office for a pledge sheet and instructions or by making a pledge of your own – by completing and returning the enclosed Great Race donation card with your pledge or payment. Trees Fall In Wind & Storms - (Vol. 23, No. 1 - Spring 2003) Two trees were lost in February and March during periods of severe weather. A eucalyptus tree fell, barely missing nearby storage sheds and striking and collapsing a lumber crib. Far more seriously, the tallest tree on the property, a 100-foot Monterey pine, toppled during the high night winds of Feb. 19. This great tree, which had marked the end of the miniature-train’s return loop, had been keeling over inch by inch for more than a decade. The County Parks Dept. advised the museum years ago that nothing could be done to prevent the tree from eventually falling. In falling, the tree destroyed a section of track, bending the rails and splintering ties. County Parks responded quickly, sending a crew to remove the section of trunk that was blocking the railroad right-of-way. Then, a team of museum volunteers, including Jason Poole, Sean VanderJagt, Gene Allen, Ted Cheesman, Ed Leska and Bruce Morden, came to the rescue. Thanks to their skill, dedication and more than 40 hours of hard work (including well past sunset on Friday, Feb. 21), only a single day of train operations was lost. Volunteer News - (Vol. 23, No. 1 - Spring 2003) Elizabeth Gregory, Charmee Padilla, and Hubert Stamps, along with museum staffer Thea Cremers, have recently signed up to train to become Coast Starlight guides. Mike Toppin is learning to operate the Goleta Short Line miniature train and Carol, Scott, and Samantha Matthew are new clerks in the Trackside Shop. There is still a need for more volunteers in all visitor-service areas at the museum, including volunteers to operate the miniature-train and handcar rides, clerks for the museum store, and “station agents,” who share the historical landmark and the model railroad exhibit with our guests. The basic volunteer commitment is one afternoon (three hours) a month. More Coast Starlight guides are also needed. Upon completion of training, guides are expected to complete an average of two train trips per month. For more information, please contact the museum office (805-964-3540) any weekday afternoon.
Copyright © 2003 by Institute for American Research |
