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Depot cleanup is under way

Depot cleanup is under way


Posted by admin Monday, August 18, 2008 - 11:22
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The City of Tehachapi has begun the laborious task of clearing out the site of the Tehachapi Depot, which was destroyed in a fire on June 13.  According to City Manager Greg Garrett, the city has replacement value insurance, which means the construction of the Depot will be covered.
 
However, more assistance and community contributions will be needed to help complete the restoration.  Toward that goal, an organization called “Back on Track,” made up from volunteers from Friends of the Tehachapi Depot (FOTD), has been organizing fund-raising events.
 
Coming up this weekend is a “Back on Track Concert” - a musical extravaganza to benefit the Depot.  The concert will take place on Saturday, Aug. 23 from 1 to 5 p.m. in Tehachapi's Phillip Marx Central Park (corner of  'E' & Mojave streets). 
 
It will feature many multi-talented local Bands, including “Runaway Train,” “Geezers on the Loose,” “The Pat Strong Trio,” plus musicians Tracy Barns, Maria Weir Werth, Jerry Mulkins, Max Valentino, Debby Hand, Peter Cutler, Tony Vice Ken & Laurie Leiboff and more. 
 
There will be a tasty variety of food  -- BBQ, Native Indian, and salads along with beer and margaritas from Jake's Steakhouse. There will games, prizes and special guest speakers and local painters all on hand for this important Depot Rally.  For more information visit  www.TehachapiDepot.com   
 
Once rebuilt, the Depot will house an orientation center for the Tehachapi Loop, the engineering marvel that literally put Tehachapi on the map in 1876 when trains pulled by steam engines were first able to climb over the Tehachapi Mountains. (Trivia fact:  the first building in Tehachapi was a small telegraph shack.)
 
The rebuilt Depot will be home to the famous Stokoe Collection of functioning outdoor mechanical signals and over 275 additional items such as phones, lamps and other items from a Stationmaster's desk, the nerve center of any railway station. Railway china from the luxurious and romantic days of dining cars, tools of the working railroad men, a one-of-a-kind collection of lanterns and caboose furnishings will help tell the story of the treacherous route through the Tehachapi Mountains.
 
Tehachapi and The Tehachapi Loop remains one of the most heavily traveled freight routes in the nation, with over 40 trains passing through each day.
All monetary contributions and donations of historic railroad items for the completion of the historic Depot and Railroad Museum are tax deductible, as FOTD is a non-profit organization under IRS regulations 501(c)3.
 
All of collected funds will be transferred to the City of Tehachapi, which is acting as the lead agency in rebuilding the Depot. Funds may be used for construction, landscaping, and installing the Railroad Museum in the rebuilt Depot. The goal for completion is to have the Depot open in time for the 2009 Tehachapi Centennial Celebration.
 
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