South Coast Railroad Museum


Located in Goleta, California, the South Coast Railroad Museum is a showplace for the Goleta Depot, a preserved 1901 Southern Pacific Railroad train station. The museum also features a miniature railroad, a Southern Pacific caboose, and a model train set in a panorama of the cities of Goleta and Santa Barbara, California.
The depot is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and on the California Registry of Historical Resources.

History

The Southern Pacific closed the Goleta passenger train depot in October 1973. Various preservation efforts led to the depot being physically moved to its current location at Lake Los Carneros County Park in November 1981. After 11 months of restoration, a dedication ceremony of the Goleta Depot as a Santa Barbara county landmark took place on October 10, 1982.
Ownership of the Goleta Depot was subsequently transferred from the preservation society that had had the depot moved, to the Institute for American Research, to develop the site as a living museum in 1983.

Schedule

The South Coast Railroad Museum has no admission fee, and is open for public viewing on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays between 1:00–4:00 pm. The Goleta Short Line, the museum's gauge miniature railroad, also runs during those hours.

Location

The museum is located at 300 N. Los Carneros Road in Goleta. From U.S. Route 101, exit onto Los Carneros. At the top of the exit ramp, turn toward the mountains and continue for one half mile. Drive past Calle Real and find parking to your right.

Nearby attractions

The South Coast Railroad Museum is located next to Lake Los Carneros with walking trails and bird watching, the historic Stow House at La Rancho Patera, and other points of interest.