I am planning a proto-freelanced layout of the Santa Ana & Newport Railroad assuming it survived into the late 1950’s. I would like to model the second Santa Fe passenger depot in Santa Ana as it appeared around 1957. However, I am having a tough time finding photos or other information for this structure. To date, I have found a total of three photos from the local historical societies all showing views from the same angle (southwest to northeast) but at different dates. The earliest photo (during WWII) shows the waiting area on the south end of the building to be an open patio. Another photo shows this patio to have been partially enclosed. The third photo (late 60’s from the vehicles present) shows this patio to be completely enclosed. While I have a good idea what the building looked like from the southwest, I have bupkiss for the remainder of the structure. Anyone know where I can find more information and photos?
Hello Hornblower,
The book Coast Lines Depots, Los Angeles Division, by Gustafson and Serpico, includes on page 189 a photo taken in 1940 showing the 1939 Santa Ana depot. It’s a Santa Fe Ry. photo, so it’s possible it’s one that you already have. The photo caption says that a portion of the original open waiting area was enclosed to make a passenger agent’s office in 1949, and that the remainder was enclosed in 1957 for the district freight agent’s office.
The book gives this station’s final dimensions as 32 x 230 feet, including the addition built in 1957. This book was published in 1992 by Omni Publications of Palmdale, Calif.
You could also check the publications index on the Santa Fe Ry. Historical & Modeling Society Web site, atsfrr.net, to see if any other photos or drawings have appeared in society publications.
Good luck,
Andy
Any modeler emulating, or is inspired by, a prototype railroad is doing themselves a disfavor when not belonging to the railroad’s historical society, assuming there is one.
Mark
Thanks for the info Andy. I will look into both the book and the web site.
Besides the photo in the book Andy refered to, there is another picture (from an opposite angle) in the Rails through the Orange Groves, vol. 2 by Stephen Donaldson and William Myers.
Have you contacted the Orange County Historical Society and the Orange County Archives? I got some information from them for my Anaheim depot search.
I keep a handy-dandy catalog of Santa Fe locations by station name. For Santa Ana, California:
50s track scenes, Vanishing Vistas postcards JT-924 J8091; Jp2
track map 1940-50 Warbonnet 2Q 96 p.12
scenes ca. 1950s in depot area, Warbonnet 2ndQ 96 p.10,11
scenes, Warbonnet 4Q96 p.13, 20