RAILROAD FANS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE FAMOUS TEHACHAPI PASS in California.  The mountain obstacle between southern California and the lush San Joaquin Valley was conquered in 1876 when the Southern Pacific RR engineers carved a grade and path through the Tehachapi Mountains utilizing a full under-over loop.

The settlement that sprung up at the summit was the site of a major depot on the SP.  The building was replaced in 1904 with a larger and updated structure following Southern Pacific’s depot plan No. 23.  More than 60 stations following this design were built between 1896 and 1916.  Today there are only six remaining and Tehachapi’s is the only one still on its original location.

Three years ago the city of 11,000 took over ownership from the railroad (now the Union Pacific) and has been remodeling the building as a commercial centerpiece in the downtown section.  Nearing completion, a sprinkler system was installed in the structure but had not yet been connected to the water supply when last Friday (June 13) the building caught fire around 3 am and burned down.

Bakersfield Ch. 23 / Otto photo

Following up on a tip, police have identified and interviewed two men in their 30’s who accidentally set the depot alight when they were setting off illegal fireworks in the middle of the night nearby.  The police are waiting for the district attorney to issue an arrest warrant before they formally charge them.

KGET Ch. 17 has a video report on the fire:

The city has been emotionally hit with this loss, but the building was insured and they are intent on rebuilding the wood structure and completing it in time for the city’s centennial celebration next year.

KGET has a further report on the citizens’ reactions and the city’s plans to rebuild:

The Tehachapi News has a good local report on the fire’s impact on the city HERE.
Kern County Fire Dept. report on WEBSITE.

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