In 1886 the construction of a line
branching off the Southern Pacific’s mainline at Saugus
was commenced west through the Santa Clara
Valley’s extensive citrus groves
with the intention of reaching Santa Barbara.
The line reached San Buenaventura in 1887 resulting in a real estate boom
all along the line. In 1887 Montalvo was established as a town site and the
depot pictured here was built.
From Montalvo a three mile branch was
built to the new sugar beet factory in Oxnard
with connections to the Ventura County Railway. This line later became the
beginnings of the “Montalvo Cutoff” which reached Burbank
junction via Santa Susana
Pass and the San Fernando Valley.
Immediately after its completion in 1904, the cut off was upgraded to main
line status for SP’s Coast Line.
The depot is one of SP’s common
standard designs, but predated the colonial yellow paint scheme. Most SP
depots of this era were painted in two tones on the sides and Montalvo’s
was a combination of dark and light slate grays. Of note in the picture is
the very early refrigerator car at the far left, the station agent in his
sleeve protectors, and the station jitney driver being dressed in long coat
and leather gloves for protection from the “hazards” of early motoring as
was the norm.
- Southern Pacific
Railroad’s Montalvo Depot -
