Willits,CA Depot Restoration (The Skunk Train)

John Barnhill May 20, 2006

  1. John Barnhill

    John Barnhill TrainBoard Member

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    All aboard! City joins Skunk owners to restore depot

    The Willits, California Depot, built in 1915, is up for restoration and ongoing life as a multi-model transportation hub.

    On May10, the City of Willits joined forces with Sierra Railroad, which owns the Skunk Train, to fund restoration of the Main Depot Building. The structure, along with the West Depot and Baggage Room, is described as "the finest known expression of Craftsman-style railroad architecture in California" in the National Register of Historic Places.

    Although Sierra owns the building, the city sees the depot and the excursion train runs originating there as an asset for the local economy and for the character of the city. How much restoration take place depends on how far the anticipated funding is expected to stretch.

    "What we're trying to do on this is take care of the worst stuff," said City Manager Ross Walker. "Total restoration depends on what level you want to take it to."

    According to a $14,000 study prepared for the city by the consulting firm Planwest Partners in 2003, the main depot has "fallen into disrepair" and upgrades were made without reference to historic architecture:

    "Windows and doors that are not historically authentic have replaced some of the original features. Other minor features, such as chandeliers, have been removed or altered. Exterior finishes, siding and roofing materials have deteriorated over the years, and are in need of repair and refinishing."

    Some of the repairs, however, must be consistent with the 21st century.

    "Necessary plumbing, foundation, electrical wiring, insulation, and restroom repairs and replacements will be done in conformance with Historic Building Code standards," continues the report.

    Beyond that, points out City Manager Ross Walker, there are standards that apply only to public buildings.

    "There may be some restrictions under federal law," he said. "We don't know if you need to improve the bathrooms to ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) standards if it's a historical building."

    Walker added the overall picture of necessary repair and restoration and related costs has probably changed since Planwest did its work:

    "The study is four years old. Prices go up and deterioration increases."

    The prices quoted in the study total about $226,000 for the Main Depot. The city, however, is anticipating a much greater cost and is making arrangements for related grants.

    On May10, the city council voted to apply for an available $232,000 in State Transportation Improvement (STIP) dollars funneled through the Mendocino Council of Governments (MCOG). The terms of the allocation, however, include release of the money only as reimbursement for work done. In other words, the City of Willits and Sierra Railroad will have to front the cost. Had Willits chosen not to request the allocation, the funding would have been returned to MCOG with no guarantee of future availability here.

    Money is also expected from a TEA 21 grant (Federal Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century) administered through CalTrans. How much is yet to be determined.

    In August of 2002, a total of $275,000 of TEA 21 funding was allocated for the Skunk Train depots in Willits and Fort Bragg. Willits was in line for $187,000; Fort Bragg for $88,000. Fort Bragg, however, has not yet used up all of its allocation and the remainder may be available here. If so, the amount applied to the Willits depot could be $257,000.

    Like the STIP money, the TEA 21 allocation would be released only as reimbursement. The payback, however, would be only 80 percent of the work done. The means the city and/or Sierra Railroad could shoulder expenditures ranging from $37,400 to $51,400.

    Sierra Railroad's share of the burden, offered by David Magaw, who oversees construction for the company, includes fronting the engineering cost of the restoration plans with an anticipated 80 percent reimbursement. The company is expected to sign a legal document to that effect in the near future. Sierra also agreed to reimburse the city for half the cost of the 2003 study, which was undertaken before Sierra purchased the railroad.

    The city's share includes extensive staff time:

    "The city will select the engineering firm, oversee fund expenditures, develop the scope of work, and take responsibility for reviewing the plans and preparing the bid document," Walker said. "Sierra may also help in this process but the details have yet to be resolved."

    Once the plans are complete, the city is also expected to front most of the construction costs.

    With the depot back in service as a multi-modal transportation hub, it may also serve a restored north/south Northwestern Pacific Railroad line. The line was closed by the Federal Railroad Authority in 1998 due to extensive track damage but recent allocations may reopen all or part of it.

    "I'm hoping its up and running (in the near future)," Sierra General Counsel Torgny Nilsson told TWN. "We'd like to bring freight back."

    Magaw is also president of Sierra Northern, the freight division of Sierra Railroad. - Claudia Reed, The Willits News
     
  2. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Nice to read of this effort! Too many communities have foolishly let their depot go away.

    Also, am glad to read they're anticipating greater cost. It would be great if completed with original estimates. But there are almost always unknown problems uncovered, after work is started. Plus the "human" factor. So the project time can be somewhat longer as well...

    Boxcab E50
     

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