A historic caboose that sat outside the Guadalupe Amtrak station for about 30 years has been moved to Santa Maria, clearing the way for more than $1.3 million in renovations at the station.
Guadalupe Public Works Director David Trujillo said the project is funded through a combination of state grants and local tax dollars, with about $800,000 coming from state sources.
"This project is funded by three different grant sources. One is California Clean Air, one is going to be Affordable Housing, and then the other is going to be Low Carbon Operations," Trujillo said.
With the caboose removed from the lot, crews now have the green light to tear out the old parking lot and begin work around the station. Planned upgrades include a new restroom, bike lockers, and an EV charging station.
For some in the community, the restroom addition is long overdue.
"It's really good that they moved the little train so that we can see if they'll give us a restroom that we urgently need, not only for me, but the community," said Josefina Escamilla, Guadalupe resident.
The City of Guadalupe hired JF Will Company to manage the project. Rita Bhat, the engineer and project manager, said moving the caboose was one of the biggest challenges, but its former spot will soon be transformed.
"Eventually, the location of the caboose is going to be a nice planter with some beautiful landscaping that they'll have and it'll open up the parking lot," Bhat said.
Once construction is underway, the work is expected to take about six months.
As for the caboose itself, the Friends of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad say it has a history that stretches back decades. Director Kevin O'Rourke said the car was built more than 65 years ago.
"The caboose itself was built in 1959 by the International Car Company in Canton, Ohio," O'Rourke said.
He described the caboose's role in railroad operations and its long tenure in service.
"It served our railroad for 30 years, and so a caboose is basically like a rolling office, break room, lunch room, restroom for crews," O'Rourke said. "It went out of service in 1992. The railroad was no longer using it. It came here in 1993 and was put on static display," O'Rourke said.
Now back in Santa Maria, the group plans to restore the caboose and eventually make it available for the public to see during events at the rail yard.
City leaders say the goal is a more accessible station for riders and a better home for this piece of local rail history.
