Simi Valley

Passenger rail, preserved Southern Pacific history, and mountain railroading at the western approach to Santa Susana Pass.

Overview

Simi Valley occupies an important position on Southern Pacific’s historic Coast Route between Los Angeles and Ventura County. The railroad passes through the valley before crossing the Santa Susana Mountains toward the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles.

Today, Simi Valley is served by Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner and Coast Starlight and Metrolink’s Ventura County Line. Union Pacific also uses the corridor for freight and railroad operations.

The city’s railroad history is preserved at the Santa Susana Railroad Depot & Museum, a restored Southern Pacific depot located beside the active railroad. Built in 1903, the depot served passengers, local agriculture, freight customers, and railroad operations at the western approach to the Santa Susana tunnels.

Quick Facts

LocationSimi Valley, California
CountyVentura County
Historic RailroadSouthern Pacific Railroad
Current Passenger ServicesAmtrak Pacific Surfliner; Amtrak Coast Starlight; Metrolink Ventura County Line
Current Freight OperatorUnion Pacific Railroad
Preservation SiteSanta Susana Railroad Depot & Museum
Important Railroad FeatureSanta Susana Pass and tunnels
Historic Depot Constructed1903
Depot DesignSouthern Pacific Combination Depot No. 22
County LandmarkVentura County Historical Landmark No. 29 (January 1976)

Historical Background

Development of the Coast Route

Southern Pacific developed the railroad through Simi Valley as part of its Coast Route between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The line crossed the Simi and San Fernando valleys and passed through the Santa Susana Mountains by way of tunnels, creating a direct rail connection between Ventura County and the Los Angeles area.

Agriculture and Freight Transportation

Citrus and walnut growers relied on the railroad to move large shipments, while the depot freight facilities handled outbound produce and incoming farm equipment.

  • Citrus and walnut shipments
  • Produce warehouses
  • Agricultural sidings
  • Farm-equipment deliveries
  • Packing and storage facilities
  • Historic freight records

The Original Santa Susana Depot

Southern Pacific completed the Santa Susana Depot in 1903 near Los Angeles Avenue and Tapo Street. The building combined a passenger waiting room, ticket and railroad office, telegraph office, freight room, train-movement functions, and living quarters for the station agent and family.

Closure and Preservation

Southern Pacific closed the depot in 1974. The Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District purchased it for one dollar plus six cents tax, and in May 1975 the building was moved to its current location beside the active main line. It was designated Ventura County Historical Landmark No. 29 in January 1976 and opened as a museum after restoration.

Passenger Rail Operations Today

Amtrak Pacific Surfliner

The Pacific Surfliner connects Simi Valley with Los Angeles, Burbank, Glendale, Chatsworth, Moorpark, Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Orange County, and San Diego County destinations.

Amtrak Coast Starlight

The Coast Starlight stops at Simi Valley, one of only two Ventura County stops on the Los Angeles–Seattle route (the other is Oxnard).

Metrolink Ventura County Line

Metrolink connects Simi Valley with Ventura County communities, the San Fernando Valley, Burbank, Glendale, and Los Angeles Union Station.

Union Pacific Operations

Union Pacific uses the former Southern Pacific Coast Route through Simi Valley for freight, maintenance, and other railroad movements. Traffic levels and operating patterns can vary.

Santa Susana Railroad Depot & Museum

The museum preserves the history of the railroad and its effect on Simi Valley. Restored spaces and exhibits include a passenger waiting room, pot-bellied stove, station-agent office, telegraph equipment, photographs, artifacts, historic signals, re-created upstairs living quarters, and an HO-scale model railroad.

Outdoor displays include railroad signals, maintenance tools, a track speeder, baggage equipment, and other artifacts. Although the depot was moved from its original site, Amtrak, Metrolink, and Union Pacific trains still pass beside the property.

Museum Page Relationship

The Simi Valley page should document the city and active railroad, while a separate museum page can cover the depot building, collection, restoration, model railroad, interpretive displays, and visitor experience in greater depth.

Santa Susana Pass

Santa Susana Pass forms the railroad connection between Simi Valley and the San Fernando Valley. Southern Pacific’s tunnel route through the Santa Susana Mountains, opened in 1904, shortened the route between Montalvo and Burbank and became a defining operating feature of the Coast Route.

Operational Importance

  • Train routing
  • Locomotive performance
  • Freight operations
  • Passenger schedules
  • Dispatching and train meets
  • Maintenance requirements
  • Coast Route operating practices

Documentation Opportunities

  • Tunnel portals
  • Mountain curves
  • Trains approaching or departing the pass
  • Southern Pacific engineering
  • Union Pacific freight operations
  • Amtrak and Metrolink trains
  • Historic maps and engineering records
  • Signal and track changes
  • Then-and-now comparisons

Tunnel approaches and mountain railroad property can be difficult to access legally. All photography should remain within clearly public areas. A dedicated Santa Susana Pass page may eventually be warranted.

Simi Valley Station

The modern passenger station is separate from the historic depot. Together, the two sites represent distinct generations of passenger rail in Simi Valley.

  • Pacific Surfliner operations
  • Metrolink Ventura County Line
  • Passenger activity
  • Locomotive and cab-car operations
  • Platforms and shelters
  • Signals
  • Mountain and suburban backgrounds
  • Evening and night photography

Why Simi Valley Matters

Simi Valley combines Southern Pacific Coast Route history, a preserved 1903 depot, agricultural freight history, Amtrak and Metrolink passenger service, Union Pacific activity, and Santa Susana Pass operations.

Railfan and Photography Information

Modern Station

  • Pacific Surfliner
  • Metrolink trains
  • Union Pacific freight movements
  • Passenger activity
  • Signals and trackwork
  • Mountain backdrops

Historic Depot

  • Depot exterior
  • Restored waiting room and agent’s office
  • Telegraph equipment
  • Upstairs living quarters
  • HO-scale model railroad
  • Outdoor signals and artifacts
  • Modern trains passing the historic building

Santa Susana Pass

  • Mountain railroad scenes
  • Tunnel approaches
  • Freight trains through the pass
  • Passenger trains against surrounding terrain
  • Engineering features
  • Seasonal landscapes

Safety and Courtesy

  • Remain in public areas
  • Follow museum rules and operating hours
  • Stay behind platform markings
  • Use designated crossings
  • Never enter tunnel portals, tracks, or rights-of-way
  • Respect railroad employees, volunteers, and residents

Related Railroads

Related Locations

Related Museums

Gallery

Photo gallery coming soon.

  • Simi Valley passenger station
  • Pacific Surfliner
  • Metrolink Ventura County Line
  • Union Pacific freight operations
  • Santa Susana Railroad Depot exterior and interior
  • Model railroad
  • Signals and artifacts
  • Santa Susana Pass
  • Tunnel and mountain history
  • Agricultural shipping history
  • Historic maps and timetables
  • Then-and-now comparisons

Western Rail Archive Notes

Simi Valley should function as both an active railroad location page and a gateway to separate coverage of the Santa Susana Railroad Depot & Museum and Santa Susana Pass.

Archive Status

Page StatusCategoryRegionGallery
Foundational ArticleLocationsVentura CountyIn Development