Walt Griffin, a lifelong railroad enthusiast and early Foundation President, was instrumental in the effort to preserve the historic Santa Susana Depot.

In 1979, the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District authorized establishment of the Rancho Simi Foundation, a tax-exempt non-profit corporation to engage volunteers, raise funds, and accept donations toward restoration of the Santa Susana Depot.

Foundation President Walt Griffin and volunteers including Bill Rehart, Jim Reese, and Ken Garges began restoration work on the building. Progress was slow, however, due to limited fund-raising success.

Soon after work began, disaster struck. An arson fire destroyed the upper roof and most of the second floor. It looked like the project was doomed until 1981 when a $65,000 grant from the State Park Bond Act enabled repair of the damage.

In 1987, the Santa Susana Model Railroad Club joined the Foundation’s restoration effort. While doing renovation work, they began building a model railroad layout in the waiting room and agent’s office.

Restrooms were needed before the Depot could be opened to the public. A sewer line was connected in 1990 and volunteers completed the restrooms in 1992.

The project gained momentum when, in August of 1995, funds totaling $410,000 from Federal and County grants and the District’s own general fund became available. The Depot site would now be developed to provide a path to Santa Susana Park, a parking lot, concrete steps and paving, security lighting, safety railings, landscaping and irrigation. Building improvements such as electrical, plumbing, and telephone upgrades, installation of a wheelchair lift, reconstruction of the raised freight platforms, and repair of two brick chimneys damaged in the 1994 Northridge Earthquake would also be done. As a result, the Depot would become a viable public facility.

As work progressed, the model railroad club began moving its layout into the larger freight room to make way for the railroad museum that would be created in the waiting room and agent’s office.

Tom Bergh, a Foundation member since 1997, was appointed Museum Director in 2000 and the museum began to take shape.

Today, Foundation volunteers operate the model railroad, maintain the museum displays, and serve as docents to share Simi Valley’s rich railroad history with the public.