(rshsdepot) Sanderson, TX

["Bernie Wagenblast" <brwagenblast_@_comcast.net>]

From today's Odessa American.

Bernie Wagenblast


Group aims to save depot, bunkhouse: Sanderson Heritage Association in 
negotiations with Union Pacific to buy buildings



Sanderson`s old train depot and bunkhouse could be in line for renovations 
if negotiations with Union Pacific stay on track.

A group called the Sanderson Heritage Association is negotiating with the 
railroad company to buy the buildings-for preservation purposes, former 
County Judge and state Rep. Dudley Harrison said.

The buildings are ``in a bad state of repair and falling down,`` Harrison 
said.

The Texas Department of Transportation offered a $450,000 grant to restore 
the buildings, but after crunching the numbers, County Judge Leo Smith said 
it was turned down for ``unknown and unforeseen costs.``

``After I looked at all the figures and requirements of the grant, we would 
have had to spend $1.5 million over the grant,`` Smith said.

There were also environmental issues, such as soil contamination, that the 
county didn`t want to be liable for.

Also, Union Pacific would only give the county a 20-year lease and after 10 
years would have 30-day notice power, Smith said.

The Sanderson Heritage Association was formed, meanwhile, to find grants and 
build support for the preservation project.

Cliff McSparran, Secretary-Treasurer of the Sanderson Heritage Association, 
said Union Pacific plans to keep the depot for another five years, although 
the company is supportive of preservation efforts.

The railroad still uses part of the depot building for offices. The depot 
also serves as an unmanned stop for Amtrak.

McSparran, who grew up in Sanderson, said he`s made an offer on the vintage 
1883 bunkhouse but hasn`t gotten an answer yet. He hopes someone would be 
interested in using the building for commercial purposes and won`t change 
its historic structure.

``I think it would make a great bed and breakfast for people who like 
railroading,`` McSparran said.

He said he`s also trying to buy the bunkhouse from Union Pacific.

Terry ``Tex`` Toler, association president and former Sanderson economic 
development director, said the whole community was behind the preservation 
effort when he was hired there.

Union Pacific had pulled out two years before and put the bunkhouse and 
depot on a demolition list.

In 1999, the depot got national notice when it was placed on the 10 most 
endangered list for a National Trust for Historic Places grant. Preservation 
Texas in Austin named the depot to its Texas` Most Endangered Historic 
Places list in April.

But the grant refusal and a county workshop on the depot where Texas 
Historic Commission officials weren`t allowed to speak could dampen 
preservation efforts, Toler said.

Until the heritage association gets a grant, there is no timeframe for when 
the depot and bunkhouse will be saved, Toler said, who now works for TM 
Advertising in Austin which has the account with the Governor`s Office to 
promote Texas tourism.

He said the building could be used for a community center, a visitors` 
center or a railroad and ranching museum.

``Sanderson has its oldest buildings still there ... It`s a shame to see it 
go away,`` Toler said. ``... It was so devastating to see it killed the way 
it was.``

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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org

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