Newhall
Santa Clarita is the original terminus of the then Santa Clarita Line (now Antelope Valley Line) and its only independent station when it began running on October 26, 1992 and until the Northridge earthquake was the only station not shared with the Ventura Line (Downtown Burbank and Glendale were the two intermediate stops), which opened on the same day.
The station has a single side platform on a bit of a raised embankment from the surrounding area because the line is running along a hillside. This platform is alongside a two lane upper roadway designed so buses can have the closest access to the platform. This roadway is called on Google Maps Commuter Way and weaves its way up from the station's regular parking lot. In the passenger waiting area, closer to the road than the train track are two smaller canopies towards the outbound end of the platform followed by a more central one with a slightly raised clock tower in the middle. These two shelters have angled roofs and assorted benches beneath them. The arriving passenger will first notice the colorful artwork tiles on the arches that hold them up. This is Share the Earth With Others by Viqui McCaslin. These are images taken from the Native American Mimbre Tribe. There are also panels with footprints (on pillars) of the animals.
Across the upper roadway of Commuter Way from the platform is a little station plaza with two buildings in it. One containing restrooms (with colorful panels above their entrances) open Monday to Saturday, and also a small round enclosure home to the station's security guard. To reach the main 473 space parking lot between the platform and Soledad Canyon Road (which lacks a sidewalk in places and has two separate entrances to the parking lot) there is a ramp and a very grand staircase. This staircase has a canopy structure highly decorated with the animal images but the most noticeable feature is the cascading water between the two sets of stairs. The water slowly cascades down via pools and two short waterfalls connecting them giving a feeling of life to the staircase as passengers reach the parking lot.
All Photos taken on 25 February, 2012
