Marin Voice: Engine No. 9 project would ruin Mill Valley’s Depot Plaza
We want to stop the horrible proposal to place a 72,000-pound historic train engine in the Mill Valley downtown Depot Plaza and we want your help.
Train Engine No. 9 is the only remaining train engine used in the early 1900s to tow the gravity train cars to the top of Mount Tamalpais before a gravity-fed ride on the “crookedest railway in the world.”
On Jan. 6, the City Council approved reconfiguring the traffic flow around the redwood tree grove, expanding the Depot Plaza by 10%. This decision was separate from and not connected to the proposal to place a train engine on the site.
The proposal to add a 36-ton train engine and its 3,300-pound tender to this space would visually and physically block one end and permanently change the feel of the plaza. The advocates propose that the engine occupy the expanded area between the redwood trees.
The proposal would require a 110-foot-long inclined ramp running through the plaza’s precious redwood grove leading to the outside of the cab of the engine with nothing but a “keep off” sign to prevent climbing on the large old iron engine and its tender. Adding a climbing barrier has not been shown because it will only make the structure look more imposing, but it is an inevitable addition given injury risks.
This immense heavy train engine will dominate the plaza, becoming the only thing you will see approaching from Miller Avenue. The focus at this iconic location will shift from an open square with a redwood grove at the edge to an immense train engine display site.
A train is unlikely to bring more shoppers into the downtown area, once the novelty of its placement wears off. We suspect that the loss of open European feel could even have a negative impact on downtown business.
Mill Valley is distinct due to its geographic separation, its rich history and the existence of our plaza. The Depot Plaza, as a community gathering place, is emblematic of what sets Mill Valley apart. The plaza defines our town.
It is constantly used by our residents, particularly parents with young children. It is currently a pleasant place to grab takeout and watch the world go by. Children roam freely with relaxed supervision because of the safe open nature of the area. This small new expansion of the plaza could simply allow a little more elbow room for gathering in the shade of the redwood trees.
We are excited by the opportunity to display this bit of our town’s history. But it should be placed where it does not intrude on the unstructured ambiance of the plaza. There are other good locations where the generous contribution of the train engine could be better placed and still be accessible.
We are asking the City Council and the Friends of No. 9 to pursue those options.
There is plenty of space on the median of Miller Avenue between Reed Street and Camino Alto for a prominent, safe and accessible display. A prominent space could be provided at the Community Center. Another great idea is the existing Gravity Car Barn Museum located on the East Peak of Mt. Tam — built specifically to honor the gravity car history. What better home could there be for No. 9?
The private parties promoting this passion project and their supporters have spent a lot of money on it. They wish for the engine to have a place of prominence, but the Depot Plaza is a terrible location for the citizens of Mill Valley. Find another place for No. 9, not the precious plaza space that defines our town.
We have only one chance to get this right. Please join with us by writing to Mill Valley City Council today.
Leslie Wachtel, a Mill Valley School Board trustee from 2012 to 2020, and Cindy McCauley, a Tamalpais Union School District Board of Trustees member from 2007 to 2015, also strongly support finding a place other than the plaza for the engine display.
John McCauley and Ken Wachtel are former members of the Mill Valley City Council. Both served multiple terms as the city’s mayor.