By Sara Beth Williams–
Remember when that familiar building looked completely different? Or when a favorite local business or exciting exhibit was still around? Our new series, “Remember When?” takes a look back at businesses, places, people and moments in time that longtime Citrus Heights residents may remember — and younger residents may be surprised to learn about.
In the mid-1990s, during the height of indoor malls, a model train set built around the fountains in the main corridor of Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights entertained patrons of all ages for 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
With four major anchor retailers and at least 100 stores, Sunrise Mall hit its stride during the 80s and 90s. Doyle Phelan, who managed the mall for 23 years until 2008, said even the opening of the new Birdcage Walk shopping center across the street hardly impacted the revenue generated.
The mall hit its peak year in 2000, Phelan said in a presentation to the Orangevale History Project on the history of Sunrise Mall, with each major anchor store bringing in 50 million dollars, while the rest of the mall brought in an estimated 100 million.
In the 80s and 90s the mall regularly hosted educational and family entertainment events, including educational mobile zoo exhibitions, choir performances, galas, annual Santa Claus parades, photos with Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny—and for a few years, a large model train set that ran all day long.
As the mall’s reputation for a shopping destination rose through the 80s and 90s, Phelan recalled that, one day in the mid-1990s, Judy Arrigotti from the Sacramento Valley Garden Railway Society came to him and asked about the possibility of installing a model train system in the mall’s main fountain area.
“And I thought, ‘my gosh, you know, no way would the owners approve that,’” Phelan said, adding that he later presented the idea to Jim Cordano, Jr., and was surprised when the idea was approved. The owners also agreed to pay for all of the materials.
The model train system wasn’t just a simple single train running around the mall’s fountain. The set up was what’s known as a G-scale model railway format, which is constructed to be much more durable. Trains often run on battery power.
“It was phenomenal,” former Mayor and longtime Citrus Heights resident and City Councilmember Jeanie Bruins said, adding that it was a huge display.
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Three levels of tracks were constructed, which routed three model trains through a mountainous region full of tunnels, trestles, waterfalls, miniature trees and buildings, Phelan recalled. The entire railway system was constructed with 15 yards of concrete, and 15 yards of gravel and soil, and numerous handmade miniature buildings.
Some of the buildings were constructed from kits, and others were hand made by members of the Sacramento Valley Garden Railway Society. Sunrise Mall paid members of the Railway Society to come in and maintain the tracks and the train wheels three times per week to keep the trains running smooth.
“The kids just would love to watch the trains go round,” Phelan said, adding that teenagers would try to place quarters on the tracks to knock the trains off-track. Bruins also recalled kids throwing coins into the fountain water as the trains traveled round.
The train system remained in place for three years, Phelan said, before it became too costly and timely to maintain the tracks, and the trains themselves, especially the wheels.
“That was a pleasant thing that happened,” Phelan said.
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