The Train Sheet

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE RAIL SOCIETY PORTOLA VOLUME No.4 No.3 MAY JUNE 1986 ISSUE No. 19

UNION PACIFIC BUSINESS CAR NUMBER 105 DONATED TO THE FEATHER RIVER

RAIL SOCIETY BY ••••••••••••••••

Mark F Chen char, representing UP, i s presenting the keys to the car to Norman Holmes (right) accepting the keys for the Society•.••••••••...• Feather River Rail Society Preserving 'The " ~WPLIVES The FRRS, a tax exempt public benefit California Corporation, BOARD OF DIRECTORS is the HISTORICAL SOCIETY for President and Founder Norman Holmes the 1st Vice President Jim Boynton and operates the PORTOLA RAIL- 2nd Vice President John Ryczkowski ROAD MUSEUM in Portola, Calif. 3rd Vice President Chris Skow . Formed in February, 1983 with the purpose of Secretary John Marvin preserving railroad history in general and DEPARTMENT OFFICERS Western Pacific Railroad history in particular. Treasurer Bill Magazin The WP LIVES in Portola for the benefit of the Membership Charlene Marvin friends of the late great FEATHER RIVER ROUTE. Sales Chris Skow ************ Grounds Hap Manit Single membership dues are $15.00 per Calendar Facilities Jim Ley Year. Our mailing address is Curator Steve Milward FRRS, POST OFFICE BOX #8, PORTOLA, CALIF. 96122 Track Norm Holmes ************ Diesel Dave McClain Our information phone number is 916-832-4131 Steam Jim Boynton ************ Cars John Ryczkowski "THE TRAIN SHEET" is Edited and laid out by Signal Jim Atkins John Ry czkowski, anyone wishing to send in Training John Ryczkowski articles/info please write; THE TRAIN SHEET . FRRS LIFE MEMBERS 1986 Post Office Box 1663, Sparks, 89432 1. R. G. Flannery 4. Dick Hussey ************ 2. Robert Dobbins 5. E. T. Lavelle Issue Number 19, 700 printed ...... 3. Dave McClain

FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK UP COMING EVENTS The railfan community was put'-to shame due to ~ - the despicableactions of a few self-gratifying individ­ FEATHER RIVER RAIL FESTIVAL ...... uals last April in Kansas. As reported in the May CTC JULY 12th...... Board, a group of "railfans" made copies of invitations Photo run bys, special set up I s for photos I s to an Operation Lifesaver special train sponsored by slide shows ...... food ...... a great day at Portola. Santa Fe, SP, UP, BN and Katy. The invitations were distributed throughout Kansas and when the day of the 1986 NATIONAL TRACK MOTORCAR CHAMPIONSHIP trip arrived approximately 100 of the 250 aboard were RACES .....AUGUST 2 and 3rd ...... uninvited railfans. To make matters worse several of Motor car racing, rides ...... a good event the fans proceeded to ransack the train taking ash trays, towels and anything that was loose. Whatever benevol­ RAILROAD DAyS ...... ence the railroads-particularly the Santa Fe-had toward AUGUST 23 and 24th...... fans in that area was lost and will be a long time re­ getting better every year a super event...... turning. The vast majority of railfans are respcnsible individuals, but as always we must suffer because of RAILROAD DAYS GOLF CLASSIC ...... the actions of a few. It behooves us to police our own Formerly Western Pacific Golf Tournament, will be kind-to stop unsafe or immoral actions of the irrespons­ held on AUGUST 22nd. at Graeagle...... ible when ever encountered. The railroads are unique in that they have "fans". For information on these events please write or call Union Pacific in particular has been very tolerant and the Society. cooperative with responsible fans. Please help keep it that way. HELP WANTED Wp is Willing People We are trying to make a list of all existing California • Zephyr cars. If you know of any anYWhere, please drop -- .-.: ~ us a note. Thanks. THE TRAIN SHEET ISSUE No. 19 SHEET TWO

6912 PARTS REMOVAL equipment and is leasing the shop If and when you move, please send The last major parts were removed and yard areas to a rail museum in us your new address. If the Post fro m UP Centennial 6912 \1ay 15th Ely, Nevada. Office notifies us of the change- with the removal of the two engines The Ely group is getting the sister a Train Sheet request, you may not and alternators. UP helped us by us­ Alco to our 104 ••• good luck ••••••• receive your copy and we have to ing their Portola derrick and crew, pay 30¢ for the info. assisted by Rail Society members We have lost or have incorrect Norm Holmes, Jim Lay, Hap Manit, NEVADA STATE RAILROAD MUSEUM addresses for the following: Rod McClure and Phil Schmierer. STEAM OPERATING SCHEDULE Douglas Hoyt, San Jose The operation took only five hours August 2 and 3 Engine No 25 Lee Barnett, San Jose and all was done safely and with­ August 16 and 17 Engine N022 Thelma Harris, Chico out incident. The engines weighing August 30 and 31 Labor Day Engine Frank Pearsall, Burke, VA 18 t ons each, and alternators were No 25 If anyone knows their addresses, placed on flat 8522 and gon 6116 September 27 and 28 Engine No 22 please let us know .•••• thanks ••••.••••• for' storage until needed. A few Oct 31 Nevada Day Engines No 22 As being the Historical Society for minor parts and fittings still need and No 25 the Western Pacific we are listed to be removed and then 'the unit Nov 1 and 2 Engines No 22 and 25 under Historical Societies in every will be returned to UP where it is Located in Carson City these magazine except MAINLINE MODEL­ listed as a trade in on the new beautifully restored VaT locomotives ER, if our members would write to SD -60's. It may be years before are worth a trip •••••••• Mainline maybe we can be listed we are able to put 6946 into For further info call 702-885-4810 there also. I have sent three letters operating condition, but thanks during weekdays ••.•••••• and they are on the Train Sheet again to UP we are a little closer. mailing list ••.••••••••••• some day???? MEMBERSHIP As a result of ads in CTC Board, DONATIONS Pacific Railnews, Railfan and Trains, House cleaning of the Portola Depot KENNECOTI donates railroad equip. our membership is growing rapidly. and Oroville yard office resulted in to WHITE PINE FOUNDATION •••••• We welcome all new members and the Society receiving two pickup Kennecott Corp has donated most hope you will enjoy your member­ loads of obsolete records, five old of the old ship in our Raif SocietY., This issue typewriters, the operators desk and of the SHEET will be sent to 680 other miscellanous items. The desk members and friends. and typewriters will be saved for our depot building and everything OPERATING DAYS being stored in one of our boxcars An Elks convention in Portola and a Also the Hi-way up the canyon is until needed. Thanks to Hap Manit railfan field trip prompted our still blocked. due to be opened by and local UP officials for arranging Society to open the operating season July 4th. for us to save these items. early this year. On Saturday and Operating crews were Greg Brahms. Bob Harlow has donated a 6X8 foot Sunday April 26 and 27th. trains Horm Holmes. Vickie Krois. Jim Ley. billboard sign for Museum use. - were operated for the benefit of Dave McClain. Ski. Tom Messer. A snack vending machine has been these two groups and other visitors Steve Milward. George Oels. Jack donated to our museum by friends who happened by. Eighteen members Palmer. Mat Parker. Graham Snyder. in Reno and the efforts of Marie of the Promontory Chapter. NRHS and Bob Wakefield. Rarbara Hol!lles Lindley. It has been filled with boarded Amtrak in served coffee. ice tea. soft drinks candy and snack foods for the for the all night trip to Reno. and donuts from the kitchen. Jack convenience of our visitors and There they rented two vans for Palmer almost single handedly manned workers. A canned soft drink the trip to Portola and a visit the ticket booth. vending machine would make a nice down the Feather River Canyon. A addition. if anyone knows of one number of visitors from the Elks available for donation. convention took time out to see FRRS SOP Through the efforts of Jim Atkins our display and take a ride •••••• and Union Pacific Superintendent The first addition of the Society's Jeff Verhaal and Chief Dispatcher Standard Operating Procedures is on Byron Schroeder. the "power Helping out for the weekend were line. Every member of the operating control board" used in the Sac­ Brian Challender. Steve Habeck. Rose dept. now headed by Steve Habeck. ~ ramento Dispatchers office has been Hersted. Barbara and Norman Holmes. needsa copy of this publication. ~';"~~~(lv, e- donated to our Rail Society. The Steve Hieb. Doug Jensen. Bob Larson. They can be had by writing attn: }').. Co tfi"", .... Jim Ley. Vickie Krois. Dave McClain. Training. Along with this SOP you -,\0 r I ~ two magnetic boards were used to ~\I.' , J keep track of WP's locomotives Vic Neves. Mat Parker and Ski. need a copy of THE BASIC TRAIN- ., using small tabs with the engine A three day operating session ING MANUAL FOR BRAKEMEN AND numbers. Norm Holmes brought over Memorial Day weekend. May SWITCHMEN, by the Railway Educa- the boards back from Sacto. 24-26 marked our first anniversary tional Bureau. One or the other of Hap Manit saved a number of items of the Grand Opening celebration. WP or UP SAFETY RULES. These from the Portola yards over the Steve Habeck arrived a day early can be had by going thru years and stored them at his mine and with the help of Greg Brahms, the gift shop. claim near Graeagle. The original Norm Holmes, Jim Ley, Rod Mc­ All members · of the operating dept control shack from the turntable. Clure and Steve Milward almost will be responsible to know the info a tall smokestack from the forge. every track in the yard was switched. in the SOP and by RR days will have lots of 451b rail. ties and timbers The long lead toward the balloon to pass a rules class and test on the are now in Portola returned from track was cleared for operation and SOP. whence they came •• Thanks to Hap. No.3 was left clear for safety. I am trying to set up a system -so - Switching operations started at 3:30 that all members can get the train­ and lasted until 1 AM. Lots of ing they need and want when they SD-60's on the FEATHER RIVER experience for our operating crews. can make it to the museum. ROUTE ••••••••••• Newly arrived Business Car 105 Please get a copy of the SOP and Union Pacific's new EMD super was spotted against the Santa Fe read it over it spells out every-thing series 3800 horsepower locomotives diner which was coupled to 6946. you need to know about advancing are now frequent visitors to the This enabled our visitors to walk thru the operating dept. rails of the canyon. UP ordered through the three units. The By getting a SOP your name will 60 units numbered 6000-6059 and 105 was a special attraction to go on a operating dept mailing the first seen west bound was everyone. list and you will be advised as to 6010 and 6011 on April 26th. We were somewhat disappointed any dates and changes as to rules The first unit on the point down by the attendance over the holiday. classes. operations. crews, etc ••••.• the canyon was 6008 that had the but maybe the steam expo in Van­ honor of bring the 105 to Portola. couver had something to do with it. THE TRAIN SHEET ISSUE No. 19 SHEET THREE TRACK WORK Track activity started again on CLASS_____ CAR NO. CLASS CA-3 25000 -25099 CAR NO. April 6th when Norm Holmes, Jim CA-3 3700 -3799 Ley, Steve Milward and Wayne Monger went to work on the ex­ tension of track No.6. It was ex­ tended about 200 feet using 75lb rail unloaded from our gon with the Burro crane. Ties from Hap Manit's mine were used as they didn't have to be 1st class. In May Rod Mc­ Clure and Phil Schmierer took the initiative and finished the track which gives us space to store four more cars. We need to get the rip tracks done next so we have storage room and display tracks for more equipment. UP CABOOSE 25049 NEWEST MEMBER Union Pacific CA-3 caboose number placed during the 50's with Ian Michael Milward weighing in at 25049 arrived at the museum April General Steel styled truck which 9lbs H oz was born to Lou Ann 3rd. In 1942, UP ordered 100 steel are under the caboose today. The Milward. The happy father, Steve cupola style cabooses from Mt wooden platform and steps were Milward, rushed back from his job Vernon Car Co. This was UP's first later replaced by Apex steel in Sunnyvale to Portola to be with purchase of steel cabooses sub­ tread platform steps. Lou Ann for the sweet event. Lou sequently 700 of this design were Our caboose is in need of four Ann turned down our suggestion to built over the next 25 years. When windows, an oil stove, some metal have the baby in the 921. delivered the cars were painted work and paint inside and out. tuscan red with white lettering and Otherwise it is in good condition, numbered 3700-3799. In 1947-48 It still has its roof walks and is CONTRIBUTIONS these cars were repainted Armor a welcome addition to our collection. The following have made cash con­ yellow with tuscan roof and steps. Ski is planing a trip up to Pocatello tributions along with their member­ The trucks and under body gear to get UP yellow paint and letters ship dues. We appreciate your were black. The type Q trucks for the caboose. thoughtfullness•••• ••• furnished by Mt Vernon were re- Thanks UP •••••••••• John Burgess, Bob Haynes, Lynn Held, Robert La Force, Vic Neves, John 0' Malley, Alex Pancheco, UP COMING ARTICLES and Chris Young. G HB international has a Brill Model A follow up story on lettering schemes 55 Railcar out that is correct for With the good weather season here for WP steel cabooses to round off the two Brill cars that ran on the the current WP caboose article. at last, we can now start repainting WP. equipment. Paint materials cost about WP's water operations and equip- Watch for an article in the next ment, a three part series••• •• •• $300 for each car or locomotive. If SHEET. you can help with this cost, we can A continuation of the WP history .• get more equipment painted•.•••••• Larry Hanlon is working on a complete study of the diff erant types of trucks available in model form. Everyones Bettendorf is not the same •• W P all the way WP MODEL DEPARTMENT MTS Imports of Middletown, NY is Keddie to Bieber importing Western Pacific 451-455 A recent purchase from Southern through freight service between series passenger coachs. Pacific of about 5.267 miles of track Built for the SN as trailers they Southern California and the Pacific between Westwood and Mason, Calif. Northwest. were used to transport lumberjacks now gives Western Pacific entire own­ on the Highline betwe.en Westwood ership and operating rights of its 112- The line was placed in operation on and Halls Flat. mile fourth subdivision between Ked­ November 10, 1931 when WP's Presi­ Please send in your reservation die and Bieber. Western Pacific dent Harry Adams and GN's President as soon as possible ••••••••• freights previously operated over the Ralph Budd shook hands from the The Gould Company's WP/PFE reefers five-mile portion under a joint track­ pilots of their respective steam engines, are still coming out! The Co has age rights agreement with SP. WP 204 and GN 3351. The line was been sold and they will release the The change came about when South­ originally referred to as the "Keddie­ model of the wooden PFE car by ern Pacific received permission to Bieber Line" and/or the "North Line." late summer. This car is based on the ACF type wooden reefer abandon a portion of its Westwood The line was renamed the "Inside just like Ski's (PFE/WP 52138). Branch extending from Susanville to Gateway Route" in \January, 1950 Microscales new set 87-491 WP Mason. when WP-GN-SFe officials and other 40' wood ice reefers has all the By means of the 112-mile line, West­ dignitaries attended ceremonies all correct decals for these cars when ern Pacific has a direct connection at along the three-railroad route to an­ they hit town. Watch for a model­ Bieber w~th the Great Northern and nounce the joint north-south through ing article in the SHEET as soon as at Stockton with ' the Santa Fe for a freight service. they are out. MAY-JUNE, 1966 MILEPOSTS EQUIPMENT ARRIVALS Two months ago Norm Holmes re­ ceived a phone call from Mr Jerry Davis, Executive Vice-President Operations, Union Pacific, asking if we were interested in a Business car. There was no hesitation on Norm's part of course we were interested. It seemed Union Pacific was going to retire car #105, as­ signed to their Chief Engineer. The car was built in 1917 for the railroad's president and moved through several number changes and a rebuilding until finally reaching the end of its useful career on the UP. The car arrived in Portola late Sunday, April 27th with new SD-60 600a., on the point and was moved onto museum trackage April 29th. The switch engine delivering the car consisted of 10 units (2925, 3595, 3331, 3610, 3175, 6011, 6010, 3085, 2940 and 3202). The car is complete with all furniture even including a built in TV set. We are indeed fort­ PHOTO OF 105 COMING TO TOWN BY MATT PARKER unate UP thinks so much of the Society to donate this beautiful car to our collection. On May 24th the keys to the car were formally pre­ David Seidel of the CAMERAIL CLUB, sent us this info sented to Rail Society President on the Union Pacific Business Car 105 ••• ;. Norm Holmes by UP Roadforeman Built Pullman 1917 of Engines Mark Chenchar. Number 100, Presidents Car Not nearly so glamorous, but none-the-Iess a welcome addition Re-numbered to 101 in 1952 to our collection is WPMW 1577 Re-numbered to 102 in 1957 which arrived May 7th. This tank Re-numbered to 105 in 1965 car is in better condition than our Retired in 1985 other tank car (1583) and will be Donated to the Feather River Rail Society in 1986 equipped with a pump for fire ser­ Note, replacing #105 is ex WP FEATHER RIVER vice. This was the last WP tank car in railroad service being used as a now numbered 105 •••...... •• waste (gray) water car in a track gang outfit. UP 105 on the balloon, Dou g Jenson h as b een giving the sides a work over wi t h rubbing compound and the finish r eally s h i n es ...... ::e~ , - OCCUPANCY - 7 If'tCLUDI NG CREW or- 2 tlj

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1--5~3~J-5:'3 · .i I I .. TRUCK CENTERS , -l I . ~ . 14 f-. 57-10 68:4 .. TC"TAL WHEEL BASE ______...... ""'1_. 6- 8-I

I.. 8~- '! I" OvER BUFFeRS ! J ;1.- 4 7~~ 10" OVER END SILL3 .1 WT. 98300 TOTAL WT. 214500 LT, WT. 1fE>200 _ . , OR/G. NQ 100 3-17 \'l )(39 0°"'6, I RE. N~ to I !!>-.52. IN P"~T!'4. RE. NQ 102. 4- ~7 RE. NQ 105 9-6~ 20

en en- C tlj ~ i-' co HOLLER ~EARINGS, A - OBSERVATION 1 - BED AXLES- a'x I :" B - OFFICE-A 2- A.C. CONTROL CABINET 1970 HOT WATER HEAT-VAPOR CO. f972. C-STATE ROOM-B- 3 - LOCKER-VAPOR HEAT SYSTEM OBS END ~COUPLER TYPE-E 1970 0- BATH ROOM . DRAFT GEAR- STANDARD E - COM6N. WASH STAND & TILTING HOPPER 4 - FRESH AIR INTAKE KfT. END COUPLER -TYPE- E ~ , F -STATE ROOM-C- . KEYSTONE EOC 4:'6 CUSHION GEAR UNrT G-STATE ROOM-[)- !>- FOLDING BED-CABINETS ABOVE 1972. · TRUCKS 0 S H WITH CrMBUOOOrK.8W

In 1973. the Western Pacific was So far in the history of the WP 442. 443. 444. 446. 448. 450. 451, forced by increasing safety standards steel caboose fleet, only 8 cabooses 452. and 462 from the second for cabooses to retire the remaining have left the active roster for new order of cabooses. all emerged from members of the homemade cabooses. homes and uses. Six of the 8 are this rebuilding with paint and which were numbered between 643 members of the first order of cab­ lettering schemes that were individ­ and 700. and included both bay­ ooses. The 427 was sold in an auc­ ially unique. Of these rebuilt first­ window and cupola types. As a tion by the UP at Pocatello. Idaho order cabooses. the 442. 446. 448. result of this forced retirement. in mid-1985. The 428 is. of course. and 451 were in general freight the WP ordered their third set of our example of this kind of WP service on March 30. 1986. along steel bay-window cabooses from caboose at out museum in Portola. with unrebuilt cabooses 435 and 453. International Railway Car Co. This The 437 has been donated to the The 429 and the 443 were in work time. 10 were ordered and delivered city of Elko, Nevada. and is dis­ train service along the former WP numbered 466 through 475. Just over played with WP GP-9, 727.· The 445 main on that same day. Caboose one year later in May 1974. the WP has been donated to the Sacramento 460 is restricted to use on the Long Valley Live Steamers for display. Street Local in Oakland, and is sten- THE TRAIN SHEET ISSUE No. 19 SHEET FIVE

A TRIP TO SOUTH AMERICA, IN SEARCH OF STEAM ciled "Long Street Cab". Caboose Chris Skow is in the planning stage for a trip to South 457 was to have gone through the America a 2 week or 3 week trip in Sept. Write Chris .. rebuild program. but never made it. It is now painted silver ' and is de­ dicated for use on the Oroville done at the giant UP Pocatello Car standard specific types of info Derrick train. where it replaced Shops. Six of the 30 "stored unser­ for interchange cars, plus the wooden caboose exSN 1632. which viceable" cabooses have been in format, size and location on a is now preserved at our museum at storage since 1984. most of them car for each item of' information. Portola. Caboose 431 and 459 are from accident damage. They are t REPORTING MARKS now wearing a coat of UP yellow. the 444. 450. 452. 463. 469. and Used to identify the owner of a nut are still lettered "WP". The 482. 19 of these cabooses entered car, no two owner can use the 431 was one of 6 WP cabooses that into storage during 1985. same sequence of initials. were painted yellow by new parent They are the 426. 432. (Reno Local) WP ... Western Pacific Union Pacific in the summer of 84. 439. 441. 454. 455. 456. 461. 464. CNW •• Chicago and Northwestern but has been restricted to yard use 467. 468. 470. 473. 474. 475. 476. RBOX. Railbox Company only at Stockton Yard since. The 459 478. and 479. Of these. the 463 Reporting marks ending in X mean was recently returned to active ser­ and the 478 were painted into UP that the car belongs to a private vice after sitting since 1984 await­ yellow in 1984. Between Jan 1st car owner not an operating RR. and March 30th this year. 5 more ing repairs. but in yellow paint. The number identifies one specific There are currently only one WP cabooses have been put into member of each of the next three "Stored Unserviceable" status await­ freight car in a fleet. Minimun of 9" let ters and nunbers orders of cabooses still in general ing rebuilding. These are the 430. service. From the October 1969 433, 438, 440, and 477. We need on side of car. Minimun of 4' on ends ; to make note that the 438 is painted . order. the 462, which was the Minimun of on each truck caboose for the SN's Chico Local yellow and until the 459 was return­ 1% WAD CAPACITY and WEIGHT for over 2 years, is active, usually ed to active use. it was the only Nominal Gapacity .•••• CAPY in work train service. From the one of the 6 that was painted yellow Load Limit ••••••••••• LT LMT March 2973 order, only the 471 is in 84 that has been used in general service. having been seen all over the Light Weight (empty).LT WI in service. It was in Columbus, The capacity of a freight car is Nebraska on March 30th. And Union Pacific System during the past two years. a number which to the nearest, from the May 1974 order. only the 1000 lbs, the intended carrying 480 is active, and is about as far There are three cabooses we have yet to account for here. Listed as capacity of the car. This is part from its former home rails while the strength of the underframe staying on the UP system. On retired and awaiting disposition are cabooses 434. 436, and 449. all three and the journal bearing size. March 30th, it was being used on The load limi t is the nunber to a Missouri Pacific local out of having been retired in 1984. The 449 was one of the 6 that was painted the nearest 100 lbs, the max Avondale, Louisiana. weight that can be loaded into Five out of 6 of the . last order into UP yellow in mid-1984. but was retired soon afterwards. and still sits the car. It is determined by sub­ of cabooses are still in active tracting the light weight from service on the Union Pacific. The in Stockton Yard. (449 now in Reno and being donated the total allowable gross weight only one from the 481 through 486 on the rail for a given journal series that is out of service is the to the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City, Nevada •••• Ski) size. The following table is 482, which was wrecked at Pitts­ assuming adequate structural burg, Calif. on July 8. 1984. The strength. others are scattered far and wide. Journal Gapaci ty Gross weight On March 30th. 481 was in Alexand­ ~GHr CARS 8" 60000 103000 ria. Louisiana. the 483 was in SLC. lEITERING and MARKING 9" 88000 142000 . the 484 was in Laramie. Wy •• This is the first of several art­ 10" 110000 177000 the 485 was in local service in Bates­ iles on the lettering and marking 11" 154000 220000 ville. Ark •• where it has been for of Western Pacific and others 12" 200000 263000 over a year now. and 486 was in rail equipnent. Example, Nampa. Idaho. . The markings on freight cars have WP 1952 (see photo) was reweighted As we mentioned earlier in this three principal purposes: at Oroville on 2-68 and weighted . article. there appears to be a bright To provide a uniform marking sys­ 47600 LT WI with friction jour­ future .for the majority of the re­ tem for reporting the car on way nals in size 10" 47600 - from maining WP cabooses still on the UP. bills, consists, and for billing. 177000 = 129400 LT LMT •••• Besides the 20 that are still active. To give specific information about CAPY 110000 the UP is currently holding 30 others the physical characteristics of 10 LMT 129400 in "Stored Unserviceable" status. It the car. LT WI 47600 ORO 2-68 is planned to take these 30. as well To display dates that are import­ WP 3408 (see photo) was reweighted as many of the 20 that are still in ant to assure compliance with at Sacramento 5-78 with a LT WI use. and run them through a caboose maintenance requirements. of 53800 will give a 10 LMT of rebuilding program that is to extend The Association of American Rail­ 123200, and a CAPY of 120000. from 1986 through 1989. Many of roads (MR) was' organized in 1934, Note the capacity of a car can these 30 cabooses are currently and thru this group a standard of never be greater than it's load stored on the "dead caboose" tracks car marking was established for limit so reduce the figure to less in Pocatello. Idaho and Omaha. Neb •• all cars interchanged in the US. than the load limit. while the rest are scattered amoung MR MANUAL OF STANDARDS AND RE­ A star is used when the load stored freight cars on many unused CCM1ENDED PRACTICES. and the limi t is reduced below the branchIines and spurs in Idaho. The FIELD MANUAL OF THE MR, Inter­ journal capacity due to structural caboose rebuilding program will be change Rules (Rule 80) has the . limitations. in Richmond. Following leads frOm Tom, Jim contacted the officials Light Weight is the actual scale cylinder is pointing if car has and made a bid that was accepted. weight of a empty car to the near­ two brake wheels. (Jim donated the funds.) Tom not est 100 lbs. arnER only located the material, he picked Rules call for periodic weighing Many cars used by WP have REIURN it up and delivered it to the museum WHEN EMPTY blocks and equij:Il18nt and a symbol showing when and on May 18 at his own expense. A pool info showing the railroad where a car was last weighted., special thanks to him! On new cars the marking is asigned to. Trust Marks showing Thank you, also, to Jim Ferguson NEW. the actual owner, precautionary On olders cars it will be a warnings on closing doors, inside of Concord. He obtained the services station symbol and date ••.• of a machinist in the bay area who equij:Illent and linings are marked ORO=Oroville 2-68=FEB, 1968 turned out special studs that were Minimun of 3" letters and nunbers on many cars. impossible to find. Appreciated is DIMENSIONAL DATA AAR Mechanical Designation and the donation of Norman Holmes of EXW •. extreme width Maintenance information to follow. twp independent brake valves. Hap EW ... outside width over eaves SKI ••••• Manit is in for some thanks also H.... height over rail of wide for all the help he offers in obtain­ points or eaves ing materials. IL ••• inside length between end UPDATE ON ENGINE '8 Cal Hill, US Navy, has been trans­ walls by Betty Boynton ferred to Hawaii. He writes that he TW ••. inside width The tale of # 8' s turret valve near­ misses the days he spent at the ly had an unhappy ending! After del­ IH ... inside height museum and working on #8. CU FT cubic feet, cubic capacity ivery to Sacramento by Jim Lay, a On May 19, 1962, a special WP EXH •• height in excess of 15' -6" thorough inspection revealed prob­ train pulled into Quincy Junction W•••• extreme width at EXH height lems so serious that repairs might with two hundred eager railfans E•••• stands for extreme be nearly impossible••• meaning the from the bay area. There to greet #8 might never run again. But re­ them 'was #8 (Jim was engineer) To help railroads identify cars tired WP machinist Earl McKenzie, and the Quincy Railroad engine # 2 with potential clearance problems, a special friend of #8, refused to (Solon Luzzadder engineer). # 2 pulled give up and that resulted in a mirac­ a system of outside d~nsions four gondolas with benches, and with grouped into a given cross section lous job of restoring the turret to #8 leading the way, they crossed was foImed and called "plates" operating condition. A big thank the spring-bright American Valley Four standards known as Plates B, you to Earl from # 8. to Quincy. All of Quincy turned out C, E and F. B is the smallest With ear flaps down and coat to see the visitors and the two and is not marked. collar up, Jim spent many days this lively little steamers. With the Cars whose extreme outside dim­ winter on the patio grinding on steam, the whistles and all the events ensions fall within Plate C, E parts of #8 until he found what he that make an excursion memorable, orF are marked with a 10"xlO" wanted••• the original brass under everyone came away happy but one. square located to the right of layers of grime and rust. The tur­ One disgruntled individual filed the reporting marks. ret was the most rewarding, and charges against the # 8 and the Cars whose dimensions are in it has now been replaced on the Quincy Railroad with the ICC, excess of either Plate C, 'E, engine with the help of Dave charging violation of the Locomotive or F are identified by a 13" Lubliner. The final hydro has been Inspection Act. ICC's fine of $250 circle wi th the words EXCEEDS delayed until the water tight PlATE C (E OR F). integrity has been restored. The CIASS boiler inspection showed it to be Con't. on Sheet Six••• WP never marked their cars wi th in good condition. a class but many do such as the The grinders have been working UP. Railroad classifications are overtime in the hands of Mel Moore, generally placed directly under Steve Jackson, Mike Attima, and the dimensional markings in 4" retired SP engineer Dean Hill. They letters (R-70-24) (up) are preparing the metal of the engine and tender for priming and SPECIAL EQUIPMENT MARKINGS eventual finish. Generally stencilled in 1~" letters Project carpenter John Marvin is on both ends of a car. Telling sizing and drilling heavy timbers for about special devices, equij:Illent the rear bumper of #8'5 tender. and steel wheels other than 33". John has conducted two tours of Cars equipped with high friction classes from the Quincy Elementary composition brake shoes are marked School this May. Jim is engineer on in 1~" letters on all four corners. the rides and John provides the Special symbols to show lading commentary, and the result is many equij:Illent are marked on the doors happy childern. The San Frane isco of the car. Jim has been grinding on # 8' s Examiner Sunday Magazine of July !!: removable crossbars main throttle and had help on this 27, should have a nice article job from Ken Shipton, and Jim Fol­ on our museum. CD lading strap anchors som. Dave Lubliner has been apply- ing his expertise in steam fitting Thill issue of the Train Sheet 1& LEFT AND RIGHT DESIGNATIONS by installing cab appurtances. He late. For personal reasons the a L or R is stencilled in 1~" was also instrumental in replacing editor wa. unable to get it out letters by door seal pins. Left broken cylinder head studs. on time. We will try to get and Right is determined while Thanks to Tom Moungovan of back on our Bi-Monthly schedule facing the B end of the car. The Sebastopol, the project was able with our next issue _ which should B end is the end with the brake to purchase five barrels of boiler be mailed in early August. (NWH) ~~~e~l ~o~r~t~h~e~end~~whi~·~c~h~th~e~br~a~k~e~ __~ ~~·-acale_como~und-1I~~~~~ __~ ______THE TRAIN SHEET ISSUE No. 19 SHEET SIX

was appealed and in the summer of pletely vindicated. the result of will feel steam in her boiler 1963 a terial was held in the court this unnecessary situation meant and will be a very lively part of the of federal Judge Sherrill Halbert in that #8 never ran again under steam. Portola Railroad Museum. (We have Sacramento. Not guilty was the She was moved from her pad at the complete text of the trial, etc. verdict! But with red tape and more the Quincy RR depot to the Plumas for anyone interested in the whole appeals from the government, it was County Fairgrounds where she sat story.) not until November of 1964 that the quietly for twenty two years. But #8 and the Quincy RR were com- the day soon will come when she

IT The three forks of the Feather River flow The following article is from a March 1942 ITTRAINS down into California's Sacl'amento Valley from the east and north, from sources high in the Mountains. These are the mountains that must be conquered by any railroad entering the Central Valley of the Feather River Route Golden State from the east; and appropriately . named they are, for * Western Pacific, newest of the transcontinentals, Sierra is Spanish for crosses the high Sierras with only ja.gged or saw-tooth one per cent grade. mountains and Nevada means white as snow. The range is, geologically, a giant granite chartered in 1903 by a block some 350 miles north and south and 80 By A. C. Kalmbach. * group of San Francis­ miles east to west, heaved up at an angle by co bankers to build some prehistoric convulsion. EORGE GOULD, son of Jay Gould, worked a competitive route Through this formidable natural barrier G late in his office on the fifth floor of the across the high Sierras the Feather River (named because early ex­ old Western Union Building on lower Broad­ to Great Salt Lake but plorers found pigeon feathers floating on the way in New York. He worked hard with shirt Gould soon took over. 'Water) cuts a natural path from the summit sleeves rolled up, and he carried bulging The ukase came to the great level valley of Central California. cases of papers out to his country place over down that the Western In its upper reaches the Feather River Valley the week ends. It was 1905, and Gould was Pacific must be built is broad and green, in its lower portions a the overlord of some 15,000 miles of railroad, so well that it could veritable canyon cut deep in the red and . not just a financial manipulator but a pro­ efficiently compete brown rock, with feathery foam rising from gressive, fighting operating officer. with the solidly estab- boiling rapids. The Gould lines centered about the wealthy lished Southern Pacific, the one-time Central Before the coming of the railroad the Feather River was well known. The miners Missouri Pacific, dominating the Mississippi Pacific and first of the transcontinentals. The of '49 worked the canyon and the surrounding Valley and extending along the Arkansas Denver & Rio Grande, solid, substantial road hills, and Rich Bar, a station on the Western River Valley to the foot of the Rockies. The safely embedded in the rich local traffic of the Pacific 16 miles below Keddie, was the scene connecting Wabash rolled east over the corn Colorado Rockies, took two-thirds of the country and the Great Lakes Basin to Toledo capital stock and guaranteed the interest arid of a veritable bonanza: There are no official records extant, but estimates of the gold and Buffalo. The Wheeling & Lake Erie sinking fund payments for Western Pacific. taken from this one spot range from 14 brought the system wi~ plunging distance The bond trust agreement provided that the million to 23 million dollars. of Pittsburgh, originating point of as much new road must have no grade steeper than The old histories record that in July of 1850 tonnage as Chicago, New York, and Philadel­ one per cent compensated, no curve sharper than 10 degrees (573-foot radius) in its thou­ a man named Greenwood realized $2900 from phia combined. The new Wabash Pittsburgh two pans of gravel from the river bar, whence Terminal audaciously put the Gould lines sand miles or so of main line. the name Rich Bar. Thereupon a stampede of right into this traffic fortress of the Pennsyl­ Little does it matter that in the panic of gold seekers ensued and Rich Bar's popula­ 1907 the Gould financial house of cards vania. The Western Maryland, with a few tion rose to 2500. "So rich the gravel," toppled under the weight of the Pittsburgh w~s . more miles of connecting up, would be the says George Mansfield in a booklet on the seaboard end of this mighty aggregation of Terminal and the Western Pacific extension. Feather River Canyon, "that claims on mileage. The individual roads were sound. Denver & the bar were limited to 10 feet square." Rio Grande and its affiliate, Missouri Pacific, To the west the Denver & Rio Grande In the later gold boom days, when the went right ahead. They needed a friendly carried the Gould banner from the Missouri chartering of the Central Pacific made Pacific connection at Pueblo across the West Coast connection, and they got it. The railroad connection with the East seem last spike was driven November 1, 1909, near Rockies to Salt Lake City jlIld Ogden. But a near reality, the Feather River Valley Keddie, CalH., and marked the completion of here the Gould trackage ended, with no hope was considered for the route by that the last major transcontinental railroad. of friendly traffic connection, for west of grandfather of Sierra railroad survey­ In four years the road had been built com­ Ogden was only the Southern Pacific, then ing, Theodore Judah. He ran a line plete almost as it exists today, and engineers united with the Union Pacific under Harri- through the valley of the Middle Fork, called it the finest railroad construction job man. Even any hope south of the present Western Pacific since the West Shore. In the new picture, of using Senator North Fork Route, but the construction Southern Pacific had competition in its home Clark's new Los An­ work would have been too heavy for the territory and Denver & Rio Grande had its geles & Salt Lake as a pioneering railroad. Grades and operat- West Coast feeder was West Coast extension. stymied when UP se­ • With the assistance of the cured an interest in "FEATHER RIVER ROUTE," says the Western following people in gather­ the Los Angeles road. Pacific herald. And Feather River Route ing illustrations and data: But Gould's eyes lit on has been advertised in timetables, tourist cir­ T. B. Aldridge, W. C. Whit­ a new venture, the culars, and on the sides of box cars so well taker, Guy Dunscomb, and and so often that the route is almost better Thomas E. Brown, publicity . Western Pacific Rail­ manager of the Western Pa­ road. It had been known than the railroad itself. cific Railroad with offices in . ing cost were then not so important as put as much of the line as possible on the picked as standard fuel west of Winnemucca, low first cost. The Central Pacific sunny side of valleys, knowing that the snow Nev., while coal is standard east of there. therefore built in the in mountains doesn't come all at once, but is The grade was cut through the hills and Canyon, south of the Feather River an accwnulation of unmelted snowfalls from laid across the desert flats from many a focal country, and crossed the Sierras at many weeks. Using their advantage of many point. , Except for heavy bridge work which , a higher crossing -and a years of snowfall records, they also found that awaited the coming of the rails, the substruc­ route with steeper grades than the snowfall in the Sierras is a local matter, and ture was finished far ahead of track laying. Western Pacific. that certain areas seem to attract snow while The steel was 85-pound section, new for the Arthur W41lter Keddie originally sur- other places seem sheltered from it. So they main line, second hand from D&RG for the veyed the North Fork'Route in 1866 and located the Western Pacific in such a way that sidings. West crept the track from ,Salt Lake it has but 50 miles of bad snow, and seldom City. Tri-weekly service was inaugurated campaigned for a railroad through the more than two feet of depth. into Nevada. The power shovels and electric Feather River to such an extent that he is Across the mountain-sprinkled Nevada draglines. were still biting into the Coast today known as the Father of the Western plateau the route was clear. The Humboldt Range at , southeast of Oak- Pacific. The first definitely projected railroad River cuts across the center of the state from along this natural grade was the Oroville & east to west, and although Southern Pacific land, and dynamite still re­ Virginia City of 1869, which was followed by already occupied the valley, Western Pacific sounded in the depths of many another 'unsuccessful project, including found room to squeeze in another location. Feather River Canyon. the San Francisco & Great Salt Lake (1892) The two single-track lines are; in fact, so The first locomotives, 20 for and the Stockton & Beckwourth * Pass (1902) . nearly parallel that since March 7, 1924, they construction purposes' and . When Gould took over the San Francisco have been used jointly as double track, the original end-of-line traffic, company in 1905 he found a route surveyed, a Western .Pacific for all eastbound moves and came from Baldwin. Then route allowing easy construction and located the Southern Pacific for all westbound moves. came the fleet, from American. mostly along the North Fork of the Feather At the east edge of the Nevada plateau, The road was equipped com­ River. But the maximwn grade was a short snaking down from the Toana Mountains into pletely new at the start, 88 stretch of 21h per cent. the Great Salt Lake Desert, the engineers brand new locomotives, a tre- Gould chose not to uSe this route but to met another obstacle to the maximwn one per mendous advantage over competition using a take a somewhat different line over Beck­ cent grade. The natural location called for variety of locomotives of various vintages. wourth Pass which would allow for a maxi­ three per cent. But the men with the rod and But what a disadvantage later on, when the mwn of only one per cent grade. Beckwourth transit swung wide to the north along an es­ WP roster showed a preponderance of 1908 Pass, the lowest saddle in the Sierras for carpment, and laid out Arnolds Loop, really a vintage power, and when on other railroads hundreds of miles in either direction, was horseshoe curve, averaging some 2000 feet larger locomotives, superheated, were replac­ named for Jim Beckwourth, early Indian across but at one spot only 250 feet between ing the older power! Fortunately, Western scout. Unlike the Central Pacific, and with the c,alks. The salt flats, bed of old Lake Pacific started business right at the beginning the necessary capital to do -as he wished, Bonneville, giant inland sea of which Great of the steel car era, and so its passenger Gould decided the easier grade would be Salt Lake is now the largest remnant, are equipment was right in step for many 'years worth the added construction cost. crossed with a 43-mile continuous stretch of to come. Following the ultimatwn of a maximwn straight track. Thus was a new railroad born, track, stock one per cent grade, Gould's surveyors went to Many a famous racer has set new world and locomotives. But even with the fine con­ work. Down from the pass they flung a line records for automobile speed on hard shelled struction, even with the brand new locomo­ across Sierra Valley, leading into the Middle portions of these fiats which, in the moon­ tives, even with the favorable Eastern traffic • M~y references spell this Beckwith. light, look like another inland sea. Railroad connection, it couldn't pay its way. The time came, all too soon, when Western Pacific de­ Fork of the Feather River. But the natural construction here was no small problem. faulted on its first mortgage bonds, and sued grade this way grew too steep, so the line was Workmen walked 'out on planks to lay the the Denver & Rio Grande for its guarantee of swung across a divide into the North Fork first ties and on the skeleton track gondola interest and sinking fund payments. This Valley. This necessitated the expensive 7343- cars were gingerly pushed forward to dwnp threw both roads into receivership, and 10 foot-long Spring Garden Tunnel. Even then ballast material which was worked under the and behold, the upshot of it was that Western the natural grade was too steep, so the engi­ ties to form a wide, firm base. Solid bottom is Pacific, the child of the D&RG, turned about neers created , a complete at some points beneath 14 feet of oozy mud. and bought its parent for five million dollars circle of track nine-tenths of a mile in ch-­ at foreclosure sale! cumference, by which the line drops 45 feet. HE operation of the road received as care­ There came, as there usually does between Because 'the Feather River Canyon is very T ful engineering attention as the location. competitors who have proved their mettle, a rugged, and because its sides are steep, the It was carefully figured, for instance, that period of amicable understanding between making of the line survey and the driving of Consolidation locomotives could IIlove 1000- Western Pacific and Southern Pacific. The location stakes involved great hazards. It is a ton freight trains up the 'one per cent grades, agreement of March 7, 1924, in addition to fact that the surveyors had to be let down the and that while double-headers could move providing for joint double-track operation of faces of cliffs by ropes. Harry Ardley, now 1700 tons it would be cheaper to use single 182 miles of track in Nevada, also provided' with the industri~l department of the West­ engines and standardize on lOOO-ton trains ern Pacific, worked as a helper when the sur­ over the mountains. Division points were that Western Pacific would act as a bridge for veys were being made. He says that at one placed as close to the 100-mile average as was Southern Pacific traffic between Chico (via time he and a transit were being lowered by consistent with good water supply, crew Sacramento Northern) and Weso, Nev., and rope. "It was tough going," says Ardley. "I quarters, and so on. A stretch too much more guaranteed a minimwn over this bridge of arrived at a point where either I or the transit than 100 miles would mean excess overtime one-half of all Southern Pacific traffic be­ had to drop to the bottom of the canyon, and for freight crews. A standard design of en­ tween Oregon and Ogden, excluding perish­ so I let the transit go." gine terminal was adopted, with the lead ables and livestock. Further, the SP would The detailed choice of route on the west tracks to the turntable lining up exactly with act as a bridge for the Western Pacific be­ slope of the Sierras :.vas much influenced by some of the roundhouse tracks on the oppo­ tween Suisun and Sacramento. At that time snow records. Southern Pacific has miles of site side. The Oakland terminal, cleverly ar­ Suisun was on an entirely isolated section of snowsheds on its Donner Pass Route, and is ranged in a eramped space between two the Sacramento Northern. The deal also in­ often faced with 20-foot drifts. Western Pa­ South,ern Pacific lines, included a loop for cluded a sale to Pacific Fruit Express of all cific, coming in to fight under competitive turning passenger trains. The price of coal Western Pacific refrigerator cars, and a guar­ odds, couldn't risk the high operating expense and oil per b. t. u. was computed, including antee by that company of Western Pacific's of continued snow fighting, so the engineers freight to each division point, and oil was refrigerator car supply. That's how the WP - THE TRAIN SHEET ISSUE No. 19 SHEET SEVEN

herald came to be emblazoned on Pacific transcontinental route comparing favorably with any com­ Fruit Express cars. petition. Thus ended an era for Western Pacific. The western end of the old Gould empire had been built far better and with more strategic connections than Gould ARTHUR CURTISS JAMES is dead. But he lives had even dreamed." Now, as the Exposition FlyeT streaks 1""\ on in the Western railroad picture of from Chicago to San Francisco on a schedule equal to any today. For Arthur Curtiss James was the other no-extra-fare train, it is a living monument to Arthur last of the great railroad builders, the last Curtiss James. And as separate roads with strong traffic successor to the heritage of Colis P. Hunting­ alliances but no Eastern ownership connections, the Bur­ ton, E. H. Harriman, and James J. Hill. And lington-Great Northern-Missouri Pacific (MP now joins it was Arthur Curtiss James who made the with WP in 50-50 ownership of D&RGW) -Denver & Rio Western Pacific the railroad it is today. Grande Western-Western Pacific group is perhaps much James was the son of one of James J. Hill's better off in the present-day traffic strategy than would be chief lieutenants, born 'with railroading in his the coast-to-coast railroad Gould visioned. Can one blood and money in his pocket. It was he who imagine the Pennsylvania routing a car via Western Pacific built the El Paso & Southwestern, hoping to with a trunk of the same system strongly entrenched in its push it through to the Pacific Coast. And own back yard? An independent Western transcontinental when it was blocked, he sold it to Southern has a much better chance fighting for its traffic among the Pacific, in 1926, for a fortune in stock and Eastern trunk lines, and vice versa. Perhaps that's why no bonds. This made him the largest individual road has followed the Gould coast-to-coast intentions. stockholder iri Southern Pacific and gave him the capital to buy Western Pacific. He was a HE yellow reefers r~ll east up the I~O-mile continu?us firm believer in the future of the West, and he .T one per cent grade m the Feather Rlver Valley behmd felt that Western Pacific could be built up as the giant 4-6-6-4 articulateds built by American in 1938, or an independent competing railroad. No time behind' the four-unit 5400-horsepower Ele~tro-Motive was lost putting theory into practice. A vast freight Diesels. The company's 7768 freight cars are seen improvement program was inaugurated: from coast to coast with interchange loads. The fulfillment more modern power,, widening. of subgrade, of Arthur Curtiss James' vision of a growing West is seen in the fact that 43 per cen,t of all Western Pacific tonnage deeper ballast, new rail, more ties. The net­ originates on the road. work of branches projected in 1905 had never Manufactured goods furnish most of the freight tonnage been built, and Western Pacific lacked feed­ on the road, with 41 per cent of all tons from connections ers, while its big competitor extended fingers and 28.7 per cent of originated tonnage. Products of mines into every town of. size in central California. come next, with far more originated on the line than re­ So James revived branch line projects, and ceived from connections, and then come products of agri­ improved the WP-owned electric line, Sac­ culture, of the forests, and ,finally a small two per cent of ramento Northern [March 1941 TRAINS], animals and animal products and about an equal amount of which gave Western Pacific connections less than carload freight. Such single items as lumber, spreading well over the . An all-rail route into San Francisco, via Niles and Redwood City, was even projected and shingles, and lath make up the greatest bulk, Motive power to move the traffic includes authority was asked of the Interstate Com­ while the westbound train you 'pass in 168 locomotives, J.02 of which date from 1920 merce Commission. Nevada may be mostly soft coal. Connections or earlier. The most unusual specimens on The ·Southern Pacific - Arthur Curtiss in California deliver fresh grapes in quantity the roster are the 170-series Mountain types, James, largest stockholder-fought Arthur to make up the third largest bulk item on used for fast passenger trains. These seem a Curtiss James' Western Pacific every step of connecting-line billings, and sugar also rates bit out of place with the other power, and the way. Its offer to haul WP carload traffic third in on-line billings. indeed they are. In 1936 the Western Pacific into San Francisco was instrumental in final­ The seasonal variation is considerable, but purchased the 10 sleek 170's from the Florida ly killing the San Francisco extension. But it approximately in line with other Western East Coast Railway! could not block the biggest venture of the roads. Revenue for October, the maximum The rolling stock lists 8 dining cars, 53 James regime, the ex­ month, is about twice that for February. other passenger cars, 398 ballast cars, 555 tension. Passenger business, despite the magnificent other work cars, and 7768 freight cars. Unlike Southern Pacific had been the only connec­ Feather River Canyon, is a small matter. the locomotives, the bulk of these date from tion between California and Oregon. Way There is only one through train each way 1921 to 1925. back in 1~09 Great Northern struck south daily, the Exposition FlyeT, and another train through the Des Chutes River Valley with its each way as far as Portola, at the head of the HE Exposition FlyeT, pride alike of the Oregon Trunk Railroad, but this only reached canyon. This last train is the FeatheT RiveT T Burlington, ·the Denver & Rio Grande to Bend, Ore., far short of even the California ExpTess. A local runs between Portola and Western, and the Western Pacific, was sched­ state line. Now, with James on the board of Reno, and the Loyalton Branch sports a uled so that its westbound run would take many a railroad, including Great Northern, mixed tri-weekly. Through passenger service advantage of the scenic highlights of each of Burlington, and D&RGW, there was a new from the Pacific Northwest was planned for the lines. Unlike earlier WP passenger jobs, community of interest, and the Great North­ the Northern California extension, and appli­ which went through the much-exploited ern's plans to reach California were linked cation was made with the I. C. C. to run such Feather River Canyon in the dark, No. 39 with Western Pacific's plans to stretch north. a service. The depression caused withdrawal leaves Portola at 12: 55 p. m. and slides down Despite SP opposition and its construction of of the application in 1933, and the only pas­ the whole length of the canyon to Oroville a parallel line to the east, the I. C. C. agreed senger service on the line is Winter sports by 4: 30. Here is a truly exceptional train ride that a competitive north and south route specials run to Lake Norvell, 52.5 miles north and the best way to see the Western Pacific. would be a good thing, and the lines met at of Keddie on the main line. Lake Norvell is Lying awake in his berth on the westbound Bieber in 1931 with James driving the golden in a high mountain meadow, virtually on the FlyeT, the traveler is introduced to the West­ spike. Three years later came the Dotsero summit of the Cascade Mountains, and is an ern Pacific at midnight (mountain time) as Cutoff on the D&RGW [January 1942 ideal site for snow sports, including skiing, he hears the sound of switching and engine­ TRAINS] and the community of roads had a tobogganing, and ice skating. changing at Salt Lake City. The night before it was a huge 4-8-4 with Rio Grande splashed and perhaps passi~g side-t~ acked Southern ing grade of only eight-tenths of one per cent, across the tender. The next morning it will Pacific freight trains. The two' tracks are the Western Pacific reaches Reno Junction be one of the 170. series ex-Florida East Coast quite close together most of the way. Battle and the east portal of the Chilcoot Tunnel, in 4-8-2's on the front end as the train swings Mountain on the Southern Pacific and North which it crosses the summit at 5018 feet above wide on the curves leading into the Humboldt Battle Mountain on the Western Pacific are River Valley. the stations farthest apart, the distance being It's 11: 35 p. m., Pacific time, when the-con­ about five miles. ductor lifts his lantern and No. 39 leaves Salt The paired operation continues until about Lake City. Straight west run the tracks, 8 o'clock, when the train reaches Winne- until, lifting the shade, one can see the Great sea level. The Reno Branch of the Western Salt Lake stretching north in the moonlight. mucca. The Pacific is 33 miles long and is operated pri­ Western Pacific is built right on the south smart trav- marily for freight service. About 15 miles of edge, so close that much trouble was experi­ eler has this is on the right of way of the old Nevada­ enced at first because the small, but insistent, timed his California-Oregon Railroad, which was a waves wore down the rock riprap along the breakfast so narrow gauge line running from Reno to embankment and continually threatened to that he can get off the train at this station and Lakeview, Ore., via Plumas Junction and slide the railroad into the inland sea. walk up and down the platform while the en­ Hackstaff. There was a branch line from It's still too early in the morning for anyone gine takes water. The dry Nevada air is a Plumas Junction to Clio, Calif., in the upper but a milkman when the train pauses briefly treat, Winter or Summer. Feather River Canyon. WP purchased the at Shafter, Nev. Here the Western Pacific Now the railroad climbs from the Humboldt line between Reno and Hackstaff and the crosses the Nevada Northern, which runs 121 River Valley, edging westward into the desert branch between Plumas Junction and Clio. miles south to Ely, location of some of the while the Southern Pacific disappears to the The latter was eventually abandoned. Total richest copper mines in the world. There is . southwest. Distances here are deceptive. mileage acquired by WP was 105 miles. The no longer passenger service on this railroad From Gerlach, 94 miles west of Winnemucca, Southern Pacific purchased the remainder of but it's still handling a very healthy a.gypsum plant seems hardly a mile away to the line from Hackstaff to Lakeview, but freight business. Apparently at one the south and yet it is five miles off! The most of this has been relocated and made time high hopes were held for it, as an utterly lifeless and arid earth seems to stretch standard gauge, some parts abandoned. early prospectus of the Western Pacific endlessly to distant mountainous horizons. It Reno Junction first was named Rainbow. mentions the possibility of the Nevada is practically trackless, with automobile tire The story of how it came to be so named Northern extending to Los Angeles and imprints occasionally leading a path in one comes from the correspondence of Virgil Gay providing the WP with a valuable con­ way or another. Sometimes medium sized or Bogue, chief construction engineer when the nection. (Th{s wasn't WP's only hope even quite large lakes can be seen from the railroad was built: for getting to Los Angeles. Plans were train. At other seasons of the year these made for extending south in the San lakes dry up completely. As the track winds "A few days ago, having inspected the progress Jouaquin Valley from Stockton to Los on into hillier country, closer to the Sierra on Chilcoot Twmel, and having had a very hard day, I walked over the surface of the groWld. It Ange.les.) 1£ he's awake at 4: 15 in the morn­ Nevadas and the California-Nevada state had been raining all day, but as I neared the ing, and if an early Summer sun will permit line, Pyramid Lake appears toward the eastern portal of the tWlnel, the sky cleared and him to see the right of way and structures, the southeast. This is the last remnant of prehis­ there was a beautiful rainbow. I took this as a sharp-eyed traveler may notice a change, for good omen and a promise that our efforts would toric Lake Lahontan, which extended several be crowned with success." west of Wells the Exposition Flyer will be hundred miles and had a depth of 880 feet. running on the tracks of the Southern Pacific. Somewhat before noon and some 10 miles Coming out of the west end of Chilcoot FroIn Wells to Winnemucca both railroads west of the view of Pyramid Lake, the West­ Tunnel, a startling change is evident. The follow the valley of the , ern Pacific crosses, at an acute angle, the western slope of the mountain has much more winding from side to side in its canyon and Southern Pacific Alturas Line, a short-cut vegetation. In the broad mountain-rimmed . sometimes cutting beneath sharp rock pali- connection between the Southern Pacific's Sierra Valley, the Western Pacific rolls west­ sades. The Southern Pacific track is used for main line in Nevada and its Cascade Line in ward down an easy grade to Portola, division all westbound trains and the Western Pacific Oregon. Far across the desert there may be a point and top of the famed 100-mile one per track for all eastbound trains of both roads. . powerful cab-forward articulated pulling a cent grade of the Feather River Canyon. So here is a Western Pacific train stopping at long SP freight train. Below Portola the valley starts in earnest. Southern Pacific staJ;ions, controlled by the Angling up the barren and steep east slope First it seems but a pretty wooded glade, and typically Southern Pacific semaphore signals, of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, with a rul- then it gradually widens out and becomes THE TRAIN SHEET ISSUE No. 19 SHEET EIGHT x more rocky. Blairsden, 11 miles below of this bridge carries the track for the More suddenly than it began, the deep Portola in Mohawk Valley, is the starting Northern California extension by which the rocky gorge flattens out into a tranquil point for trips to Johnsville, which lies in the Western Pacific connects with the Great wooded ravine and the train pulls into shadow of Mount Eureka, where the famous Northern. For a mile or so the tracks of the Oroville. This is at an elevation of 203 feet Plumas-Eureka mine was discovered in 185l. Northern California extension can be seen above sea level, and the descent from the Just when the train is really 'getting into a climbing along the opposite side of the canyon. Sierras is accomplished. deep valley, it dives into the 7343-foot-Iong By comparison with the early days, Rich From here the Western Pacific track points Spring Garden Tunnel, in the construction of Bar, which once was a trading post and prin­ nearly straight south across the smooth valley which engineers were compelled to fight for cipal town in the Feather River Canyon of the through Marysville, Sacramento, and Stock­ months against obstacles such as boulders gold rush era, is now a ghost town. However, ton--crossing, recrossing, and at times using and sands of an ancient river-bed and the a number of persons still dwell at Rich Bar, tracks jointly with the electric Sacramento waters of an underground stream. When the which has a little hotel-resort; and the old Northern. From Stockton the road turns line emerges into the North Fork watershed diggin's are still being worked. west, crosses the summit of the Coast Range it is in a beautiful high mountain meadow Fishing abounds and, in fact, Tobin, at at Altamont (a great mountain pass in minia­ surrounded by forest trees, and but a short milepost 253, is one of the many points in the ture), threads and twists through Niles Can­ distance farther swings about this meadow in Feather River country which has caused it to yon, and swings north into Oakland, where it the famous Williams Loop. be known as the paradise of trout fishermen. terminates on a mole or ferry landing. Pas­ Quincy Junction at milepost 288 (reading The truly rocky character of the canyon senger trains have used Southern f'acifi\. from San Francisco) is the junction point for becomes more and more evident in its lower ferries and passenger facilities since 1933. the Quincy Railroad, which leads off in a regions. It is practically a rock gorge at Here is a railroad conceived in the era of southwest direction to the little city of points, and the train snakes along on a shelf expansion at the beginning of the century, Quincy, in the American Valley, protected by blasted into the edge. Up high on the slope well built to last, and playing an important pineclad mountain slopes and snow-capped are the remains of one-time prospectors' part in the commerce of a still-growing part peaks. Although it is five miles distant, it can cabins. Below, at the bottom of the crevice, of our country. readily be seen from the Western Pacific. the river foams and boils over rocks with a Quincy is headquarters of the Plumas Na­ feathery spray rising in the sun. At Las tional Forest. Plumas is a power plant of the Pacific Gas & Below Quincy Junction the train plunges Electric Company which is across the canyon through a long tunnel and then the railwise from the Western Pacific Line. The water traveler starts to keep his weather eye pealed comes through a three-mile tunnel from a for Keddie. Here the railroad jumps from the dam 11 miles farther up the river. north to the south side of the valley over one leg of a high steel wye bridge. The other leg

WESTERN PACIFIC 40' PULLMAN PS-1' s the info, but the ends and roof are not PS-1 plus the door is off a panel. But close...... Part III, Specially equipped ....•.. The success of the cushion draft gear in controlling cargo damage This is the last part on Western In 1960 WP bought the two cars prompted the WP to order ten PS-1 Pacific's 40' Model PS-1 type box from Pullman and they ended their cars equipped with 8' Superior panel cars built by Pullman-Standard. service in 67 and 74. They were doors and cushion draft gear in 1954. This part will cover the specially never repainted or renumbered. They were delivered in a solid orange equipped and lettered' cars ordered WP 1952 and 1953 are the easiest with large silver feather paint scheme. after the group of unequipped MX models in this series. At the request In 1959 they were renumbered as boxcars. WP ordered many more of the Union Pacific Historical Society, 3401-3410, equipped with DF-2 PS-1' s ~ut in 50' length and that McKean has come out with a PS-1 loaders, and repainted into the box will be another story. with a seven panel 6' wide Super- car red, orange feather, yellow let­ WP 1952-1953 were experimental ior door. This is ready to paint tering scheme. By 1980 only 3 were cars from Pullman used to test the right out of the box!. Use Micro­ still running with 1 renumbered into then new cushion ' underframe. WP scale set 87-433 to decal after the 23001 series XM class with was the first railroad to put cushion painting it completely reefer orange. loader removed. underframe cars into service. The Add a little yellow to fade the In 1961 4 40' PS-1 type boxcars two tesl. cars were owned by Pullman orange if painting it at the end of were bought by WP, series 3423- but sported a colorful paint scheme service. MDC has #1075 a AAR 3426, the last new 40 footers del­ making it clear that they were box car painted in this scheme. ivered to the railroad. These cars special cars in use b~ the Wobbly. It's done correctly, I supplyed were delivered with roller bearing ~ trucks, 8' Pullman doors and DF-2 WESTERN PACIFIC loaders. After building all models covered in this series of articles every style and class of PS-l 40 footers will shippers learn how grace your WP collection. The 40' damage to freight can be Mi!~p'!?Sts PS-l 's wore just about every paint scheme used by WP and will add color and history to your collection. Substantially Reduced Note. After many requests about the WP decals that Detail Assoc. Two cutaway working models of a solid, leaving the bulk of dangerous has but not out. Peter Arnold of Western Pacific cushion underframe shock energy to be handled by the DA has said they will be out soon car have been giving shippers and cushion underframe. The impact forces and the FRRS will have them for other interested persons an inside look sale ASAP. the cushion underframe's sliding cen­ at freight damage prevention. ter sill through bolsters and crossbear­ 1952-1953 The two models, with tops and sides ers, which causes the lugs on the center Purch. from Pullman 1960 @ $4500ea removed for better vision, carry a sill to press against a rubber cushion 1952 •.. retired Jul 67 Associated miniature load to simulate in propor­ in the heart of the cushion underframe. Metals, Benicia tion a loaded box cal". With the cushion As the cushion is compressed, it is 1953 ••• Running Boards removed 1968. underframe device disconnected, an squeezed against an abutment welded Failed in service on PC at operator sends one car coasting down to a shear plate which, in turn, is fas­ Enola, Pa May, 1974 an incline to crash into the other car tened to the car body. When sufficient at the far end of a 20-foot track, at a 1961-1970 compression of the rubber cushion is Purch. from Pullman 1953 @ $7500ea speed comparable to 10 miles an.hour. reached, the inertia of the car body is Accepted at Michigan City, Indiana The loads are tumbled around just as overcome. The car then moves in the on Feb 26, 1954. would a carload of freight subjected to same direction as the sliding sill. This Special distinctive stencilling rough handling. cushioning lengthens the travel of the applied at Sacramento shops. When the one car is again sent down impact, allowing energies caused by 1961. •• 3404 the incline with the cushion under­ the coupler impact to fan out and run 1962 ••• 3403 frame device in operation, the loads off gradually through shear plate, car body and lading, without permanent 1963 ••• 3410 ret 75 remain in their original position even deformation or fracture. Coupler forces 1964 ••• 3407 ret 79 though the force from the contact of are not transmitted to the car structure 1965 •.. 3402 ret 68 the two model cars is identical to through the body bolsters as in con­ 1966 .•. 3405 ret 76 the previous demonstration. The effect 1967 ••. 3408 ventional cars. The cushion under­ 1968 •.• 3409 renumbered to 23001 clearly demonstrates 'lading protection frame elements return to neutral posi­ 1969 ••• 3406 ret 79 afforded by this feature. tion, ready to absorb and dissipate the 1970 •.. 3401 ret 71 A sliding sill running lengthwise coupler shock of the next impact. through a car underframe is the secret Cushion underframe action is equally 3423-3426 to the cushioning effect of the cushion effective either buff or pull, such as Purch. from Pullman 1961 underframe car. When an impact is when train slack is being run out, and 3423-3424, 16 Belts OF @$12,174 made against the car, contact by the during road and switching operations. 3425-3426, 19 Belts OF @$12,079 striking car is first made on the coupler of the struck car. The coupler drives In 1952, WP's research section and in, with closing action and impact ab­ the Pullman-Standard Car Manufac­ sorption taking place in the conven­ turing Company sponsored a research A well worn WP 1952 at Portola tional draft gear under mild, low speed program on two pilot models of CU just shortly before retirement impact. Under heavy impact the draft cars. As a result of these tests, several N'Jrman Holmes pho to gear becomes overloaded and goes other railroads have purchased CU- THE TRAIN SHEET ISSUE No. 19 SHEET NINE

€quipped cars for handling of damage­ WP 1965, shown here in a photo by Charles Winters, in 1955. sensitive commodities. Results obtained This solid orange, black ends, silver f ea ther scheme would so far have been very favorable. with only last four more years. Micro-scale se t 87-433 WP"FEATHER a number of carriers reporting sub­ RIVER"box cars i s correct for this series ...... stantial reduction in lading damage on loads moving in CU cars. WP 23001, renumbere d from 3409 ( ex 1 968) uses But is close to Box Car Red o ut of the bo P tl e~ Champs set HB- 327 with a DF-2 on a plate on Sep. the 1st part of these series as to paint the door from DA set 9004. Thi s scheme was mixes . I have some Accu-paint but have not the one WP started to use on all equipped used it yet. Anyone using this paint please cars . let me know how it works out on WP car s .... WP 3408. s hown here in Sa.cramento, can be Please note that the roof walks are off and lettered with DA set 9001, and painted with the door plate is painted over ...... Floquil Roo f Brown with a little white added.

A model of series 3401-3410 can be made by To model, series 3423- 3426, cut off the side using a McKean PS-l, side sills are correct. sills from a 8 ' Pullman door McKean car and Build up the Superior pane l doors by using add a new side sill cut from .020 styrene to styrene strips on a .015 sheet cut to fit . match the pattern. Add roller bearing trucks Note I am going to be casting these and decal with DA set 9004 which is close for other doors plus s i des for WP cars very this series. The only WP 40'er that can use s oon. Door hardware is DA set 6213 and I McKeans 8 ' Pullman doors is this series. added walthers cushion car coupler pocket WP 3425 near the end of it's ser vice life , kit with Kadee couplers. note white repainted reporting marks and ,. \r:Jl. LT WT of 52200 FH 7- 74. S\)0(1~ f,.tl 6\.. b )1'1"

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BU/LOC:R5 LOT 8630-4 BOX CA~ CLA55 XML CAR AfOJ 3423-3426 BU/LT BY PULLMAN STANZK'tRO AU:T. /96/ Nt;! OF CARS 4 AF£ G3- 6/ NOTE:.' CARS 3423-3424 342S:3426 WIDTH I/'/S/DE 9-5 ;!9 9 ~4J;;;- CU81C CAPY 40/0 39$'S D~-2 LO-"1L:JCRS /& BELT /3 BELT

/- W STCLL WH£LLS

A -.3 R%O.c CONT,-E'OL TRUCKS L.ENCTlI INS/DE 40 ~ ~/{ APAC/TY 100000 LBS. W£l6HT--BOoY 36810 "NE~ F-R·/9 RUBBER O/V1FT GEAR W/OT// SEE ABOYC: ' cv. CAPY. SEC: .ABOve: TRUc/C5 /4590 T~MKE'~ AP ROLLER BEAR//YCS '£/t:;HT 10'-5[ . TOTAL 51400 ···········fiJ010PJ aq1 1P MaU o1oqd sJaprTn~ UPillrrnd P uT aJaq UMOqS ~ZV[ dM

Non-Profit Org, THE TRAIN SHEET U.S, POSTAGE FEATHER RIVER RAIL SOCIETY PAID P. O. BOX EIGHT Portola, CA PORTOLA, CALIFORNIA 96122 Permit No, 32

Address Correction Requested.•...... •••••.•.•••.. Dated Material please do not delay