The Train Sheet Preserving 'The Feather River Route"
MA Y JUNE 1987 ISSUE No. 25 . $1.50
"
, • Feather River Rail Society Preserving 'The Feather River Route" [JIWPLIVES
The FRRS, a tax exempt public benefit California Corporation, BOARD OF DIRECTORS 1987 is the HISTORICAL SOCIETY for President and Founder Norman Holmes the WESTERN PACIFIC RAILROAD Secretary John J Ryczkowski and operates the PORTOLA RAIL- Director John Marvin ROAD MUSEUM in Portola, Calif. Director Wayne Monger Formed in February, 1983 with the purpose of Director J o hn Walker DEPARTMENT OFFICERS preserving railroad history in general and Museum General Manager Norman Holmes Western Pacific Railroad history in particular. Asst General Manager Hap Manit With 22 locomotives, 7 cabooses and over 45 Treasurer Bill Magazin differant types of equipment at the Portola Membership Charlene Marvin Museum the FRRS is a outstanding society. Operations Steve Habeck Steam service is provided by the Feather River Training John J Ryczkowski Short Line Railroad. Diesel Dave McClain The WP LIVES in Portola ...... Cars John J Ryczkowski ************ 105 Business Car Manager Doug Jensen PR John Walker Single membership dues are $15.00 per calendar On Site Caretaker Jim Ley year , and Life memberships are $300.00 Retail Sales Store Chris Skow ************ Our Mailing address is ...... FRRS POST OFFICE BOX 8 PORTOLA CALIF 96122 ************ member ~ Our information phone number is ...... 916-832-4131 or call 916-832-4737 ************ TRAIN "THE TRAIN SHEET" is edited by John J Ryczkowski and assisted by Mary S Ryczkowski. Articles/ Info please write, The TRAIN SHEET t Post Office Box 1663, Sparks, Nevada 89432 Iourist Railway Association INc , ************ The Feather River Rail Society is not supported by, nor affiliated in any way, with the THE TRAIN SHEET Western Pacific Railroad ...... Volume No. 5 No. 3 Issue No . 25 ************ FRRS tax ID number is 68-0002774 900 issues printed
From the PRESIDENT'S DESK Norman Holmes of operating groups. Efforts on our part to acquire another steam As we enter our third season left, although some of these would engine for our museum were met with; "It's ours and even if it rots, some of you may wonder as to be nice to have. it's going to stay here. " So it the direction the museum is head Regarding "foreign" locomotives, looks like our destiny is to become ing regarding equipment acquisitions. to continue old and create new one of, if not the, outstanding die With the arrival of the Alaska F7 interest in the museum we now sel locomotive museum in the units and now a Long Island FA, have been acquiring a few loco country. and a Milw. U25B it look like we motives that are of a type no are abandoning the WP. Not so. longer in existence on western Equipment notes Our primary focus is still on WP roads. These can be painted to and will continue to be on the WP. represent western railroads. The The Western Nebraska Tech The group purchase of 805A for the museum is evolving into one of the nical College has donated a for museum represents the last major largest collection of first and mer Milwaukee U25B to our mu piece of WP equipment still avail early second generation diesel seum. Our Society has purchased able. WP's U23B's, GP35's, and power in the nation. If we had a former LfiN Alco FA from the GP40' s probably will not be ac started 30 years ago we would Long Island Railroad for a very cesible to us because the railroad have steam engines. As it is we reasonable price. Details regard does not own them. They are/were are fortunate to have one steam ing these newest additions to our owned by leasing companies who engine in the museum. Steamers collection will be printed in the probably wouldn't be interested that have escaped the scrappers next Train Sheet. in donating. We have most of the torch are, for the most part, un WP freight cars we need and there available. Either they are rusting So much has been done recently are very few WP passenger cars away in parks or are in the hands that it is hard to keep track (no THE TRAIN SHEET ISSUE No . 25 SHEET TWO pun intended). Besides the work . weekend reported elsewhere, John UPCOMING EVENTS Marvin hooked up two much-needed toilets, Ken Roller extended track Our second annual Feather Riv er July 4-5 Operating Weekend seven so parking space is now avail Rail Festival (Railfan's Day) will July 11 Railfan Day able for the Burro crane. Hap be held July 11 at the museum. Aug 1-2 Motor Car Races Manit, Jim Ley, and Norm Holmes This all day photo session will Aug 22-23 Railroad Days relocated a large amount of misc. give people an opportuni ty to take And remember we operate parts etc. to a box car and, yes, pictures of our equipment and oper the last weekend of each month several loads of junk to the dump. ations. We had 250 people in and have a work weekend every Doug Jensen and Steve Milward attendance last year and this year 3rd weekend of the month. worked on the shower car, lounge promises to be even better! car, business car, and diner in pre The Festival is a fund raising Come on up we would love to paration for the work weekend. event (last years profits went to have you and meet with you. Also assisting in various activities wards construction of the new The operating dept is always were John Walker, Dean Hill, Ken sidewalk on the SE entrance to looking for new members to Roller, Mat Parker, Gary Cousins, the museum), thus the museum join in in the operations ...... and possibly others. If we missed will be closed to the general your name, we're sorry, and thanks public. Entrance to the f estivi ties Please check your yellow 1987 for your efforts. will be $5.00 in advance or $7.00 calendar for all the events in Roger Hepkema did engineering at the gate. The operating crews Portola, if you need one or an work on the turnout location for will earn free passes for the day extra please drop us a note ...... the rip track switch and is doing otherwise all w-ill be asked to an updated layout for our entire pay the entrance fee. property. There are plenty of positions open on the operating crews; we need tour guides, car monitors, OUR MEMBERSHIP gate people, security, snack bar, and gift shop volunteers as well We are sorry to report that as train crews. There is a sign nearly 20% of our membership up sheet in the museum, or con have not renewed for 1987 (about tact me: John S. Walker, 1130 180 members). A final note will Galaxy Dr., Yuba City, Ca., 95991. be sent out to try to encourage Make plans to join us that day, their continued membership. This there will be plenty of great photo ~ dropout percentage is a little prospects, train rides, movies, slide The national Track Motorcar Champ high, but not unusual. Most organi shows, a raffle, and a night photo ionship Races will be held in Portola zations and publications have a session. on August One. certain percentage of non-renewals. But we got over 200 NEW members,~------~ Approximately 420 ties were loaded Please plan on attending this so it seems that our membership is and moved to the museum with one growing and exci ting event....• stable at just under 700 members. small casually. Doug Peterson from For more information and car registration packets write to; We cannot be all things to all Lodi broke a finger when he got people, but we try to do the best it caught between two ties. He was Motor Car Races we can. We hope that all of our more upset that he couldn't do any Ron Butler members will share our enthusiasm work at the museum than about his 19969 Portola Dr in our endeavor to preserve the finger. Salinas, Calif 93908 FEA THER RIVER ROUTE. Wayne Monger and JOhn Walker or call 408-455-1475 painted "RAILROAD MUSEUM" in work number 408-757-2036 big, bold black letters on the hiway Additional life members: SEE YOU IN PORTOLA????? Andy Carlson side of the diesel shop and it's R.G. vonPrittwitz already attracted people to the Ruedi Muller museum. the old boiler area. Things are Robert Haynes Dave McClain, Brian Challender, where we can find them now andit Errol Spangler Renee McComb, Dave Waters, Ski, looks great. and Doug Jensen steam cleaned the Steve Milward organized the grounds 921, 1506, 1508, and 1517, and crew and with "Veector" Neves, L they look much better fir it. Rose Rimici, Gary Reich, Roger Hepkle:na, "WORK WEEKEND ONE" Hersted cleaned the cabs and and Dave Waters with burro service Doug Jensen windows of many of the locomotives. from Jim Ley, they went from one Steve Habeck attacked the "silver" end of the yards to the other raking Work Weekend One, simply stated, caboose and cleaned it from vest up debris and picking up spikes and was a great success. 44 people ibule to vestibule including the rails. This was a two day job in the showed up and earnestly put in a toilet system. hot sun that also saw a celibratory lot of sweat and labor. In 2 days Gary Cousins took the lead and with removal of the Pinto to the dump. we accomplished what would nor the help of Ron Bitler, (who with Luckily it was "free" week at the mally seem to take a year and it Dave Waters did a minor overhaul dump! f el t so good ..... of our operating speeder) George Larry Hanlon, Pete and Sue Sol yom, Jobs accomplished; Several people Crandle, and Jack Palmer, cleaned John Hatchet and Steve Heib took volunteered to go with Norm to out the tool room, electric room some great pains to put windows Maybe with trucks and load ties and built shelves and organized in the 2001. As they were cut just that the UP had donated to us. parts and equipment in and around a little over size and had to be tirmed to fit. Roger Hepkema (a surveyor from Larry Hanlon Lynda Monger DONATIONS the UP) and Steve Milward sur John Hatchet Vic Neves veyed for Rip #2 and right behind Steve Heib Jack Palmer George Comer donated an RCA them was Ken Roller spacing out Roger Hepkema Matt Palmer video camera. recorder. and all our "new" ties in preparation for Rose Hersted Doug Peterson attachments to our museum so rails to be laid. Pam Hodson Tom Potts we may now record activities as Dave Anderson worked on the Bf" bara Holmes Ed Randall we progress. The equipme nt is in plumbing in the ladies room and Norm Holmes Gary Reich nearly new condition and is quite made the sink operable again while Barbara Holmes Leonard Rimici valuable. We thank George for his wife. Julie. did the thankless Steve Jackson Anne Robertson-Worth this most generous donation. He job of cleaning the blinds fo r the Doug Jensen Robert Rohner also donated a steam engine breath meeting room. Doug Peterson Vickie Krois Ken Roller ing funnel. used on locomotives (before he broke his finger) and Jim Ley John Ryczkowski working through tunnels and snow John McCormick devised a system Hap Manit Pete Solyom sheds. The funnel was attached to hang the blinds. Dave McClain Sue Solyom wi th a rubber hose to the engine's Most important. let's not forget Renee McComb Hank Stiles air system. cotton waste in the t he cooks! Anne Robertson-Worth John McCormick John Walker funnel was wetted. and when a (who traveled up from Grass Valley Lou Ann Milward Dave Waters long tunnel was reached the air and back. a 200 mile round trip. Steve Milward was turned on and the funnel placed twice during the weekend because over one's mouth and nose. This her boss couldn't give her the time allowed the men to breathe cool, off). Pam Hodson. Lynda Monger. clean air. This particular funnel all put their time in behind the was from the SP. but the WP had wood burning stove of the diner similar ones. to serve lunch. dinner. and break Another very valuable donation fast to the hungry beasts. Also was received from Richard Croll in thanks to Lou Ann Milward for MEMORIA~ DAY OPENING the form of six barrels of diesel cooking some items in her home locomotive lubrication oil. Arrange kitchen that coudn' t be done at The 2nd anniversary of our Grand ments were made by Steve 'Milward the museum. Thanks Renee Mc Opening was a grand success. with Dave McClain transporting Comb for mopping the floors and Highlight of the event was a pan the oil to Portola. to Ron Butler for vacuuming the ca ke breakfast at the museum put George Wentworth sent us sev carpets in the diner. It was a on by the Portola Rotary ClUb. eral old Exposition Flyer and Cali great feeling to eat meals in the Rotary President Skip Englert knew fornia Zephyr Menus and Gilbert diner. that we needed funding to repair McGarr gave us a 1871 "Manual Saturday evening after dinner Ken the roll up doors at the east end of the Railroads of the United Yoe gave a grand talk and slide of the di esel shop and felt the States". This 700 page book lists presentation on the beginnings of breakfast coul d raise the necessary railroads of t hat period and also the California State Railroad Mu funds for this purpose. Nearly 600 has many interesting ads for pro seum and their restoration efforts. persons attend ed the event. The ducts available in that period. Thanks to you Ken and Hatty for exact am'ount raised was not avail Russ Pettit donated a nice UP your company. able at press time. but we are shield clock for the meeting room. Dave McClain later gave his course sure the amount will go a long way toward the repair job costs. on starting the F7 units and then CONTRIBUTIONS we proceeded to start four of them Operations over the opening holi and run night operations (our apo day weekend consisted of our regu logies to our neighbors on the hill). lar train rides around the balloon The following have made cash It's been a long time since we've track, using WP 2001 (GP-20) and donations during the past two seen F units in MU' d service. a three unit F7 set (WP 921D, ARR months. We appreciate your fi It was a long weekend but so much 1507, and ARR 1506). The use of nancial help to maintain our val was done and many friendships the Alaska units was a special uable equipment collection. Addi were sparked. The talk all week treat authorized by Mountain Die tional donations are always welcome. end was how friendly things are sel for this occasion. A three unit F7 set was very interesting at FRRS and what a great group Tom Bacarella Richard Humm to see and hear. Passenger ticket Paul Ingraham of people work there. Let's see sales totaled $718. Robert Bailey what happens next year. My Jeffrey Baus Bob Klempner Crew members were Steve Ha Fred Klyver thanks to all of you fo r makin§; beck, Vic Neves, Steve Milward, John Brown this a success and es p eciaiI y Stevo David Burton Roger Long John Rycz kowski, Jim Ley, Dave Rudei Muller Mi lward, Hap Manit, and Jim Ley McClain, Dean Hill, Gary Cousins, James Case who got out there and did some Walter Clary Andrew Peterson and Gordon Wolleson and sons. Leo Prescott ugly jobs for me in preparation Others helping with the event were Mark Cooper for this event. Let's do it again Jack Dorit hy Lew Ramsey Hap Manit. Norm and Barbara Gary Richardson next year. And for those of you Holmes, Pam Hodsun, Rose Her David Ed wards who weren't there, come up and Robert Flann ery Leigh Savage sted, Dianne Wolleson, Vickie Gerald Stiener see what we accomplished. We're Krois, and Mary Ryczkowski. Warren Gibson pretty proud. Dennis Gilkey Robert Topham A hanburger grill was set up David Vollbrecht Here's a list of those that I know to serve lunch for our crews and James Groenke pitched in. I apologize to those Robert Hanft To m Weston visitors. Emery Goddard did a John Whitson that I missed. fine job as chef assisted by Kitty Dan Heilig Dave Anderson Gary Cousins Fender and Diane Wolleson. The Richard Holmes Julie Anderson George Crandle smell of onions frying on the grill 805A T shirt sales are doing quite Ron Butler Mark French enticed many to buy a burger, some well. We still have most sizes Brian Challender Steve Habeck more than one. THE TRAIN SHEET ISSUE No. 25 SHEET THREE
available. Price is $10 each plus $2.50 shipping per order. Help us support this worthy cause. Jeannie Meyers donated $50 and George Comer $200 to the 805A. Thank you!
EMT Dave McClain Electro-Motive Tech Report on the diesels of Portola ••••• WP GP-7 #707 has now been added to the list of operating locomotives at the museum. This gives us more operating power than some shortline railroads. All the. cab gauges had been ~ ...... ~ broken out and John Ryczkowski ""-- had got each one from the other G P' s in SLC. Ski got all the gauges "- together and removed all damaged ones. Larry Richards put them all in palce. With the help of Larry Hanlon. solving electrical system problems. and Matt Parker. doing cab air piping. the locomotive came alive after four years of storage. Larry worked on the fuel pump and control electricals. The extended storage time had been hard on all of the contacts. Matt and I decided to tackle all of the air piping in the cab which had been ripped out at Salt Lake City. We used piping from the cab of 708 for replacements since all THE SILVER LADY "IS" COMING HOME!!!!!! the bends and lengths were just right for 707. As reported in the last TS a bid account as collateral. The balance A fresh set of batteries. part of of $25.000 was placed for the pur came from cash donations and T our fabulous Levin Metal's stock, chase of the WP FP-7 805-A. shirt sales. A check was sent June was installed. We ran the engine Louisiana & North West held the 8th to Mountain Diesel and the at first without changing the oil. purchase price' at $40.000. down FP-7 805-A is now going to be part The new oil was saved until the from the original price of $50.000. of Portola's collection. block had been checked for water With the help of Mountain Diesel UP has agreed to move the unit leaks and all other systems had Transportion L&NW came back with to Portola without charge from down been tested. The crankcase was a price of $35.000 FIRM ..• south and we are hoping that the topped off with some drain oil That price was out of the question movement will be complete by Rail from other EMD locomotives. for the Society. but three members. fan Day July 11 th •• so plan to come then the cooling system was Steve Habeck. Larry Hanlon & John up and have a look at her •.•...•• filled. Ryczkowski came forward. each put We are asking for contributions With two long cranks the ting up one quarter of the purchase to retire the Society's debt and are engine fired! The exhaust cleared price. $8750. The Society Board of now calling in all the pledges from up after a couple of minutes and Directors voted to barrow $7500 from the CTC BOARD campaign. the Western Pacific Credit Union in a check was performed on all THE 805-A LiVES •..•.....•.. electrical circuits. Then the power Oroville using the lifemembership circuit was tried--immediately 300 amps to the motors! Amazing Steve Milward approached me difficult. I drove my truck down that a sleepy locomotive can come a few weeks ago with the good to Oakland and backed right into to life so fast. news of a friend in Oakland his shop. He loaded the barrels We ran for about 90 minutes. not Hayward area that wanted to onto my truck with a forklift and putting much load on the engine donate some engine oil for our I went on my way. Thank you because of the "gray" oil. The EMDs. His name is Richard Croll Richard for your gracious donation. 707 is a super performer--very of Owen Croll Distributing. I It will be put to good use, namely fast to load. It's a great addition spoke with him and found he was Steve Milward's project UP 849 to our fleet of locomotives. very open to a possible donation GP-30. of six barrels. The only problem Our first annual work weekend was that they were so buried among was an extreme success. Hats off other barrels that access would be to Doug Jensen and Annie Worth for coordinating and operating the first time in 25 years. #8 was NEW JERSEY MEMBER whole weekend without a hitch. last run on May 19, 1962 at Thanks to Moun1ai n Diesel and Quincy with Jim Boynton as en Tom Hassler, a new member of in particular Dale Sanders, we were gineer. our Society who models the WP in allowed to operate the Alaskas The fire took off immediately, the 50' s, would like to exchange 1506, 1508 and 1517 for the work burning bright and clear, and in inf 0, ideas, correspondence with weekend night operations and . two hours the pops (safety valves) other members .... Memorial Day weekend. People were tested and lifted at the Drop him a note at... were very happy to see some of predetermined value of 150 lbs. 280 Maolis Ave. MDT's equipment head up our With volunteers John Marvin, Glenridge, NJ 07028 trains. It's so great to see an Steve Jackson, Mike A tama, and Ed's note ... meeting others inter A-B-A set of F's operating again. Bob BeattIe assisting the engine ested in the WP and/or who mod Try to remember the last time you was put through all the tests saw something as incredible as this. needed to evaluate the results of el has been a highlight of my Again, thanks Dale. the restoration effort. At the membership in the Society. I have The two biggest projects this end of the day the verdict was formed several good friendships in summer will be the UP-849 and that the engine performed admir this fashion. WP -707. Hopefully by the end of ably and that the work done on the summer two more locomotives the firebox and boiler was well will be painted and fully operational. done. The sound of a steam With your help we'll keep moving whistle echoing through Portola ahead improving the premier Diesel brought an interested crowd to museum in the West. applaud # 8' s return to action. Work is continuing on Wedns days and Saturdays to correct STEAM IN PORTOLA!!! minor problems and the main pro Betty Boynton ject now is replacing the jacket On April 25, after three years on the boiler. Important parts of restoration work by a small can then be replaced.· Wor k on group of faithful volunteers, En the woodwork in the cab is pro gine #8 was steamed up in the gressing slowl y. museum yard. Engine 608 with Thanks to the grant from t he Jim Ley as engineer assisted in Plumas County Arts Commision, the move and at 12:01 pm Jim a large glassed case will soon be Boynton torched #8 off for the on the museum wall with photos of #8 and other steam engines of this area. MORE POWER PULLS TODAY'S
FREIGHTS ESTERN PAClrtC was one of sev W eral rail roads pioneering diesel freight service in the Uni ted States, purchasing 12 FT units early in 1941. During the peak of World War II ad ditions were made to the fl eet, bring R. E. Sh idel.r. superintendent of ,hop., took ing the total number of IT diesels to th is pictur. on Ma rch 24 of the lo.t " lo(omo~ 48 by 1944. ti v. to 1.0 ... . Sacramento Shops, Foremen in the pictur. or., from left, E. V. McCo,k'e, E. R. Me· The FT's were generally operated Ph.non. L. H. Clapham, W. E. Fo.ho, E. W. in groups of foul' uni ts to form one Steuben, T. N. Fa".'t.
One of WP'. newe,t lo(omoti ... e., a 0'-40 5.4oo-h.p. locomotive. contributing a total of 64.8oo-h.p. to W P 's diesel Aeel. This was enough power and ve"satil ity to move an average tl'ai n over the six survived into 1967. These we" e entire system w ithout motive powe r sent back to General Motors' locomo changes. whic h was common pl'actice tive assembly plant at La Grange, Ill., in the days of the,steam locomotive. in trade for six new 3,OOO -h.p. GP-40 Subsequent purchases of similar lo locomotives to bring W P's total num comotives we"e made in 1950 and 1951 ber of high horsepower GP's to 47. when 48 F -7 type locomotives were These "eplacemenls of nearly an equal put into freight service. Thereafter. nllmber of units totals 123,OOO-h .p .. al the general trend of engine styli ng most double that of the 48 original changed to the GP (General Purpose). IT·s. Thus, several types of GM 's seen on our rail mad today. GP locomoti ves, required to handle W P began trading in the aging FT today's heavier trains at higher speeds. units in 1960 on a unit exchange basis. now handle the majority of current Each unit had accumulated about 2 ~ freight trains over Western Pacific's million miles of service. Of these, only system.
MILEPOSTS MAY· JUNE, 1967 THE TRAIN SHEET ISSUE No. 25 SHEET FOUR
scrapped speeders to selected organi sides we could always spend a day zations as they were very concerned or so railfanning on Tehachapi loop. about private owners taking unauthor My next call was to Mr. B.L. ized rides down the UP right of Martin in Barstow and I agreed to way. Fair enough. I could only meet him in his office on Friday agree with him. May 1st for a look at his cabooses. Caboose About this time my friend Bob The only one of the group avail came up with an 800 number for able to go with me on that day the Santa Fe. "Well why not. it was the bright idea guy, the one Saga of the 999197 won't hurt to call them will it?", who got me into this in the first you notice he gets me to do the -or- place. We nade our plans to leave dirty work. The 800 number turned San Jose on Thursday evening, drive "Have I got a deal for you ... " out to be the freight forwarding to Bakerfield where we would spend Errol Spangler offices in Chicago. but they did the night, and then on over the hill happen to have the number of some the next morning. Have a look at Gather around railfans and I'll one in Albuquerque I could try. the cabooses on Friday, drive back tell you a little tale about speeders, Now the Santa Fe, being the up to Walong siding, pitch our the Santa Fe, and caboose 999197. progressive railroad that it is. tents for the evening and then This little saga starts at Portola keeps up with the very latest inno make our way back North on Satur during the first weekend in August, vations in communications and two day as I had to catch a plane for 1986. As you may recall, that years ago changed their phone sys Mexico early Sunday morning. was the occasion of the National tem in Albuquerque. However. Motor car races. Three of our they just haven't quite got around Watch for the ending of this great group were in Portola that week yet to publishing a new internal story in the next TS with PHOTOS ... end, and we had a ball watching phone directory. the race and meeting new friends. After my fifth call back to Chicago Now, as you may also recall, (they really are patient people) I one of the entries in the race was switched over to another office A TENDER STORy...... that year was a hand pump car and finally found a lady who hap Norm Holmes from Sacramento sent there to pened to know the new phone num advertise the hand car races held bers in Albuquerque. She directed in that fair city. My friends, me to the office of a Mr. Strong Finally, after being donated to caught up in the spirit, tried to in the purchasing department and our Rail Society three years ago, convince me that we should put I was finally able to get through. our WP 481 class steam locomotive together a team to run a hand Where, as it turns out: "the tender is on our musuem property. pump car. Well sir, after watch Santa Fe is not purchasing any new This is one of the few pieces of ing that Muscle Beach crowd from speeders as we are replacing them equipment offered to our Society Sacramento, I decided what we with Hi-Rail equipment instead. by Union Pacific instead of being really should do is buy a motor Any old speeders on the road in requested. car and get it tuned up instead. need of repair are sent to Albu This tender once supplied water Well friends, have you tried to querque and ei ther repaired and and oil for one of WP's 481 class purchase a motor car out here on sent back on the road, or dis 4-8-4 steam locomotives; we believe the West coast lately? Believe me mantled and used as spare parts it belonged to No. 484. The six brother it ain't easy. Oh, don't for the remaining fleet. Sorry I Lima's as they were called by the get me wrong, they are here if can't help you with speeders but crews. were part of an order of General Service (GS-6) locomotives you happen to be in the right we do have a large number of cabooses coming up for sale if requested by SP to help handle the place at the right time, or if you you are interested". increasing wartime traffic. They can talk the guy who happens to Cabooses? were similar to SP's earlier DAY have nineteen of them in boxcars What am I going to do with a LIGHT engines. but lacked stream out of one (thanks Norman. no he caboose? Well. I thanked him for line skirting and had smaller doesn't want to part with any of his time and glumly hung up. drivers found on previous models. them). Oh yes. they are available To satisfy WP's need for power. all over the East coast at bargain Still no speeder, but a caboose? That evening I reported back to the War Production Board allocated basement prices. But do you know six from SP' s order to be sold to what they want to truck one of the group that we had struck out again unless we wanted to put a WP. Delivered in July, 1943. they those babies out here .... were reqularly assigned to WP's Well OK you say. but what motor in a caboose. "Well." Bob chirps up again. "remember the EXPOSITION FLYER and extra about the railroads themselves, military trains. The Limas were an what do they do with their old speeder races last year and how we were spread out in motels immediate hit with the crews, speeders. the only complaints were exhaust Friends. I can't tell you here from Quincy to Reno? Why not get a caboose and then we can smoke coming back into the cab what the SP does with its speeders, and some trouble with slippery since this little paper is read by use it whenever we go up to Por tola". I always knew there was drivers in the Canyon. The smoke the entire family and only the problem was somewhat eliminated strongest of heart could bear that a reason we kept Bob around. Back on the phone to Albuquer with the addition of "elephant ears" tragic tale of brutality. smoke lifters. giving WP's GS-6's N ext I turned to our benevolent que again. "about those cabooses"? "You say you live in California. a different appearance from the friend Uncle Pete. After a few SP engines. The author can attest phone calls I was directed to a well my friend we have cars at Barstow and San Bernadino. which to their good riding qualities and gentleman in Omaha who explained easy steaming capabilities. having that the UP would only sell excess/ would you like to see"? Barstow seemed to be the closest. and be- fired several of them in 1945. WP's first diesel road units were Scrapping was out of the question, The UP anxious to get their fl a t delivered in 1942. When the war so UP's mechanical department cars back in revenue service, so it ended in 1945, more diesels were agreed to load the body on a flat was necessary for us to hire a ordered and the hand writing was car, the trucks on another. They crane service out of Reno; this on the wall for steam on the WP. would use their 135 ton Petty cost us $1040. The unloadi ng was Nos. 482 and 483 were sold for Bone mobile crane if we would hire done on April 24th, using the scrap in 1953 6 1956. Nos. 481, a second crane to assist. This cost UP's derrick and the Re no crane. 484, Ei 485 were sold, less tenders us $600. The cars arrived in Portola Members assisting the UP crew to SP for parts and finally No 486 last December and were spotted were Norm Holmes. Jim Ley, Bill was scrapped in 1957. Our tender opposite the wrecker for unloading. Magazin and Hap Manit. A special was sent to elko where it was used The tender body (50 tons) was thanks to Joe Beardin, UP Train to supply fuel and water for steam well within the 250 ton capacity master, for his assistance. Also derrick No 27. While cleaning up John Ryczkowski for finding the a derailment near Quincy, Jct., in of the derrick, but the tenders size would make it difficult to crane service at a fair cost. May 1979, the derrick and tender The tender is now inside our along with rest of the outfit got handle alone. About this time UP honored our request for the grounds, waiting for someone away from the train crew, rolled to adobt it as a restoration project. about five miles and derailed on donation of the 50 ton MW crane, a curve just east of Keddie. The WPMW 90. It was hoped this unit derrick was moved to Sacramento could assist the derrick in unload Shops and unfortunatly scrapped. ing the tender, however, when the The tender, which skidded on its crane arrived it was unservicable. side for 100 feet, was rerailed, moved to Oroville and then to South Sacramento for possible use How We're Doing as a fuel storage tank. In 1983, I Construction of WP's new tl'ain felTY , Las Plumas, is ahead of schedule, recieved a call from Mr Flannery's Tentative schedules now al'e for launching at Portland, Oregon, on June 27 ; secretary wanting to know if we a trial run on San Francisco Bay July 24 ; start service August 1. wanted the tender for our museum. The only stipulation was that we • • • keep it WP. Legal arrangements nearly completed with State of California for exchanging The reason the tender remained in present Western Pacific line Oroville to Intake for new main line to be built around future Oroville Dam, Sacramento so long after it was • • • donated was the condition of the California Zephyr load averaged 63.4 per cent of capacity in April, 1957, com trucks. They were damaged in the pared with an average load of 65.2 per cent for April of last year, derailment and UP officials were reluctant to move it on its own • • wheels and have a problem develop Gross freight revenue for month of April, 1957, showed increase of some that would cause trouble enroute. $225,000 compared with April, 1956. Commercial traffic increased 6.4 per cent; For one thing the journals have Government traffic decreased 9.3 per cent. 7X14 brasses, a rare size and almost • unavailable today. Delligent efforts Derailment of the eastbound California Zephyr on May 18 at Milepost 228.9, were made to find substitute trucks, about 23 miles east of Oroville, caused by a dirt and rock slide following six and but to no avail. Aletter to the two-thirds inches of rainfall recorded nearby between 6: 00 p. m., May 17, and Buckeye Corp. brought a set of 4: 00 p. m., May 18. Total damage to three diesel units, a baggage car and coach blueprints. estimated to be $90,000, of which $79,000 is covered by insurance as is the entire As the UP was closing parts of the cost for rerailing the equipment. Estimated cost to repair track damage and Sac yard, it was getting imperative work still necessary to completely clear slide area is $15,000, all Western that the tender be moved or scrapped. Pacific expense. MILEPOSTS JUNE, 1957
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5t1CJ(~ 1?W CJIC$ - A Sr. JI('tU.LEH /!J.ftS. UNI r3 ClfPIICITY. .,.lfTEI( %~3"D."U wEIGHT-eODY . f W~::JT'NGHOt/$E RMt BRIIII(CS - , OIL 6,lJtflJ(;lIl.$. TRUCKS S'CCII'II. If~--''''L E~(/IPNENT .r=o=:r.""n=':L;-='':-:S=-:J=-, -=S""O""O--'-LlJ'::".s.":" THE TRAIN SHEET ISSUE No. 25 SHEET FIVE
WESTERN PACIFIC'S SKELETON LOGGING FLATS 6 HUTCHINSON LUMBER CO MPANY PART TWO •. by Kent Stephens Part One can be found in Issue No. 23 .••...•
By 1926 Hutchinson Lumber Co. 3 as needed. Saddletanker #4 the Feather River Railway were was in financial trouble and went switched the lumber loading dock sold to the Georgia-Pacific Corp. in July·1955. A.H. Land and Dr. into receivership after defaulting for a few years. then was stored on its bond issue payments. Hutch out of service. 0.0. Cooper, the principal owners inson's Oroville properties (mill, FRPM used a fleet of 70 plus of FRPM. had both passed away logging railroad, logging operations, log cars on the line to Camp 18, several years earlier; the families and timberland) were sold at a sufficient for the reduced pro took the opportunity to sell out for over $5 million. foreclosure sale in April 1927 and duction and shorter haul. (The Feather Falls mill ;had about one Nos. 4 and 5 were sold for scrap reorganized as Feather River Pine in 1957. In 1958 the railroad's Mills, Inc. Six months later in half the cutting capacity of the Oroville sawmill--175,OOO to 200, officials decided they had been later in- late October the Oroville hasty to scrap the Willamette mill and 50.000,000 board feet of 000 board feet daily instead of 375,000 board feet per daily shift. when it needed repairs and bought lumber were destroyed by fire. Rayonier. Inc. # 91. a 3 truck Paci The mill fire was the beginning of This was due to a change in philo sophy on the part of the owners. fic Coast Shay, but the engine was an eleven year hiatus for the lum in such poor mechanical condition ber company. The company's placing the operation on a sus tained yield basis.) Most of the that it never went into service. geared locomotives and a portion After being stripped for usable of the log car fleet were stored log cars were pca F skeletons from the original 1922 fleet and were parts. it sat rusting away on a at Camp One several miles above siding in Feather Falls. the town of Feather Falls. lettered for FRPM. Camp One, Hutchinson's original No. 1 was donated to the City In 1940 FRPM completed a new of Oroville in August 1960. The sawmill at Feather Fall. building logging camp two miles southeast of Feather Falls on the line to Shay joined WP #164 on display the new mill within the company's in Hewlett Park. timber holdings rather than at Oro Camp 18, became the railroad camp in 1940. Camp One had both an The railroad was dieselized in ville on the site of the former mill. October 1961 when Georgia-Pa This change circumvented freight enginehouse and car shop. Along with other lumber com cific transferred EMD SW-900 charges on the waste portion of #102 from their Samoa plant panies. FRPM started buying log the logs. near Eureka, where it had become At the same time the lumber ging trucks in the early 1940's. The first trucks came in 1942, surplus. (The change was ordered company incorporated Feather by G-P's headquarter office with hauling logs to landings on the River Railway Co., a wholly owned out consulting the local office.) subsidiary, to operate most of the railroad. In 1948 the company bought a fleet of large off -high Shays # 2 and # 3 were kept as logging railroad as a common car spares. During the next few way trucks to haul directly to the rier. This permitted the railroad months #3 was back in service to share in through rates on the sawmill and abandoned the logging railroad. No. 5 was kept as a for weeks at a time as #102 sat lumber from the Feather Falls mill. idle in Feather Falls. Dieseliza One crew operated the lumber spare but saw only limited service. The railroad was torn up back to tion proved to be a mixed bleSSing train between Feather Falls and for the railroad; #102 was cheaper the interchange with the WP. A Camp One and most of the cars were scrapped. to operate but its 120 ton weight second crew was on the log train on four axles was tearing the rail- running between Feather Falls and Feather River Pine Mills and Camp 18, the main logging camp. ten miles southeast of Feather Falls. The Feather River Rail way's track extended to Ward. just one-half mile out of Camp 18. FRPM sold Shays #2 and #3 to their railroad subsidiary, keeping ownership of #1, #4. and #5. It was intended that the two 90-ton Shays would operate between Fea ther Falls and Bidwell Bar, as this line had six miles of 5t percent compensated grade from Craig to Onyett. The lighter 70 ton Shay #1 and Willamette #5 worked the easier grades hauling logs on the 10 mile line from Camp 18 to the sawmill at Feather Falls. Actually #1 saw very little service after 1940 and spent most her remaining years of company service next to the sawmill's boiler plant as a Feather River Ry. #102 crosses South Fork trestle stationary boiler to boost the steam supply. No.5 worked the line to Unit lettered for Georgia-Pacific, the date is Camp 18 with backup form #2 or Nov. 1964 Nick Ellena Photo road's light track to pieces. The that year the trucks were hauling article. Most of the ·material is - diesel also derailed a number of to Oroville and the railroad was from a manuscript by the author times, especially on curves. The being dismantled. for a forthcoming book on the railroad finally got its track in All of Feather River Railway's railroads of the Feather River shape during the sum mer months locomotives owned by the railroad Region •.•••.••••...•. of 1962 so #102 could operate on in its last decade of operation are a regular basis as long as the )."oad in existence today except #91. bed was dry. For the next several No. 1 is on display in Oroville; NON- PAID AD years. one of the Shays would work No. 2 is owned by the State Div a few weeks at a time during ision of Beaches and Parks and is A new magazine "LOCOMOTIVE winter rains. continuing until the Sierra Railway #2 at Jamestown; fi RAILWAY PRESERVATION" was roadbed dried. No.3 was donated to Pacific South started one year ago. It's first No. 102 continued to damage the west Railway Museum Assoc. at year of publication showed it to railroad's track over the next four San Diego; be a quality magazine. I would years, a worry to local company Plymouth #A is OPfiE #141 at recom mend a subscription to officials. In July 1965 they finally Cottage Grove. Both diesels are anyone who is interested in read received the lighter diesel they in service. ing about preservation efforts. had pleaded for then Oregon, Pacific No. 102 is still working on the ADfi N Subscription rates are $16 for one fi Eastern Alco S-l # 101 was trans in Arkansas. year (6 issues). LfiRP. P.O. Box 5. ferred from Cottage Grove to re No. 101 has travelled more, going Huntinton. VT 05462. place #102. The EMD was moved to the Fordyce & Princeton RR to the Ashley, Drew fi Southern (a G-P short line) as their #1 in in Arkansas. another G-P short line. 1967 and has recently been sold to A more significant event in 1961 the Cadiz Railroad in Kentucky Moviework???? for the future of the railroad than where the Alco is #10. dieselization was the start of con Georgia-Pacific had claimed dur One of the other western rail struction work on Oroville Dam. ing the fight with the State that Once the dam was completed. road museums makes their facil the Feather Falls mill couldn't re ities and equipment available to Lake Oroville would flood a port main competive without a railroad. ion of WP's mainline and the movie companies for film work. Only four years after the rail line In a recent new letter they stated first six miles of Feather River was dismantled G-P announced in Railway. The State Water Code if they had an F unit they could 1970 they would build a new mill get more work. required that the State Depart in Oroville to replace the Feather ment of Water Resources (DWR) We have F units but no work! Falls sawmill. The primary reason Do any of our members have con relocate the affected railroad lines. for the move, according to G-P, The State paid for relocating WP's tacts with film locating companies? was the loss of the railroad. The We have equipment; box cars with mainline ($40 million for the 22 . new plant was built next to High mile line), but DWR refused to re roof walks. refrigerator cars with way 70 in south Oroville, just west ice hatches. various types of die- locate the Feather River Railway. of the original site of Hutchinson's sel locomotives, some passenger DWR claimed that it was a "waste mill. It is now owned by Louisiana cars and a steam engine. Any of taxpayers' money" to spend 9 Pacific Corp, following the break work we can get using our equip million for the 13 mile relocated up of G-P into two seperate corps. line for a railroad that it said was ment would be a good source of revenue for us. worth $25,000. (The railroad's ac The author is indebted to John cessed valuation for taxes.) Georgia Ryczkowski for assistance with this Pacifc contended that the railroad was essential for the marketing of more than $4 million worth of lumber products annually. The - State's refusal to build the line touched off a four year legal bat tle between G-P and the State of California that was a tangle of law suits, counter-suits. court actions up to the State Supreme Court and ICC decisions. In Dec 1965 a com promise was reached that killed the Feather River Railway as a railroad in the usual sense, but allowed the railroad to continue operating as a truck line. The State paid G-P over $1 million for the ownership of the first six miles of track and bought three Kenworth diesel rigs for the railroad. The Kenworth trucks were lettered for the railroad and were restricted to a certain route to a reload in Oroville. Essentially the Feather River Railway continued in operat ion as a unique "rubber-tired rail road." The railroad w as required Feather River Ry. Shay No. 2 makes its final revenue to cease operating over its rail run on March 29, 1966 at Berry Creek on the old WP line by Oct 1. 1966. By Sept mainline. Kent Stephens I ' THE TRAIN SHEET ISSUE No. 25 SHEET SIX
tive sel'vices, In addition, some 40 W ester~ Pacific other non-member I'oads are contract I lines of FGE. Bul'iington and Great Northel'n I'ailroads are not contract lines, but through their car line sub affiliates with sidiaries (BRE and WFE) obtain the I use of cars in the FGE pool. Western Pacific will have the benefit Frl1it Growers Express of Fruit Grower's pool of over 3,000 I'efrigerated trailer units whieh will MILEPOSTS MAY-JUNE. 1967 I provide Western Pacific with a more ONTRACTS have been completed from the Central California Traction adequate supply of refrigerated equip C with Fruit Growers Express Com Company, jointly owned by WP, SFe ment to enable the railroad to better I pany making Western Pacific one of and SP; and from two independent solicit and handle piggyback as well the owners of this large eastern-based carriers, Modesto & Eastern Traction, as I'efrigel'ator car traffic, car line headquartered in Washington, and Stockton Terminal and Eastern, In addition to equipment already D ,C, Beginning at midnight, J une 30, Perishables are an important com owned, Fruit Growers Express recent I Fruit Growers Express will supply all modity among the varied types of traf- ly announced an expenditure of $20- of Western Pacific's refrigerator car million fOl ' additional mechanically Ii " c
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WP's FRUIT GROWERS EXPRESS CARS
92264 - 92288 10' door 95951 - 95967 10' 6" door 960 43-96118 12' 6" door 97000 - 97049 12" 2" door 980 93- 98096 10' 6" door Western Pacific had at one time a total of 170 XLI class insulated cars with load dividers under WP reporting marks and FGE paint schemes. After the UP take over WP/FGE cars were slowly relettered to FGER reporting marks and re turned to FGE. Today no WP/FGE cars can be seen and FG E' s shop in Stockton is completely gone •••