THE CLUB CAR Bulletin 693 Pacific Locomotive Association, Inc. MAY 2021 Steam Operations for 2021 in full swing Photo by Alan Siegwarth Student Engineer Gerald DeWitt in the cab of the Robert Dollar #3 on the first day of steam operations for 2021. The past few months have been busy on cellar pins, jacketing and the rear IN THIS ISSUE in the shop working on the Skookum’s sanders among other items. While we annual inspection. With COVID-19 have enjoyed having the Robert Dollar 3 Activities Calendar travel restrictions easing, we were also #3 operating again this Spring, we are privileged to have Steve Butler, Troy excited to have the Skookum running 4 Presidents Message James and Eli Mosher come down for a for the May Steam Operations to test Along the Right of Way week and continue to repair/finish work out these improvements. The Skookum 6 that has been discovered during last still has fewer than 50 days of opera- 10 Tales of the Past year’s operation in Niles Canyon. Ste- tion after her 14 year rebuild from a pile ven worked on the power reverse, more of parts in Oregon, so the locomotive is 15 Treasurer’s Report taper bolts, wrist pin wedges and sev- still being broke in and issues continue eral boiler repairs. Troy and Eli worked Continued on Page 8 OUR MISSION: To be an operating railroad museum for standard gauge railroading, past, present and future, with emphasis on the Western United States and special emphasis on Northern California NILES CANYON RAILWAY MEETINGS BOARDING LOCATIONS Most General Meetings take place at SUNOL Sunol Glen School DEPOT in Sunol. 6 Kilkare Road Meetings are held in January, Sunol, CA 94586 March, May, June, July, and October, but can be subject to cancellation. NILES Board of Directors Meeting STATION Saturday 37029 Mission Blvd. MAY 8 Fremont, CA 94536 THIS STATION IS 2:15 PM TEMPORARILY CLOSED Teleconferencing service = = = = = = BOARD OF DIRECTORS = = = = = = President Henry Baum (925) 447-7358 General Meeting Vice President Mike Strider (707) 318-2633 Recording Secretary Jim Evans (650) 697-9033 Saturday Membership Secretary Linda Stanley (510) 579-6300 MAY 8 Treasurer Pat Stratton (650) 888-8619 General Manager Stephen Barkkarie (510) 368-1733 3:30 PM Director-At-Large Jim Stewart (510) 796-2810 Teleconferencing service Director-At-Large Kent Hedberg (415) 608-3811 Director-At-Large Gail Hedberg (510) 207-5524 CLUB CAR DEADLINE The deadline for submitting articles and photos for next month’s issue of The Club Car is the 20th OF THIS MONTH! Submitting articles is easy by e-mail in WORD text format to [email protected] Digital photos may also be submitted by e-mail. Electronic images should be saved as PC format .jpg files with minimal compression (i.e., average to excellent quality). A WORD file with the photo number, description of photo and identifying the people in them IS REQUIRED. The editor reserves the right to hold or edit material as necessary. The Club Car is an official publication of the Pacific Locomotive Association, Inc., P.O. Box 515, Sunol, CA 94586-0515 . The Club Car is distributed monthly to members, sponsors and friends of the Pacific Locomotive Association. The Pacific Locomotive Association, Inc. is an IRS Code 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization. Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. The PLA’s Federal Tax ID is 94-6130878, the State of California Tax ID is 0501445. General Meetings are held on the 3rd Friday of January, May & July at 7:30 p.m. and the 3rd Saturday of March, June & October at 3:30 pm at the Sunol Glen School, two blocks east of the Depot on Main Street in Sunol, CA. Members, Sponsors & Guests are welcome. Items in this publication are Copyright © 2021, Pacific Locomotive Association, Inc. and may be reproduced only by permission with credit to the source. Views expressed herein are those of the author unless specifically noted by the editor as official policy. The Pacific Locomotive Association is a member of the HeritageRail Alliance (HRA). Page 2 Pacific Locomotive Association, Inc. MAY 2021 NILES CANYON RAILWAY = = = = = = = = = May Activities = = = = = = = = May 1 1st Saturday MoW Building East - Mike Strider May 1 1st Saturday Photographer’s Special. 9:00 am, Niles to East EOT. Steam Department May 8 2nd Saturday Special Train Operations, Sunol, 10:30 am, 1:00 pm May 8 2nd Saturday Board of Directors Meeting, 2:15 pm (Teleconference) May 8 2nd Saturday General Meeting, 3:30 pm (Teleconference) May 9 2nd Sunday Special Train Operations, Sunol, 10:30 am, 1:00 pm May 15 3rd Saturday Special Train Operations, Sunol, 10:30 am, 1:00 pm May 16 3rd Sunday Special Train Operations, Sunol, 10:30 am, 1:00 pm May 22 4th Saturday Brush Cutting, 8:00 am (Brightside) - Steve Jones May 30 5th Sunday Charter, Sunol, 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm, 50 people Jim Evans = = = = ALL ACTIVITIES SUBJECT TO CANCELLATION = = = = Volunteer Report Ed Best - Volunteer Coordinator The following is a list of the people who reported a total of over 3,000 volunteer hours supporting your railroad in March. All volunteer hours on projects related to the railroad need to be reported in order to be documented. Please send your hours to me by e-mail at [email protected]. One member of a working group can send me the data for all members of the group. Meeting attendance by teleconference is reported to me by the Membership Secretary. Administrative Car Department Facilities Meetings Meetings MOW & Track Switching Crew Henry Baum Tom Crawford Rich Alexander Bob Bradley Kurt Olsen John Zielinski Ed Best Mike Strider Rich Gove Bob Pratt Leslie Smith Ken Southwick Gerry Feeney Jim Evans Depot Crew & Operation Steve Barkkarie Charles Gullo Linda Stanley Linda Stanley Mark Miller Linda Stanley Chris Hamilton Steve Coon Charles Navarra Mark Miller Mark Whitman Rich Anderson Matthew Petach Matthew Petach Pat Stratton Donna Alexander Steve Jones Charles Smith Train Crew Steve Barkkarie Leanne Hamilton Wesley Van Osdol Chris Hauf Mike Strider Mike Strider Alan Siegwarth Jim Stewart Patrice McDonald Curt Hoppins Pat Buder Rhonda Dijeau Brad Jones Kent Hedberg Rich Alexander Gift Shop Dan Mills Pat Stratton Ron Thomas Donna Alexander Dave Burla Patrice McDonald Steve Barkkarie Charles Franz Gail Hedberg Chris Chisom Docents Gail Hedberg Dave Ernest Paul Veltman Steve Buscovich Chris Hauf Chuck Kent Bob Pratt Rich Alexander Dave Hipple Peter Midnight Steve Jones Donna Alexander Derek Lyon-McKeil Dan Mills Dee Murphy Rich Alexander Wesley Van Osdol Ed Best Don Nelson Jim Evans Mechanical Dexter Day Rob Giles Jackie Vlasak Doug Vanderlee Mark Miller Jim Stewart Alan Siegwarth Don Gholson Ron Peterson Other Sally Mills George Mednick Mary Asturias Linda Stanley Bill Ross Donna Alexander Barry Lependorf Steve Barkkarie Gerald DeWitt Rich Alexander Mike Pechner Charles Franz Doug Debs Bob Bailey Steve Jones Jackie Vlasak Steve Jones Mimi Hamilton Chuck Kent Doug Vanderlee Carlo Borlandelli Steve Slabach Jeff Schwab Rob Giles Dee Murphy Ed Best Curt Hoppins Thomas Libbey Jim Stewart Archives & Library Dennis Mann Gail Hedberg Dennis Mann Tim Flippo John Sutkus Brian Hitchcock Electrical & Signals Derek Schipper George Childs Ed Best Tom Crawford Jordan Hamilton Dennis Mann Curt Hoppins Gerald DeWitt Henry Baum Eric Wright Zonker Harris Jorg Linke Linda Stanley Joe Romani Gerry Feeney Jacques Verdier Gail Hedberg Justin Legg Steve Jones Kurt Olsen Henry Chandler Jason Kazarian Gerry Feeney Kurt Olsen Matthew Petach Howard Wise Jeff Haslam MOW & Track Kurt Olsen Mark Miller Car Department Paul Veltman Jeff Haslam Jim Baber Adam Weidenbach Linda Stanley Nick Anderson Bob Moore Jeff Schwab Jim Evans Bob Pratt Mark Miller Ron Quilici Denis Murchison Facilities Justin Legg Jim Gilmore Chris Campi Mike Strider Steve Barkkarie Dennis Mann Bob Bailey Karl Swartz Jim Stewart Dan Mills Patrice Warren Warren Haack Henry Baum Bob Bradley Kurt Olsen Joe Scardino Dee Murphy Paul Veltman Howard Wise Jack Harrington Linda Stanley John Zielinski Doug Vanderlee Peter Midnight Karl Swartz John Zielinski Rich Gove Jorg Linke Gerry Feeney Steve Barkkarie Marshall Williams Ken Southwick Steve Barkkarie Karen Kadaja Hal Brier Steve Slabach Steve Van Meter Matthew Petach Steve Jones Kent Hedberg John Pelmulder Zonker Harris MAY 2021 Pacific Locomotive Association, Inc. Page 3 NILES CANYON RAILWAY President’s Message Henry Baum - President Happy days are here again! Well, ning our traditional Train of Lights this running for a Board position, I would almost, but looking better every week. upcoming holiday season. The whole highly recommend you speak to the Alameda County should be moving into shebang – first class cars, caboos- Incumbents (Mike Strider, Linda Stan- the least restrictive Yellow Tier soon, es, hot cocoa, hot cider, cookies and ley, Gail Hedberg and James Stewart, and most restrictions should be gone Member’s trains. Decorating begin- respectively) to find out more about the by mid-June. That is the extremely op- ning around Labor Day. Hopefully the position, how much work it entails, and timistic viewpoint, anyway. With vacci- idle year has not had too disastrous an how to make it fun. nations going like gangbusters, and the effect on our decorations We will have In my spare time I am finishing up my vaccine seems to be able to suppress to replace the ones we were intending restoration of the Deep Fat Fryer that the disease, we may be able to put the to replace last year, but our financial was an integral part of the Ranch Car last year behind us. position should be able to handle that. kitchens. I have successfully rebuilt the We will take things slow here at the Both the picnic and the TOL will not burner assemblies, and am now polish- Niles Canyon Railway.