Seems like we need a thread like this here in So cal.

Post a few pic or your favorite facts.

 

oh boy.... the countless hours i have spent on you tube watching train videos.

this ones cool to watch, reps to the young woman for handling the ole steamer.

 

Impressive! A few more from Ogden.

 

Union Pacific is getting engine #4014 an ALCO 4-8-8-4 "big boy" from the museum in Pomona, Ca and there plan is to add it to its current steam program and, and the rumor i have heard is to restore it for the 150th anniversary of the transcontinental rail road on 2019. also heard they are guessing it will take 3 to 5 years to get it running again.

looks like the museum that currently owns it is saying it will be there until the end of the 2013 la county fair to allow everyone to see it before its trip to Cheyenne, Wyoming

UP: Union Pacific Railroad Acquires Big Boy Locomotive No. 4014

 

There is a Union Pacific yard here in Fresno, less than a mile from my house.



Took these with my new fangled Digital SLR camera. Interesting to see 3 Canadian Pacific locomotives there though. I have seen the random Southern Pacific loco, but this was the first time seeing a Canadian Pacific one.







Jim

 

Nice pics Jim!

 

Thanks. I made the mistake of not taking my camera bag with me when I went to the yard to get those pics, so all I had was the 70-300 zoom lens, and could not zoom out enough to get all the locomotives in one shot. Won't make that mistake next time.

Jim

 

 

Nice shot Sean.

Jim

 

Another UPRR "Big Boy" located at CA State RR Museum in Old Sacramento. These were designed to pull looong heavily located trains thru the Rockies.

More trains and rolling stock located in Griffith Park at Travel Town, which is also the home of the LA Live Steamers.

And, at the Perris RR Museum, that also has scads of old trolley cars, including some original Red Cars.

Sean, I've said in the past that this would be a nice place for a SoCal chapter GTG, fun for young and old, and crabby SOB's.

Transcontinental RR completed May 10, 1869 at Promontory Summit U.T. Today there's replicas there of the two UP & CP RR's locomotives.

But if you walk out in the weeds, you'll find a few original very rusty iron rails...and rattlesnakes.

The route has now been moved further south, but y'all can drive for several miles on the original roadbed.

Pyramid shaped Ames Bros. Monument located 20 some miles from Laramie WY, today out in the middle of nowhere, as the route has long since been moved.

Ames Bros. crooked as snakes, were involved in the UPRR Credit Mobilier scandal that drained the wallets of the US Gov't and private investors.

When trains ran past the monument, sharpshooters shot off the Ames Bros. noses!

 

After his death, Ollie Johnston's estate donated his rolling stock and trackage of his home layout to Live Steamers at Griffith Park, who also have Walt's Barn there. I was one of the last to walk the tracks on the acreage in La Canada Flintridge, where Ollie lived before his passing in 2008.

Ollie Johnston was one of Walt's Nine Old Men, and is the one who really got Walt into live steaming.

Pop

 

Don't forget Ward Kimball, another of Walt (Disney's) Nine Old Men. Kimbell was a long time steam railroader par excellance, had a 4-6-4 steam locomotive in his back yard.

J.B. Nethercutt was another longtime RR nut. Besides owning 100's of classic cars, band organs, radiator caps and Merle Norman cosmetics, he restored "Lucky" Baldwin's daughter's private RR parlor car.

It's on display at his "San Sylmar" museum, hooked to a Canadian Pacific RR steam locomotive. We had a SoCal chapter gtg there, only a few people showed up, you, me and Sean as I recall.

 

Absolutely! He also had a huge influence on Walt getting into the railroading hobby, but his stuff didn't go to Live Steamers.

Pop

 

Bob Berry, a Van Nuys resident, Model T and RR nut got me interested in trains. He was also a longtime member of LA Live Steamers, when not in use, he put his locomotive/tender in front of his fireplace.

My BIL has written/published two books on the LA Metro Rail. When I was in the UK in 1999, I visited a pub that all the walls were covered with RR pics, artifacts, 1000's of RR books packed shelves.

I mentioned to the owner about my BIL's "Railroad-Freeway" book he had just published. He was aware, was planning to order a copy.

"She who must be obeyed" had brought a full box of them on this trip, so I walked out to the car, got one, gave it to him. Received several Guiness' in return, left there feeling no pain.

 

A few days ago I saw a strange site at the UP yard. There were three passenger cars there with the standard yellow and red UP paint scheme on them. I did not have my camera as I was in the F350. (I keep the cheap Sony camera in the Bronco, going to have to get a cheap one for the F350 too it looks like) and totally forgot about it until yesterday when I drove by the yard (again in the F350) and saw them pulling out. I missed my chance to get any photos. I have never seen any passenger cars at this yard, only freight. The middle one had a glass bubble section so people could look out. They were empty as far as I can tell. Maybe here for maintenance.

Jim