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Southern Pacific #18 – March and April 2020

March started with what turned out to be an extremely productive weekend. We had awesome weather until an approaching storm made its way over the Sierras on Sunday and sent us all home.

Focus was on clearing the right of way to what will ultimately be the end of the track at the museum picnic grounds. Numerous wagons and artifacts were moved to open up the right of way. In addition, the entire yard had some long overdue house keeping take place. Seven large trailer loads of scrap and debris were hauled off to the dump; it looks like a new yard!

In addition to all the clearing and cleaning we spiked down about 75 feet of rail. The one thing that did not get completed was the switch to the new main line. A new tighter frog will be required to complete it.

Thanks to everyone who helped and we look forward to next time!

  • A beautiful weekend in Independence
  • Ties are beginning to go down.
  • The cleaned up yard.
  • Moving the Cerro Gordo freight wagons.
  • The cleared right of way is appearing.
  • Moving more wagons.
  • The future end of track looking south.
  • Sunset on the Sierra’s
  • More track.
  • Looking down the new line. Switch is yet to be completed.
  • Chris Dryer watches Doug Mull at work.
  • Laying track with an approaching storm.
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Southern Pacific #18 – January and February 2020

Thanks to CCR friend and supporter Martin Hansen we have this great shot of #18 during what was possibly its final trip to the Bakersfield shops in 1954. Interestingly enough, locomotive #1774 also survived and is today on display in Globe, Arizona.

After all the excitement of the past couple years its been a relatively quiet start to 2020. With the new year underway we thought it would be good to lay out a few of the things we hope to accomplish in the coming years:

  • Complete the museum extension switch and continue track laying and right of way prep to extend the track towards the museum picnic area.
  • Begin the restoration of boxcar 1C/354 with documentation, some disassembly, and frame/end sill repairs.
  • Locate a more suitable pair of trucks, or rebuild the existing trucks under boxcar 15.
  • Continue to train our volunteers on the operation and maintenance of #18.
  • Continue to tie together and interpret the railroad exhibits within the existing museum grounds.
  • Add some display components to the Dehy Park display.

We hope everyone will continue to support us in 2020 and come on out to participate and see whats going on with #18 and the Eastern California Museum!

The subject of our next work weekend, the museum extension switch. This is how it looks today.