We were at the Bay Area Electric Railway Association’s Western Railway Museum last Saturday (8/18). One event was the annual summer picnic for the Redwood Empire Division of the National Model Railroad Association. We also volunteer at the WRM and were visiting to assess a small project to upgrade service on the car (1914 Salt Lake and Utah Railroad Parlor Observation #751) we have worked in a few times. We also like seeing, watching and riding the trains!
There’s usually a ‘street car’ running the more frequent short trips around the museum grounds and an interurban unit running the longer (~5 miles each way) trips to Gum Grove. The same couple of units are usually used all day, but since the RED / NMRA was visiting, the operating department was running a different car on each trip. Very interesting observing and riding!
At the end of the day, we were looking in the shop and were invited inside Oakland Antioch & Eastern / Sacramento Northern coach #1005. It is a masterpiece of restoration that is coming along very well, thanks to the dedication of the supporters, members and (especially) volunteers.
Sacramento Northern #654 (GE built 65 ton electric steeple cab) was also ‘resting’ in the shop, along with a wooden boxcar that is undergoing decay arrest and restoration. The 654 has just emerged from a lengthy restoration and is freshly painted in its original black with orange stripping and lettering. One of my favorite electric traction engines!
While I was standing there drooling, shop manager Dave Johnston asked when we were leaving. I told him we weren’t on any fixed schedule. He then explained that they were going to use the 654 to turn the boxcar for further access and painting and we were invited for a cab ride. The track crew had been working in the area out side the shop and was just clearing.
After a short wait, we boarded and Dave moved the 654 to couple up the boxcar, then towed it out of the shop. Turning at the WRM requires running the entire ~1 1/2 mile teardrop shaped loop trackage. Quite a bit of switch aligning to get to the loop followed by a trip over ‘streetcar’ type trackage pushing the boxcar. We dropped the box car near the end of the loop, ran light back around the loop, picked the boxcar up by its other end and returned it to its original position in the shop, but facing 180 degrees. An interesting sidelight: The museum had closed to visitors for the day, but quite a few volunteers were still completing projects or putting things away. Virtually every time we passed someone, Dave would ask if they wanted a ride. We started with 4 of us on the locomotive, and had 8 or 9 by the time we were finished!
The thinking was to also turn the 654, so we went out and around the loop once more. The end of the loop connects with the 5 mile Gum Grove branch. When we got to that connection, it was decided to go down the mainline track ~1 mile to Diablo Vista. Up to that time, all the operations had been conducted at relatively slow speeds, but the the straight mainline track was used appropriately. I put it down to getting all the spiders out of the traction motors!!
Then it was back to the shop building. Except it was then discovered that the 654 shouldn’t have been turned! This resulted in another trip to and around the loop. Barbara commented that we all looked very disappointed in finding the ride would have to be extended!
Back in the shop and thanks all around. A great opportunity to enjoy something special with a great group of folks!
To tie this to modeling, I have a fantasy that someday I’ll build a couple of 1:20 scale SG electric traction locomotive models, hopefully starting with the 654. I’ve been collection data and materials for years, but haven’t started any construction . . . yet.
Happy RRing,
Jerry Bowers