Western Railroad Discussion > Small scale train in Santa Ana Canyon

Along SR 91, in the Santa Ana Canyon, just south of Corona near the BNSF main line, there is a park of some kind (don't know exactly what it is) but I seem to remember some kind of train at this park that you could ride. Am I remembering this correctly or am I having another attack of Oldtimers Disease like everybody thinks have.

I asked this same question to retired Mr. WS-54, Mike Chavez, as he said he seemed to remember something about a train being there too. So I must not have a serious case of Oldtimers Disease.

Anybody know anything about this?


TIA
steamjocky

Castle Park, in Riverside? It has a train and has a view of the BNSF Main.

Yeah, I'd think it was Castle Park, which actually is found heading towards Riverside from Corona. (I guess that's north or east deending on where you are on the 91.)

The park was located just west of Green River Golf Course and for several years had a 1 1/2" scale steam loco that operated on about a mile of track. This was prior to the 91 freeway being built. The track went out to the edge of the Santa Ana River with a view of the Santa Fe on the other side. There was at least one tunnel and a trestle along the route. I seem to recall at one time a diesel operating as well as the steamer but can't be sure.


This was always a stop on our travels to Knott's Berry Farm or the beach when we used the 71 to get to the highway through Santa Ana Canyon. There was also a very good hamburger stand at the entrance to the park.

I seem to recall that someone posted on the Steam Board about that train. The writer and his family operated it. He mentioned using a vacuum cleaner as a blower to build up pressure.

Does anyone else remember this? Or do I have Oldtimer's Disease, too?

I have lived in Corona since 1986, And dont remember anything like this at all.

Steamjocky Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Along SR 91, in the Santa Ana Canyon, just south
> of Corona near the BNSF main line, there is a park
> of some kind (don't know exactly what it is) but I
> seem to remember some kind of train at this park
> that you could ride. Am I remembering this
> correctly or am I having another attack of
> Oldtimers Disease like everybody thinks have.
>
> I asked this same question to retired Mr. WS-54,
> Mike Chavez, as he said he seemed to remember
> something about a train being there too. So I
> must not have a serious case of Oldtimers
> Disease.
>
> Anybody know anything about this?
>
>
> TIA
> steamjocky



hehehehe.... just SOMETIMERS John..........


Me.

Guessing the train operated from about 1952 to 1957. The park at that time only had about one or two acres of improvement out of a total of maybe 100 acres. The train took off from the back of the park through heavy cottonwood and eucalyptus trees to the rivers edge. Most of the property that was the park was taken over by the golf course on it's very western edge. Most of the trees were cleared out for the fairways. This was way before the 91 freeway was constructed and at that time Santa Ana Canyon Rd. was the main divided highway. Near the train ride was a horse stable with rental horses for those wanting to go down to the riverbed. The same family that had the stables now has the corrals on the south side of the 91 near the golf course.

I have seen several accounts of this little operation.
It was built(both train and pike) by a Mr. Phil Martin, former tool & die maker for Baldwin locomotive Company before coming to California to work at an L.A. area aircraft manufacturer. The track was about a mile long loop on land leased from Sycamore Camp. Track and equipment was 18" gauge. Began operation in 1950 as his second Orange County park train(the first being at Irvine Park where he widened a 10" gauge 4-4-2 he built for and ran in Detroit in the 1930s) Scale of SACM RR was approx one fourth full size. 4-6-2 loco drivers 20", length approx.25'. Train consisted of only two open passenger cars which could hold total of 24 adults or 36 kids. Martin died in 1952 at age 75 shortly after completing both equipment and track(with tunnels, etc.) His family continued to operate it for awhile and altho his wife put it up for sale later that year, two years later it was still in her possession and being operated by a couple live steam buffs long associated with the family. This info gleaned from articles in the 6/23 and 11/11 L.A. Times of that year, which also featured several pictures of the "Victory Special" on the Santa Ana Canyon Miniature Railroad, and the July-August 1954 "Miniature Locomotive"(article reproduced in summer 1988 OCRHS newsletter).

I rode the train a couple of times.

Have black and white photos somewhere of the loco and builder..

The loco was streamlined along the lines of the AT&SF steamline Hudson.

mundo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I rode the train a couple of times.
>
> Have black and white photos somewhere of the loco
> and builder..
>
> The loco was streamlined along the lines of the
> AT&SF steamline Hudson.


I'd like to see those photos if you can find them.


steamjocky