Steam & Excursion > "The Chiggen" Comes Home!

Steam returns to Santa Cruz for the first time since the late 1950's! Santa Cruz Portland Cement #2, built by H.K. Porter in 1909 came back to home turf last weekend for the first time in 90 years. The engine attended "Steamfest 2014" on the Niles Canyon Railway in June. Because Niles Canyon and its home rails on the Central Coast are located in a relatively close area, the decision was made to bring "The Chiggen" back to its old stomping grounds. The SCPC #2 group, Roaring Camp Railroads, Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay Railway and the County of Santa Cruz teamed up to host this terrific weekend event. It was an enjoyable experience and a huge thank you to all of the groups involved in putting this together!

Here are some photos from the event. I also have a video from my day with "The Chiggen" on YouTube: "Santa Cruz Portland Cement #2 Santa Cruz Steam Excursion (7/12/14)"

Photo #1- Santa Cruz Portland Cement #2 has departed Felton Yard and deadheads to Roaring Camp, where the engine will take on water and necessary preparations will be conducted.

Photo #2- A close-up roster shot of "The Chiggen".

Photo #3- The hardworking crew focuses on the track ahead, easing the train to Roaring Camp.

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Photo #4- The crew looks over the engine.

Photo #5- The good ole' #2. Note the rubber chicken mounted on the front coupler, acting as the mascot for the locomotive.

Photo #6- Santa Cruz Big Trees and Pacific CF7 #2600 served as the assistant for the weekend for the visiting #2. The CF7 followed closely behind #2 when it ran between Roaring Camp (Felton) and Wilder Ranch (North of Santa Cruz). Once in Santa Cruz, #2600 was coupled to the rear of the steam special and pulled the train back north to Felton. The diesel also retains its original Leslie style horn from its days on the Santa Fe.

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Photo #7- Although the steam special was running, it didn't prevent Roaring Camp from running its regularly scheduled Beach Train. As they were prepping "The Chiggen" for its run, I moved to Rincon, a spot halfway between Felton and Santa Cruz. CF7 #2641 blasts across the private crossing with a group of happy passengers onboard.

Photo #8- About 10 minutes after the Beach Train rolls past, SCPC #2 puts on a show, blasting through Rincon.

Photo #9- CF7 #2600 (in a fresh paint job) follows behind "The Chiggen".

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Photos #10 and #11- After the train rolls through Rincon, we race down to Encinal Street in Santa Cruz. It sure was a great sight seeing the engine whistling through town!

Photo #12-After the first run down to the coast, the little engine is readied in Roaring Camp for its final roundtrip of the day.

It was a wonderful event to cover and a great time was had by all! Thank you for viewing!

-Nick

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Thanks so much for the nice photos of a wonderful
little locomotive. That really was a great event!
(Wish I could have been there, but seeing your
photos helps.)

Fantastic photos and report on this event! Thank you! It was really a wonderful time.
The Porter performed flawlessly and actually surprised folks with its power! The crew was great, and the scenery was to die for. There are many many beautiful moments.
It was thrilling to see Roaring Camp's narrow gauge Shay, Dixie, watering at the water tower, while at the same time, on the other side, Santa Cruz Portland Cement 2 on the standard gauge track was taking on water.
I think this marvelous photo by Howard Cohen will give you an idea of just part of what made this a great event!

John

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These were indeed bright and shining times.... Many people give lip service to the notion of teamwork and collaboration, but I can say that this event was perhaps one of the finest examples I have ever seen in the steam community. It all started over a dinner at Matt Hall's house (who built the cab for SCPC 2) where the newly minted GM from the Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay Railway and fellow cab team member Jeff said, wouldn't it be neat to bring the engine back home when it was finished. Fast forward a couple years, and over a few drinks with my friends Nate and Melani from Roaring Camp last October, a possibility was born. Then, in early 2014 emissaries from both the Iowa Pacific empire and Roaring Camp worked together to court the Santa Cruz County transportation board with and idea to publicize and support the concept of a mixed use corridor instead of removing the Santa Cruz Branch for a bike path only. Think about this for a minute given the history between all these disparate institutions......

What happened was nothing short of magical.

The entire town turned out for the event, staunch rails to trails advocates rode the train and bought Chiggen T shirts and apologized for their stance and vowed to support an active railroad, RTC board members sought cab rides and asked if we could return next year, and Team Chiggen, Roaring Campers, and Ed Ellis Boys railroaded/ate/drank together.....

Who would have ever guessed this little engine could have united these different groups. Who would have ever guessed that this event might have saved the Santa Cruz Branch from abandonment?

The chiggen returned home, and I for one will feel eternally blessed to have been part of something this rich and meaningful. This is the power of people working together, and I hope it can serve as a model for more great events and successes by others in the future.

best,

Stathi

PS: The adventure is not over, come see us at the Northwest's newest steam program at the Northwest Railway Museum! That is a whole different story about team work and collaboration, and let me tell you, great things are coming.....

www.trainmuseum.org

Steve Cope Photo



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/22/14 23:14 by PorterNo2.

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Thanks for the great coverage. Looking forward to seeing this one operate in person someday...

Steve Mitchell
http://www.yardgoatimages.com

Wow! What fabulous photos! I remember visiting #2 when she was sitting cold, silent and motionless in front of Pollardville. To see her steaming along the coast (with a little help from a former Santa Fe engine) is a dream come true for many.

Stathi --
WoW! I had no idea that there was so much happy
cooperation and teamwork among such disparate
groups! You write very beautifully about that! This
proves people who usually don't agree CAN work
together for the good of everyone. I needed good
news like that, and so does everyone! Thank y6ou
for spearheading this great event!

LOVE the Chiggen! Her stack talk is absolutely
amazing!! She sounds three times as big as she is!