Steam & Excursion > Ca. Western 46 in 1975

How did 46 end up in Campo Ca.? What was the original plan when she left N. California?
Took this on a fan trip when I was a freshman in High School.

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Wow Dave, you're an ancient one!

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Sam Reeves Photography
Pacific Grove, CA
Website: http://www.samreevesphoto.com

Pretty sure this photo of the 46 & 45 was taken the same day.

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SierraRail Wrote:
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> Pretty sure this photo of the 46 & 45 was taken
> the same day.

Yep.
I remember them double heading the two for part of the day or weekend then split the two and ran two trains. can't remember all the details of the fan trip. Thirty two years is a long time ago...

When I talked with the folks at Ca. Western on our BSA trip a couple of months ago, they said she had poor tractive effort because of her originally being a Tank engine.

Sure looked good that day back in 1975. (sounded good to!)

Nice photo. Thanks for posting.

I was on that trip.

dmaffei Wrote:
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> How did 46 end up in Campo Ca.? What was the
> original plan when she left N. California?

I asked a friend of mine, Jim Lundquist, this question. Here is his response.


Back in the 1986 time frame, the Board of the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum (San Diego, La Mesa, Campo) had a Trustee who was a professional fund raiser. He raised money for hospitals and had connections with the owner of the California Western. He said he could acquire the locomotive and get funds to restore it. I was the CEO then, and, I was familiar with the locomotive as I had ridden behind it - what a terrific engine to watch.

Well, get did get the locomotive donated. Several volunteers when up to Fort Bragg and polished brass in their pit, which didn't drain. We were in up to 18 inches in cold water. The CW took the locomotive to Willits, the SP took it to Santa Rosa - on it's own wheels. It was too tall on a flatcar for the tunnels. At Santa Rosa, it was craned onto a flatcar, came to San Ysidro and was offloaded there. After a few months, it was transported to Campo in "Great Freight II" as I recall.

When Dennis D inspected it, we found it needed lots of boilerwork and running gear work. The fund raiser never did raise the funds he promised, dropped off the Board and disappeared.

The locomotiove is a terrific engine to see in operation. A 2-6-6-2 never ran in San Diego. So - unless someone steps forward with cash (1/2 million) specifically to see that locomotive restored, the likelhood is that it will remain a static display. It certainly is the right size for the SD&A, but, the 4-6-0 (#2353), 2-8-2T (#11) and the 2-8-0 (#104) are better candidates.

I'd love to see steam run again on the SD&A at Campo. It only takes money.

Jim

Ok...here I go giving up my age...can remember following the #46 in it's trial run after losing the sddle tanks. Was in primer red towing a few frt cars and a diesel as back up....Remember that year?

iliketrains Wrote:
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> dmaffei Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > How did 46 end up in Campo Ca.? What was the
> > original plan when she left N. California?
>
> I asked a friend of mine, Jim Lundquist, this
> question. Here is his response.
>
Thanks for the info. At least the 46 is there. Who knows what may have happened if it stayed in Northern Ca. with our wet winters?. I try to look at unrestored steam as someones hopes or vision for the future. Who ever thought some of the steam that's running today would run? I remember looking at the SP 2472 through the cyclone fence every year as a kid when I went to the San Mateo fair. Never thought I'd have the chance to see her run...But I did. Thanks to the Hard work of handful of craftsman and a diligent group of folks. So who knows....