Steam & Excursion > Sierra - Pickering - West Side - A Puzzle for You.

Here are 3 photos of three famous Mother Lode lines. Each photo has some unique aspects not readily seen by anyone but experts of these lines.

#1. - Sierra - How many engines can you spot and what numbers are they? If you get this correct you should also get the year of the photo correct too.

#2. - Pickering - Again how many engines can you spot and which numbers are they? What year would this be?

#3. - West Side - What is unusual in this photo? If you spot that, you should know the year. What year is it.

Martin

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well in photo #3 the west side 10 is lettered for the pickering

Photo #2 of the Pickering shop area includes 6 locomotives.

Both of the big heislers #5 and #10

4 shays include #11 and #12 behind #11 on the foreground track.

Shay #3 and barely visible behind the heisler on the second track.

In the far back is a very shinny freshly painted and rebuilt shay #8. I am not sure which year #8 was rebuilt but this engine is the one that will date the photo. Pacific Coast Shay #11 appears to be a bit worn looking and was the victim of a shop fire in 1952. It was cheaper to rebuild #11 than buy a diesel. I would place the photo near 1950.

Of note is the fact that the late model shay #11 was considered the flagship of the fleet. Being the newest of the shays, it had piston valves which made it the favorite of the shop foreman. As soon as it arrived in the shops from a run, the shop foreman was right there to check on his favorite engine. Any knocks, clanks, steam leaks were quickly noted and slated for immediate repair. The other shays, although maintained well, did not receive the special care directed towards #11.

Photo #1 shows 5 Sierra steam locomotives.

#24 on the turntable
#18 barely visible in stall one but identified by the flared tender tank wrapper
#36 in the roundhouse
#34 in the roundhouse
#28 in the roundhouse

No evidence of #3 indicates she is still out of service on the whisker tracks to the left of the image.

No evidence of wartime headlight shields so it is not during WWII.

The Sierra was rebuilt with heavier rail and new ties/ballast in 1947. With no new ties or tunnel muck ballast, the image has to be prior to 1947.

Rumor has it that #36 was in for rebuild during 1946-1947 and the #28 was next through the shop in 1947-1948. Number 18 went into the shop late 1950 and when the firebox sheets were found to be too thin, the rebuild was aborted and the flues sent to Standard City where the Pickering installed them in shay #12. The #3 was then the movie queen.

The Plymouth shop switcher is visible and was used in the rebuilding of the railroad in 1947.

I would place the photo in the late 1930's or early 1940's.

So far only a couple errors on the Pickering photo. That is Heisler #2 next to Shay #11, not #10. The shop fire that burned Shay #11 was in 1941, not 1952. She was re-built because there were no logging diesels available and with the war demand they needed every steamer they had.

The Date of the photo is January 24, 1953. This is the first day of test runs for Shay #8 after her re-build following her purchase from Long-Bell. She is being fired up in the background. Soon she will be backed out to a clear spot so a group of visiting railfans (including Stan Borden who took this shot) can photograph her in all her splendor. Wil Whittaker was on hand for this as well. Here is one of his of the beautiful Shay #8. The January date explains why all the power is at the shops.

Where are the West Side experts. No one spotted the unique features in the WS Shay photo.

Martin

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Since I grew up in the cab of the WSLCo 10, I would have to say that the interesting feature is the Pickering Lettering on the water tank, but the missing pick and ring on the oil tank (all of which is actually visible under the paint today). I would hazard a guess that the picture was taken in 1958. BUT Shorty Maddox's whistle is missing, so is his characteristic leather strap across the window. That might give an idea that it was taken between seasons. but judging by the condition of the track (weeds) and that she appears to be dead cold and has been that way for a while. So, it could also be around 1968, shortly before Rudy Stauffer bought her for the YMSP.

Your getting colder...

Martin

I would guess that photo #3 of West Side #10 was taken between 1921 and 1937.

On the Sierra R-house shot just one error there. That is #3 in the stall behind #24, not #18. First, when #3 was on the whisker track she was nearly up to the edge of the turntable pit. She would have been visable in a photo taken from this spot.
Also, #3 too has a flared tender top. If you look at the height of the tender you will see it is too short to be #18, and actually is #3.
I assume this shot is taken in 1953 on the same trip that the Pickering shot was taken. That means #18 is in the weeds behind the shops awaiting her fate.

Martin

The West Side shot was taken in 1936 as #10 slumbers through the depression shut-down. This explains the weeds in the yard. When she is returned to service in 1937 she will be back in West Side lettering and livery.

Here is what people are missing... She still wears her stainless steel boiler jacket that Pickering ordered her to be delivered with from the Lima factory. Don't forget, #10 is the only West Side Lumber engine to be ordered by Pickering, and not by West Side.

The other detail that is being missed, is yes, she is painted red!

Here is a shot in May 1937 as she is dropping the first logs from the woods since the company shut down in 1930!! Notice the fresh paint and WS lettering, and the absence of the Pickering stainless steel jacket. I think this shows the WS shop crews did not want to remember the Pickering years when they were closed most of the time.

Martin

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Photo 3 of West Side 10 shows a lot of weeds on the mainline track. Looks like the Great Depression shut-down years to me (1933-1937).

Martin,

I was looking at that shot of Pickering #8...It wouldn't take very much 'movie magic' to transform the Sierra Rwy #2 to pose as Pickering #8. Biggest thing would be some psuedo-stainless steel jacketing in the right places.

Something to ponder for the 'big event'!!

Erik Young
Sonora, CA



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/10 14:15 by SandingValve.

Erik,

It may be easier to simply use Pickering #7 since she is aready sitting right there in your yard.

Martin

LoggerHogger Wrote:
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> Erik,
>
> It may be easier to simply use Pickering #7 since
> she is aready sitting right there in your yard.

I think the key word here is 'operational'. Pickering #7 is a far cry from operating. Cosmetically, there is much to do for Pickering #7. Operationally speaking there is even more to do. I have not heard anything from Dr. Nichols lately regarding any recent motivation towards restoration. Whereas the SRY #2 could 'pose' as a 'stand in' with some low budget 'movie magic'. It will not be long before Railtown has THREE steam locomotives under steam. 2009 looks to be a good year for steam at RT1897.

However, Sierra #34 is my dream restoration.


Erik



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/10 14:16 by SandingValve.

Yes, "operating" may be an issue with #7. I am sure we will see #34 operating at Rail Town in the foreseeable future. Where she belongs.

Martin

I was one of the last people to work on the #7 before she left Castro Point. At that time, she was very close to being operational. If we had not needed to throw her back together for the move off the property, I believe we could have had the #7 running after only a dozen or so Saturday's of work. Of course, that was back in the good old days before Form 4's. Mechanically, the #7 was quite sound, too. Too bad it had to become a track bumper. I seriously doubt the Doc will ever do anything with it. He might as well sign over the pink slip.

Brian Wise

SandingValve Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think the key word here is 'operational'.
> Pickering #7 is a far cry from operating.
> Cosmetically, there is much to do for Pickering
> #7. Operationally speaking there is even more to
> do. I have not heard anything from Dr. Nichols
> lately regarding any recent motivation towards
> restoration.

LoggerHogger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes, "operating" may be an issue with #7. I am
> sure we will see #34 operating at Rail Town in the
> foreseeable future. Where she belongs.
>
> Martin


okay two things:

1) will fred kepner give up his ownership of the #34 and will the state spend the $ to buy it back?
2) will the great state of california spend the money to overhaul the 34 with a 15 bilion dollar deficit?

Brain,

Here are a couple of shots of Pickering #7 from March 2006. Recently #7 and the 'Black Jacks' were moved closer to the freight depot due to a sewer project. If the project had not come along, Pickering #7 would have looked the same today as it did two years ago. Some of the larger loose parts are on the tender (splines, universals), but most of the hard to find parts are securely stored within RT1897 SHP.

There are several individuals that would love to see #7 restored, both cosmetically and operationally.

SV


speeder3 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was one of the last people to work on the #7
> before she left Castro Point. At that time, she
> was very close to being operational. If we had
> not needed to throw her back together for the move
> off the property, I believe we could have had the
> #7 running after only a dozen or so Saturday's of
> work. Of course, that was back in the good old
> days before Form 4's. Mechanically, the #7 was
> quite sound, too. Too bad it had to become a
> track bumper. I seriously doubt the Doc will ever
> do anything with it. He might as well sign over
> the pink slip.
>
> Brian Wise
>
> SandingValve Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I think the key word here is 'operational'.
> > Pickering #7 is a far cry from operating.
> > Cosmetically, there is much to do for Pickering
> > #7. Operationally speaking there is even more
> to
> > do. I have not heard anything from Dr. Nichols
> > lately regarding any recent motivation towards
> > restoration.

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I must confess, that I am one of those who would love so see #7 back in service. I saw her for the first time at Lyons Lake just after the 1971 event.
She was built on nearly the same plans as Mount Emily #1 that I run up here in Oregon.

Let's hope she can steam again.

Martin

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You've been holding out on me, Martin! I didn't see any of those shots of the #7 at the Boeing swap meet! I have precious few photos of the #7 in steam at Lyons Lake in 1971 (I was seven years old, and my dad was very busy working so he took few photos). I'll contact you off list about some copies.

Brian