Steam & Excursion > SP 1269 Before and After the Move to Sacramento

Here is the SP 0-6-0 on the Castro Point Railway in Richmond, CA and at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento.

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Uh, when?

Good looking SP engine!

/Mitch

When was the last time it was steamed up?

MaineLines Wrote:
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> Here is the SP 0-6-0 on the Castro Point Railway
> in Richmond, CA and at the California State
> Railroad Museum in Sacramento.

The 1269 was removed from the Richmond City park in September, 1978 and was first under steam for testing at Castro Point in November of 1979. She officially entered service on June 22, 1980. She appeared in Sacramento for Railfair 1981 so the first photo was taken between early 1980 and early 1981.

Howard

Here it is in 1980 on its first official run in Richmond on the CP Ry. I think there were no more than a dozen of us, all members of the Pacific Locomotive Association, standing around to take in this very special occasion.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/18/11 19:45 by Westbound.

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What's the present status?

Steve Mitchell
http://www.yardgoatimages.com

Ah, I miss the days when you could restore a steam locomotive in a year and a half for what amounts to pocket change today...

A sharp looking switcher.

A sharp looking switcher. is she still alive and kicking? or stored.

SPGP9 Wrote:
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> A sharp looking switcher. is she still alive and
> kicking? or stored.

Stored. It was returned from CSRM with firebox issues.

Howard

During my first visit to the CSRM in 1986 (I was 11) we rode behind No. 1269. It sparked an interest in SP steam that continues to this day (all my HO models had red check valves and injectors after that ride). There was a great little book about the engine - Southern Pacific 1269 by Howard P. Wise - in the CSRM gift shop. Pretty tattered now...I must have read it 100 times or more!

Jeff Terry

C'mon Howard-- Please tell all these nice folks the "whole story" of 1269. How the CSRM folks ran it into the ground and ruined it and how PLA had to "pull teeth" to get it back. Thanks.

KRK





sp5623 Wrote:
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> SPGP9 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > A sharp looking switcher. is she still alive
> and
> > kicking? or stored.
>
> Stored. It was returned from CSRM with firebox
> issues.
>
> Howard

I don't believe it would be fair for anyone to say that CSRM ran the 1269 "into the ground." Running the locomotive was not the issue. CSRM's railroad is virtually flat, and the locomotive never pulled a train there heavy enough to overtax her abilities. To the best of my knowledge, the water was never drained from the boiler and broken staybolts behind the firebrick caused the lower side sheets to rot out. CSRM took the locomotive out of service and would not effect any repairs since it wasn't their locomotive. Eventually CSRM and PLA agreed on a settlement for the damages and the locomotive was returned. She has been in storage in Niles Canyon ever since.

Brian

KeyRouteKen Wrote:
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> C'mon Howard-- Please tell all these nice folks
> the "whole story" of 1269. How the CSRM folks ran
> it into the ground and ruined it and how PLA had
> to "pull teeth" to get it back. Thanks.
>
> KRK
>
>
>
>
>
> sp5623 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > SPGP9 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > A sharp looking switcher. is she still alive
> > and
> > > kicking? or stored.
> >
> > Stored. It was returned from CSRM with firebox
> > issues.
> >
> > Howard



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/21/11 09:00 by speeder3.

Here is a shot of the 1269 passing through the Union Oil refinery near Rodeo on its way to Railfair '81 in Sacramento on April 30, 1981.

The 1269's participation in Railfair '81 was an 11th-hour invitation, and the effort to get it moved happened very quickly and apparently without much forethought on routing. The loads (the tender was on a separate rig) were supposed to leave the Castro Point Railway at Pt. Molate, take the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge to Marin County, then around the north end of San Pablo Bay and east to Interstate 80. Unfortunately, no one checked to see if the locomotive would fit on the bridge, and so when the truck drivers got to the toll plaza, they made an immediate U-turn and headed through downtown Richmond to San Pablo Avenue. With no pace vehicles, the loads made their way up to I-80 at Crockett. My dad and I were at home that day when a friend of ours who had helped load the 1269 onto the truck roared up to our door shouting that it was headed our way. We jumped into my dad's ubiquitous yellow '69 Dodge van and met the 1269 passing through Pinole at what had to be 50mph. It was quite the sight to see since not many people knew the 1269 was even going to the party.

Brian Wise

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Any chance the engine will run again on the PLA? Such a shame to see an engine fully restored, only to start rotting away again.

Dave

kilroydiver Wrote:
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> Any chance the engine will run again on the PLA?
> Such a shame to see an engine fully restored, only
> to start rotting away again.
>
Dave

It is possible but there are several projects ahead of it. It's all a matter of time, funding and worker bees.

Howard

Thanks to Howard and Brian for 'sensible' answers.
the '69 will always be my favorite steam engine.
I learned a lot about the care and feeding of
steam engines working on and around her.
Pete Willis

I was denied a cab ride on 1269 one very hot summer day at CSRM because I was wearing shorts. They said the radiant heat when the firedoor was opened required long pants only. I was this close to buying a pair of pants on the spot, but instead settled for riding in the first seats on the first coach, which was very interesting as she pulled the outbound train tender first. It was great being so close to the cylinders and staring at that smokebox!
I always figured some day I'd go back, but she's gone now...
I did go back and got a cab ride on the oil burner another summer, however.