Steam & Excursion > WP Mallet Pulls "Loggers Whiskey Special" To Westwood!

During the 1940's the Western Pacific RR had one of the most interesting passenger trains that ran twice a week. This was dubbed the "Loggers Special" or the "Whiskey Special" and often combined into the "Loggers Whiskey Special".

The purpose of the train was to transport loggers from the Red River Lumber Co. operations at Halls Flat down the Inside Gateway to Westwood, CA for their Sunday frolics. Later, Fruit Growers Supply would take over the RRL operations and this train to Westwood would continue all the years the Halls Flat logging camps were in operation.

In this great photo by Phil Johnson we see WP 2-6-6-2 #201 heading south from Halls Flat on it's way to Westwood with it's consist of former Sacramento Northern interurban trailer cars bought for use on this unique passenger train.

The train on the return trip was re-named - "The Hangover Special". This train ran until 1947 when the Halls Flat camps closed.


Martin



Edited 10 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/12 08:49 by LoggerHogger.

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Now that's a "rare" photograph and something to deny unless one would
have seen it. Love your collection Martin, keep'em coming.

If someone ran this train on their layout, it would not look prototypical at all... Great photo, and great history to go along with it.

To be "welcomed" into town by the local chapter of the WCTU........interesting story and photo Martin!
Arlen

Arlen,

I am sure there were some women folks in town ready to welcome them, however I doubt they were WCTU members.

Martin

Always got a kick out of this operation. I first learned about it when Jim Boynton described it to me. Howard Fogg did a painting of this train based on another Philip Johnson photo. The painting is reproduced on page 188 of Guy Dunscomb and Fred Stindt's WP Steam Locomotives book.

It started running on November 1, 1941. Reports are that it was also called the Paul Bunyan Express by some folks, as well as Whiskey Special, Loggers Special and Hangover Special. While the WP bought 5 ex-SN trailers (1021-1025), Dunscomb and Stindt report that only 1021-1024 went north. The train was documented with all 4 trailers in consist on occasion. They were renumbered WP 451-454 and had been built by Hall-Scott in 1913. Each trailer seated 60. It did typically run with a Little Wamp (WP 2-6-6-2), but also sometimes ran with 2-8-0s.

It appears this was an "off-book" train run special for the lumber company. I think it was always run as an extra as I have never discovered a train number or symbol for it.

Awesome shot, Martin. Thanks for sharing!!

Z

This photo was actually used by Fogg as the basis for the painting he did for Guy. I was lucky enough last year to acquire the original of Fogg's painting of this special train that he painted for Guy.

Martin



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/12 09:30 by LoggerHogger.

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LoggerHogger Wrote:
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> This photo was actually used by Fogg as the basis
> for the painting he did for Guy. I was lucky
> enough last year to acquire the original of Fogg's
> painting of this special train that he painted for
> Guy.
>
> Martin

That's interesting. The angle, composition and location of the painting all look different to me. Guess Fogg just used it for basic reference rather than copy the actual scene.

Very cool! Always wondered what happened to the original.

Z

Fogg used this photo for the train consist but not the angle. I the other photo of a freight which was used for the painting perspective.

Martin

Loved the story behind the picture.

I once visited the interior of a set of dead heading Amtrak cars (about 10 of them IIRC) that were in Houston after a charter run to New Orleans and back for an NFL game between the Oilers (remember?) and Saints. It was a sickening mess of trash, spilled beer, vomit, etc. and that experience makes me pretty sure the interior of those cars were only fit to be hosed out by Sunday night.

railstiesballast Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I once visited the interior of a set of dead
> heading Amtrak cars (about 10 of them IIRC) that
> were in Houston after a charter run to New Orleans
> and back for an NFL game between the Oilers
> (remember?) and Saints. It was a sickening mess
> of trash, spilled beer, vomit, etc. and that
> experience makes me pretty sure the interior of
> those cars were only fit to be hosed out by Sunday
> night.


Having worked a number of football specials run by my friend Bill Kratville back when I was in high school, I can attest to the scene described above. We would have that train as clean as we could make it prior to departure (incl two wonderful Pullman heavyweights managed by Bill). The clean-up upon return was a always a nightmare!

John Bush

Omaha

True that John. I remember helping to clean up the train after the games when I got a little older. What a mess!!! Lots of fond memories of tailgating by train.

Cate Kratville-Wrinn
Brookfield, WI