Steam & Excursion > The Unlucky Steam Engine Used On The Burney Special!

This is a follow up to a post from a couple of days ago that showed the McCloud River RR Burney Gold Spike Special on July 3, 1955. That trip is known for the bright and colorful paint job given McCloud #25 and the role she played in pulling one of the 3 trains into Burney. However, she was not the only McCloud steam locomotive used on that famous trip.

We see here the other steam locomotive that was fired up and use on that famous July 3 day. McCloud #24 (a twin to the #25 and ordered at the same time in 1925 from ALCO) was used at McCloud to help switch the 3 trains that arrived in from Mt. Shasta City. #24 was used as a helper to assist these trains leaving McCloud so they made their connections. We see her here in a fine photo taken by Norm Rolfe in the morning of July 3 as the work was just beginning for the festivities.

#24's role in the big event went largely unnoticed. While #25 with her colorful paint job was tucked away in the paint shed at McCloud to be preserved, in just a few weeks, #24 had her piston rods cut and was sent to South San Francisco to scrap.

Sad.


Martin



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 07/24/14 06:37 by LoggerHogger.

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