Steam & Excursion > SPNG #18 Passed the Test on Friday

Just a heads up on a little project that has been going on in Independence, CA for a few years now that has not received very much coverage. The SPNG Locomotive #18 passed its FRA boiler hydro test on Friday and work is moving forward on getting her back in operation again.

CS

Great to hear, thanks!

Is there a web site with any real coverage of what is going on there?

Webpage is carsoncolorado.com

With all the crap going on at the UP steam these days, I thought some good news would be in order.

CS

CaliforniaSteam Wrote:
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> With all the crap going on at the UP steam these
> days, I thought some good news would be in order.

I agree. I have been checking in on their webpage from time to time to see their progress, it is great to see what that group has accomplished so far and that they are still moving right along towards their goal. I can't tell you how many times we have passed #18 while heading to/from Lake Tahoe on US395 so it will be very cool to see this locomotive under steam.

Thanks for sharing, CS.

~Ryan

Posted from iPhone

Do they have any idea where they are going to run it? It would be fantastic if they could rebuild some of the right of way in Owens Valley.

I hope it makes a trip out on the D&S or C&TSRR every now and again. You know, someplace it can really stretch it's legs and get a workout.

They will have 600 feet on a 3.14% grade (plus an enginehouse) adjacent to where
their temporary facility presently sits. They do have several hundred feet of track
on the original ROW but it's more of a recreation of how the line appeared rather
than an operating entity. Who knows though, there's lots of wide open spaces up
there should the powers to be (and the money) decide to do so.

Out

The plan for now is to get the locomotive restored, We wanted to make that the top priority and not get to concerned with where its going to run just yet. The locomotive is owned by Inyo county and under lease to us to do the restoration work. After the restoration work is completed it will be kept at the museum with some track to operate on, and the plan is for now just to bring it out a few times a year. It has been amazing how much work we have completed as group with #18 working in a tent along 395 and doing all the work so far in the park. We have had a lot of help from local citizen's living in the Owens Valley both in volunteer work and financial help as well that cannot be stressed enough. There is a lot of support from local citizen's to see this project happen and from Inyo County.

CS

Since the Los Angeles Dept. of Water and Power owns much of the former right of way and since they have been bending over backwards in recent years in an attempt to appease the Owens Valley residents, it seems like something might be able to be worked out with them for a good stretch of right of way???