Steam & Excursion > If You Only Look Quick You Might Miss What This Train Really Is!

Since July of 1965 we have become used to seeing countless photos of the steam powered "Super Skunk" trains departing the depot in Ft. Bragg, California on the California Western railroad.  The distinctive trim 70-ton Baldwin 2-8-2 #45 has become so recognizable in this role that we take her for granted.

So is that what we have here?  No, wait something is different.  While yes this is the same Ft. Bragg depot and the passenger train about to depart is being pulled by a trim Baldwin 70-ton 2-8-2, this is not the #45.  Who is she then and when is this?

In a twist of irony, the very last steam locomotive to be purchased by the C-W in 1944 was also a Baldwin 70-ton logging 2-8-2 that was #3 on her past logging line, the Lamm Lumber Co. of Modoc Point, Oregon.  She was nearly identical to the #3 Baldwin 2-8-2 logging locomotive that C-W would buy 20 years later from the Medford Corporation in Medford, Oregon for use as the "Super Skunk".

In this photo taken in 1950 we see former Lamm Lumber #3 now lettered as C-W #44 about to depart Ft. Bragg.  She would be retired in the late 1950's along with the rest of the C-W steam power.  Had she simply been tucked away in the engine shed for just a few years she would have been ready and waiting for the return to steam powered passenger trains in 1965.

Alas, no one had that amount of foresight, and she was scrapped.  Sad.

Martin



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 09/28/16 03:43 by LoggerHogger.

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Looks like a special excursion (Railfan?) of some kind.

SierraRail Wrote:
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> Looks like a special excursion (Railfan?) of some
> kind.

With an RPO?

I like M-80 over on the left.

Earlk Wrote:
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> SierraRail Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Looks like a special excursion (Railfan?) of
> some
> > kind.
>
> With an RPO?
>
> I like M-80 over on the left.
No passenger trains operated on California Western in 1940's and 1950's.  All passengers and U. S. Mail was carried by Motorcars.  This had to be a special train.

Go back through a lot of the period Western Railroaders, there were a fair number of "Weekend in the Redwoods" excursions along about that time, many of them featured the Cal Western. 

Jeff Moore
Elko, NV

This is the "Week-end in the Redwoods" train sponsored by Pacific Coast Chapter, R&LHS, on Northwestern Pacific and California Western. On CWR, train was powered by engines 44 & 23.  Photo above taken at Fort Bragg October 19, 1947.