Steam & Excursion > A Colorful Way For This Steam Locomotive To Celebrate An Event!

The opening of a new rail line for any railroad was always an event to be celebrated.  However, by 1955, there were far more railroad lines that were being abandoned, or at least shortened in length, rather than being built.  Thus, when the McCloud River RR of McCloud, California opened it's new line to Burney, California in July 1955, this was quite an accomplishment that was certainly deserving a celebration of it's own!

As the center of the attraction for the gold spike ceremony in Burney, MCRR ALCO 2-6-2 #25 was chosen.  She was the last new steam locomotive purchased by the railroad and it was decided she would lead the set of trains bound for the big event.  In this photo we see #25 on the turntable at McCloud on the day of the event, July 3, 1955.  A contest had been sponsored by the railroad for the art that would decorate the #25's tender.  A local high school student's entry was chosen and this fine mural was painted on both sides of #25's tender.

#25 still runs today, although not to Burney or even on the MCRR as that line has been largely scrapped.  Today, she can be found running 7-days a week in the summer along the Oregon coast on the the Oregon Coast Scenic RR.  Even with all the fame she has accumulated in the 64 years since the 1955 Gold Spike Ceremony in Burney, we must still remember that day as one of the most special in her long career.

Martin



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 06/17/19 03:50 by LoggerHogger.

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She was doing just fine yesterday when Bruce Miller and I split the four trips running and firing on the OCSR.  Over 50 years ago when I was a guest fireman one day for Ray Piltz while heading up the hill out of McCloud, I certainly never would have guessed that I'd be working the same engine again a half century later!  She does look a little different now with the auxiliary oil tank and storage bins having been removed from the top of the tender.

She is so similar to the first steamer I worked 52 years ago last Tuesday as a Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway fireman.  About the only quickly noticeable differences between the two logging lokies is that the 25 is an Alco, has a power reverse and a newer schedule brake valve compared to the Baldwin-built Oregon-American 105 with its Johnson bar and NY schedule 5-LT brake valve that uses the vertical-oriented straight air valve.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/17/19 10:57 by Jim700.

Closer view of the tender artwork is in this old thread: https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,3470903