Nostalgia & History > Napa Valley # 53

The attached photo was taken at the Sacramento Northern shops at Mulberry in Chico, CA.   The car in the photo is Napa Valley # 53 which operated between Vallejo and Calistoga through the wine country.  The car was obtained by the Bay Area Electric Railroad Association.  In this photo, a new roof is being installed by BAERA railfans Bill Billings (owner of Eastshore Bus Lines) and Bob Burrowes and his wife (Mrs. Burrowes) ..

Later on, the car was moved to "Traction Meadows" near Bellota, CA on a branch of the Stockton, Terminal & Eastern RR.    The car was torched by parties unknown and completely destroyed !  Sad !

KRK

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One of the tragedies of electric railway preservation.  I wasn't sure where Traction Meadows was--for some reason I thought it was in Colusa County near Meridian.

The location was also known as Tragedy Meadows. The ST&E line ran east of Stockton to Linden and Bellota.

IIRC, there were issues with access to the rail line with an adjoining property owner. Although never proven, many believed the car was the victim of arson to end the "problems".

Still extant, although only as a flatcar. The 52, in the "RR Park" at Dunsmuir, has also been reduced to flatcar status.