Nostalgia & History > March 1966 Anybody remember why?

In light of this past weekend's steam trip to San Bernardino, does anybody besides me remember when ex-SP 4-10-2 5021 was parked, and occasionally fired up, in San Bernardino?

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Another view. Sorry they're chopped off, it was tight quarters.

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What condition is she in?

This engine is part of the R&LHS exhibit at the LA County Fairgrounds in Pomona, CA.

5021 was long thought to be the most likely local steam locomotive that would get back on the road through the 1960's, even running back and forth a few hundred feet in Pomona about 1961 among other times. Back then public excursions were still run, notably but not exclusively by the Pacific Railroad Society.

As for March 1996, I'm not so sure. By then I thought it was already stored with all the AT&SF heavyweight cars for M/W on the northwest side of A yard. It seems the ex-PE spur to the fairgounds wasn't finally severed until after the Freedom Train. I do recall 5021 facing east in San Bernardino about 1969, clearly visible from 5th. St. Having that third cylinder meant no small amount of maintenance so maybe it's better 3751 got back together instead, to say nothing of reliability. I don't remember precisely when 5021 was last moved, was that when collection had to cross to the west end of the parking lot when the racetrack was extended, maybe 1985?

Steam2k Wrote:
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> What condition is she in?

http://www.trainweb.org/rlhs/collection/UP_locomotives/SP_5021.html

Long stored back at the Pomona Fairplex again.

The picture was taken in March 1966, not '96.

px320 Wrote:
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> The picture was taken in March 1966, not '96.

Typo, my sorry.

Not sure about the 1966 date and why that might have beeen important, but 5021 was always thought to be the one that would be brought back to excursion service.

In 1976 (I think), that all ended when the 4449 came to LA with the American freedom train and track was laid to the Pomona Fair Grounds to display her. After the GS left the opportunity was taken to display the 4-10-2 as there really was no way to run her and thus she was towed over the "snap track" to the fairgrounds and there she is today.

Brian E

I got out of the navy in 1965 and was visiting the Pomona County Fairgrounds in 1966. I remember talking to a man working inside SP5021. IIRC he was from Holland and a very nice person to talk to. I also don't remember the reason, but I seem to recall a photo of the 5021 steam up in the News Section of TRAINS magazine. Maybe the reason will be listed there.

Tony Johnson

As a casual railfan, I recall hearing that SP looked into the possibility of getting the 5021 serviceable so that it could be operated to Ogden for the 1969 Golden Spike Centennial. I never heard anything later from anyone in Oakland to confirm this; maybe it was just "Wouldn't it be neat ..." idea.

Later, I also heard unconfirmed that UP Pres Edd Bailey had asked about steaming the 4023 to Ogden.

I remember when it was stored at the Santa Fe roundhouse at San Bernardino. I have some photos (somewhere) of it just resting waiting to be fired up and move some tonnage.

I also have some shots that my very good, long time friend, John Ross (may he rest in peace) took as the locomotive was being moved from San Berdoo to Pomona by an SP SW-1500 and a caboose. It was funny to hear the noise coming from the engine as the rods were going clank-clunk, clank-clunk. There were people riding in the cab of the 5021 to make sure that everything was lubricated like it should be.

When the 5021 got to Pomona, it was being pulled (I think) by a truck or something around a sharp curve. And, as everybody knows, a 4-10-2 does not have a short wheel base. Clunk-clunk. The engine truck was on the ground. No ballast or anything. Just ties, rail, and a locomotive with its engine truck on the asphalt. A crane came over to lift it back on the rails. I figured something good wasn't going to happen when they put the cables, there were two of them, underneath the smokebox instead of the frame. They started to lift the engine and John and I backed away just in time to hear the bolts holding the smokebox to the cylinder saddle get ripped apart. It sounded like somebody was unzipping a zipper even though I think about 12-16 bolts got torn up. I looked and John and said, "Well, we'll never see this engine run, will we?" We both just shook our heads and walked back to the car and went home.

How sad. Another unique SP steam engine bites the dust.

steamjocky

When I was working in San Berdoo in 1969-70, the Santa Fe yard crew would move it occasionally to spot a carload of salt for the steam plant water softener unit. Although it was cold, there would still be a chuffing sound from the cylinders. In the background of one of Stan's photos there's a building that looks like an old style grain elevator; that's the old sand house, and it disappeared about this time.