Nostalgia & History > 2' in San Jose

The little train in Kelley Park hasn't run in some time, but the ticket office appears in good repair, and the rails not in horrendous shape. I always wondered who built the 2' train; I remember it well. Burned propane, and the cars were pretty much miniatures of the cars out at Roaring Camp. Took some pictures about 10 years ago; as fate would have it, it was the only pictures I'd get of the train, and my camera was stolen that day. Same roll also contained the old 'Cave Train' ride at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk; another memory (though it lives on in a different form)

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The station at the San Jose Historical Museum once was able to get passengers to the park's other end at the Happy Hollow children's amusement park and zoo. The last time I saw the train running was at a Civil War reenactment at History San Jose probably around '98 or so. The CTRC's historic trolleys will eventually bring passengers to the Happy Hollow end of the park. "Refurbishment" of the train was listed on the city's agenda, while I wonder what exactly it will bring to the 'Kelley Park Express'. I had suspicions this train was built by Ray Maker in Oakland; though its builder and year of construction remain a mystery (at least to me). A real homely thing, but pretty fun. More than once I witnessed it suffer mechanical failure, or on one occasion, jump the tracks.

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