Model Railroading > Golden Gate Live Steamers--- 75th Anniversary Meet

Date: 01/29/11 10:53
Golden Gate Live Steamers--- 75th Anniversary Meet
Author: KeyRouteKen

Another big railroad-oriented event to be held this year in the same June--July time frame as the Tacoma NRHS Convention and the Steam Fest in Rock Island, Illinois...

For the un-informed, the "Golden Gate Live Steamers" is the "oldest Live Steam club in the United States" ... A lot of you probably never realized that, huh ?
They also have the longest piece of 2 1/2 inch gauge track in the World (probably) .

Founded in Oakland, CA in 1936 by the late Victor Shattock in the basement workshop of
his home. In early 1948, GGLS became an official tenant of the Eastbay Regional Park District and construction commenced on their first outdoor track for carrying passengers.
The track was constructed in Redwood Regional Park in Oakland. Many years later in 1971, the club moved to Tilden Regional Park in Berkeley, CA to a much larger location.

**ALL** members of the Live Steam Community (Nationwide) are being invited to attend.
Some sixteen additional 1 1/2 inch scale "steaming bays" are being added prior to the meet. GGLS can accomodate locomotives and rolling stock in five (5) scales :
No.1 gauge, 1/2", 3/4", 1" and 1 1/2" ...
This equates to 1 3/4 inch, 2 1/2 inch, 3 1/2 inch, 4 3/4 inch and 7 1/2 inch gauges ...

Immediately next door to the GGLS passenger loading facility, is the late Erich Thomsen's
'Redwood Valley Railway' in 5" scale, 15 inch gauge ...

**Mark your Calendars Now**

Friday, JULY 8th
Saturday, JULY 9th
Sunday, JULY 10th, 2011

How does one find the GGLS / RVR facilities in the San Francisco Bay Area ??

DIRECTIONS

The railroad is located at the south end of Tilden Park, at the intersection of Grizzly Peak Blvd and Lomas Cantadas Rd.
From Oakland, take Highway 24 east toward Orinda, through the Caldecott Tunnel, (right bore). Exit at Fish Ranch Rd, at the east end of the tunnel and proceed north on Fish Ranch Rd to top of the hill. At the stop sign, turn right on Grizzly Peak Blvd and proceed approximately one mile. The railroad is on the right at Lomas Cantadas Rd.

From Orinda, take Highway 24 west to Fish Ranch Rd (before Caldecott Tunnel) and proceed north on Fish Ranch Rd to the top of the hill. At the stop sign, turn right on Grizzly Peak Blvd and proceed approximately one mile. The railroad is on the right at Lomas Cantadas Rd.

And now, for a few misc photos that might interest you ------

Photo 1.. Most of the original GGLS membership in 1939.

Photo 2.. The original 60-foot circle of track (Redwood Regional Park) has been
broken open and construction begins of the 1450-foot "dogbone loop". (1948)

Photo 3.. A Southern Pacific mainline freight train, powered by an SP 2-8-2 'Mikado'
puts on a demonstration for the general public at Oakland's Redwood Regional
Park. (1953)

Photo 4. Track Diagram of the GGLS railroad facility. (circa 2008)

Photo 5. GGLS Steaming Bay area with Lead Tracks.

Photo 6. Erich Thomsen--RVR--South Gate (1978)

Photo 7. A bucolic scene on Erich Thomsen's "Redwood Valley Railway" .

Photo 8. A closer view of some of the GGLS 'Steaming Bays' .

Photo 9. "The Guy that Started It All" -- Vic Shattock (1886--1974)
(Wonder if I might know this guy ??) (grin)

Photo 10. Official GGLS Anniversary LOGO .

Thanks everybody. ALL ABOARD !!!

KEN SHATTOCK (KRK)
keyrouteken@msn.com

Member, GGLS

Secretary
North American Region
IBLS

All photos courtesy of KRK Archives...

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/29/11 11:37 by KeyRouteKen.