Steam & Excursion > Shots from the SP 18 visit to Laws, CA, 03/24 Pete Lerro Event

Folks:
After being fortunate to see Narrow Gauge SP 18 4-6-0, Baldwin 1911, on two photo trains and in regular service on The Durango and Silverton, I still had a desire to see 18 in her "natural habitat". I was able to see it on Friday 03/24 at a Pete Lerro photo event at the Laws, California Railroad Museum. 18 resides at the Eastern California Museum, in Independence, California. It sat for years in a park in Independence, until it was restored to operation by the present day Carson and Colorado Railway volunteer group. The event was very well done. Thanks to Pete Lerro and his staff, the staff of the Laws Museum and the Carson and Colorado Railway volunteers. For additional photos, please see SR/Boiling Man's excellent three "Sampler" posts. Especially his drone shots, I think from Thursday 03/23. Please join me as I use my shots to attempt to recreate what it may have been like "back in the day" when the Slim Princess still operated. Corrections welcomed, as I know next to nothing about the SP Narrow Gauge operations. Laws is located 257 miles north from the Burbank Bop Hope Airport. Independence is 42 miles south of Laws.

Thanks for looking, Randy in PHX

1) SP 18 pulls out of the engine house to start assembling a train to go south to Independence

2) SP 18 first picks up a boxcar by the water tower

3) 18 backs down to pick up the rest of her train by the Laws Depot, present day, these are display cars behind the Museum's 4-6-0, 9, Baldwin 1909, note a local fan has come out to watch the action in his 1928 Model T

To be continues......

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4) The train pulls ahead to take on water, as the conductor waves from the "caboose". From what I could find online, this was a combine built in 1881, rebuilt by the SP in 1952 for use as a caboose

5) The fireman has just finished filling up the tender as the engineer and brakeman catch up with the local fan

6) 18 gets the train underway heading south to Independence

To be continues......



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/23 08:20 by randyr.

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7) Another shot leaving town as the train passes the turntable, present day, the turntable is out of service

8) Highball Independence

9) Later in the day, a motorcar from the Death Valley Railroad has been leased by the SP for a series of fan trips on the Narrow Gauge lines, present day, the Laws Museum uses this car for short trips for visitors around the yard

To be continued......

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10) Later in the day, 18 has returned and is switching as 9 waits to take a train north later in the evening, Martin Hansen, TO "Loggerhogger" is the fireman. During positioning moves, folks were teasing Mr. Hansen about looking at his cell phone, during lunch, the museum moved 9 from its display spot to over by the turntable, using their cabless little Plymouth

11) Due to a disruption in the Space Time Continuum, event organizer Pete Lerro has gone back in time to talk to the fireman

12) As mentioned, I don't know much about the SP Narrow Gauge, but I did stop at the Eastern California Museum in Independence on the drive back to Burbank and picked up a couple books. One "SP Narrow Gauge 18 Steams Anew!", by Randy Babcock. This 88 page full color (except for historical photos) is excellent and tells the story of 18 being placed in the park and its restoration and currant operations. The museum's number is (760) 878-0258, I highly recommend ordering a copy, Mr. Babcock (the Other Randy) is member of the Carson and Colorado Railway group, was very much involved in the restoration of 18 and is currently employed by the Durango and Silverton

Thanks for looking, it was a great day, and thanks again to all who made it possible, 

Randy in PHX

 

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What is the current plans as of this year for any restoration of #9 I know in the past there has been some talk about this. 

Excellent photos (both yours and the Sampler series from BoilingMan).  This was the first Lerro charter that my husband and I participated in (Thursday's version) and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Thank you to Peter and everyone at the Laws Railroad Museum and Carson & Colorado in Independence who was involved in this.  A first-class event.

Elizabeth

Looking at picture 10, I much perfer the look of SP 9 with it's lack of excessive white trim paint to SP 18. Just my opinion, yours may vary.

Very cool that they got the 9 moved around a bit.  They had tried for Thursday to make a move, but straight away the ties under the locomotive went "squishy" on them so they backed off.  I guess maybe they decided they were going to have to move the 9 at some point anyway if they were ever going to replace those ties, so what the heck...
Glad it worked out!
All and all a very successful couple of days  Bravo Pete!
SR

I had not realised Pete had planed the 18's moves around a kind of storyline- or was that an invention all your own?

Is the smokebox door of No. 18 painted white instead of aluminum like seen on No. 9 in photo 11?

Another thing, where did the water tank come from?  The museum's website states it is a "replica of the 1883 water tank" but if they truly built a "replica," it wasn't very accurately done.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/23 10:23 by johnsweetser.

The story line was my invention. Just came to me while I was sorting my pics. The Diet Coke was kicking in. The whole day was very well done. And thanks SR/Boilingman for your pics. The drone shots really help with the whole perspective.

Randy in PHX

Posted from iPhone

Jimmy Booth caught this photo of me firing #18 during the 2 days of the Lerro shoot when I was on engine crew.  No cell phones when on this hot locomotive.

Martin

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Well Loggerhogger, you did have a lot of dead time sitting up in the cab while they positioned 18 for several shots. It just showed how good natured everyone was during the event and everybody was having a good time. Thanks for your help during the event and being a good sport posing in 9 for an extended time.

Randy in PHX

Posted from iPhone

Here's a 'nother.   My camera, TO member Stevo_W's finger.
SR

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The 401 has reversed direction since the 2017 event, presumably that was done on the turntable.  So apparently the turntable turns, but since I have not seen any pix of the 18 on it this year, presumably it has not been repaired enough to be comfortable with the much greater weight of an engine on it.  But  at least if it works that is good.

JBWX

So as to the restoration of #9, on the wish list but no plans. The museum budget isn't quite big enough for such a thing but everyone knows what
a draw it would be. There's lots of quiet whispers about keeping the 18 at Laws but we all know how that would go over. The turntable is another
major project that needs a sponser, be nice to see it fully functional again. Love the pictures posted,  the moving of the 9 was a major coup for Mr.
Lerro, wish that would have been done the first time around.

Out 

Nice pics!!