This year we’re reminiscing about our travels to record the very special places and events chronicled in our Midwest Steam 2009 Volume 1 & 2 DVDs.

Exactly 10 years ago, one of those trips took us to the Little River Railroad in Coldwater, Michigan. The Little River Railroad is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to restore and operate heritage railroad equipment. They operate two very unique steam locomotives. Baldwin Locomotive Works built #110 in 1911 for the original Little River Railroad in Tennessee. Because the logging railroad had many sharp curves, the locomotive’s middle drive wheel has no flange. The current Little River Railroad restored #110 to operation in 1975. The other locomotive is #1, a tank engine that has a frame and wheels dating from 1908, but the rest may have been cobbled together with parts from locomotives of similar design.

Today’s Little River Railroad operates steam and diesel-powered passenger trains from its historic depot in Coldwater.

Little River #110 is a 4-6-2 Pacific type locomotive. It’s the smallest standard gauge engine of its type ever built in the United States.

After two days at Little River, we drove about 140 miles to North Judson, Indiana. This small town once had four railroads (C&O, Erie, New York Central and Pennsylvania) passing through. The Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum plays an important part in preserving this rail heritage. Examples of over 30 pieces of rolling stock can be observed outdoors and inside the backshop where repairs and restoration take place. A collection of railroad signals and the historic Grasseli Tower can be observed during a walk through the yard.

Short train rides are available during most months of the year. Occasionally a guest steam locomotive comes to the Hoosier Valley, and we were there when NKP 765 pulled excursions on Memorial Day Weekend. This was our first experience with the magnificent 765. The scenic line offered many great shots for our cameras.

The Little River Railroad and 765 at Hoosier Valley each have their own chapters on Midwest Steam 2009 – Part 1 DVD.

NKP 765 was built in 1944 by Lima Locomotive Works. It’s a 2-8-4 Berkshire class locomotive built for both passenger and freight service. It burns coal and is capable of 80 MPH. Today it’s owned and operated by the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society.

We’ve all had experiences in our lives that leave lasting memories. Some of these may have been good, or perhaps not so good, but they still can be meaningful and unforgettable.

Five years ago today I set off from home for some of the most memorable railroading experiences of my life. For the next two weeks I traded the air-conditioned comfort of my editing desk for a world of steam and smoke, and some of the hottest days I’ve ever lived through. This expedition was to get footage for what would become our biggest production ever. Where was this exotic place, you ask? Well, it was the Midwest in July!

The first stop on my nearly 3300 mile odyssey was Coldwater, Michigan, where I enjoyed three days covering the Little River Railroad’s giant celebration to mark the 100th birthday for #110. In addition to the guest of honor, locomotive Viscose #6, Flagg Coal #75 and Lehigh Valley Coal #126 all came to the party, as well as 110’s stablemate, Little River #1. The five engines were fired up and kept very busy. The first two days featured many short and long trips, and the locomotives did a bit of switching in the yards before enjoying birthday cakes made of wood, which were plunged right into their fireboxes! On the third day all five teamed up to pull a long train with every car in the collection, even starting a grass fire along the right of way. Incredible!

On the fourth day in Coldwater we watched as the three visiting engines were loaded onto heavy duty trailers and begin a wide-load highway journey to Rock Island, Illinois. After covering the convoy part of the way, we broke off to go find NKP 765, which was also on its way across Indiana to Rock Island. We caught up with 765 all right, but unfortunately it was a very easy chase. It was so hot that the railroad shut down. Shut down! There was a danger of heat kinks in the rails, so after several hours of traveling at just 10 miles per hour, all rail traffic was stopped until after dark. Can you imagine what the engine crew was going through as they plodded along in that kind of heat?

What was going on in Rock Island you ask? Only one of the largest gathering of steam locomotives in North America since the end of steam! We’ll get to the Rock Island Train Festival later, but first I made a stop at my second destination of Freeport, Illinois for a special photo charter at the Silver Creek & Stephenson. Again it was HOT but so was the Heisler. Some great props included antique cars, an old fire truck, period clothing, and a guest appearance by the railroad’s diesel “critter”. It was a very good day.

Rock Island Train Festival

Next it was on to Rock Island for four days of the Train Festival. In addition to 765 and the three tank engines that came by convoy, Iowa Interstate’s two QJs and David Kloke’s beautiful Leviathan gave us a total of seven steam locomotives. But the Festival wasn’t just about steam. The Nebraska Zephyr train set and two additional classic diesels traveled here from the Illinois Railway Museum, plus displays of modern equipment from BNSF, Iowa Interstate, and Amtrak.  Many of the classic passenger cars from the Friends of the 261 were used in the longer excursion trips. The Zephyr and 765 each performed a trip to Bureau, Illinois, and QJ 6988 took a train to Iowa City. Shorter trips were made twice daily to Walcott, Iowa with 765 or one of the QJs, so there were many opportunities to ride or chase. The rail yard along the Mississippi River in downtown Rock Island was home to full size railroad displays as well as the coming and going of all the passenger trains. As the Festival ended we recorded 765 departing Rock Island while the two QJs worked to make up their train for departure.

After the Festival I traveled with 765 across Indiana as far as Logansport, where it stopped for the night. Videographer Mark Paulson accompanied the QJ double-header back to Newton, Iowa, as he also did on the way to Rock Island. Mark and I teamed up at the Festival to get good footage onboard the trains as well as trackside.

When I finally got back to my office from this expedition and started to edit all the great footage, I realized this was going to take more than one DVD. In fact, the finished documentary of 4.3 hours is covered on three DVDs, called Steamin’ Summer, Volumes 1-3. Volume 1 covers the events at the Little River Railroad plus the loading on one of the tank engines and the highway convoy. This DVD has great footage of all five locomotives at work. The other two volumes cover the photo charter at the Silver Creek & Stephenson, the travels of the three big locomotives to and from Rock Island, and the Festival itself. We also covered many of the long and short passenger train trips, including the Zephyr. A visit to the Monticello Railway Museum in Illinois a few weeks later starring newly restored Southern 401 is included on Volume 3.

The Steamin’ Summer DVDs have special meaning to me because of the amazing two weeks I had on the road while covering all of these one-time events. They’ve become some of our most popular DVDs ever. Follow the links below for previews, information, and ordering. You may also order by mail. Simply mail a check or money order for your selections (MN addresses please add 7.775% sales tax). Shipping is $6 for first DVD and $1 for each additional for US or $12 and $3 outside the US. Mail to: Yard Goat Images, 112 3rd AV NE, Minneapolis MN 55413.

Steamin Summer Volume 1
Steamin Summer Volume 2
Steamin Summer Volume 3
Steamin Summer 3 DVD Combo

I’ve had a longtime relationship with the Illinois Railway Museum since I first visited in the 1990’s with my young nephew. My first impressions were – how BIG it is, and how much STUFF there is! It was a brief one-day visit accompanied by family members, but I went away with very positive feelings for this place.

Since then I’ve enjoyed witnessing lots of changes during my many visits to the Illinois Railway Museum. Usually by myself, I am free to explore and experience the many things to see and do here in depth. If I am lucky, I will witness a piece of equipment that I had observed on display in one of the many huge barns on a previous visit, now in operation!

Something else that impresses me about the Illinois Railway Museum are the volunteers. I’ve been to many operating museums, which also have wonderful volunteers. But here, the place is so immense and has so many moving parts, it’s almost like a small city. I can’t put my finger on it, but the volunteers at the Illinois Railway Museum seem to be at a somewhat higher level of professionalism. Perhaps many of them have worked in railroading and transit and bring that expertise with them. At any rate, they seem to always know what they are doing, enjoying the work, and interacting well with museum visitors.

One of the hundreds of volunteers at the Illinois Railway Museum – Yard Goat Images Photo

I’m a member of the Illinois Railway Museum, and I support the work they do. They not only restore and operate these valuable examples of mostly 20th century transportation machines, but they also preserve, protect, and interpret the vast collection. The barns keep most of the artifacts protected from the elements, but the barns are not cheap to build or to maintain. The organization has carefully managed its investments, adding new barns and other improvements when they could afford to. We should be grateful to past and present overseers of this fine operation.

Here’s an example of why to be thankful for past decisions and investments. By nature, a museum like IRM concentrates on the past, but here they have also planned for the future. Years ago they bought vast acreage surrounding the site to guard against encroaching development. Today this land is rented to nearby farmers who plant crops. This land acts as a natural buffer between the noise and smells of busy railroad operations and the distant neighbors. Cool!

Documenting the Illinois Railway Museum

Over the past several years I’ve made more frequent visits while working on capturing video and photos for our DVD program Sparks & Cinders – The Illinois Railway Museum.  I was pleased by the support from Illinois Railway Museum Executive Director Nick Kallas, who pretty much gave me the run of the place for the really intense days we were shooting video in 2014. We timed our weekend to include two days of steaming with Frisco 1630, and the annual “Trolley Parade”, which brings out much of the electric collection for daylong running.

Also included in the program is footage of the prized Nebraska Zephyr train-set performing a fast day-trip to Bureau, Illinois during the 2011 Rock Island Train Festival. Another Illinois Railway Museum off-site trip we documented for this DVD took us to North Carolina for the 2014 “Streamliners at Spencer” event, with two of Illinois Railway Museum’s classic diesels participating.

The Nebraska Zephyr at the Rock Island Train Festival – Yard Goat Images Photo

Please visit the Illinois Railway Museum!

I urge you to make the Illinois Railway Museum a top destination to experience your own nostalgic time travel back to the 20th century. Become a member! If you have never been there, or even if you have, you will be amazed by this place. And while you’re there, be sure to stop in to the well-stocked Gift & Book Store and pick up your copy of the DVD!

Thanks for reading,

Steve Mitchell

Sparks & Cinders – The Illinois Railway Museum DVD from Yard Goat Images

The Roaring Camp and Big Trees Narrow-Gauge Railroad is a family operated tourist railroad in Felton, California. The railroad runs on steep grades through a canopy of giant redwood trees for three and a quarter miles, to the top of Bear Mountain. Because of the difficult grades, the Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow-Gauge Railroad stables some fine examples of geared Shay, Heisler, and Climax locomotives. Geared locomotives were designed for logging operations because they had sufficient tractive power and ability to perform on steep grades and sharper turning radius than standard “rod” steam locomotives.

F. Norman Clark began operating the railroad in 1963, on a 170 acre portion of the Big Trees Ranch. Big Trees Ranch was founded in 1867 by Joseph Warren Welsh in order to preserve a large area of the virgin redwood forest from logging. In the spirit of preserving the redwoods, the railroad was constructed in such a way that as few trees as possible would have to be cut.

Mr. Clark found his first locomotive Dixiana abandoned in the Appalachian Mountains in 1958. The two-truck Shay was constructed by Lima Locomotive Works  in 1912. It began its career with the Alaculsy Lumber Company and later worked at the Smoky Mountain Railroad in Tennessee. It is named for a small-narrow gauge mining railroad in Dixiana, Virginia. Just five years later Dixiana had been restored and brought back to life, pulling its first revenue train in April, 1963.

Over the years Roaring Camp Narrow-Gauge Railroad acquired and restored many other steam locomotives, two of which still operate in regular service here:

Toulumne is a two-truck Heisler locomotive built by Stearns Manufacturing Company in 1899 for the Hetch Hetchy Valley & Yosemite Railway and used at West Side Lumber Company at Toulumne, California. Sonora is a three-truck Shay (Lima) built in 1911 as West Side Lumber #7.

Rays of sun filter through the towering redwoods as Toulumne passes – Yard Goat Images Photo

The railroad owns other steam locomotives in various states of repair. Three of the locomotives have been recognized as Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmarks by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. They are Dixiana, Toulumne, and Bloomsburg, a two-truck Climax locomotive which will be rebuilt when possible.

The Roaring Camp & Big Trees has done an impressive engineering job to create this mountain railroad with grades of over 9%. There are switchbacks, wooden trestles, and tight curves – just what would be found on a typical logging railroad.

Our vist to Roaring Camp & Big Trees

We visited Roaring Camp and Big Trees during the annual Civil War encampment, which brings thousands of visitors to the site. Because of the large crowds, the railroad operated all trains in two sections during our visit.

We arrived early in the morning to get a look at Dixiana and Toulumne being readied for the day at the rustic engine house. The building is built with a wood exterior and a corrugated metal roof. It would look at home at any backwoods logging railroad.

Dixiana & Toulumne are readied for a busy day – Yard Goat Images Photo

There were a number of people at work filling the sand domes, polishing, and oiling. Soon the locomotives were ready to go and one by one moved down the track to a switch, then backed to the passenger cars parked alongside the engine house.

After backing down to the Roaring Camp station, the engines posed side by side for photo opportunities and a little more polishing.

To understand how the trains operate here at Roaring Camp & Big Trees, this map will be helpful. The trains departed the station about 10 minutes apart for the climb to the top of the mountain.

I found it interesting that despite the rugged terrain and steep grades surrounded by giant redwood trees, the railroad is very accessible on foot. I had no difficulty getting to nearly all parts of the railroad while carrying all my camera equipment. In fact, there are actual trails open to the public for hiking and mountain biking. Wear good footwear and sensible clothing for this rugged hiking, and be very careful near the tracks.

It was also pretty interesting to see the Civil War reenactors.

Four soldiers patrol the track – Yard Goat Images Photo

There were rows of white tents, equipment, and war materials. Men, women and children in authentic clothing went about their business, eating, washing clothes, attending church service, etc. Later in the day there were battle reenactments with lots of big and small explosions.

A small portion of the Civil War Encampment – Yard Goat Images Photo

It was a grand day with great video opportunities!

The folks here run a terrific operation. They have rescued, restored and operate some fine examples of geared logging locomotives. They deserve your support. I hope you will plan a visit soon to Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad!

See the Roaring Camp & Big Trees Railroad in action

Our program features Shay #1 and Heisler #2 heading the trains, plus Plymouth #40 acting as a rear-end pusher throughout our visit. The nearly 30 minute-long program about our visit to Roaring Camp & Big Trees Railroad can be found on the California Steam Stories DVD from Yard Goat Images. It is one of three programs on the DVD. Other features are visits to the Billy Jones Railroad, which is a Grand Scale operation in Los Gatos, and to the renowned Railtown 1897 State Historic Park where we see Sierra #3 in action. Watch a preview of California Steam Stories here.

Thanks for reading!

California Steam Stories DVD from Yard Goat Images

History of Cass Scenic Railroad

In the early 1900’s, the West Virginia Pulp & Paper Company began harvesting the trees that dominated this area of the state; red spruce for paper making and eastern hardwoods  for lumber. The logging railroad was built into the forested mountains to bring the timber to the company town of Cass. Named for Joseph K. Cass, a vice president and company investor, Cass was typical of company towns with housing for workers, a commissary for provisions, a school, and even religious facilities.

Tracks were laid on grades up to 9% using switchbacks to achieve elevation. A smaller company town was established at Spruce, where a pulpwood plant removed the bark and split the wood and loaded into railcars to Cass, then forwarded by the C&O Railway to a paper mill in Virginia. Work continued for nearly 60 years until much of the timber was depleted and changes in the industry forced the company to end operations in June, 1960. The town was sold for a never materialized development, and the railroad was sold to a scrap dealer. This might have been the end of the story, were it not for Russell Baum. Russell Baum was a photographer and railfan who had spent time during the 1950s riding and photographing the log trains. He spoke up and started a campaign to preserve the line for a scenic railroad. He, along with area residents and business people, successfully persuaded the West Virginia legislature to buy the part of the railroad that ran from Cass to Bald Knob before the scrapper removed it. In June, 1963 the first operations for the public began at Cass State Park. After proving itself successful, the investors who had bought the town of Cass agreed to sell it to the state, along with the sawmill and surrounding properties. The railroad and the town of Cass are now on the National Register of Historic Places.

Today’s Cass Scenic Railroad

In addition to the state of West Virginia, today’s Cass Scenic Railroad is supported by the Mountain State Railroad & Logging Historical Association (MSR&LHA). This nonprofit group of volunteers has accomplished what was not always possible with state funding, such as the equipment display at Whittaker Logging Camp, acquisition of additional locomotives, and the construction of a restoration shop. MSR&LHA also sponsors the annual Cass Railfan Weekend. This gathering happens each year, rain or shine, the weekend before the public season begins, and is the largest source of funding for the nonprofit. Money from this event is plowed back into acquiring and restoring vintage equipment. Railfans armed with a vast array of modern and sometimes historic camera equipment descend on this remarkable mountain railroad. They wear rugged clothing, prepared for all types of May weather in the beauty of West Virginia. For the 50th anniversary, MSR&LHA scheduled three days filled with different trips and runby locations, using four Shay locomotives!

Our experience at Cass Railfan Weekend

Jan and I drove to West Virginia and arrived at Cass after dark the night before Railfan Weekend began. Because Railfan Weekend is held one week before the regular season begins, there are not as many of the seasonal lodging facilities available. This area attracts many visitors during the summer when Cass is operating and in the winter when the many ski resorts are open. In between, most lodging is closed. One of the few places open was the Inn at Snowshoe, and it was a good place to stay. Unfortunately our GPS unit tried to steer us astray and we were a little uncertain how to get there. No problem, just pull out the cell phone and call for help. That’s when we discovered another quirk about the area around Cass; there is little or no cell service due to the proximity to the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope. The huge radio telescope sits within the United States National Radio Quiet Zone. Just be aware if you are addicted to your cell and its apps, you might have to make lifestyle alterations when you are here. (The Inn at Snowshoe offered a central lounge with a hotspot for phone and internet. It was quite crowded every time we passed through this large room). We eventually made it to Inn at Snowshoe by using my keen sense of direction, (and by Jan stopping to ask somebody). The next morning we got up quite early and grabbed some sandwiches “to go” at the Inn, thinking we might not have enough time to eat the included breakfast. (There is time, but be in line by the door when they open the buffet, and eat quickly, we found out the next day). We could have also signed up for breakfast at the Cass Community Center, which is just up the hill from the depot, but decided to take advantage of the complimentary meal at the Inn, which was very good compared to typical motel “breakfasts”. Arriving at Cass there was already a photo line going near the historic depot. The sun was shining brightly as they began bringing the 4 Shays toward the depot. There were a series of poses and runbys with a freight train and a log train before we boarded the double headed passenger train, which took as far as the ghost town of Spruce. A freight train powered by one of the Shays accompanied the passenger train each day for additional photo opportunities. Locomotives were also swapped between trains each day to give us a variety of combinations. Runby locations vary from year to year to provide variety to the many participants who almost never miss the experience. This year a section of trackside near Old Spruce had been carefully cleared by volunteers for a new runby location. On this first day we stopped for runbys at several locations. Whittaker Station is the location of a recreated logging camp, and perhaps more importantly, the site of modern restroom facilities. I believe the train stopped here twice each of the three days to the relief of most of us.

The Shays at Whittaker – Yard Goat Images Photo

We arrived back at Cass in mid-afternoon for tours of the Cass Shops and the MSR&LHA Restoration Shop, where work was progressing on Climax #9. A framed photo of #9 hangs on the wall showing what the Climax looked like “Before”. This offered a sobering picture of how much work has already gone into rebuilding this locomotive. I sure admire people who are able to do this restoration work. Following the restoration shop tour we adjourned to the main Cass Shop building for an address by Trains Magazine editor Jim Wrinn and State Park officials commemorating the 50th anniversary of Cass Scenic Railroad State Park. A catered dinner, followed by keynote speaker Jim Wrinn concluded the day. A night photo session scheduled for later in the evening had to be cancelled due to lightning in the area. On Saturday we departed Cass at 8 AM by double-headed Shays to travel to the top of Bald Knob, the third highest point in West Virginia. Along the way there were photo runbys at several locations including Old Spruce, Oats Run and the Emergency Water Tank. Arriving at Bald Knob, we found ourselves enveloped in pea soup thick fog, but that didn’t stop us from doing several spectacular runbys. I have a fondness for steam in the fog. It almost seems like the fog makes everything black and white, and the sounds become a more important part of the occasion. The video scenes from these foggy runbys, in my opinion, are stunning. The cold fog made our lunch on Bald Knob accompanied by hot soup even more welcoming. As we headed back to Cass, more runbys were made under less foggy conditions, but rain poured down on us as we arrived at the depot and made our way to the town’s community center for dinner. Fortunately, the rain moved on fairly quickly and the night photo session was well attended. One of the most popular events of the Cass Railfan Weekend is the famous locomotive race. This took place between the depot and Cass Shops on Sunday morning, but there was a lot of action to capture before that started. Jan shot video near the depot while I spent time near the shop and wooden water tank. One by one the locomotives stopped at the tank and I recorded video from several angles. After the four Shays were watered the locomotives moved to their positions for the races. This event gives all the photographers a chance to record spectacular images with towering plumes of black smoke as the engineers push the locomotives to their limits. Photo lines formed in several places. I wiggled into the photo line near the water tank, where the long lens guys were. Jan recorded a spectacular shot as three of the Shays passed from left to right, one by one on different tracks. Several races were performed so everybody had a chance to move around to get different angles and perspectives.

Shay Race at Cass – Yard Goat Images Photo

After this popular photo event, I went with the train. Jan decided to take our car to one of the grade crossings and some other spots visible from the road. There were several runbys including Leatherbark Creek, Gum Field and the “S” curve. Today the trains went as far as Whittaker, where we had lunch as another rain shower moved in. Entertainment was provided by a number of world champion wood choppers. Axes were tossed at targets and used to cut timber. A log cutting demonstration used manual tools and also some conventional and “souped-up” chain saws. Sunday’s events ended earlier to allow participants to begin their journeys home. The now steady rain on our way back to Cass forced us to scrub the last planned runby. In spite of some of the inclement weather, this was a fantastic weekend. The Mountain State Railroad and Logging Historical Association volunteers did an outstanding job of planning and organizing this event to accommodate the needs of a large crowd of professional and amateur photographers and videographers. The crews operating the trains, the car attendants, food providers, and countless others did an excellent job in keeping everybody happy. I encourage you to participate in one of these Railfan Weekends.

Cass Railfan Weekend DVD

To whet your appetite, our DVD which documents this special 50th anniversary event is cleverly called Cass: Railfan Weekend. The program has 94 minutes of stunning scenes in all kinds of weather. Jan is an accomplished videographer, and we captured our footage from different angles to provide some unique simultaneous views of the action. The tripod-mounted high definition cameras we use are steady and the sound from our external microphones is fantastic. The DVD program has a short narrative at the start of each day’s chapter, and then we let the 4 Shays and squealing brakes do the rest of the talking. The documentary also features the crews caring for the locomotives before, during, and after the photo events and other behind-the-scenes action. See more information and a preview here. I know you will enjoy this DVD. Thanks for reading! Steve Mitchell, Yard Goat Images

Yard Goat Images DVD – Cass Railfan Weekend

The Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad is a Grand Scale miniature railroad with a colorful history in Los Gatos, California.

Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad #2 – Yard Goat Images Photo

The railroad’s oldest piece of operating equipment is the historic steam locomotive #2, or “Two Spot” as she is often called. The 2-6-2 “Prairie” type locomotive was built in 1905 by the Johnson Machine Works of Los Angeles, to run on the Venice Railway in Venice Beach, California.

For many years during the early 20th Century, the amusement parks at Venice Beach drew thousands of tourists. They often arrived by streetcars, whose owners promoted Venice Beach as a destination to cool off and have fun. By the 1930’s the country was in a depression, and oil wells began sprouting up nearby. Venice Beach was no longer a popular destination for pleasure-seekers.

Billy Jones was born in 1884. When he was just 13 he got his first railroad job with the Southern Pacific Railroad, where he worked for the next 50 years. Billy Jones had a long career with the Southern Pacific, and is credited with saving a number of SP locomotives from being scrapped, and many of them survive today, thanks to him.

In 1939, when the Venice Railway no longer needed #2, it was discarded, along with scrap metal destined for the steel mills of Japan. Billy Jones happened upon the sight, and purchased the 18” gauge #2 on the spot for $100. He hauled the locomotive to his ranch in Los Gatos and restored it to operation. Billy Jones, along with some railroading friends, began building the Wildcat Railroad through the orchards on his ranch in 1941. The first trips were made in 1943. For the next 25 years the Wildcat Railroad delighted thousands of visitors.

Following Billy Jones’ death in 1968, friends and neighbors petitioned the Los Gatos Town Council to save the railroad. Area business people formed a non-profit organization to purchase the railroad from the Jones estate. The Town Council was persuaded to allow it to be relocated to nearby parkland. Volunteers got to work raising funds, laying track, building structures, and thousands of tasks needed to run a railroad. The new Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad opened in 1970.

Number 2 is still the star of the show, but over the years, two diesel locomotives were purchased. This allowed Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad time to rebuild #2 and provided time for regular maintenance of the locomotive. One of the diesels often replaces steam during slower times of the year.

A newly constructed steam locomotive had recently been acquired by Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad before our visit in early June, 2013. Number 5 had just arrived on the property but was not yet ready for revenue service. Number 5 is a 4-6-2 “Pacific” type engine that was custom built for Billy Jones Wildcat Railway by Merrick Locomotive Works of Marshall, WI. Following regulatory permits and volunteer training, it was expected to enter revenue service in July.

The railroad operates with dedicated volunteer crews with some help from park employees. Fares are kept very low, and frequent departures encourage high ridership.

The Engine House – Yard Goat Images Photo

Our visit to Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad

I had arranged our visit with Peter Panacy, CEO of Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad, via telephone a few days before flying to San Francisco. The plan was to meet chief engineer Bill Church at the locked gate at 6:30 on a Saturday morning. Some road construction near my hotel confused my GPS and I was afraid I would not arrive in time, but I managed to get there with a few minutes to spare.

Bill was waiting for me and volunteer Greg Reiter when I drove up. The three of us exchanged early morning pleasantries and walked to the large building housing the locomotives and rolling stock. It appeared that the building had been added on to over the years as equipment and operating changes occurred, but it was all laid out very well. We found #2 and # 5 side-by-side in the building.

Bill Church is the Chief Engineer for Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad. He retired from the Post Office, where he was responsible for keeping high volume mail processing equipment operating at peak efficiency.

Greg Reiter is a professional fire fighter in Southern California. The distance between home and Los Gatos keeps him from volunteering at Billy Jones as often as he would like. Greg grew up near Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad and began volunteering here when he was a teenager.

Under the watchful eyes of Bill, Greg set about checking over #2 before actually starting the fire. Before too long, a burning rag was inserted into the firebox and the atomized fuel began heating the boiler. I kept busy with recording the action with video and still photography. I also wandered around outside the shop to get additional visual material for our production.

As #2 was warming up in the engine house, a slew of other volunteers came and went. (There were free donuts in the shop). Finally there was sufficient boiler pressure and the locomotive came out of the shop into the morning sun. Greg moved the engine back and forth on the shop track. Then it was backed to the car barn where it pulled out three large passenger cars, each capable of carrying 24 riders. The cars were built by Billy Jones volunteers in 1971.

The engine and cars pulled over the turntable to clear the switch to the station, then backed up until the consist was spotted at the platform. Then #2 moved to the turntable for a spin. After turning, the engine proceeded past the cars and station to clear another switch before backing to the train. Already there were people behind the barrier in the station, eager to board, but they would have to wait until the train made one “test” run around the entire park to make sure that the tracks and the train train itself were in good order. Soon the train reappeared and stopped at the station. Once again #2 moved to the turntable while the cars quickly filled with passengers of all ages. The engine was soon connected to the cars and the first trip was underway.

For the rest of the day, trainload after trainload of happy riders were taken and returned from the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad station. I was given permission by Bill to wander anywhere I pleased to get video footage as long as I was very careful.

Meanwhile, the temperature and humidity in Los Gatos were both rising to an uncomfortable level. After having a delicious BBQ lunch and a bottle of water with Bill, I headed back out to the line near where I had left off. With the video cameras rolling, I heard not a whistle but a horn! What’s this? The next train was being pulled by diesel 3502!

OK, maybe it was just a one-time around for the diesel, but, sure enough the next trip was the same. I walked back to the station area and spotted Bill. He was apologetic but said the hot weather was starting to affect the guys who were operating #2. One of them had brought a laser thermometer which was recording crazy high temperatures inside the tiny locomotive cab. Besides, #3502’s cab was air conditioned. I was disappointed by this turn of events but totally sympathetic. I could not imagine being in the confined space of #2’s cab with the firebox in my face on a humid day such as this.

We continued catching some interesting action with the diesel from several points along the route during the afternoon.

After our long day of filming, I came away very impressed with the professionalism and knowledge that Bill had about  the care and maintenance requirements of the equipment used here. Likewise, all of the volunteers I encountered, besides being friendly, were committed to doing their work safely while still having fun.

The railroad and its long colorful history are in good hands, and with the addition of #5 to the locomotive roster, an ongoing tradition of steam will continue at Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad for decades to come! I hope you will visit!

See our story about Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad

Our Billy Jones program, which follows #2 from early morning in the shop and all along the line can be found on the California Steam Stories DVD, along with features about Railtown 1897 State Historic Park and Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad. More information and a preview of California Steam Stories can be found here.

And if you enjoy Grand Scale railroading, you may like to click on these links:

Grand Scale Steam In Wisconsin

Trip Report – ATT & NW Friends Weekend 

Trip Report – Whiskey River Railway

Thanks for reading!

Steve Mitchell, Yard Goat Images

California Steam Stories DVD from Yard Goat Images

The Whiskey River Railway is a Grand Scale railroad operation located in Marshall, Wisconsin. It’s part of the Little Amerricka amusement park, and train rides begin under a large covered train shed in the heart of the park rides.

After departing the station, trains quickly leave the sound of the amusement park behind as they travel over two miles on 16” track. Rounding a curve, trains approach what appears to be a row of storefronts, which is actually a false facade covering the car storage building. At the end of this row of faux buildings the track enters a long tunnel.

Emerging from the tunnel portal, train riders will discover they are in a totally different world – a green rural scene filled with domestic farm animals, along with some zebras and other exotic creatures in a 400 acre setting of agriculture, ponds, and wooded countryside. The tracks pass barns, a windmill, and other typical country structures, as well as railroad structures including a four stall roundhouse.

The amusement park and railroad were founded in 1991 by the late Lee W. Merrick. Mr. Merrick had a decades long hobby with Grand Scale railways before establishing Whiskey River.

Also on site is the Merrick Light Railway Equipment Works, a company specializing in building and restoring light railway locomotives and rolling stock. Number 1919, a 4-6-2 Pacific and the largest steam locomotive on the Whiskey River, was built here. Merrick’s chief engineer is Darrell Klompmaker, who we interviewed in our Wisconsin Steam Stories DVD chapter about Grand Scale Railroads. Other notable steam locomotives built by Merrick include #801 at the Arborway TT & Northwestern (ATT & NW) in Missouri and #5 at Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad in California. Several diesels have also been constructed here.

Three older steam locomotives which operate at Whiskey River came from other builders and were restored by the Merrick Equipment Works.

It’s always a good day to ride a train at Whiskey River, but there’s one very special day in July called Whiskey River Railway Day. On that day, all four Whiskey River steam locomotives are operated. We were invited to visit and to record footage to make our program on Whiskey River Railroad Day.

Whiskey River Railroad is operated with minimum park staff during normal times, but for special events like this, volunteers converge from all over the country.

Our visit on Whiskey River Railway Day

This was my third visit to Whiskey River, and I arrived very early in the morning to watch as the four locomotives were steamed up, and later brought outside the roundhouse for some last minute service and polishing.

The Melody Ranch Special simmers at the Whiskey River Roundhouse – Yard Goat Images Photo

The first locomotive to come out onto the turntable was #1956 Melody Ranch Special. This 4-6-2 in SP Daylight colors is certainly an eye-catcher. It was built by George Reddington in 1956 for singing cowboy and movie star Gene Autry. Melody Ranch was the name of a movie starring Gene Autry, Jimmy Durante, “Gabby” Hayes, and Ann Miller. It was also the name of his farm and motion picture studio in Newhall, CA, where he constructed his miniature railroad. The locomotive is oil-fired and weighs about 8,000 pounds.

Since it was ready first, Melody Ranch was put right to work pulling a maintenance of way car out on the line along with two volunteers to do some track work.

Next out was Lee W. Merrick #1919, the largest locomotive onsite at about 16,000 pounds. This is a coal-fired 4-6-2 Pacific class locomotive completed in 1996 by Darrell Klompmaker. It’s a beauty and several volunteers were kept busy polishing its shiny surface.

Last minute servicing for #1919 – Yard Goat Images Photo

Next came Rio Grande #12, also called the Gracy after its builder Norman F. Gracy. Completed in 1969, the coal-fired 4-4-2 Atlantic class locomotive tips the scales at about 6,000 pounds.

Finally making an appearance on the turntable was Whiskey River #12, also known as The Acorn. This 4-6-2 Pacific was also built George Reddington. It’s oil fired and completed in 1950.

Soon all four locomotives were at sufficient steam pressure and they began traveling to the car barn. Number 1919 pulled a matched consist of coaches throughout the day, while the other three engines provided a much greater variety of trains. First they pulled a triple-header for a number of trips with a very long string of cars. For the rest of the day there were double headers with different locomotive pairings, and each locomotive pulled trains by themselves. Cars were added or removed to create many different consists as the motive power changed. This provided us with a lot of variety for our documentary.

It was my pleasure to meet Ed Taylor who is one of the Whiskey River volunteers as well as an accomplished videographer. Ed showed me his GoPro camera, which he mounted on several of the locomotives throughout the day. This camera produces amazing quality and Ed kindly allowed us the use of his footage in our production. Spectacular stuff!

With full access to all areas of the property, most of which is always off limits to the public, we were able to shoot extensive footage of the entire railroad with a pair of tripod-mounted hi-definition cameras. The farm is a beautiful setting for the Whiskey River Railroad and even a non-railfan will enjoy viewing trains traversing the territory.

See the Whiskey River Railway

Of course you should visit the Whiskey River Railway in person to really see this magical place. Visit the Little Amerricka website for hours and directions.

Our Whiskey River Railroad documentary is available on the Grand Scale Steam: Three Miniature Railways DVD  from Yard Goat Images. The DVD also has two other chapters featuring beautiful scenes from the Redwood Valley Railway in California and a day at the Milwaukee Zoo with 4-6-2 #1924 and diesel #1958. See the Preview here.

Thanks, Steve Mitchell – www.yardgoatimages.com

Yard Goat Images DVD – Grand Scale Steam!

 About SP 4449

SP 4449 at Vancouver, WA 6/21/11 – Yard Goat Images Photo

SP 4449 is a handsome 4-8-4  “Northern” type locomotive built in 1941 by Lima Locomotive Works. The engine is equipped with 80” diameter drivers and capable of 100 mile per hour operation.

During its glory days, SP 4449 was one of the locomotives assigned to pull the Southern Pacific “Daylight” passenger trains linking Los Angeles and San Francisco along the scenic coast route and then on to Portland. SP 4449 operated until 1955, when it retired and  put on display at a Portland city park. Its second life began in 1974 when it was selected to pull the American Freedom Train throughout the United States. Today, SP 4449 is the last operating “streamlined” steam locomotive in North America. The locomotive is owned by the city of Portland and operated by the all-volunteer Friends of SP 4449.

Three excursions with SP 4449

Convention goers had three opportunities to ride behind SP 4449. The first trip began in Portland and brought delegates on a fast ride to the host city of Tacoma. Riders had the option to ride one way from Tacoma to Portland on one of Amtrak’s frequent Cascades trains, and return with SP 4449‘s train. This rail route is owned by BNSF.

The next trip, near the end of the convention, was a rare mileage event on BNSF freight trackage. This excursion began near sea level at the Tacoma Amtrak station and headed east over Stampede Pass at 3672 feet above sea level. After passing through 9844 foot long Cascade Tunnel, the trip ended at Easton, Washington, where the engines were wyed for the return trip.

The following day, SP 4449 led the train and its passengers on its third trip, returning to Portland along the same BNSF/Amtrak route.

 Our journeys with SP 4449

My wife Jan accompanied me on the Washington portion of my June and July journey, which also took me to three steam sites in British Columbia. The day before the first SP 4449 trip from Portland to Tacoma, we scouted the route to find possible locations for video coverage. Knowing this was likely going to be very fast trip we were conservative in picking locations. We decided to start our coverage in Vancouver, Washington for two major reasons: we would be able to capture SP 4449 coming across the Columbia River from two different locations, and it would be quicker to get on I-5 than from Portland.

We got up early the next morning and drove to Vancouver from our Tacoma hotel. Jan’s location was along the Columbia between the I-5 and the BNSF bridge, while I staked out the long curved platform at the Vancouver Amtrak station. All went according to plan. Jan had the car and picked me up at the station after the train had cleared the bridge. Rather than wait for it to leave, we headed to our next location which was at Castle Rock. We arrived to capture the Coast Starlight going south, then SP 4449 roared through in the other direction.

Back on the highway, we made it to Centralia as the train was bearing down on the town. Jan stopped the car and I grabbed my camera and ran to the spot I had chosen the day before. Unfortunately there was a disorganized crowd there now and I barely had time to get the camera going when SP 4449 raced into view. I got a good shot as it was coming toward me but could not get it as it passed my position due to the many people in the way. Fortunately, Jan had gotten out of the car and was able to shoot several still photos as it passed. This was an interesting segment to edit!

Our next goal was to reach the Tacoma Amtrak station before SP 4449 did, which almost worked out. As we drove up the train was gliding to a stop and there was so much traffic we couldn’t get close. So we found parking a couple of blocks away and tried to get some station platform shots, but security officers were directing everyone out of the area.

Later that week we scouted locations for the Stampede Pass trip. Again, we were conservative, knowing there are few nearby highways parallel to this mountainous rail line. We found two locations west of Auburn where we could each get separate decent shots close enough to drop one of us off and pick up after the special passed. We also tried to find back roads along the line but much of this area is off limits due to security around a large municipal water reservoir. We would probably be pushing the envelope on our rental car agreement too, as some of the roads we discovered were pretty rugged. We did find the road to the tunnel but determined we would spend too much time getting there and back again for the shot. If I had it to do over again, we would rent a second vehicle for the day to give us more opportunities.

We met SP 4449 and the train at Easton, where it spent a lot of time discharging passengers, turning the engines on the wye, doing a spectacular runby, loading the passengers and servicing the locomotive. We split up on foot to get different angles of the action, which worked great at this large open location. While the passengers got back on the train, Jan drove me to a spot west of Easton on Cabin Creek Road we had scoped out on our surveillance trip. Then she drove back to the yard to shoot the train departure before retrieving me.

We raced back to Kanaskat where Jan got the train going over the Green River Bridge and I went to the same crossing as my morning shot. Then we drove to the Tacoma station just in case the train was delayed. It wasn’t.

The following morning was the third trip, Tacoma to Portland. Jan took her position on the pedestrian bridge at the wonderful Museum of Glass, which delivered a nice view of SP 4449 leading its train around a broad bend right after departing the Amtrak station. I set up about a half mile further down the line to catch the train going under Jan’s bridge toward me. The light that morning was bright and spectacular as we caught the train going through an urban landscape of railroad tracks, freeways and buildings.

The next stop was Centralia, where we found the train stopped but ready to go….now! This was good catch for both video and audio as SP 4449 started out.

Back on the road, we headed straight to Portland Union Station to the two spots we had decided on earlier that week. Jan was on another pedestrian bridge over the station tracks while I set up at ground level with a view of the arrival location. Looking good! There was an Amtrak train but it seemed to be back far enough that I should get a good view of SP 4449 as she pulled in. Jan would have a clear shot as well.

Soon we heard a slow chuffing sound as the train approached…..very….slowly. Then it stopped….behind the Amtrak train. There went my shot. Jan’s was not much better, as SP 4449 came to rest in the dark shade of the train shed. Oh well!

 SP 4449 – Final Thoughts

In spite of a somewhat quiet finale, SP 4449 put on a great show for all three trips. This locomotive has become an American railroading icon, and deservedly so. The unique styling and colors given to SP 4449 and its brothers set them apart from other streamlined steam locomotives. SP 4449 became the only one of 26 Southern Pacific GS-4 class to survive the scrapper’s torch. After being stuffed, mounted, and neglected in a city park, it got its second chance to run; a chance few other locomotives get. And not just run anywhere! It was restored to pull the American Freedom Train to celebrate the county’s Bicentennial. After being seen and photographed by millions, there is probably no way this locomotive will ever end up in a park again.

Thankfully we can enjoy witnessing the beauty of SP 4449 in operation today and probably for decades to come, thanks to the partnership of the City of Portland and the Friends of SP 4449. If you enjoy seeing this locomotive in person or on DVD, consider joining the Friends of SP 4449. If you live near Portland, perhaps you could even volunteer your time and talent with this wonderful organization.

You can see the video story of the three NRHS convention trips we took with SP 4449 on our DVD, Steamin’ Through The Seasons. I know you will enjoy owning this DVD for yourself or buy it as a gift for someone special!

Thanks, Steve Mitchell, Yard Goat Images

A California Zephyr streamlined car brings up the rear of SP 4449’s train at Tacoma, WA – Yard Goat Images

The history of the Black Hills Central

The original standard gauge line was built during the 1890’s mining boom by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad.  Due to its close proximity to Mount Rushmore, the line was used to haul equipment and supplies used in the carving of the famous monument.

With the decline of mining and rail traffic, the Black Hills Central Railroad’s tourist trains began running here in 1957, with the goal to preserve steam railroading. In 1972 a flood destroyed the last mile between Keystone and Keystone Junction. This portion was not restored until 2001.

 Visiting today’s Black Hills Central

Currently, Black Hills Central Railroad  has four steam locomotives and two diesels. GP9 number 63 usually handles the first round trip of the day with steam handling the rest of the schedule.

On the day we visited, Baldwin 2-6-6-2T #110 pulled three trips. This unusual engine is articulated to handle tight curves found on logging railroads. It was built in 1928 and, according to the Black Hills Central website, is the last operating locomotive of its type. Its original service was with Weyerhaeuser Timber Company and later with Rayonier Lumber. It was sold to the Black Hills Central in 1999 by the Nevada State Railway Museum. It is the most powerful steam locomotive on the railroad so it is often used during the heavy summer tourist months.

Shortly after leaving the station in Hill City, the train begins to climb the 4-6% grade on Tin Mill Hill. If you are lucky enough to be there when #110 is in charge, you will witness one of the LOUDEST steam locomotives I’ve ever heard as it works its way up the grade!

Black Hills Central 110, Yard Goat Images Photo

Once at the top, the line passes through forest and meadow areas, along with some family farms. Some of the land is administered by the National Forest Service. Much of the Black Hills Central follows Battle Creek, once the haunt of gold prospectors in the earlier days of the railroad. At Keystone Junction the engine runs around the train and operates tender first on the return trip. The entire round trip is about two hours fifteen minutes.

Hill City is also the home of the South Dakota State Railroad Museum (SDSRM), a not for profit operation located next door to the Black Hills Central depot.

SDDRM has collections which include memorabilia, rolling stock, and other items relating to various railroads that served South Dakota in the past and present. There’s also an HO railroad layout depicting South Dakota scenes.

You definitely should plan to make a trip to the Black Hills Central and the South Dakota State Railroad Museum!

Video for the Black Hills Central and 110

You can view a short video of #110 here. If you enjoy it, you may be interested in my 27 minute video documentary of 110 and the Black Hills Central, which is one of four chapters found on the Steam in the Mountains Volume 1 DVD from Yard Goat Images.

Thanks,

Steve Mitchell, Yard Goat Images

Steam in the Mountains DVD Combo