RGS 41 and the Knott's Shop Tour

This past Sunday I had the pleasure of watching and riding behind a bit of history in the form of 120-year-old Rio Grande Southern C-19 Number 41 at Knott’s Berry Farm. Fellows, if you haven’t been to Knott’s in a while, you have a treat in store for you! 41 is ALL black and aluminum and white. No red domes or pilots, no polished brass boiler bands, no funky lettering. For the first time in nearly fifty years, she truly looks like an RGS locomotive! Boiler tube pilot; screen cinder catcher on the stack; twin pumps for the first time since the early ‘40s; 25’s old big-visored headlight; “41” “C-19” and “R.G.S.” on the cab side; sunset Rio Grande Southern herald on the tank – Boys, she’s just plain beautiful! And she’s not the only good news from Knott’s.
41’s sister engine, D&RGW 340, has been newly repainted with the flying Rio Grande on the tender and proper green boiler and she looks just like 1942. In fact, that is just the right era for the paint schemes on both 41 and 340.
RGS business car B-20, the “Edna”, and D&RGW “San Juan” parlor car “Durango” are resplendent in Pullman green paint. Both cars have been extensively rebuilt (particularly the B-20!) and are simply gorgeous. The rich woods of the interiors have been restored and preserved for generations to come. More good news! All of the “San Juan” cars are being rebuilt, starting with the 325. When they come out of the shops they will be in Pullman green with black roofs and gold lettering!
Unfortunately, I took videos this time and don’t have photos to show. I’ll try to get back up there soon to take stills that I can scan.
RGS caboose 0402 is being repainted this winter, with the proper boxcar-red and with aluminum trim as she was on the Southern. Great things are happening in Buena Park!
As most of you know, 2002 is the fiftieth anniversary of the driving of the gold spike at Knott’s. There is a big celebration planned for January, with re-enactment of the event and lots of activities for the railfan. In the meantime, there are fan tailored tours available Friday, Saturday and Sunday of each week. They will take you behind the scenes and show you the shops for engines and cars and walk you through the normally closed Durango and the recently rebuilt B-20. George Barlow, who has been instrumental in putting the whole railfan program together, gave us the tour. It was an informative and enjoyable hour and a half of railroading.
If you’ve never been to Knott’s you really need to go. If you have, you need to go back. You won't believe the changes! John Buchanan, George and Randy and all the guys are doing a marvelous job of restoring this awesome equipment. Remember, this is a business, not a museum, and they need our patronage to keep up these restorations. I think Narrow Gauge West will pleasantly surprise you!