Re: "Recent" operations of the PSDY&P 24" 'Industrial' RR

Well, more recent than 1972 anyway -

The year 1994 produced only a moderate harvest; enough to warrant the usual hiring of one or two large families, plus a few neighbor kids, to cut the fruit — but not the laying of the wooden tracks of the "Pacific Extension" even part way out into the drying field.  Here's the "End-of-Track" in 1994, and a close-up of the transfer table and part of the sulfur shed:


Here's K. B.'s seventh son Thomas, aka Locomotive #7, shoving hard to get a heavy load up the steep grade just south of the sulfur shed, and (just for Scott Turner) a going-away shot of #7 pushing a load of dried fruit to the far end of the shed for transfer into storage boxes:


Jumping back to 1972, here's the last step of the harvest (other than hauling the fruit to market) — the scraping of the dried fruit from the redwood trays into large storage boxes.  One of the challenges of harvesting 'cots the old-fashioned way is dealing with the numerous gophers and ground-squirrels indigenous to the area. (Ojai was honored with the title of "Ground Squirrel Capital of the World" a few years ago.)  Here Loco #3 (Mark Hall) peers through the result of a gopher's yearn­ing for fresh fruit while Loco #6 (Android) and Loco #7 (Tom-ass) scrape a tray:


Late one evening in August, 1972 – when much of the work was done and it appeared likely that most of the crew would survive the record year – an impromptu celebration was held.  That's "Sir Battered Hatt" himself, K. B., seated on the flatcar with son Andrew (Loco #6) and Loco #8 (Roosso) kneeling to his left.  In the back row we see Locos #3 & #7 (Mark and Tom), neighbor Ruben Bouvét, and Locos #5 & #4 (John and Luke):.

Loco #8 was not actually one of the Hall brothers, but following the retirement of Loco #1 (Peter) to attend the Military Academy at West Point and Loco #2 (Matt) to attend UCLA and then Dental School, it was necessary to rent or lease extra motive power in years when the harvest was unusually abundant.  K. B. was obviously desperate for ANY kind of help in 1972!

Remarkably, all seven of the original locomotives still exist (plus a leased loco, Old #8), although only #7 – the Thomas B. (the newest) – has seen service in recent years.  With the passing of K. B. in 2013 the future of the ranch – and its remarkable little railroad – is uncertain . . .    

*****

Before "retiring" to direct the harvesting of 'cots and aaa-monds, K. B. worked as a geologist; he was president of the Pacific Coast Geological Society for a time, and later president of the Ventura County Yacht Club, where his flat-bottomed seasick-inducing sailboat "Meadowlark" was moored.  With a few acres to spare in the 'back forty', K. B. also ventured into the growing of grapes and making of wine.  He was about as talented at the latter as Roosso is at singing, and sadly did not achieve the commercial success that he sought.  K. B.'s ninetieth birthday was nonetheless celebrated by the production of some special labels for his brew, which unfortunately – due to California's strict truth-in-labeling laws – have discouraged all but alcoholics and the bravest of oenophiles from giving "Old Number 500" a try.  Roger Hogan was offered a bottle for his seventieth birthday several years ago, but claimed to be a teetotaler and declined the offering.  Wine-lover JBWX ac­cepted a bottle at about the same time, but it is unknown whether he has yet found the courage to indulge . . .



- Sincerely, Willie  (Wm. Claude Johnson-Barr III, Esq.)  
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Edited 9 time(s). Last edit at 03/04/2023 09:26PM by Johnson Barr.