Very Sad News For Narrow Gauge Steam Preservaton Out Of Fish Camp, California!
| March 11, 2017 11:18AM |
I am sorry to report that the world of steam preservation and I have lost a very dear friend. Yesterday morning Max Stauffer, the owner and operator of the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad passed away after a long fight with cancer.
Max and his family immagrated from Switzerland to the U.S. in 1947 when Max was only 3 years old. In the 1950's his parents moved to Fish Camp, California near Yosemite National Park and built the Swiss Melody Inn. The Inn was located on the narrow gauge logging right-of-way for the former Mader Sugar Pine Co. In 1966 Max's father Rudy realized a life long dream when he purchased West Side Lumber Shay #10 and several log cars, flat cars, tank cars and lots of rail from the abanonded West Side operation in Tulumne, CA.
In 1967 the track had been laid on the old MSP right of way and the Yosemite Moutain Sugar Pine RR was born. In 1968 the family sold the Swiss Melody Inn and conentrated on the railroad. Max took over the operation from Rudy 40 years ago. In 1985 Max traveled back to Tuolumne to repeat what his Dad had done 20 years earlier, he bought another West Side Shay for the YMSP operation. This was West Side #15, the last WSl Shay in Tuolmne.
Last year Max and his Mom celebrated the 50th anniversary of the YMSP railroad. That is Max and Luce last yerar in the last photo.
Max was a true "hands on" manager for the YMSP. He ran the engines if needed and oversaw there repairs over the years as well. He still loved to cook the barbeque steak and chicken during the Moonlight Special trains in the summer. That is Max on the grill on the right in a photo I took a few years back.
Max enjoyed preserving and sharing the rich logging railroad history with the visitors to the YMSP RR over the years. He did a wonderful job of keeping the West Side equipment authentic and in good running order in the Sierra pine forests for all these decades.
God's Speed my friend.
Martin
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/11/2017 11:20AM by LOGGERHOGGER.
Max and his family immagrated from Switzerland to the U.S. in 1947 when Max was only 3 years old. In the 1950's his parents moved to Fish Camp, California near Yosemite National Park and built the Swiss Melody Inn. The Inn was located on the narrow gauge logging right-of-way for the former Mader Sugar Pine Co. In 1966 Max's father Rudy realized a life long dream when he purchased West Side Lumber Shay #10 and several log cars, flat cars, tank cars and lots of rail from the abanonded West Side operation in Tulumne, CA.
In 1967 the track had been laid on the old MSP right of way and the Yosemite Moutain Sugar Pine RR was born. In 1968 the family sold the Swiss Melody Inn and conentrated on the railroad. Max took over the operation from Rudy 40 years ago. In 1985 Max traveled back to Tuolumne to repeat what his Dad had done 20 years earlier, he bought another West Side Shay for the YMSP operation. This was West Side #15, the last WSl Shay in Tuolmne.
Last year Max and his Mom celebrated the 50th anniversary of the YMSP railroad. That is Max and Luce last yerar in the last photo.
Max was a true "hands on" manager for the YMSP. He ran the engines if needed and oversaw there repairs over the years as well. He still loved to cook the barbeque steak and chicken during the Moonlight Special trains in the summer. That is Max on the grill on the right in a photo I took a few years back.
Max enjoyed preserving and sharing the rich logging railroad history with the visitors to the YMSP RR over the years. He did a wonderful job of keeping the West Side equipment authentic and in good running order in the Sierra pine forests for all these decades.
God's Speed my friend.
Martin
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/11/2017 11:20AM by LOGGERHOGGER.
| Subject | Author | Posted |
|---|---|---|
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LOGGERHOGGER | March 11, 2017 11:18AM |
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John Cole | March 11, 2017 02:54PM |
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LooseCaboose | March 15, 2017 02:36PM |
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Greg Scholl | March 11, 2017 09:44PM |
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488 stops for water at Los Pinos tank on closing day Oct. 1979. Photo courtesy Don Richter
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