Re: OR&L No. 85
| April 26, 2010 11:56AM |
While digging in the Narrow Gauge News anthology for info on the Alamosa Sanding Tower (I struck out), I noticed a few comments about the #85 and equipment heading to Travel Town. Thought it might be helpful in this thread concerning timelines and locations of the engine.
(Warning Mini-Review and Plug!)
And let me just say that the wealth of the data in the Narrow Gauge News is superb! I'm sure I was actually one of the last folks around here to purchase a copy, however I can attest if you don't have it in your library, you really should! Though no doubt the focus was on the D&RGW and other Colorado NG lines, every time I open this book up there are additional tidbits and factoids I never knew (much like the five No. 85 excerpts below serve to illustrate). I don't know if the CRRM still has the book in print, but either way it's definitely worth tracking down a copy.
(Ok, Mini-Review and Plug Over)
January 1954
"Hawaiian Equipment Coming to California"
Travel Town in Los Angeles is slated to receive four items of the 3-foot gauge rolling stock from the Oahu Ry. & Land Co. of Hawaii. They include engine #85, a ten-wheeler built by Alco in 1910; combine #36; observation #64 and caboose C1. The observation car was built in 1901, the combine in 1907, both by ORAL... We have heard that operation of the rolling stock is also being considered.
September 1954
Under the "L.C.L." Section
"...the Oahu rolling stock described earlier, arrived in California and was unloaded Aug. 29, in time for inclusion in the Western Railroad Fair as part of the Los Angeles County Fair..."
November 1954
"L.A. Building Narrow Gauge Line"
The city and the county of Los Angeles is building an 8-mile n.g. railroad to skirt the hills of Griffith Park, crews now clearing right of way and using ties and rails from a city owned standard gauge area railroad. On October 10 the S. Calif. Chapter, R&LHS presented the city with the Hawaiian rolling stock recently brought to the "Travel Town" display at the park and this will be the nucleus of the operating rolling stock. This includes engine No. 85 (4-6-0), combine No. 36, coach No. 1, caboose No. C1 and Oahu Sugar Co. engine No. 5 (0-6-2T) and cane car. The private car intended to be included could not be brought from Hawaii as frame started to break when loading onto ship was attempted."
May 1955
Under the unmarked "L.C.L." Section
"...both Disneyland and Griffith Park trains are expected to be operating this summer..."
June 1955
Under the "Scrap Pile" Section
"...city employees of Los Angeles are now operating regularly the former Oahu Ry. train in Griffith Park, using the name "Crystal Springs & Southwestern Ry..."
So there you go - a view as to how the outside world learned of #85's arrival and operation in Los Angeles. (I must say, pouring over the NNG - both the book, and my personal collection of loose original copies, I have come to form a whole new respect for online, searchable resources such as the NGDF!!!
)
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/2010 12:00PM by WRRRJosh.
(Warning Mini-Review and Plug!)
And let me just say that the wealth of the data in the Narrow Gauge News is superb! I'm sure I was actually one of the last folks around here to purchase a copy, however I can attest if you don't have it in your library, you really should! Though no doubt the focus was on the D&RGW and other Colorado NG lines, every time I open this book up there are additional tidbits and factoids I never knew (much like the five No. 85 excerpts below serve to illustrate). I don't know if the CRRM still has the book in print, but either way it's definitely worth tracking down a copy.
(Ok, Mini-Review and Plug Over)
January 1954
"Hawaiian Equipment Coming to California"
Travel Town in Los Angeles is slated to receive four items of the 3-foot gauge rolling stock from the Oahu Ry. & Land Co. of Hawaii. They include engine #85, a ten-wheeler built by Alco in 1910; combine #36; observation #64 and caboose C1. The observation car was built in 1901, the combine in 1907, both by ORAL... We have heard that operation of the rolling stock is also being considered.
September 1954
Under the "L.C.L." Section
"...the Oahu rolling stock described earlier, arrived in California and was unloaded Aug. 29, in time for inclusion in the Western Railroad Fair as part of the Los Angeles County Fair..."
November 1954
"L.A. Building Narrow Gauge Line"
The city and the county of Los Angeles is building an 8-mile n.g. railroad to skirt the hills of Griffith Park, crews now clearing right of way and using ties and rails from a city owned standard gauge area railroad. On October 10 the S. Calif. Chapter, R&LHS presented the city with the Hawaiian rolling stock recently brought to the "Travel Town" display at the park and this will be the nucleus of the operating rolling stock. This includes engine No. 85 (4-6-0), combine No. 36, coach No. 1, caboose No. C1 and Oahu Sugar Co. engine No. 5 (0-6-2T) and cane car. The private car intended to be included could not be brought from Hawaii as frame started to break when loading onto ship was attempted."
May 1955
Under the unmarked "L.C.L." Section
"...both Disneyland and Griffith Park trains are expected to be operating this summer..."
June 1955
Under the "Scrap Pile" Section
"...city employees of Los Angeles are now operating regularly the former Oahu Ry. train in Griffith Park, using the name "Crystal Springs & Southwestern Ry..."
So there you go - a view as to how the outside world learned of #85's arrival and operation in Los Angeles. (I must say, pouring over the NNG - both the book, and my personal collection of loose original copies, I have come to form a whole new respect for online, searchable resources such as the NGDF!!!
)Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/2010 12:00PM by WRRRJosh.
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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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