NNG- Yes, Virginia, there IS a steam locomotive on the F&W ...

... at least as of today.

Many thanks to Phil Reader, Who let me know Friday that #18 would be running today.
Per the Ventura County Star, the circus (filming of the circus movie) will continue for a
few more weeks.  But it appears that the real star of the show - V&T #18 (ex- McCloud
River #18) - is done with her takes and is scheduled to be loaded tomorrow for her return
to the Virginia & Truckee ...

Since she had to be moved to Santa Paula for loading onto the trucks that will take her home, instead of a dead-head move the F&W used her to pull their regular Sunday train from Fillmore to Santa Paula.  Here are a few pics of today's activities -

At milepost 420, aka "Dudley's" in honor of the owner of the adjacent orchards, on the former S.P. mainline between San Francisco and Los Angeles:


Crossing Highway 126 on the east side of Santa Paula:


Andy Wilkinson, son of F&W owners Dave & Tresa, has been railroading in 12"/foot scale since the age of six - probably earlier.  Here he is throwing a switch in Santa Paula, after running #18 from Fillmore, and later at his customary post in the cab. His mom & dad also posed, but Tresa made me promise not to post any photos of her (IMHO, the family portrait came out pretty good ... ):


- Russo



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/2010 11:07PM by Russo Loco.