Westside Lbr. Co. #3 Heisler

Dick Harrison took this shot at Tuolumne, Ca. We see Westside Lbr. Co. #3 Heisler performing switching duites. Dick, who worked for Westside labeled the back of the shot "The Box Factory Switcher". #3 in this photo is in fact standard gauge. She was built in 1899 by Stearns as a 3 ft. gauge engine for the Hetch Hetchy and Yosemite Valley Railroad. In 1947 Westside needed an engine to switch standard gauge cars to the Sierra Railroad, so #3 was converted. In 1963 after Westside operations closed, she was sold to Roaring Camp and Big Trees where 3 ft. gauge trucks from Westside Heisler #4 were used to convert her back narrow gauge. She operates there today as their #2 making her the oldest operating Heisler in the world. The scan is from the SVRR Archive.