We survived our first weekend with poor weather. Even though the ambient temperate hovered in the mid-40s, the wind cut right through the crew on Saturday. It felt like 32 degrees with the wind chill! Then rain on Sunday morning almost shut down rail operations. With the right wind, the rain flies right through the open Faimount and Kalamazoo cars. After the crew decided to continue on, the rain passed. Grateful passengers enjoyed a nice ride up to Forni Road.
A cold wind or light rain won't stop the El Dorado Western Railroad from operating. We will continue to run each Sunday through December 18, 2011. Come out and enjoy the fall colors along the right of way. Bring a jacket and enjoy a ride in the cool fall air!.
Trains will run to the west for the coming two Sundays (November 13 and 20, 2011). After boarding at the El Dorado depot, the motorman will guide the two cars across El Dorado Road and past the Cascades onto Greenstone Road. In our opinion, this is the most beautiful section on the old Southern Pacific Placerville Branch rail line.
Trains leave the depot on the hour and half-hour. The first train departs at noon. The last departs at 4 p.m. The suggested donation is $5 for adults and children age 9 and above. The suggested donation is $3 for ages 3 to 8. He worked in the Southern Pacific No. 1094 caboose in 1964 as a young brakeman.
Volunteer motor car operator Davey "Doc" Wiser enjoys a hamburger during a break between trains. Of the four professional railroad crewmen on the project, Doc has the longest tenure. He worked for the Southern Pacific and Union Pacific railroads for 50 years!
The train returns to the depot after a late run on Sunday, November 6, 2011.
