El Dorado Western Railway

Pouring Babbitt in the engine house

2012-01-22T16:54:00.000-08:00

For the past year stories and photographs on this blog have focused on the El Dorado County Historical Railroad Park. Long time readers have seen activity shift from weekly renovation reports on the Diamond and Caldor No. 4 Shay locomotive to tie replacement, speeders and train rides on the Placerville Branch rail line.

That doesn't mean work has stopped at the engine house. During this time two dedicated members of the Shay team have continued work in the shops at the El Dorado County Historical Museum.

Lead machinist Sam Thompson continues to make the weekly drive to Placerville from his Bay Area home. He has focused on rehabilitating the Shay's three engines. The second member, Mark Bruto, has divided his time between the engine house and railroad park.

The team has focused on the bearings for the eccentrics on the crankshaft. Using Babbitt donated to the railroad by the CemixUSA plan in Pleasanton, California, Sam and Mark devised a simple process to form the bearings.

The photographs show the process Sam and Mark used yesterday to form the third of six bearings:

Sam tightens the bolts after placing shims between the halves of the eccentric strap. The shims act as dams. They form two distinct halves as the bearing is molded. The round fixture at the bottom of the picture is used to form the inside diameter of the bearing.

Sam makes final adjustments as he centers the eccentric strap around the ring mold. Sam and Mark next clamped the strap to the ring mold to immobilize it.

A little after 10 a.m., Mark began melting the Babbitt. Babbitt is the soft white metal that's used to make the bearing. According to Sam, the material consists of approximately 92 percent tin. Antimony and copper make up the rest of the alloy.

Sam drops a handful of Babbitt shavings into the molten Babbitt. The shavings melted as soon as they fell into the pool. The Babbitt is heated to 460 to 470 degrees. Mark said the Babbitt it ready to pour when it takes on a straw color.

Mark pours the molten Babbitt into the mold around 11:15 a.m. Although difficult to see, Mark and Sam used duct seal, a clay-like material, to keep the molten Babbitt inside the mold. A second line of duct seal formed a gasket under the eccentric strap.

Sam said that he would cool the bearing for an hour or more before splitting it into halves. He heated the mold in an oven to 250 degrees before pouring the Babbitt. This prevented the Babbitt from prematurely solidifying as it spread in the mold.

Sam is currently machining the second bearing on the mill in the machine shop. Mark and Sam try to mold a bearing every other Saturday. Sam uses the middle Saturday between pours to machine the bearing to specifications.

1933 Ford truck at depot

2012-01-14T19:26:00.000-08:00

Sharon and Ron Evans of Crystal Hill Ranch in Placerville stopped by the depot with their 1933 Ford truck last week. The couple recently donated a Southern Pacific baggage cart to the El Dorado County Historical Museum for use on the railroad. We'll feature the cart on the blog once it's restored.

New Fairmont A4 car

2012-01-07T19:36:00.000-08:00

Last month the El Dorado Western Railroad acquired a second Fairmont A4 car. The car will be lettered as the El Dorado Western Railroad No. 603. The 603 will be used to expand rider capacity this summer.

Train rides for winter 2012

2011-12-31T20:32:00.000-08:00

Please come out and support California's newest county-run railroad. As residents and guests of El Dorado County, you have the opportunity to ride the train in the winter of 2012. With your support, the railroad will continue to operate many years into the future.

Train rides for 2012

Beginning on Sunday, January 8, 2012, the railroad will offer train rides on the historic Southern Pacific Placerville Branch rail line, weather permitting. The railroad will operate two Sundays each month in January (8th and 15th), February (5th and 19th) and March (4th and 18th). Trains will operate from noon to 4 p.m. Trains leave the depot on the hour and half-hour.

To locate the train depot in El Dorado County, California, take Pleasant Valley Road (from the east or west) to Oriental Street. Turn north. Keep left at the Wye. Continue to the end of the road and left to the station.

The video begins on the Placerville Branch from just west of the Forni Road grade crossing. The Camino, Placerville and Lake Tahoe No. 4 Kalamazoo track inspection car travels west across Blanchard Road toward the depot in historic El Dorado. The video was shot on a brisk fall day in the California Mother Lode on Saturday, December 3, 2011.

Thank you for a successful first year

2011-12-17T11:13:00.000-08:00

The El Dorado Western Railroad extends a hearty thank you to our guests and riders. Since the railroad opened for weekly passenger runs on July 17, it has enjoyed a consistent and loyal following by a dedicated group of riders. It's interesting to note that our ticket agent said he is starting recognize familiar faces. Many passengers come out and ride the train each month.

Please come out and support California's newest county-run railroad. As residents and guests of El Dorado County, you have one more opportunity to ride the train in 2011. With your support, the railroad will continue to operate in 2012 and many years into the future. The railroad will run on Sunday, December 18, 2011, from noon to 4 p.m. Trains leave the depot on the hour and half-hour. See the yellow poster for directions to the railroad depot.

As an added bonus, you are all invited to attend The El Dorado Train Rider and Volunteer Appreciation Party at the El Dorado Community Center tomorrow noon to 4:00 p.m. We hope to see you there. This event is for all. You can visit the party, then walk down to the depot and ride the train.

Fairmont car operator and conductor Mark Bruto punches the ticket of a young mother and her daughter.

Mark directs passengers to their seat on the El Dorado Western Railroad No. 602 Fairmont A4D.

Donation of portable welder

2011-12-06T07:31:00.000-08:00

The El Dorado Western Railroad thanks businessman George Turnboo for his donation of a portable welder to the railroad. The railroad has already placed the portable gas powered Miller welder in service.

George owns and operates George's Pit Stop in the town of El Dorado. The business is located at 6234 Pleasant Valley Road.

"This landmark auto repair business, owned and operated by George Turnboo for 35 years, is located at the intersection of Highway 49 and Pleasant Valley Road," states the description of his auto repair shop on the Historic Town of El Dorado website. "Services for foreign and domestic automobiles and trucks include brakes, tune-ups, electrical and diagnostic repairs. George's is an official licensed smog test & repair station. Need service? Call George: (530) 626-4845."

Train and stagecoach rides this weekend

2011-12-02T13:11:00.000-08:00

Enjoy some holiday happenings on Saturday, December 3 in the historic town of El Dorado.

The El Dorado Western Railroad will give train rides from to noon 4 p.m. Trains depart on the hour and half-hour from the re-created depot on Oriental Street.

You can also ride Davey "Doc" Wiser's stagecoach from noon to 4 p.m.

While you're in El Dorado, stop by and enjoy what these shops have to offer:

Grab a tasty soup and bread (and Gingerbread Man cookies) at Allez! Good Food on the Go! from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Allez! is located at 6180 Pleasant Valley Rd.

Booksigning by local author Cindy Sample for her new book Dying For A Dance, the second book in a series, at Books n' Bears from 1 to 3 p.m. The bookstore is located at 6211-A Pleasant Valley Rd.

Annual favorites, the Suzuki Kids, will perform at 2:00 p.m. at Gallery El Dorado. The gallery is located at 6180 Pleasant Valley Rd.

Santa will be in town, so check to see if you're on the Naughty or Nice list!

The train will also run on Sunday, December 4 from Noon to 4 p.m. Two operating days reamin for 2011 if you can't ride the train this weekend. Come out and support the El Dorado Western Railroad on Sunday, December 11 and Sunday, December 18. We will post our 2012 operating schedule after the first of the year.

From now until Christmas, stroll and shop Historic El Dorado's local merchants for gifts and goodies!

Wind chill and train rides

2011-11-07T07:12:00.000-08:00

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.

Train rides Saturday and Sunday

2011-11-01T08:43:00.000-07:00

Come ride the train this fall

2011-10-25T20:56:00.000-07:00

The weatherman has spoken. Temperatures will be in the mid-70s this weekend! If you're looking for something to do on a fine fall day, come out to the historic town of El Dorado and ride the train.

New locomotive for the railroad

2011-10-24T19:37:00.000-07:00

The El Dorado Western Railway Foundation accepted donation of a General Electric 45-ton center cab Diesel-electric locomotive from CemexUSA plant in Pleasanton, California. The engine was built in September 1943. It was originally purchased by Pacific Coast Aggregates. We believe that it worked at the Pleasanton plant its entire working life.

Rail spreader

2011-10-18T21:03:00.000-07:00

The maintenance of way crew uses a make-shift rail spreader to adjust the gauge of the rail on the El Dorado Western Railroad. For the past month the crew has been re-ballasting the curve and replacing ties at the private rail crossing in front of The Barn antique shop.

In the photo, project lead Garrett Augustus sets the gauge bar as Billy Bellas puts pressure on the rail jack. Once the track was properly gauged, Jeremy McCormack drove several spikes into the tie to hold the gauge.

Come ride the El Dorado Western Railroad this fall

2011-10-03T07:53:00.000-07:00

Burlington Northern Railroad speeder at work in 1982

2011-09-26T12:11:00.000-07:00

Here's a frosty video of Burlington Northern Railroad employee Gary Meek from around 1982. At the time this news report was filmed, Gary was a track inspector for the railroad. His territory spanned some 60 miles from St. Paul to Hastings, Minnesota.

Riding the rails year-round, Gary rode a speeder over his area of responsibility each workday. Inspections were critical in winter because the rail contracted in the extreme cold, which caused the track bolts to snap. He certainly served a critical safety function.

I enjoyed the video because it shows the railroad speeder in action. Note the use of the setout at the beginning of the video. Gary turned the speeder 90 degrees with a pair of lifting bars. The El Dorado Western will build a similar setout in due time.

Kalamazoo Model 57A speeder

2011-09-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

Here's a video of the Camino, Placerville and Lake Tahoe Railroad Speeder No. 4 that I uploaded to YouTube this afternoon.

The Camino, Placerville and Lake Tahoe Speeder No. 4 is one of the most useful artifacts on the El Dorado Western Railroad. Originally purchased by the CP and LT Railroad, which ran from Placerville to Camino, California, today the EDWR uses to shuttle railroad volunteers from the depot in the town of El Dorado to the work site. It frequently pulls a Southern Pacific push car to and from the work site. And since July 2011, the railroad has coupled it to the former Richmond Pacific Railroad Fairmont A-4D gang car on Sunday afternoons.

Work day on the El Dorado Western

2011-09-24T13:02:00.000-07:00

Yes, we were working on the railroad this morning. With Bob McCormack's backhoe, the crew is continuing to replace ties on the curve at the depot in the town of El Dorado. While the work is hot and dusty, we enjoy the outcome.

Come out and support your local home grown railroad. El Dorado County's own railroad has extended its operating schedule through December. Trains will operate from the El Dorado depot every Sunday, weather permiting.

Trail rides begin at noon and continue to leave the depot every half hour until 4 p.m. You may ride the rails for a $5 donation (age 9 and above).

DIRECTIONS: Take Pleasant Valley Road (west- or eastbound) to Oriental Street (across from the El Dorado Post Office). Turn onto Oriental Street and follow the signs. There is plenty of free parking at the Community Center. The ticket booth is located at the recreated train depot.

See you there ... highball!

Track work

2011-08-21T13:59:00.000-07:00

Volunteer track workers Garrett Agustus and Jeremy McCormack excavate soil from under the rails in the El Dorado County Historical Railroad Park on Saturday, August 20. The maintenance of way crew is preparing the site of a trail crossing adjacent to The Barn.

Horses at the depot

2011-08-14T08:16:00.000-07:00

The train runs today from noon to 4 p.m. in historic El Dorado. Come to the depot and support the El Dorado County Historical Railroad Park. Trains leave the depot on the hour and half-hour. Rides are $5 for adults, $3 for children 3 to 8 and free under 2.

Last Sunday the railroad crew spotted three young ladies riding their horses along the El Dorado Trail. As they rode east toward home, the riders guided Harley (from the left), Sassy and Skippy down to the tracks, where they enjoyed attention from visitors.

Harley enjoys attention from railroad volunteer Larry Howe.

Flagging the Mother Lode Drive grade crossing

2011-08-08T18:57:00.000-07:00

Three El Dorado Western Railroad volunteers flag the grade crossing at Mother Lode Drive. In the foreground, Jeremy McCormack stops eastbound traffic. Larry Howe flags westbound traffic under the signal tower while Dwight Ridge gives the highball to the approaching train. Train crewmen volunteer for the El Dorado County Historical Museum .

Railroad operations on the Placerville Branch

2011-08-07T18:26:00.000-07:00

The El Dorado Western Railroad has enjoyed growing popularity with the public in the last month. Since the railroad began regular passenger operations on July 17, 2011, it has operated on the historic Southern Pacific Placerville Branch rail line each Sunday afternoon. The cars are often packed to capacity.

The El Dorado Western will offer train rides each Sunday afternoon from noon to 4 p.m. through September 18. Please join the crew for an afternoon of fun on the rails. Watch conductor and motocar operator Davey "Doc" Wiser as he skillfully guides the Fairmont A4D gang car down the tracks.

Along the way Doc will tell stories from his 50-year career with the Southern Pacific and Union Pacific railroads. Did you know that he cooked breakfast in our SP caboose No. 1094? Yes, it's true. As the junior brakeman on the Chatsworth local, Doc tells that it was his duty to cook for the train crew.

Join the El Dorado Western on Sundays this summer. Each trainman has a unique story to tell. We'll see you soon.

2011-07-25T19:33:00.000-07:00

The railroad extends a hearty thank you to our new supporters. We've received 25 new "likes" on the Facebook page in the last two weeks. You can support the railroad in two additional ways:

Join the El Dorado Western Railway Foundation. Membership is $35 per year for an individual. Please mail a check or money order to EDWRF, PO Box 3517, Diamond Springs, CA, 95619. More membership options are available in the left column.

Come out and ride the train each Sunday through September 18. Trains leave the depot in historic El Dorado, California, on the hour and on the half-hour between noon and 4 p.m. Tickets cost $5 for adults and $3 for children. Under 5 boards for free.

With your continued support, the railroad will realize its goal of completing the El Dorado County Historical Railroad Park and finishing the Diamond and Caldor No. 4 Shay geared locomotive, along with other rolling stock and locomotives.

Davey "Doc" Wiser's railroad story

2011-07-23T14:43:00.001-07:00

Conductor Davey "Doc" Wise tells his story as he operates the El Dorado Western Railroad No. 602 Fairmont gang car. Davey recently retired from the Union Pacific Railroad after 40 years service with the Southern Pacific and Union Pacific railroads. He currently volunteers with the El Dorado Western Railroad.

The railroad gave train rides to the public on Sunday, June 17, 2011, on the Southern Pacific Placerville Branch rail line. For this run, crews hitched the railroad's Kalamazoo Model 57 speeder to the Fairmont.

Join us for train rides each Sunday

You are invited to join the El Dorado Western each Sunday this summer through September 18, 2011. The train leaves the depot in the historic town of El Dorado, California on the hour and on the half-hour. The first run departs the depot at noon, with the last run at 4 p.m. Join the El Dorado Western as we re-create an important piece of El Dorado County history.

Thank you for letting the whistle blow in Historic El Dorado

2011-07-11T18:39:00.000-07:00

Sunday, June 26, 2011, was a memorable day for all who experienced some good old-fashioned fun along with helping to support the El Dorado Western Railroad. Many activities kept everyone busy; a vintage car show, craft faire, train and stagecoach rides, great food and an ice cream social. Events do not happen without a lot of monetary and public support, countless volunteer hours, materials and labor, and general participation.

The El Dorado Western Railroad, and Historic El Dorado, wholeheartedly wish to thank:

Placerville & Sacramento Valley Railroad

El Dorado Western Railway Foundation & crew

Around Here Magazine ~ Linda McIntosh

Bob & Monica Billingsley

Brookshire Gardens ~ Kurt Sommerdyke & Nina Davidson

CertainTeed Corporation

Charles Kelley, Sr.

Davey “Doc” Wiser & crew

Diamond Crane ~ Tom Anderson

Diamond Springs Ace Hardware

Diamond Springs Printing

Doug Veercamp General Engineering

Eagle Truck & Auto

Ed Hagen, Sheryl Ladner-Hagen and crew

El Dorado Grocery

George Peabody

George’s Pit Stop ~ George & Evelyn Turnboo

Hartwick House ~ Gail Hartwick, Event Chair

HKR Promotions ~ Kelly and Heather Roberts

Karen Morse

Marsha Steward & Family ~ on behalf of Anne Steward

Minuteman Press ~ John Zachary

Richard & Ellie Harrington

Strauss Food Service ~ Jim Strauss & Kathy Hartshorn

Terri Baer

The Barn ~ Reneé Hargrove, Dave Thomson, Jean & Max Frigault

The Buckboard Bunch

The Mountain Democrat ~ Mimi Escabar

The Windfall ~ Robert & Tina Henderson

Tim Bordges

Various print and online publications

Wilkinson Portables

Williams Polaris

If anyone was accidentally left out, please know that this successful fundraising event could not have happened without you!

To find out about Historic El Dorado and events, visit www.historiceldorado.com.

Steam gauge wallpaper for android cell phones

2011-07-02T10:14:00.000-07:00

Here's a great wallpaper for your android cell phone. Steam Gauge Live-Wallpaper shows battery level on the backhead of a steam locomotive. The steam pressure gauge gives you the current battery charge on your phone. One-hundred percent represents a full charge. An annimated steam leak plays behind one of the valves.

Video on the El Dorado Western Railroad

2011-06-28T19:23:00.000-07:00

The El Dorado Western Railroad gave train rides to the public on Sunday, June 26, 2011. Passengers boarded at the replica freight depot in El Dorado and rode the Fairmont A-4D gang car (ERWR No. 602) or Kalamazoo Model 57 track inspection car (CP&LP No. 4) to Forni Road. The two cars were hitched for the event.

Train rides on the El Dorado Western Railroad No. 602

2011-06-25T19:34:00.000-07:00

Experience good old fashion fun on Sunday, June 26 in historic El Dorado, California. Ride on vintage rail cars, run through town in Davey "Doc" Wiser’s authentic Western stagecoach and walk among classic cars on Main Street. And top the day off with a scoop of refreshing ice cream!

The schedule includes: breakfast at the Community Hall from 8 a.m. to noon, craft fair from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., classic car show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., train rides and ice cream scoop ($5 donation) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., free stagecoach rides from noon to 4 p.m. ice cream social ($1.50 per scoop) from noon to 4 p.m., music and food.

Proceeds benefit the El Dorado Western Railway Foundation.

Garret Augustus operates the Fairmont speeder on a test run today. The El Dorado Western Railroad has designated the Fairmount A-4D as No. 602. This follows the Trackmobile, which is No. 601.

The A-car is named the "Peabody" after George Peabody, a longtime historian and writer in El Dorado County.

A-car ready for train rides

2011-06-21T12:51:00.001-07:00

I heard from Keith Berry that the Fairmont A-car has a fresh coat of paint on it. She'll be looking good for train rides this Sunday in historic El Dorado.

A $5 donation gets you a stagecoach ride, train ride and scoop of ice cream. Come out and support the El Dorado County RR Park on Sunday, June 26.

Anne’s caboose

2011-06-17T22:56:00.000-07:00

Years ago, a train was not complete without a locomotive on the front end, and a caboose bringing up the rear end. The locomotive was an attention getter, what with smoke and noise, whistle blowing and bell ringing. Sure it was fun to wave at the engineer, and hopefully see him wave back, signaling to you that such an important guy recognized you down there as a friend.

However, once the locomotive went by, your attention was immediately drawn to that last car on the train, a car like no other, having steps, windows, and even a smokestack on the roof. The caboose was the only train car that had the one unique feature, a cupola on the roof.

A cupola was all windows. Once you spotted the caboose and its cupola, you immediately searched for the next guy to wave at. You didn’t quite know what his job really was, but to you his job was quite simple, WAVE AT YOU.

Your moment was highly anticipated, your timing had to be just right, or the caboose would be past you with no more chances until the next train. Get ready, decide which arm and hand would be offered, and make sure you obtained eye contact with that lucky guy who got to ride on the train all day just to see YOU.

A successful wave meant everything, no eye contact and wave meant you had failed to carry out the agreement. A good wave meant you did not wave like a madman, frantic and unsure. No, your wave had to reflect your confidence and understanding of railroad waves, you were one with him, and you were on the crew, just not on the train. The successful wave lasted all day; you had waved and been recognized, so long, see you on the next trip.

Today, trains don’t provide much chance to interact with the crew. There is no caboose, or friendly crew to wave back to you. Trains are less frequent, and lack the personality of the old trains when you could identify the type of cars and repeat the railroad names. Today’s trains do not present the opportunity to wave at the crew, or look for that caboose on the rear end, a caboose with a cupola and crew. Well, most trains don’t have a caboose, but, your El Dorado Western Railroad has a caboose, a caboose just for YOU.

Yes, your caboose arrived on the El Dorado Western Railroad on Thursday, June 16 at El Dorado. A caboose from the Southern Pacific Railroad, #1094, built in 1940 to travel the rails behind steam powered freight trains. A real railroad caboose; a caboose with steps, windows, and yes, a real cupola on the roof! A caboose complete with interior and a ladder climbing up to the seats where the crew sat and waved to you. Did you know the caboose was an office for the conductor with a desk, a coal stove for heat, a bathroom, ice box, lights, and bunk beds? The caboose supported the crew while out on the rails going between cities.

Southern Pacific Caboose No. 1094 is a gift from a very special person; a lady named Anne. Anne received her caboose from her husband on a Mother’s Day, to provide Anne with an art studio. Now, through Anne’s family, her caboose is returning to the rails.

A caboose to ride in, and a caboose from which to wave to people on foot, bicycle, or in the car waiting for the train to cross the road. Anne’s caboose is waiting for you, come out and see her at our Sunday, June 26 fund raiser to support the railroad.

We thank you Anne for giving all of us a chance to ride your caboose, on the El Dorado Western Railroad. Now, let’s all work on our railroad waves; a railroad caboose is coming down the track toward YOU.

Keith Berry for the EDWR where we work to make you smile.

Southern Pacific No. 1094 caboose move #1

2011-06-16T17:42:00.000-07:00

The El Dorado Western Railroad moved the Southern Pacific No. 1094 caboose from private property to the El Dorado County Railroad Park on June 16, 2011.

Caboose move coming next week

2011-06-10T17:28:00.000-07:00

Has the caboose move sparked your interest? To learn more, pick up a copy of the Windfall at your local El Dorado County store or restaurant. See "Along the Right of Way" on page 31. The big move takes place on Thursday, June 16.

Coming events for June

2011-06-08T12:36:00.001-07:00

Please continue to watch the El Dorado Western Railway blog and Facebook pages. The railroad has three exciting events on the horizon.

They include:

El Dorado County Fair, June 16 to 19, 100 Plaverville Dr., Plaverville, California. Crew members will be on hand from opening each day until 8 p.m. On Saturday, the crew pull the Diamond and Caldor No. 4 Shay locomotive out of the engine house.
Train rides in the historic town of El Dorado, June 26, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Follow the signs for tickets.
New Southern Pacific caboose to be moved to the El Dorado railroad park soon. The caboose, Southern Pacific No. 1094 from the 1940s, will be placed in service for train rides next year.

Watch these pages for more news.

Work progresses on the Fairmont A-car

2011-06-05T15:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the Saturday work crew gathered at the shop to continue work on the Fairmont A-4D gang car. Since the A-car, as we affectionately call it, came to the El Dorado Western Railroad in an operable condition, most work is cosmetic in nature. Until April, the car was used on the Richmond Pacific Railroad.

The A-car will be ready to haul passengers on Sunday, June 26, 2011, in the historic town of El Dorado, California. Please see our Facebook events page for details. The railroad will offer train rides from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Chef Steven Karoly prepared chili con carne with beans for the crew yesterday. Jeremy McCormack cleared a work bench so he could set up chili, cornbread, chipotle cole slaw, chips, salsa and fixin's for the crew.

The father and son team of Ed and Ben Cunha have handled most of the body work on recent acquisitions. Here Ed grinds away excess metal from the side panel after Ben welded a hole closed.

Ben welds a hole closed on the front panel of the car body. The body of the A-car is almost ready to be primed and painted.

Train rides in historic El Dorado

2011-05-29T19:42:00.000-07:00

The El Dorado Western Railroads offered rides in the Camino, Placerville and Lake Tahoe No. 4 speeder today. Under direction of a dedicated volunteer crew, the railroad ran between the railroad park and Blanchard Road for around 12 trips. Over 50 visitors to the historic town of El Dorado enjoyed a leisurely ride through the countryside.

In case you missed the train rides today, the railroad will again offer rides next month. The town of El Dorado is will kick-off a community-wide event with a pancake breakfast at 8 a.m. on Sunday, June 26, 2011 at the El Dorado Community Hall. Throughout the day, train rides, stagecoach rides, classic cars and lots of ice cream will be available to the public.

Billy Bellas and "Doc" Davey Wiser pose next to El Dorado Western Railroad No. 601 Trackmobile. Davey will drive an authentic Western stagecoach in El Dorado on Sunday, June 26. Click for a webpage about rides offered in nearby Placerville.

The speeder returns from a run up to the Blanchard Road grade crossing with passengers. The railroad will add an additional car for the event in June.

EDWRF president and railroad director of rail operations Keith Berry watches a family board the speeder.

Along the right of way with the El Dorado Western Railway

2011-05-14T09:18:00.000-07:00

This is next installment of a periodic column that Keith Berry is writing for the Windfall, the weekly classified newspaper in El Dorado County.

Were going to the Dogs! Yep, our railroad is going to the dogs, actually several "DOGS."

Over the past several months, we have found friendship with our canine friends out on the track. We are pleased to have found them; well, they actually found us as a new source of amusement during their daily walk. Oh, they have owners attached, but it's their walk and don't you forget it! It turns out the right of way is a great place for a dog; it's long, it's natural and it's full of attractive smells and other critters, including us.

Our first such encounter, and most frequent buddy is "Halo," a good sized boy who has come to be our greeter and inspector of the works. Halo is observed each morning, always with owners in tow, along the tracks west of Blanchard Rd. Halo keeps to schedule, a few leaps and hugs and off he goes and we get back to dogging it, working track.

The obvious winner based on size is Gunnison, a great (tall) hound something who is as gentle as he is big. We expect Gunnison, when fully grown, will make quite an eye full, for now were just glad to know him and thankfully not have to feed him. Go Gunnison!

Our newest dog friends are Ginger and Bob, each special, and eager to take a walk out where they can be without cars to worry about. We appreciate their owners who bring them out to El Dorado where there is no snow or busy streets. We look forward to their visits.

The smartest dog award goes to a smaller dog, who came by one rainy day, and decided that walking in the cold rain was not fun. No slow pooch this one, it decided our track inspection car was dry, and warm, and best of all moved on its own legs (wheels). This pooch got right up on the best cushion over the warm engine compartment, and settled down for a ride back to the car. What's a railroad for if not to ride in style, eh?

Brake check

2011-05-08T20:36:00.000-07:00

On Friday the crew exercised the bearings on the flatcar and checked the brake lines. The railroad acquired the flatcar, numbered as the El Dorado Western Railroad MW 1003, from the California State Railroad Museum via the Folsom, El Dorado and Sacramento Historical Railroad Association.

The flatcar will be used for maintenance of way duties for now. Ultimately, crews will convert it into a passenger car. It will be renumbered at that time.

EDWR general manager Keith Berry gets ready to step into the red zone to couple the flatcar to the El Dorado Western Railroad No. 1 for the first time.

The Plymouth and flatcar on the tracks beside Oriental Street in the historic town of El Dorado.

Fairmont A-4D motorcar

2011-04-30T19:34:00.000-07:00

The El Dorado Western Railroad recently acquired a Fairmont A-4D gang car from the Richmond Pacific Railroad in Richmond, California. Although we don't know what year the motor car was built, the A-4D series were constructed between 1968 and 1984 by Fairmont Railway Motors in Fairmont, Minnesota.

The crew unloads the motorcar off of the trailer today. The A4 is completely operational and only needs painting and other minor work. The Ford four cylinder engine is rumored to be a Pinto engine.

In a week, the crew has scraped most of the orange paint off of the frame and body. The car will be painted a bright yellow (to match the Trackmobile) once it's ready.

CBS13 video on the Placerville Branch from Latrobe to Shingle Springs

2011-04-14T12:03:00.000-07:00

The news video features Placerville and Sacramento Railroad President Phillip Rose.

Along the Right of Way with the El Dorado Western Railroad

2011-04-11T20:03:00.000-07:00

This is next installment of a periodic column that Keith Berry is writing for the Windfall, the weekly classified newspaper in El Dorado County. This article was written at the end of February.

The El Dorado Western was approved last fall to commence restoration of the rail corridor and track structure. Given the rainy winter weather, we have had about 16 weeks so far toward bringing the railroad back to life.

Recognizing that all labor in this project is by El Dorado County Historical Museum volunteers, we are very pleased to report that approximately 25 volunteers are working during an average of five days per week to achieve over 500 hundred hours of service per month! Different volunteers work different days, as some are in school while others have weekday jobs. All together, were making steady headway against the massive overgrowth of brush and removal of rotted track ties.

Our strength is in having volunteers willing to get out and do heavy work as they feel comfortable, go home and rest, and return the next day to start again. So, you may see a few or a lot of us anywhere along the railroad, and we would ask that anyone walking along the tracks be aware that rail equipment may come along. Of course, we go slowly, we have the headlight on, and we enjoy meeting everyone out enjoying the right of way.

We do thank everyone who has offered to keep an eye on things, and who helps to discourage those who would dump trash, tires, and junk on our community property. We have mowed much of the open space at El Dorado where the regional Railroad Park is planned. Happily, this immediately turned a large weed patch into a great exercise course for the dogs. Of interest is the device which allows the owner to really rare back and throw the ball out there for their canine athlete to race after, subdue, and return. We’ll mow again when the spring grass takes off, let the games continue, the area is there for everyone, two or four legged.

Several have inquired as to the old ties. Unfortunately, the ties were removing are so rotted that they are pretty much goners. We will use some of these ties for other track work; the remainder will be hauled away from the public use area of the corridor. Please note that as you see us burning brush, we never burn railroad ties. Eventually, once we have enough, they will be transferred to treated material recycling. All track materials are the property of El Dorado County.

We enjoy meeting people out there, and having the opportunity to discuss our work efforts and present the overall plan for the El Dorado Western Railroad. We understand that were re-introducing a living railway, and that involves a change from the last 22 years of dormancy. The crew wishes to thank all those offering encouragement and support for getting the train running soon. We especially thank those who are now establishing supportive membership to directly assist in the funding of new track ties and related materials.

Come Out in June for Ice Cream, Stage Coast Rides and Train Rides

Our first community-wide Fund Raiser, "One Tie at a Time," is now scheduled for Sunday, June 26th. If you donate to the purchase of a tie, you will be treated to Ice Cream, a Stage Coach ride, and introductory ride on the railroad. How about that for a way to come out and get acquainted!

Please contact our Blog for stories, photos and reports on our activity.

See you along the track,

Keith Berry

Death Valley No. 5 Brill car at Laws

2011-03-26T13:46:00.000-07:00

Death Valley No. 5 Brill Car being operated at the Laws Railroad Museum with Motorman Keith Berry and Conductor Paul Thompson. Photography by James N. Saylor. Last Day of Operations for 2010 season.

Keith Berry interview

2011-03-23T19:41:00.000-07:00

Along the right of way with the El Dorado Western Railroad

2011-03-15T19:54:00.000-07:00

This is the first installment of a periodic column that Keith Berry is writing for the Windfall, the weekly classified newspaper in El Dorado County.

Welcome to the El Dorado Western Railway, your community historical railroad being developed by volunteers from the El Dorado County Historical Museum!

The El Dorado Western is named for the historic railroads that operated along the Sierra west slope. El Dorado County was home to several famous logging and mining railroads. These included the Diamond and Caldor, the Michigan – California and the El Dorado County Mineral Railroad. These railroads all connected with the first railroad in the western United States, the Theodore Judah-engineered Sacramento Valley Railroad and its Placerville Extension.

How appropriate we should respect and preserve this history, and now bring to life El Dorado’s rail legacy along this same right of way, that 1885 roadbed carrying the rails of El Dorado.

How natural to have the Township of El Dorado as the site for the El Dorado County Historical Railroad Park. The town of Mud Springs, later El Dorado, was an important station on the Placerville Branch line. The right of way measures a generous 250 feet, reflecting the need for a passenger station and freight room, livestock corrals, fuel transfer facility and lumber loading dock -- and complete with a two-seat outdoor privy.

El Dorado was the first station on the Placerville Extension, six miles east of Shingle Springs, the previous loading point for west slope freight lines. Due east from El Dorado, the tracks followed a two-percent working grade to the summit just west of Diamond Springs, and then on into Placerville. For right on 100 years, these rails brought prosperity to our county. Today fortunately these rails remain, their legacy is secure, but their future rests in our hands.

"Along the right of way" is our way of sharing with you the history, and the adventure of bringing the railway back to life as a public service program of the Museum. Let us share our news and our story, come ride with us along the newest railroad in California. After all, this railroad is you railroad, these rails are your rails. Come along as we shine up the rails, the rails of El Dorado.

RusT Spike

Oregon Pacific Railroad No. 801

2011-03-06T18:25:00.000-08:00

I am attending a chef's conference in Canby, Oregon ...

The Oregon Pacific Railroad No. 801 rests on the southern leg of the Canby Wye. The 801 hauls freight on the OPR Molalla Branch between Canby and Molalla. The locomotive was built in August 1951 for the Great Northern Railroad as its No. 99. It's equipped with a V-8 EMD 8-567-B diesel engine and is rated at 800 horsepower.

Machine shop

2011-03-06T06:08:00.000-08:00

Lead machinist Sam Thompson mills a fixture that will be used to build the ballast plate rings for the engines on the Diamond and Caldor No. 4 Shay locomotive. Sam continues his work rebuilding the engines on the Shay while most other volunteers are working on the track.

Removing ties

2011-03-05T07:59:00.000-08:00

The crew replaced railroad ties on the El Dorado Western Railway during February. After the weekday tie replacement crew installed replacement ties, the Saturday crew removed the rotten ties from along the right-of-way on February 12. In the photo, Billy Bellas and Jacob Karoly wrestle a beat-up tie onto the Southern Pacific push car.

Snow on the El Dorado Western Railway

2011-03-02T13:08:00.000-08:00

El Dorado Western crews inspect the Blanchard Road to Forni Road section of the Southern Pacific Placerville Branch rail line after a recent snow storm. A short video by Ed Cunha.

Hauling brush

2011-02-27T14:52:00.001-08:00

I'm not sure if the crew worked yesterday. The forecast for the El Dorado County foothills called for a blanket of snow down to the thousand-foot level Friday night and Saturday morning. Instead rain soaked the foothills Friday morning. The moisture was gone by the time the cold front arrived Friday evening.

Here's picture of the crew hauling brush along the right-of-way:

Billy Bellas loads tree trimmings onto the Southern Pacific push car while Keith Berry supervises. The El Dorado Western Railway uses the speeder and push car to move tree trimmings from trackside down to our burn piles.

Since most areas on the right-of-way can only be accessed by rail equipment, the speeder is the most efficient way for it to move brush. Contrary to reports on Facebook and other websites, the railway does not use heavy equipment on the access roads to haul brush away from the right-of-way.

Snow day

2011-02-19T19:02:00.000-08:00

After a week of winter storms in the Sierra Nevada foodhills, a light blanket of snow fell the Southern Pacific Placerville Branch rail line overnight. While the snow would've had little impact on maintenance of way operations for the day, most volunteers stay in their warm homes and enjoyed a day off.

I stopped near the summit at Missouri Flat Road to photograph the snow around 9 a.m. About an hour later, when I met the crew at Hagen's Crossing, I watched the CP&LT No. 4 speeder return from a run to the summit. If I'd waited 30 minutes, I would've been in a position to photograph the speeder pushing snow with its wheels.

Track rehab on west end of Placerville Branch

2011-02-15T18:29:00.000-08:00

Eric Olds, vice president of the Placerville and Sacramento Valley Railroad, graciously allowed me to share this update on track work on the western end of the Placerville Branch:

Saturday, Ethan Doty, Jim Fryer, Philip Rose and I commenced track rehabilitation on the initial operating segment for the Placerville and Sacramento Valley Railroad. Ethan, P&SVRR assistant roadmaster, ably instructed us newbies on the finer points of tie replacement, and we had a grand time.

Jim and I are both Cal Poly SLO grads. We discussed how the day's activities reminded us of Cal Poly's "Learn By Doing" slogan as we discovered successful and less then successful ways to wrestle old ties from the roadbed and insert relays.

One particularly satisfying aspect of the day for me was hearing the ring of the spike maul as new spikes were driven into place. I have a new appreciation for those who went before us constructing this portion of the line in 1863-1865 with simple hand tools and hard work, Our dedicated volunteers are willing to do the same to be a part of the historic reactivation of this grand line.

Eric Olds

Ethan Doty pulls a new tie under the rail with a pair of tie tongs as Jim Fryer digs out the trench with his hand. In the background, Philip Rose prepares a trench for the next tie.

Driving spikes on the SP Placerville Branch

2011-02-13T14:27:00.000-08:00

Donny Bellas, the youngest volunteer on the El Dorado Western Railway, drives a spike on the former SP Placerville Branch rail line. During the week, the crew removed about 14 ties between Hagen's Crossing and the Blanchard Road grade crossing. They had inserted all the replacement ties and had them spiked down by Friday except for two near Hagen's Crossing. The Saturday crew finished the job yesterday morning before moving onto other projects.

Morning briefing

2011-02-12T18:53:00.001-08:00

El Dorado Western Railway President Keith Berry (sitting on speeder) briefs Saturday morning crew members on the day's activities. After assembling at Hagen's crossing around 9 a.m. this morning, the crew got ready to drive spikes and clear brush on the right-of-way.

The briefing is an important feature of railway workdays. In addition to safety issues, Keith informs the Saturday crew of work accomplished by weekday crews. He also informs the crew of important government meetings and decisions that impact the railway.

The three youngest volunteers of the railway are bunched together in the center of the photograph.

Training in Sacramento

2011-01-22T15:35:00.000-08:00

The El Dorado Western Railway maintenance-of-way crew took part in safety training for track workers today. Crews from three railroads, including the Placerville and Sacramento Valley Railroad and the Sacramento Southern Railroad, participated in the training session at California State Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento.

Situational awareness is the watch-word for railroad track workers. Track workers must always be aware of on-coming rail traffic and know how to secure authorization to work on or alongside the rails. Safely takes precedence on any railroad.

Repairs

2010-12-30T17:42:00.000-08:00

"This is just everyday routine stuff," explained Keith Berry (right) as he repaired a sticking coupler pin on the El Dorado Western Railway No. 1 locomotive with Cal Jessiman as Bob McCormack looked on. "It's what they do everyday at Roseville."

El Dorado Western Railway No. 1 Plymouth locomotive move to El Dorado

2010-12-26T08:43:00.000-08:00

Plymouth Locomotive No. 5634 was donated by the Certainteed Division of the Saint-Gobain Corporation of Chowchilla, California. The El Dorado Western Railway is operating component of the El Dorado County Railroad Park and is located in the town El Dorado, California, on the former Placerville Branch of the Sacramento Valley Railroad. The railroad runs parallel to the El Dorado Trail.

EDWR No. 1 on YouTube

2010-12-24T19:34:00.000-08:00

Brett Soto, El Dorado Western engineer trainee, heads to Hagen's Crossing on the first run day for the 1952 Plymouth JDT 18-ton locomotive. Number 1 is the first Locomotive on the Placerville Branch of the Sacramento Valley Railroad in more than 20 years.

Plymouth loco run day at El Dorado

2010-12-24T14:54:00.000-08:00

There's nothing more exciting than to wake up Christmas morning and find a HO-scale train under the tree. All you want to do is piece the track segments together, plug in the transformer and run the five-car train in a circle for hours on end. It's a holiday ritual that's been practiced in millions of American homes over the past century.

Last Saturday morning the town of El Dorado woke up and found a full size Plymouth locomotive under the oak trees. The banner on the engine housing proclaimed, "Merry Christmas to El Dorado, CA."

It's the gift of the El Dorado Western Railway to the historic town of El Dorado, a town that once served as an important stop on the Southern Pacific Placerville Branch rail line. Two long blasts on the whistle indicated that the railroad had returned to El Dorado.

Steven Karoly takes his turn at operating the No. 1. The crew ran the El Dorado Western Railway No. 1 up and down the rail this afternoon. The 18-ton Plymouth locomotive was donated to the railway on Friday, December 17, 2010 by the CertainTeed Corporation in Chowchilla, California.

The Plymouth approaches Hagen's Crossing at Oriental Drive. The banner over the radiator thanks three companies for their assistance in the donation of the Plymouth locomotive to the railway. They include the CertainTeed Corporation for its donation of the engine, Diamond Crane of Diamond Springs for lifting the locomotive onto the track and Bordges Timber of El Dorado for transporting the engine to El Dorado.

Cal Jessiman relaxes for a moment after completing the first leg of his run to Hagen's Crossing.

Storm patrol

2010-12-23T07:55:00.000-08:00

Water is the enemy of railroad ties. More than 20 years of maintenance inactivity on the Southern Pacific Placerville Branch line has taken a toll. Many ties have slowly rotted away due to poor drainage on the right-of-way.

One of the first tasks of the El Dorado Western Railway was to rehabilitate a major flood zone adjacent to the El Dorado Community Hall. Storm water formed a sizable pond each winter at the site of the SP station in the town of El Dorado. The seasonal pond threatened to undermine a good 100 yards of track on the curve.

A volunteer crew began work at the site in late October. The crew fill in the pond, stabilized the soil with straw and devised a drainage system. Volunteers patrol the site during each large storm to make sure water is properly flowing.

Last Saturday, my son and I mucked out the drainage ditches at the depot site. Storm water once again flows in the ditch on the north side of the rail after all obstructions were cleared. In the background, Jacob Karoly mucks the drainage ditch on the south side.

The El Dorado Western Railway No. 1, a 1952 18-ton Plymouth locomotive, waits out the rain storm in El Dorado. The water started draining once I muked out the ditch.

There is a better way to remove ties

2010-12-18T07:26:00.000-08:00

I've previously posted pictures of the crew removing railroad ties the hard way. We often resort to prying, kicking and pounding the tie out from under the rail. While it's time consuming, our method gets the job done, especially in remote areas.

Last week El Dorado Western Railway President Keith Berry let me download these photographs from his camera. They gave me a chance to view track work on the weekdays. Since I work in Sacramento Monday through Friday, I miss the weekday projects.

This photographic series show how the crew used Bob McCormack's backhoe to remove a dozen ties on the historic Southern Pacific Placerville Branch rail line on Friday, November 5, 2010.

Ben Cuhna and Jeremy McCormack (both bent over) guide a rotten tie out from under the rail as Bob pulls it with the backhoe. While difficult to see, the crew wrapped a chain around the leading edge of the tie and attached to to the bucket.

Jeremy observes as the backhoe operator pulls a rotten tie out with the claws on the bucket.

The CP&LT No. 4 track inspection car waits at Hagen's Crossing on Oriental Road in the Town of El Dorado. The ties on the Southern Pacific push car will soon be inserted under the track.

Speeder run on Saturday

2010-12-08T20:13:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, December 4, 2010, the El Dorado Western Railway participated in the Town El Dorado's Gold Rush Christmas. It was a relaxing day after working on the track for the past seven Saturdays.

Put my granddaughter in a moving vehicle and she's sound asleep! She's drifting into dreamland as she watches her reflection the speeder's taillight.

Twice I was able to take the Camino, Placerville and Lake Tahoe Railroad No. 4 speeder out for a spin between the old SP depot site and Blanchard Road.

These western troubadours strolled along the right-of-way in early afternoon.

UP tie replacement

2010-11-21T12:59:00.000-08:00

You Tube caption: "A walk along the tracks in downtown Elmhurst while The Union Pacific Railroad replaces wooden ties. We start just West of York Rd. and go about a block West and show some of the equipment in operation. This is right at the Elmhurst, Illinois, METRA station."

Maintenance-of-way the real way

2010-11-21T12:56:00.001-08:00

Maintenance of Way -- CPR Castlegar BC, originally uploaded by arrowlakelass.

Keith, wouldn't this be fun to operate?

Caption on flickr: "Kershaw Tie Crane at work removing old ties recently removed from the rail line in Castlegar Canadian Pacific Railway yard."

Replacing ties

2010-11-21T12:40:00.000-08:00

How does a railroad replace ties?

Like most aspects of our 21st century lives, railroads have found ways to mechanize tasks that once to require back-breaking labor. Tie replacement is one such task.

"There's a lot less back work now. The Union Pacific spends money for equipment so we can get in and get out and don't disrupt the traffic," Union Pacific foreman Dean Barber told the Craig Daily Press in May 2007. "I give credit to the old timers. They busted their backs working on the railroad."

The Union Pacific Railroad has a track-mounted machine called the TKO. After specialized track machines remove the spikes, the TKO travels down the rail, removing ties marked for replacement.

"Clamps grasp the railheads and hydraulic jacks push off the ground, lifting the rails from the ties," explained Dan's Depot: The Coast Line in Union Pacific maintenance-of-way gallery. "Then the hydraulic arm grabs the old tie and pulls it straight out, leaving it alongside the tracks."

Following the TKO are other speicialized machines that lift the track that allow workers to insert tie plates. Then spiking machines come a long, "rattling away like machine-guns."

"Oh, just in case you were wondering, we replace an average of 2,700 ties per day! The record is 5,000!" a UP worker told Amtrak conductor and student engineer Dan Klitzing in 1998.

I doubt the El Dorado Western Railway will acquire a TKO tie replacement machine any time soon.

And 2,700 ties per day? We pat ourselves on the back when we replace five in a day (our current record)!

The EDWR handles tie replacement the old fashion way, with lots of "back work!"

After replacing three missing bolts in the joiner bar, Steven Karoly (left) and Ed Cunha pounded, pried and kicked until the rotten tie could be pulled from under the track on the old Southern Pacific Placerville Branch rail line near Blanchard Road. Meanwhile, Keith Berry tightened the joiner bolts.

Historic El Dorado's 'Gold Rush Christmas'

2010-11-21T09:16:00.000-08:00

A Christmas Faire in Mud Springs

Come one, come all on Saturday, December 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to enjoy holiday festivities during Historic El Dorado’s "Gold Rush Christmas" faire.

Historic El Dorado town merchants and volunteers are turning the clock back to the Old Time Christmas Faire of years past. Stroll amongst decorated trees and storefront windows, enjoy the aroma and taste of great food, experience warm hospitality and shop from some 30 crafters and vendors during this free and fun event!

There is a full schedule of activities:

9-11 a.m. -- Flapjack Bob $8. Pancake breakfast location: Community Hall

11 a.m. to 1 p.m. -- Marilyn Wiley, author of Buffalo Chips & Co. book signing at Books 'n Bears

11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. -- Chewin' tobacky (Tootsie Rolls) spittin' contest (it's a hoot!) at the Dorado Stage (Habitat for Humanity)

High Noon -- Kids and adult costume contest judging at the Dorado Stage

Noon to 5 p.m. -- Big Nose Kate's Claimjumper Chili and cornbread at the Community Hall

12:30 to 2 p.m. -- Bob and Shirley, Old-time Western songs at the Dorado Stage

1 and 3 p.m -- Christmas Carolers at the Crocker House

2 p.m. -- Storytelling and pinecone birdfeeder making at the Crocker House

2 to 3 p.m. -- Suzuki Kids 13th Annual Violin Concert at Gallery El Dorado

5 p.m. -- Traditional tree lighting ceremony in front of firehouse

All day activities:

Fabulous vendors —- jewelry, handcrafted goods, antiques and gifts

Davey "Doc" Wiser and crew stagecoach rides

Kids "Go for the Gold" treasure hunt

Tasty local foods -- Tequila Sam Tacos in front of Poor Red's

Treats and hospitality from local shops and merchants

El Dorado Trade School bake sale

Letters to Santa (drop off at The Barn)

Family Trust Estate Liquidators non-perishable charity food, and clothing drive (at Eagle Truck & Auto). Jess Notright on the loose!

Habitat for Humanity playhouse drawing

Hear the Whistle Blow!

Train rides and railway stuff presented by the El Dorado Western Railway and Folsom, El Dorado and Sacramento Historical Railroad Association.

A $5 donation will get you to Greenstone Road (a 36-minute ride) and a $10 donation will take you to Mother Lode Drive in Shingle Springs. It's a wonderfully old-fashioned and scenic experience. Hop on near the Community Hall in El Dorado, off of Oriental Street.

Come in Gold Rush period dress and enjoy this festive adventure of the Old West! Come one, come all to Old Mud Springs!

A bicycle superhighway for the SP right-of-way?

2010-11-16T21:06:00.000-08:00

I get that fact that the railroad right-of-way is an ideal corridor to locate a major recreation trail in El Dorado County (alongside the train, of course). The El Dorado Western Railway has long supported a combined rail and trail system of the historic Southern Pacific Placerville Branch rail line right-of-way. It seems to me that the overwhelming majority of people will drive to one of the rail/trail heads to ride the train or hike or ride (bike or horse) on the trail (or to do both!).

What I don't get is the potential for the right-of-way to become a major bicycle transportation artery, a ‘superhighway’ of sorts. Other than a dedicated minority, who is going to use the bike path to commute to and from school and work? Without hundreds of miles of bike lanes on county roads feeding into the right-of-way/bike superhighway, how is this going to be practical?

A case in point: As a high school senior who attends Union Mine High School, the proposed bicycle superhighway wouldn't benefit my son. Living on east side of Diamond Springs, he'd ride his bicycle westward down Main Street/Pleasant Valley Road to Koki Lane. I suppose the right-of-way would be of benefit if he attended El Dorado High, but he doesn't. And since I work in mid-town Sacramento, it's impractical to commute via bicycle.

And what about Cameron Park and El Dorado Hills? The Southern Pacific right-of-way doesn't even travel through these communities. Once the tracks leave Shingle Springs, they head south for Latrobe, before turning north for Folsom. Does the county plan to connect these communities with a second major Class I bike path?

We'd love to hear constructive comments on this issue. What are your thoughts? Do you support the concept of a bicycle superhighway? Or do you believe that the right-of-way should be reserved for trains and recreation only?

Is this the reason that the Friends of the El Dorado Trail are pushing for a Class I trail on the right-of-way? For those who don’t know, a Class I trail is a "bike path that is completely separated from other uses." If I read this right, that means that you need two paved trails, one for the commuter bike path and the other for pedestrians, etc.

One further question: Is this is the reason that the Friends of the El Dorado Trail have ardently pushed to rip out the tracks from the county line to Mother Lode Drive (at the El Dorado Wye)? For the record, the Friends have agreed to share the right-of-way with the train in the segment plan for Mother Lode Drive to Missouri Flat Road, which coincides with the El Dorado County Historical Railroad Park.

The El Dorado Trail segment from Missouri Flat Road to the Forni Road is a Class II trail. According to the article, this means that bicycles and pedestrians share the same paved trail.

=====<<>>=====
Biking not just for fun anymore
By Chris Daley

El Dorado County supervisors learned the difference between a bike lane and a bike path Tuesday. They also learned that the county's Bicycle Transportation Plan has nothing to do with going out for a ride on the weekend. It's about serious transportation, not about recreation.

Dan Bolster, an engineer with the Department of Transportation assigned to the county’s Transportation Commission, delivered a slide presentation to the board updating the bicycle transportation element of the General Plan.

Calling the El Dorado Trail a "corollary to Highway 50 for bicycle transportation," Bolster described the long-range plan to complete the non-motorized, multi-use trail from Pollock Pines to Folsom. Within the terms of the plan, it is anticipated that the trail would be used by residents commuting to and from work and by children getting to and from school. That the trail is also a major recreation facility does not figure into the BTP.

Continue reading by clicking here.

Railway builds mountain bike crossing

2010-11-15T06:12:00.000-08:00

With the skill of a High Sierra trail crew, volunteers from two railroads joined forces Saturday to stabilize the ballast under track between Mile Posts 138 and 139. The project was a joint effort by the El Dorado Western Railway and Folsom, El Dorado and Sacramento Historical Railway Association.

While the primary goal of the work day was to ensure safe passage of rail equipment through the old Tunnel No. 1 cut, project leader Keith Berry also wanted to repair a washout that threatened the rail to the west of the cut. To facilitate passage on the existing hiking and mountain bike trail adjacent to the tracks, the crew built a trail crossing over the repaired drainage ditch.

The crossing was built in a manner reminiscent of the many trails in the Sierra Nevada. Like a rock and dirt bridge built over a small mountain creek, the crew skillfully laid a rock foundation over an eight-inch steel culvert pipe. Then a car-load of fill dirt from the cut was brought down the rail line to complete the rock and dirt bridge.

This series of photographs chronicles the work at the washout site on Saturday.

Volunteers unload rocks from the push car into the gully. The crew laid a 10-foot line of rocks in the gully. The rocks will prevent rushing water from cutting into the rail bed during heavy rain storms. Bill Wilde, Alex Wilde, Hank Stiles, Keith Berry and Jacob Karoly unloaded the push car in about 15 minutes.

Bill, Alex and Hank represented the FEDS on the project. The FEDS also donated use of its Fairmount A-6 speeder and push car for the day. The A-6 provided the mechanical muscle on the rail to move carloads of rock and fill dirt from the cut to the washout. The speeder also ferried six of the 15 project volunteers from the staging point in Shingle Springs to the project site. Hank Stiles operated the speeder throughout the day.

Alex Wilde throws a large rock into the trench. Around four or five carloads of rock were hauled from the Tunnel No. 1 cut to the washout site. The project site is located about one-half mile west of the cut.

Ed Cunha catches a cantaloupe-sized rock. While it appears that Ben Cunha propelled the rock at his father with the flat-head shovel, Keith Berry actually tossed the rock at Ed from the left of the camera.

Alex Wilde and Hank Stiles rolled a very large rock from the side of the push car down into the trench.

Crew make up changed each time a new load of rocks or fill dirt was brought down the rails to the washout point. The last crew of the day consisted of, left to right, Hank Stiles, Keith Berry, Ben Cunha, Ed Cuhna, Alex Wilde, Bill Wilde and Bill Bellas. Photographer Steven Karoly documented the project.

At the end of the day, Hank drove the Fairmount speeder west toward Mile Post 137 at Shingle Springs. We saw two men on mountain bikes making their way along the track just east of the Shingle Springs Road grade crossing. The cyclists were going to be the first to use the new trail crossing at the washout.

Saturday evening Ed Cunha emailed me with this note: "When we got back to El Dorado some mountain bikers came by and said that they had used the new crossing that we put in, and thanked us for the work."

Wedding train

2010-11-14T15:27:00.000-08:00

The readers of the El Dorado Western Railway blog may not know this little know fact: One of our board members was married on a train. The nuptials were held on Bear Mountain on the Roaring Camp and Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad in Felton, California, some 10 years ago.

A photograph, with the happy couple posing for the photographer on the brakeman's footrest of the Dixiana No. 1, greets me each I visit the couple. The shotgun stack, as it reaches for the sky in the bright afternoon light of the Coast Range, always catches my eye as I enter their country home. (No pun intended ... the tall, narrow smokestack is called a shotgun stack because of its resemblance to a shotgun barrel.)

The Shay was a fitting venue for their wedding. As one of the railway's longest running volunteers, this board member dates back to the early days of the renovation of the Diamond and Caldor No. 4 Shay.

I'm sometimes envious of my friends. They did something that I would've loved to have done. Since I'm nearly 30 years into my marriage, I doubt I'll have opportunity to get married on a train. Besides, my wife may have something to say about it!

Unless family tradition dictates otherwise, I highly recommend a special train wedding to our loyal railfans. A Facebook posting alerted me to this Portland wedding on-board the Oregon Pacific yesterday:

"A special train operated Saturday in Portland. But this is a special train in a different sort of way because a couple in our railfan community were married aboard! Leia and George charted this Oregon Pacific train for their ceremony which as long time railfans this was a perfect way for them to have their wedding and celebrate their day!"

Click over to Dogcaught: A Railroad Blog for the rest of the story and more photographs.

Who knows, maybe the El Dorado Western Railway will offer the occasional wedding special soon.

Movin' rock

2010-11-13T19:22:00.000-08:00

Volunteers from two railways joined forces today to clear rocks and improve water drainage in the Tunnel No. 1 cut on the Southern Pacific Placerville Branch rail line. The El Dorado Western Railway and Folsom, El Dorado and Sacramento Historical Railroad Association met just after 10 a.m. at the cut, which is visible from eastbound U.S. 50 at the Red Hawk Parkway exit.

In the photograph, the crew loads rocks onto the push car for transport down the line. The rock was used as fill a washout on the right-of-way. The Fairmount A-6 gang car belongs to the FEDS.

Haulin' brush on the railway

2010-11-07T14:26:00.000-08:00

One of the goals of the El Dorado Western Railway has been to reduce the vegetation load along the right-of-way. For the past several years, the Folson, El Dorado and Sacramento Historical Railway Association performed this task for the Sacramento-Placerville Transportation Corridor JPA. Last spring Keith Berry and Steven Karoly joined the FEDS in this effort. EDWR is now taking on this task with railway assets.

(While the SPTC is the current official name ascribed to the historic rail line, we prefer to call is the Southern Pacific Branch after its last operational designation.)

While the task may seem insignificant, it's important to preserve the historic right-of-way in operating contition. You can read about Keith and Steven's brush cutting work by clicking here, here or here.

Keith leads the crew in a safety brief at Hagen's crossing on the north end of Oriental Road.

Most of the morning the crew removed down brush in the area between the Oriental Road and Blanchard Road grade crossings. Keith transported the crew one-quarter mile to the east to the spot where brush was at its heaviest.

Volunteers tie off a load of brush on the Southern Pacific push car. The crew ferried about 10 loads of brush throughout the day to a staging point near the old depot site.

Billy Bellas of Cameron Park operates the speeder on the return trip. The railway uses these work days to train all volunteers how to operated its equipment.

Keith guides the Camino, Placerville and Lake Tahoe No. 4 speeder down the track on the last run of the day.

Railway maintenance crews uncover rail spur

2010-11-02T20:21:00.000-07:00

Backhoe operator Bob McCormack skillfully scooped the six- to eight-inch layer of soil that had covered the spur track for the past 20 years. Bob pulled the bucket over the layer of soil without disturbing the rails or ties. Once he exposed the long buried ties, the maintenance-of-way crew removed the loosened dirt with hand tools.

Completed in 1888, the historic Placerville Branch rail line became an "important feeder branch line after the turn of the (twentieth) century for the Southern Pacific, producing hundreds of carloads annually, mostly lumber and refrigerated loads of deciduous fruits," said Doug Noble today in the Mountain Democrat newspaper.

For the first time since the Southern Pacific ceased rail operations in El Dorado County in 1987, the El Dorado Western Railway has started the process of rehabilitating the rail line for railroad operations. Volunteers are working three to four days each week on the El Dorado County Historical Railroad Park.

First tie!

2010-10-26T19:41:00.000-07:00

There comes a time in the history of every railroad when it reaches a milestone, especially early in its operation life. Just like the Central Pacific Railroad when it spiked in the first section of rail on October 26, 1863 in Sacramento, the El Dorado Western Railway reached a similar milestone last week. A volunteer maintenance-of-way crew laid the first two ties Saturday.

While this event isn't on par with the Central Pacific, which began construction of the western leg of the first Transcontinental Railroad, it was a significant moment for the El Dorado Western. With this small step, the railway repaired a small washout just north of the Town of El Dorado.

Cal Jessiman, left, was given the honor of driving the first spike into the first tie. Railway President Keith Berry lifted the tie with a pry bar for Cal.

Western Railfan booklet

2010-10-26T19:23:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I've posted an eBay auction on these pages. Here's a small brochure on the history of the Diamond and Caldor Railway, published by the Western Railfan in September 1969.

While I can't predict how high the auction will climb, you should be able to pick it up at a reasonable price if you're the winning bidder. The opening bid is $4. The auction ends at 7 p.m. Pacific Time on Monday, November 1.

I won't be bidding on this item as I already own a copy.

Run day at Shingle Springs

2010-10-17T17:31:00.000-07:00

Despite mechanical problems with the speeder and Trackmobile yesterday, the crew successfully ran the between Shingle Springs and Tunnel No. 1 on the old Southern Pacific Placerville Branch rail line. The Folsom, El Dorado and Sacramento Historical Railroad Association sponsored the run. They offered rides to the public on their Weyerhauser Skagit No. 30 gang car and Fairmont A-6 track inspection car.

David Hamilton flags the Davidson Road crossing as the Camino, Placerville and Lake Tahoe No. 4 speeder heads toward Shingle Springs. During long runs, a vapor lock in the fuel pump prevented the engine from working. The mechanics believe the problem was caused by the lack of air flow through the engine compartment when engaged in reverse. Our initial work-around was to pour cold water on the fuel pump. Later in the day Ed and Ben Cunha bypassed the fuel pump. It worked because the gasoline is gravity fed from the tank, which sets above the engine.

The speeder pulls into Shingle Springs with David at the controls while Kurt Taylor rides "shotgun." When he's not helping on the railway, you'll find Kurt in B7704 for the El Dorado County Fire Protection District, where he's a battalion chief.

The El Dorado Western Railway No. 601 Trackmobile emerges from the Tunnel No. 1 cut on the Placerville Branch. Ben watches the right-of-way for obstacles from the passenger seat. You can see the remains of the tunnel from eastbound U.S. Highway 50 at Exit 40. The Southern Pacific blew the top of the tunnel many years ago. The radiator fan on the Ford 292 V8 engine failed during the run down to Shingle Springs.

On an morning run up to the tunnel cut, conductor Eric Olds guides the Skagit past rock debris. The FEDSHRA crew wasn't able to negotiate the cut without damaging the speeder.

Three hands

2010-10-07T18:46:00.001-07:00

Saturday morning, El Dorado Western Railway President Keith Berry instructed volunteer Cal Jessiman to give me a refresher course on the operation of the CP and LT No. 4 speeder. I last ran the track inection car two years ago at an open house on the site of the then proposed railway park in the Town of El Dorado.

Keith wanted my son Jacob and me to make several training runs between the El Dorado and Blanchard crossings while he picked up additional equipment at the county museum.

I followed as Cal detailed the protocol to start the speeder. "This is going to take three hands," explained Cal. I soon leaned what he meant.

To operate the Kalamzoo speeder, grip the clutch lever with your right hand and grab the brake lever with your left hand, said Cal. Then somehow, use your "free hand" to control the throttle.

As Cal explained the process, I rehearsed the emergency braking procedure in my hand and with my hands. Better to simulate disengaging the clutch and engaging the brake now than to fumble through it when a worker walks onto the tracks in front of the moving speeder.

To start the engine, set the brake and place the transmission in neutral, instructed Cal. Turn the key, while gently nudging the throttle forward until the engine catches. Next came the tricky part -- throwing the transmission into gear and proceeding without stalling the engine.

Cal continued. Disengage the clutch with your right hand, shift the transmission into low range and slowly let the clutch out. This is wear the three handed operation comes into play.

I slowly guided the clutch until the transmission was firmly engaged. At the same time I had to be ready to give the engine gasoline to keep it from cutting out. With my left hand on the brake, I slipped the clutch, slowly reduced pressure on the brake and gave the engine one-third throttle -- it worked!

The speeder only jerked once or twice. Two longs on the horn and we were off for the El Dorado Road crossing. (Two long toots on the horn tells railroad workers that you've released the brakes and are proceeding forward.)

Once we were rolling westward on the Placerville Branch, I asked Cal about the origin of his three hands tag. "You know, that sounds a lot like something Keith would say."

"That's exactly what Keith was telling me (yesterday)," said Cal. "You need three hands to do this." Cal operated the speeder for the first time Thursday.

Twenty-three minutes later the run ended. We arrived at Hagen's Crossing, a dirt driveway that crosses the tracks about one-quarter mile east of the railroad depot site. It was time to pass the throttle to the next operator.

Jacob jumped into the operator's seat. A bit apprehensive about the process, he motioned with his hands as I walked him through it.

"Wear gloves," I said as I guided him through the process. "The engine throws off a lot of heat. Keep your left hand on the brake and your right on the clutch and your eye on the road."

It was up to Jacob to figure out how to manage the throttle!

Saturday workday on the Placerville Branch

2010-10-04T18:58:00.000-07:00

Jacob Karoly learned how to operate a speeder car on the Placerville Branch rail line on Saturday, October 2, 2010. Eight crewmen from the El Dorado Western Railway gathered at the site of the El Dorado County Historical Railroad Museum for a workday. The railway used the day to train volunteers how to operate the speeder.

The crew loads tools and equipment onto the Southern Pacific push car as it prepares manage the vegetation load on the right-of-way and lubricate joiner bolts on the track. The Camino, Placerville and Lake Tahoe Railroad No. 4 speeder pushed the car from Hagen's Crossing up to Blanchard Crossing where it met the Trackmobile.

The line-up for the workday on Saturday. Keith Berry and Ed Cunha discuss the day's operations in front of the speeder. After the speeder arrived at Blanchard Crossing with the push car, the crew handed it off to the Trackmobile. The Trackmobile used the push car to support operations throughout the day.

Tailgate

2010-10-02T20:04:00.000-07:00

El Dorado Western Railway President Keith Berry (center in blue t-shirt) leads a tailgate safety session before the crew begins work today at Hagen's Crossing, near the site of the El Dorado County Historical Railroad Park. The crew accomplished several important tasks on the Placerville Branch rail line. Volunteers learned how to operated the CP& No. 4 speeder, cleaned out four culverts, cut brush and lubricated rail joiner bolts. Most work was accomplished between El Dorado and Blanchard roads.

Trackmobile on You Tube

2010-10-01T11:34:00.000-07:00

Here's a short video of the El Dorado Western Railway No. 601 Trackmobile running on the Placerville Branch in Folsom on Saturday, September 18, 2010. Yours truly in the guy that's playing with his cap at the end of the video.

You Tube video of Folsom Railrest

2010-10-01T11:28:00.000-07:00

Here's a short video of the Folsom Rail and Transportation Festival on Saturday, September 18, 2010. The Pacific Gas & Electric No. 35 trolley leads the FEDS Skagit No. 30 gang car and Fairmont A4 and A6 speeders on the return trip from the White Rock Grade Crossing.

Drivin' spikes

2010-09-30T22:46:00.001-07:00

Drivin' spikes, originally uploaded by SeabeeCook.

When the El Dorado Western Railway drives spikes, it does so the old fashion way. Maul in hand, railway volunteer Ben Cunha takes his turn at driving a railroad spike on the Southern Pacific Placerville Branch last Saturday.

Railway crews are currently replacing missing spikes by manually driving them into the tie with a sledge hammer. Once the crew becomes proficient in the use of a sledgehammer, it will graduate to the traditional spike maul, a large double-sided sledge hammer with long, thin heads.

New caboose in El Dorado County

2010-09-27T19:51:00.001-07:00

I discovered this Southern Pacific Railroad caboose at Grampy's Produce in Shingle Springs this afternoon on my way home from work. According to Keith Berry, Caboose No. 1188 would've been manufactured circa 1941. It's nice to see a piece of history spotted on the right-of-way.

You can view a picture of the caboose here that was taken on May 31, 1972, in El Centro, Calif.

Cast iron billet

2010-09-26T16:11:00.000-07:00

Lead machinist Sam Thompson is currently machining three pieces for the valve set up from a heavy cast iron billet. They are for the steam engines on the Diamond and Caldor No. 4 Shay locomotive. After completing the first part, Sam used the electric shop forklift to move the billet from the lathe to the power hack saw in the next room. From there he cut off the part and returned the billet to the lathe to machine part number two.

PG&E No. 35 trolley car near White Rock Road

2010-09-23T22:28:00.001-07:00

PG&E No. 35 trolley car near White Rock Road
Originally uploaded by SeabeeCook

The Pacific Gas & Electric Trolley No. 35 picked up railroad workers near the White Rock Road grade crossing as it prepared to return to Hampton Station on Sunday, September 19, 2010. The El Dorado Western Railway came close to putting its Whiting Trackmobile to work on the Placerville Branch line. Around 2:30 p.m., an official from the Folsom Rail and Transportation Festival stopped by our booth to ask if the Trackmobile was available to recover the trolley as it had stalled on the tracks just north of White Rock Road.

We were told that the trolley's power supply had failed and the vehicle that was going to tow it back, a Regional Transit Unimog hi-rail truck, had jumped the rails. Event organizers thought that the Trackmobile was the ideal recovery vehicle. To effect the recovery, plan was for Keith Berry to drive it south on Old Placerville Road to the site, mount the rails between the Unimog and the trolley and tow it to a point where crews could repair the generator.

In the end, our services weren't needed. But it would've been a photographer's dream to see the El Dorado Western No. 601 Trackmobile towing the PG&E No. 35 back to the northern terminus.

Like EDWR's Trackmobile, the trolley was one of unique artifacts at the Folsom Railfest. It required an alternate source of electricity for the event since the Placerville Branch doesn't have overhead power lines. Normally, the trolley is more at home on the Regional Transit rail lines, where it draws electricity from overhead power line through the trolley pole.

Photographer Philip S. Rose provided some insight into the operation of the trolley in the Village Life newspaper: "To power the vintage rail conveyance, Railfest organizers rented the huge generator being towed behind. (Folsom, El Dorado & Sacramento Historical Railroad Association) member Bob Morrison built a rectifier to convert the AC to DC power for the old streetcar."

The trolley was used throughout the weekend event to give paid rides to the public. The PG&E No. 35 was built in 1913 by the American Car Co. PG&E ran it on its Sacramento City Lines until 1934, when it was retired.

"In 1999, Sacramento Regional Transit purchased a beautifully restored trolley (PG&E 35) from the California Trolley & Railroad Corporation in San Jose," according to the Railway Preservation Resources (RPR Consulting) website page for Sacramento. "The car had been completely rebuilt in the late1980s as part of group of seven immaculately restored trolleys for operation in San Jose. Car 35 is operated on special occasions over a portion of the Light Rail system in the downtown area."

An interesting fact about the trolley is that it carries two road numbers. When restored, the car operated as the San Jose Railroad No. 129. The No. 35 wasn't available and it was renumbered 129, the next available number for the railroad. When Regional Transit purchased the car, a representative told us that the purchase agreement required them maintain the car's No. 129 identity.

Conductor Eric Olds of Folsom, punches a passenger's ticket on an afternoon trolley run on Saturday. Eric is a member of the Folsom, El Dorado & Sacramento Historical Railroad Association. He frequently operates their Skagit No. 30 speeder as the motorman.

How does a railroad refuel the Trackmobile?

2010-09-19T06:11:00.000-07:00

Question: How does the El Dorado Western Railway refuel its Whiting Trackmobile?

Answer: The operator dismounts the tracks and drives it to the nearest Chevron station! He then pumps gasoline into the fuel tank, drives back to the tracks and re-mounts.

And yes, the Trackmobile is street legal in California.

Keith Berry pumps gas into the Trackmobile. The gasoline tank holds around 12 gallons topped off.

The El Dorado Western Railway Trackmobile No. 601 is located at the Chevron Station on Placerville Drive in Folsom, California. The Southern Pacific Placerville Branch is located at the base of the rock wall behind Starbucks.

Trackmobile rolls on the Placerville Branch

2010-09-18T20:35:00.000-07:00

At 8:45 a.m. this morning, the El Dorado Western Railway mounted the Whiting Trackmobile on the Placerville Branch in Folsom for the first time. With El Dorado Western President Keith Berry at the operator controls, the crew ran it along a one-quarter mile section of the rail to the south of Mile Post 116.

"Well boys, we're on the tracks for the first time," said Keith. The break-in run gave time to evaluate the Trackmobile and make sure no mechanical issues surfaced.

Mark Bruto (kneeling) guides Keith as he mounts the Trackmobile on the tracks as Ed Cunha watches. The process was surprisingly easy. It only took about 5 to 10 minutes.

Ed takes his turn at the controls of the Trackmobile. After Keith's initial 30-minute run, each volunteer took turns learning how to operate the Trackmobile.

Folsom Rail Festival

2010-09-17T19:22:00.001-07:00

I stopped by the Folsom Rail Festival on the way home from work this evening. There wasn't a lot of activity. A small gang from the Folsom, El Dorado & Sacramento Historical Railroad Association was making last minute repairs to the Faimont A-6 gang car. And a crew from Regional Transit was getting ready to babysit the Pacific Gas & Electric No. 35 trolley for the night.

Visit the El Dorado Western Railway on Saturday and Sunday. Our booth will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The rail festival is located along Placerville Road in Folsom, ajacient to Starbucks and Hampton Inn. The nearest cross street is East Bidwell. The EDWR Whiting Trackmobile No. 601 will be on hand for viewing.

The FEDS Skagit Speeder No. 30 is ready to offer rides to the public Saturday and Sunday. Built around 1939, Weyerhauser Timber Co. used the speeder to haul track materials and work crews on its 26-mile logging line in Vail, Wash. Two Fairmont speeders (Models A-4 and A-6) are spotted behind the Skagit.

The motorman's station stands empty as the sun sets over Folsom. The trolley was built in 1913 by the American Car Co. PG&E ran it on the Sacramento City Lines until 1934, when it was retired. The car is currently owned and operated by the Sacramento Regional Transit Authority.

Lights on the Whiting Trackmobile

2010-09-11T17:55:00.000-07:00

This morning the mechanics wired trailing lights on the Whiting Trackmobile. Trailing lights differ from tail lights in that they signify the end of train when the Trackmobile is running on the track alone. Since the Trackmobile is designed for combination road and track work, it also features a tail light.

Mechanics Mark Bruto (on the hood) and Larry Nygard wire the newly installed trailing lights.

Only one light will be on at a time on each side. The headlight will shine on the side of the Trackmobile that's making forward movement. The training light will shine on the oposite side. I took this photograph before Mark and Larry worked out a wiring issue.

Why do we do this?

2010-09-10T20:53:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago I began a short series that explorers why the volunteers of the El Dorado Western Railway do what we do. Railway President Keith Berry's originally wrote the series for the summer newsletter.

Each week 16 or more volunteers gather at the engine house to work on various projects. While most volunteers contribute mechanical skills to the railway, a shall team of "office" workers handle administrative tasks.

Unlike past years when most work was accomplished on Saturday, our volunteer pool has developed into a diverse group of weekday (mostly Wednesday and Friday) and Saturday workers. The weekday team largely consists of retirees and those available mid-week. Those still working a 40-hour week help out of projects on Saturdays.

Here's the second installment of Keith' assessment:

REASON #2: We all have some inherent train gene in us, attracting us to train things rather than old clothes, furniture or farm equipment, which we refer to as real rust. Trains reach out to us; trains are special, uniquely attractive without reason through our lives. Trains talk to us; they come alive much as the trains once under the Christmas tree came alive in our hands. It's sentimental to work on these trains, they all are unique, come with a personality and deserve their place by being refurbished. So, we await work day's to once again meet and "play with trains."

REASON #3: We enjoy the challenge. Refurbishing this stuff is not easy. It's really a lot of hard work and periodic frustration. Train parts are heavy, sometimes hot and always hard to handle. Regardless of the technical challenge, or the logistical problems, we enjoy finishing something. Years ago, we adopted the motto "One piece at a time, she goes back together again." We needed this motto given the fourteen years of effort just on Diamond and Caldor No. 4. You have to be patient, and find success in every part or you go nuts looking for the nuts (or the bolts, or the pipes, etc.).

Diamond Springs Labor Day parade

2010-09-06T16:06:00.000-07:00

The El Dorado Western Railway featured the Whiting Trackmobile in the Diamond Springs Labor Day parade. With the loan of a flatbed truck by from Tom Anderson at Diamond Crane, the team hauled the Trackmobile down Main Street at 1 p.m. under leadership of railway Vice President Ed Cunha.

Ben Cunha and Steve Karoly rode in the cab of the Trackmobile. Since the Trackmobile was mounted on the bed of the track, Ben and Steve devoted their full attention to waving and greeting the crowds on Main Street.

Ben blew pulled the lanyard and blew whistle very minute or so. We ran the air compressor for the full length of the parade (about 20 minutes) to supply air to the whistle. Unfortunately, we weren't able to blow regulation signals, like the grade crossing alert (two longs, one short, one long). The mechanics need to install a three-quarter-inch supply line to the horn so there's sufficient air to warn of the approaching train.

Ed guides the Trackmobile past the Diamond and Caldor flatcar (up on jacks) as Ben drives it into the Veterans Memorial Building parking lot. The railway has completely refurbished the Trackmobile since it took delivery in mid-June. Railway President Keith Berry said that Breaker Glass will install a set of new windows next week. The painters also need to finish the interior.

Ben watches the Trackmobile as it's loading onto the flatbed. The crew washed the Trackmobile in the parking lot. The unit looked great with a fresh coat of paint and lettering as the EDWR No. 601.

First locomotive lettered for El Dorado Western

2010-09-04T16:16:00.000-07:00

The Whiting Trackmobile was lettered at the engine house as the El Dorado Western Railway Trackmobile No. 601 today. This marks a significant achievement for the railway as it is the first piece of rail equipment that has been lettered for the EDWR.

As a rule, assets that don't have historical significance to El Dorado County will be lettered for the railway. Locomotives and rolling stock with a historical attachment to the county retain its original identification. For instance, the Shay locomotive will retain its identity as the Diamond and Caldor No. 4 because it operated within the county for 47 years.

Kelly Roberts of Placerville removes the backing from the El Dorado Western sticker on the door to the Trackmobile. Kelly operates HKR Promotions with his wife Heather.

EDWRF Vice President Ed Cuhna (left) poses with Kelly at the completion of the job.

Why do we do this?

2010-08-27T19:20:00.000-07:00

President Keith Berry wrote this piece last month as we geared up for the summer issue of The Dispatch, the official newsletter of the El Dorado Western Railway Foundation. Since I didn't have room for the article in the newsletter, I'll share Keith's thoughts on volunteerism over the next several weeks here.

The El Dorado Western Railway engine house and machine shops are located in Placerville, on the grounds of the El Dorado County History Museum. Several locomotives, a railbus and various other railroad cars are scattered about, all creating the look of an over sized model railroad. All of us are museum volunteers, our objective being to interpret and explain the work going on toward operating restoration of these community artifacts.

Frequently, we are asked, "Why do you choose to do this work, especially as a volunteer?"

Well, that is a good question, one which we ponder deeply, search for the best explanation and then get right back to the work. Being volunteers, we take breaks, called "standing around," and discuss just why we do volunteer for this work, donating time and expense to keep the work progressing toward a distant conclusion. Usually, we all reach the same answer, we don’t quite know! However, here are the most frequent opinions.

REASON #1: We are attracted to rusting junk! Now, seriously, we don’t like rust. It only serves to entice us to look beneath it for the original pieces and parts which offer recovery to their original beauty. Getting to the item through decades of rust is the attraction to find, save and restore to operational level something 100 years old. We are on a treasure hunt -- a hunt for old trains, steam trains, logging trains, trains of long ago.

To be continued ...

Progress on the Trackmobile

2010-08-27T19:00:00.000-07:00

Here are three photographs from Saturday, August 14, 2010:

In the past two weeks, our father and son painting team have made significant progress painting the Whiting Model 3TM Trackmobile.

Ed Cuhna, the new vice president of the El Dorado Western Railway, paints the roof.

Ben Cuhna preps the roof for painting as Ed gets the paint ready.

Imagine a real Thomas The Tank Engine

2010-08-18T21:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning I noticed something as I dropped my three-year-old granddaughter off at preschool. While waiting in line, I saw two boys wearing Thomas The Tank Engine t-shirts. A third boy sported a brand new Thomas daypack.

It got me to thinking. If the railroad tracks along the 28-mile Placerville Branch are torn out by Iron Horse Preservation Society, as proposed by the Friends of the El Dorado Trail, then these boys (and their sisters) will never have the opportunity to ride the rails on the historic Placerville Branch rail line.

Sure, the parents of our young Thomas fans could drive the family to the California State Railroad Museum and ride the train on the Sacramento Southern Railroad. After all, the museum is a worthy destination with its amazing collection of locomotives from California's long railroading history.

But I say, why drive over 40 miles to ride an excursion train when there could be at two local railroad venues, one at each end of the line? Boys and girls from throughout the area would encourage their parents make the short drive to passenger depots in Folsom, Latrobe, Shingle Springs, El Dorado and Diamond Springs.

Can't you picture a young El Dorado County family boarding the train at the newly re-created historic Southern Pacific passenger depot in El Dorado? Approved by the county Board of Supervisors last year, the El Dorado County Historical Railroad Park will soon become the premier rail destination for the local region.

The Diamond and Caldor No. 4 Shay locomotive would pull the train – with young Thomas fans sitting on the edge of their seats – to the end-of-track at Missouri Flat Road, near the location of the old Diamond Springs interchange with the Diamond and Caldor Railway. On the ride, the conductor will tell our young Thomas fans how the Four-Spot once pulled trains loaded with rough-cut lumber from the Caldor mill to Diamond Springs.

Then these young Thomas fans will get the view of a lifetime as they poke their heads out the window. At the head of the train, the brakeman will uncouple the Four-Spot from the train. And the engineer will guide the century-old geared steam locomotive through the switch onto the run-around track.

What child wouldn’t react with enthusiasm as the Shay backs down on the run-around track? The engineer and fireman will wave as if they were personal friends of each boy and girl on the train. Our young fans will have come into contact with the real “Thomas” in person.

Along the way, our young Thomas fans will enjoy an afternoon of family fun, while viewing some of the best countryside in California. And, they’ll experience history in the best way possible – by experiencing it firsthand! Captivated by the train crew, dressed in bib overalls, long-sleeved shirts and striped engineer caps, our young Thomas fans will feel the heat of the engine as it passes by. And the sweet aroma of the steam exhaust will capture their hearts.

If the citizens of El Dorado County allow the Friends of the El Dorado Trail and Iron Horse Preservation Society to rip out the twin steel tracks of the Placerville Branch, they’ll be tearing out a piece of our history for good. And families, both young and old, will never be able to experience the once daily passenger local, bound for Placerville.

Come to think of it, I don’t recall seeing any boys in bicycle t-shirts! Tear out the tracks and these boys and girls will miss the sights and sounds of the real Thomas The Tank Engine.

2010 Folsom Historic Railroad and Transportation Festival

2010-08-15T16:32:00.000-07:00

Come to Folsom, California, next month and support the future of the historic Southern Pacific Placerville Branch railroad line.

Enjoy a fun filled family day with rides on historical rail equipment, talk to those who have a passion for preservation of area rail history and discuss the furure of the branch line.

The Railroad Education and Preservation Society, with support from the Folsom, El Dorado and Sacramento Historical Railroad Association, present the Folsom Historic Railroad and Transportation Festival on September 18 and 19, 2010 in Folsom.

The event will be held on the trailroad tracks behind Starbucks and the Hampton Inn at Iron Point Road and East Bidwell Street. The tracts, last used commercially by the Southern Pacific Railroad in the late 1980s, date back to 1864.

Festivities will include railcar rides, motorcar rides, handcar rides, model railroad displays, a classic car show and Sacramento Regional Transit’s No. 35 PG&E Streetcar.

The RailFest is presented and organized by the Railroad Education and Preservation Society. REPS is a newly formed organization made up of individual members from regional rail organizations, including the Recreational Railroad Coalition, Inc., Motorcar Operators West, FEDSHRA and among others.

Captured: America in Color from 1939-1943

2010-08-08T11:33:00.000-07:00

My sister periodically sends me links to blogs of interest. While most of Lib's suggestions are food related, she occasionally comes through with links that fulfil my interests in other endeavors.

This morning, Lib send me a link to Captured: America in Color from 1939-1943, a blog post on the Denver Post website. The article contains some 70 color government photographs from the World War II era.

These images, by photographers of the Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information, are some of the only color photographs taken of the effects of the Depression on America’s rural and small town populations. The photographs are the property of the Library of Congress and were included in a 2006 exhibit Bound for Glory: America in Color.

"Toward the end - trains and planes ...," Lib wrote in her mid-morning email. The reference to trains was intended for my eyes. The photos of planes will interest my brother David, a pilot.

Nine photographs in the collection feature the Chigago and Northwestern Railway in Chigago and Clinton, Iowa. They're numbered 45 to 54. Here's my favorite photo:

Caption from the Denver Post blog: "Mrs. Viola Sievers, one of the wipers at the roundhouse giving a giant 'H' class locomotive a bath of live steam. Clinton, Iowa, April 1943. Reproduction from color slide. Photo by Jack Delano. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress."

Trackmobile wiring issues

2010-08-07T15:37:00.000-07:00

Mark Littlejohn of Newport Richey, Florida, chases wiring issues in the 3TM Whiting Trackmobile. As an appliance repair technician, he is the perfect fit for the job.

Mark joined the El Dorado Western Railway this week while on a two-month vacation in the Placerville area. He will work with the railway on various projects through the Labor Day holiday. He then returns home to run his used appliance store.

Support the El Dorado County Historical Railroad Park

2010-06-26T12:56:00.000-07:00

The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors will vote on an important resolution (item #10-0682 on the agenda) this Tuesday. You can access the Board of Supervisor's agenda item by clicking here. It's Item 57 on the consent calendar.

The resolution authorizes the "El Dorado County Museum to pursue development and operation of the El Dorado Western Railway, as a living history program of the El Dorado County Historical Museum."

Please attend the meeting to show your support for the railroad park. The Supervisor's chambers are located at 330 Fair Lane, Placerville, California. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, June 29, 2010.

In addition, please forward a letter of support to Supervisor James "Jack" R. Sweeney, the supervisor for the 3rd Supervisorial District in El Dorado County. Mr. Sweeney must receive this letter by Monday, June 28, 2010. You can hand-carry the letter to his office at the address above or respond by email at bosthree@edcgov.us.

The resolution supports these critical milestones:

Gives the El Dorado County Historical Museum and its operating partner, the El Dorado Western Railway, permission to start work on railroad park right-of-way, track rehabilitation, laying the third rail for combined standard/narrow gauge operation, etc. This work will be accomplished primarily through volunteer labor and donations.
Set the boundaries of the railroad park as the Mother Lode Road grade crossing to the west and end-of-track at Missouri Flat Road to the east.
Reserves the one spur on the eastern portion of the right-of-way for use by the railroad park.
Maintains the Placerville Branch as a regional multi-use recreational corridor. The railroad park will not be the exclusive user of the right-of-way.

It is very important that you show your support for the El Dorado County Historical Railroad Park. The Friends of the El Dorado Trail are demanding the removal of all track west of Missouri Flat Road. They believe that they should be given the exclusive right to use the existing road bed for their own personal in interest, at the expense of members of the community who wish to enjoy the living history railroad program and equestrian trails.

The county museum, with the El Dorado Western Railway Foundation, is working to create a viable living history program that honors the contribution the railroad and those who made their living on it to El Dorado County.

New acquisition

2010-06-19T10:53:00.000-07:00

The El Dorado Western Railway is the proud owner of a 1964 Whiting Trackmobile mobile railcar mover. The generous donation was made by the Areojet Corporation in Folsom to the railway.

Keith Berry and Ed Cuhna took delivery on Monday, June 14, 2010. We'd like to thank Tom Anderson of Diamond Crane for assisting the railway move the unit to the El Doado County Historical Museum.

Southern Pacific MOW trailer completed

2010-06-05T13:54:00.000-07:00

The crew completed the Southern Pacific maintenance-of-way push car in the last week. The wood deck was installed before the Memorial Day weekend. It looks great!

MOW trailer

2010-05-28T21:08:00.001-07:00

Ed Chuna prepared the wheels to the Southern Pacific maintenance-of-way trailer last Saturday for painting. The trailer is called a "push car" in railroad parlance, according to Keith Berry.

The El Dorado Western Railway will use the push car to haul MOW equipment on the old SP Placerville Branch. It will be towed behind the Camino, Placerville & Lake Tahoe No. 4 speeder, which is fully restored.

After he prepared the wheels for painting, Ed painted the frame of the push car in a color that resembled SP orange. "Does that look like SP orange?" Ed said as he sprayed the car.

In addition to painting, the crew inspected the bearings and installed a safety chain on the car. The wood deck was installed this week.

Downed tree

2010-05-22T08:18:00.000-07:00

Keith Berry and I joined the Folsom, El Dorado and Sacramento Historical Railroad Association during a maintenance-of-way excursion on the old Southern Pacific Placerville Branch on Saturday, May 8, 2010. After putting two hi-rail trucks on the tracks near the Mother Lode Drive grade crossing, we headed east to inspect the line and note areas of excessive vegetation growth.

The crew encountered its first obstacle about one-quarter mile short of the Blanchard Drive grade crossing.

In order to cut the larger branches, Marcus Ferrill climbed inside the forest of branches. As a Naval Reserve hospital corpsman who served with the United States Marine Corps on active duty, Marcus volunteers with the FEDSHRA when he's not on reserve duty.

It took the crew about forty minutes to clear the tree from the right-of-way. From the left, Ray Retalick, Dennis Taylor, Keith Berry, Eric Olds and Marcus Ferrill raise their chainsaws in victory.

"Thanks to Marcus Ferrill, Ray Retalick, Keith Berry, Steve Karoly, and new (FEDSHRA) member Dennis Taylor for coming out on Saturday to clear brush along the line in El Dorado County," said crew leader Eric Olds in an email. "We had a full day of work ... with numerous chainsaws running at any given time ...."

Crossing Mother Lode

2010-05-22T07:51:00.000-07:00

Keith Berry drives a hi-railer pick-up truck across Mother Lode Drive as two members of the Folsom, El Dorado and Sacramento Historical Railroad Association flag the grade crossing. The crew from the FEDSHRA cut brush on the eastern end of the Southern Pacific Placerville Branch the last two Saturdays.

Chili at the engine house

2010-05-04T18:24:00.000-07:00

The occasional bowl of hot chili is one advantage of working at the engine house on Saturday. With a railroading chef on "staff" at El Dorado Western Railway, the crew savors a noontime meal every two or three months.

Professional chef Steve Karoly prepared a spicy bowl of chili and beans for about 10 last Saturday. The meal was accompanied by sweet Dutch oven cornbread.

Here's what one diner had to say:

"What great chili!" said Bill Rodgers. "I loved it. We gotta make it a staple in our work parties at the rail park ... it was fantastic.

"I hated to leave today. The cornbread looked terrific. You really have those Dutch ovens down to an art, for sure."