George Mihal built this model of the Placerville Canal Street train depot by hand. He cut full-scale lumber down to half-inch scale. The model is suitible for a G-scale model railroad. As a collector and seller of vintage photographs, Mihal based his model on a glass negative of the depot that he once owned.
The video includes a number of photographs of the depot. Here's one from the El Dorado County Historical Museum collection:
Sacramento bound Train No. 61 is ready to leave the Canal Street depot. The depot was located at the modern day interesection of Canal Street and U.S. Hightway 50 in Placerville, California. The Coffee Depot can be found one block south at Canal and Main.
This and other historic photographs can be purchased from the collection of the El Dorado County Historical Museum. They are available for $10 each from the museum. Call (530) 621-5865 for additional information. Please consult museum staff for limitations to the use of the photographs.
The renovation crew for the Camino, Placerville and Lake Tahoe Railroad Caboose No. 2 last week took the last step before beginning the rebuild. The main beams were removed from the caboose frame and transported to the rebuild site in Shingle Springs. Once lumber and hardware is purchased, the rebuild phase of renovation will begin.
Here's a photograph of the caboose in its glory days on the CPLT. The eight-mile short line owned several cabooses, "one at a time," according to Steve Polkinghorn. "The short one, which was also the last one, was wrecked in 1950, after which one was leased from the Southern Pacific. The diesel locomotive was light enough so that no fireman was needed in the cab, unless a caboose was used." Once the CPLT No. 101 (a GE 44-tonner) was placed in service in July 1953, the railroad cancelled the SP lease and operated without a caboose until the railroad ceased operation.
The renovation crew loads one of the four main beans to the caboose into a trailer last Tuesday. They were transported to Shingle Springs and placed in storage until the lumber arrives for the rebuild. The caboose was located at the El Dorado County Historical Museum for almost 20 years. Once it's rebuilt, the caboose will operate on the El Dorado Western Railroad, along with the Southern Pacific caboose No. 1094.
This picture was taken by Harry Critchfield. Harry is one of the photographers for the El Dorado Western Railway Foundation.
Crews from the El Dorado Western Railway Foundation are busy restoring the interior of the Southern Pacific No. 1094 caboose to its original condition. The current focus is to restore the interior color to the original paint scheme, a sea green green color.
The railroad plans to use the caboose for its Santa Run on December 15, 2012.While the caboose won't be ready to run on the rails, Santa will "set up shop" in the caboose as he greets children. We will post information on the blog and on Facebook soon.
The main compartment of the caboose. The conductor's desk is located on the right side. The toilet is located in the tiny room to the left of the front door. The coal bin is located in the foreground.
The picture of the cupola shows the exposed grain of the redwood interior. The crew is currently applying primer to the interior walls and ceiling. We are evaluating how to treat the exposed wood grain.
The cupola corridor and rear door of the caboose. Several storage compartments under the cupola held the ice box, radio, generator and railroad tools.
Volunteer Steven Karoly removes the stretcher brackets from the ceiling in the caboose. The coal burning stove will be replaced with an authentic SP caboose stove in the future. Retired SP/UP conductor Davey "Doc" Wiser located the replacement stove last year. We don't know what happened to the original stove.
Anne's Caboose is located in the El Dorado County Historical Railroad Park at the town of El Dorado, California. It was build in 1940 to the railroad's C-40-3 specification for cabooses. Southern Pacific sold it to a Placerville family in 1973, where it was used an artist's studio. The family donated the caboose to the El Dorado Western Railway Foundation on Christmas Day 2010.
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, No. 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.
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.
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< 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
Here are a few thoughts from Folson, El Dorado & Sacramento Historical Railroad Association member Eric Olds. Keith Berry and Steven Karoly recently jointed the FEDSHRA so we can assist on the vegetation management project.
Our last work day occured Saturday, April 10.
Thanks to Ethan Doty, Spencer Doty, Keith Berry, Philip Rose, and new [FEDS] member Steven Karoly for joining me out on the line this past Saturday to continue clearing the brush in El Dorado County.
We had a great day with a hard working crew ranging from age 14 to well ... let's just say older....
Though the going was slow due to new growth and downed trees from the low snow storms we experienced this last winter, the size of the crew lent itself well to two teams of workers, each working from a HyRailer in cooperation to get ground level brush and branches in the canopy fouling the right-of-way.
Volunteers young and older shared in the tasks of cutting, hauling, driving, sharpening, etc. Young Spencer was eager and willing to learn from the more experienced members and even those more seasoned men learned the importance of identifying Poison Oak!
Of special note was the opportunity to work together with Keith Berry and Steven Karoly, new FEDS members who are also members of the El Dorado Western Railway Foundation in Placerville.
Much was discussed about how our two organizations can benefit from working together to preserve this beautiful line and Keith and Steven are to be commended for taking the initiative to begin solidifying a joint effort.
After mounting two hi-rail trucks onto the tracks at the "Y," the six-man crew drove in reverse (both trucks were pointed to the east) and started immediately cutting brush. Working in teams of three, each team consisted on a driver, overhead cutter and ground-level cutter. The hi-rail driver worked the ground, stacking brush and assisting where needed.
Keith cuts high branches on the right-of-way with an electric pole saw. He is standing on a hi-rail truck owned by the FEDSHRA. This photo was taken about one-quarter mile east of the Davidson Rd. grade crossing.
FEDSHRA member Eric Olds clears brush at ground level with an electric pole saw. Each truck had a small generator to power the saws.
The two crews divided the right-of-way into 100- to 200-yard sections. The lead truck lead truck drove ahead and worked the far section while the trailing truck worked the rear section. This seemed to be most efficient was of attacking the task at hand.
The brush cutting crew breaks for lunch on the Slate Creek trestle. The crew consists of, from left to right, Keith Berry, Steven Karoly, Philip Rose (sitting), Spencer Doty and Ethan Doty. Crew leader Eric Olds took the photograph.
The crew takes a break late-afternoon break at the cascades of Slate Creek, between the Greenstone Rd. and Davidson Dr. grade crossings. The rock retaining wall in the background (on either side of Keith's head) possibly dates back to the placer mining days of the California Gold Rush.
The FESHRA and the El Dorado Western Railway recently joined forces to control vegitation along the 28-mile branch line from Folson to Placerville. As the lead organization for vegitation management, the FEDSHRA has has been working the right-of-way for several years.
Keith joined the project last month. This was Steven's first workday. Other El Dorado Western members will join the FEDSHRA in the coming months as the allied organizations work on their respective rail projects at either end of the line.
"Of special note was the opportunity to work together with Keith Berry and Steven Karoly, new FEDS members who are also members of the El Dorado Western Railway Foundation in Placerville," said Eric Olds in a recent email.
"Much was discussed about how our two organizations can benefit from working together to preserve this beautiful line and Keith and Steven are to be commended for taking the initiative to begin solidifying a joint effort."
After working as the chef at Deer Crossing Camp at Loon Lake for the summer, I'm back in town and ready to report on the happenings of the Ed Dorado Western Railway. Although I was out-of-action for most of the summer, volunteers have been busy with various projects.
My last two reports on the rail recovery project at the site of the old Diamond Springs Southern Pacific depot and yard named the volunteers who were involved. This included new father and son team, along with the son's friend and a young volunteer, as reported in my July 16 update.
My original story of June 9 listed the names of some eight volunteers who contributed significant physical effort toward removing un-need rail at the Missouri Flat Road site for eventual use at the proposed El Dorado County Historical Railroad Park in the Town of El Dorado.
One volunteer stands out among the dozen who have contributed to the project. Bill Rodgers worked on the project from the beginning in early June. He probably gave more time than any other volunteer.
Even after the contractor palatalized the rail joiners and tie plates, Bill made sure that these key components for the construction of sidings and a third rail at El Dorado were secured at the county museum on Placerville Drive. As recently as last Saturday, Bill was moving rail hardware to the museum.
You quickly learn of Bill's impeccable work ethic when working side-by-side with him. With his trademark bib overalls and orange t-shirt, Bill is a master handyman who and will can do almost anything.
June 9, 2009 was the last time I worked on the rail project in the old Southern Pacific yard at Diamond Springs. My summer job at Loon Lake in Eldorado National Forest has kept me far away from the day-to-day action of the El Dorado Western Railway and El Dorado County Historical Museum.
I left for Deer Crossing Camp at the front end of the rail removal project. Except for weekly email updates from Keith Berry, I've been out of the loop.
Home for a rare two-day stretch, I emailed Keith earlier in the week and arranged to meet at the Diamond Springs Hotel for breakfast today.
Keith and I met El Dorado County Fire Battalion Chief Kurt Taylor and EDWRF board member Ed Cuhna at the hotel. We caught up on the happenings of the railway and its effort to promote the proposed El Dorado County Railroad Park at the old El Dorado depot site in El Dorado.
"The project went right along, thanks to our new volunteers," said Keith. The railway experienced a sudden influx of volunteer at the beginning of June. Father and son team Mike and Mason Powers had started Memorial Day week.
Then Mason brought his friend Ian to help. Ian's father soon joined in, as did a young, hard-working college student, Alex. "Ian and his dad used to come around at the county fair and visit us," said Keith.
"Everybody pitched in," added Keith. The rail team completed the project in eight calendar days, "which is amazing."
Our foursome enjoyed lively conversation on local politics, fire department news and rail happenings in El Dorado County. It gave me a chance to re-connect with rail buddies and get my mind a way from the camp kitchen (more on my job at 'Round the Chuckbox).
Kurt and Ed left to restore an old fire engine after breakfast. Keith and I talked on.
Always gracious, hotel co-owner Amy Shim and Kathy, our server, kept coffee and soda flowing for two and one-half hours.
I've twice had opportunity to lay and remove railroad track. The first came in 1983 when my reserve unit, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 2's Detachment 0402, built a 880-foot rail spur at McClellen Air Force Base in Sacramento.
I should've come away from the five-month project with a new found appreciation for the heavy physical labor required by track workers. But it didn't happen that way.
I worked a desk job during the years that I drilled with Det. 0402. As the detachment career counselor, it was my job to convince the young Seabees to stay in the Naval Reserves when their first enlistment came to an end.
During those years, I often held counseling sessions on the tailgate of my pick up truck at the job site. While I spent many hours at McClellen as the Seabees removed the old spur, built a new loading dock and lay the ties and rail, I pushed paper instead of driving spikes.
I did drive several spikes at the insistence of some of the Seabees on the project. As a life-long rail enthusiast, I eagerly joined in. I can say that driving a spike with the long, pointed spike maul is not easy. It takes years of experience to hit the spike square on its head.
My newest experience started Saturday. The crew of the El Dorado Western Railway is removing the track on the old Southern Pacific Placerville Branch right-of-way east of Missouri Flat Road in Placerville, California.
The crew is relocating the track, along with the switches, joiners, joiner bolts, spikes and tie plates from the old Diamond Springs yard to the site of the proposed El Dorado County Railroad Park in the town of El Dorado. A contractor is currently expending the El Dorado Trail a long the old right-of-way from Placerville to Missouri Flat Road.
I have a new found appreciation for the work of the old section gangs. It took two four-hour days for the crew to remove the joiner bolts on approximately 1,000-feet of mainline and siding track.
Using early twentieth century track tools, our crew of six unbolted the joiners that were spaced every 30 feet on Friday and Saturday. A four-man crew removed spikes on 300 feet of track on Sunday afternoon.
I realized Sunday that track work gives you a good, healthy cardio workout. My pulse approached 130 beats per minute after I had pulled spikes for an hour. I felt good despite a few aches and pains Sunday night. I belive my evening walks helped.
The track relocation is a project of the El Dorado County Historical Museum. As volunteers of the museum, the El Dorado Western Railway is providing labor and technical assistance to the museum as it moves forward with the railroad park in El Dorado.
Since last Friday, crew members have worked every day to prepare the rail at the old Diamond Springs yard for removal. The El Dorado Western Railway will ultimately move the rail and its associated hardware to the town of El Dorado for the new El Dorado County Railroad Park. The rail and switches will be used at the railroad park for the sidings and third rail.
All track east of Missouri Flat Road in Placerville is being removed. Within a couple weeks, the contractor will grade the old right-of-way and built that section of the El Dorado Trail. The track west of Missouri Flat will remain in place.
Each day one or more teams of two to three volunteers have worked for three to four hours to remove the joiner bolts and spikes. Once that process has been completed, the crew will remove the joiner plates and turn the rail on its side. Then the tie plates can be picked up.
The following volunteers have helped with the project: Keith Berry, Steve Karoly, Bill Rodgers, Ed Cuhna, Eric Stohl, Mark Bruto and Jacob Karoly. Plus, we have a new father and son team that joined the effort last Friday.
Please don't look if you're a high school shop teacher! Bill uses an unconventional assortment of tools to hold the joiner bolt steady while Keith attempts to break it free.
Eric hold the bolt steady while Ed prepares to remove the nut. Friday and Saturday, the crew removed the joiner bolts on approximately 800 feet of the main line and 200 feet of one siding. On Sunday, the crew removed spikes from about 300 feet of track.
I misidentified the Southern Pacific No. 2260 as a Pacific. I was under the impression that Pacific and Ten Wheel were the same locomotive class. A Pacific has a 4-6-2 wheel arrangement.
The No. 2260 was a 4-6-0 Ten Wheel, a class used for both freight and passenger service. The Schenectady Locomotive Works built nine (No. 2257-2265) of the 39 locomotives in SP's T-1 class in 1895. Cooke Locomotive Works built the remainder (No. 2235-2256 and 2266-2273) between 1895 and 1897.
The last remaining SP T-1 Ten Wheel engine is located in Roseville, California. The Cooke-built No. 2252 is on permanent display at Atlantic and Vernon streets in downtown Roseville, a town known for its SP large rail yard.
Reference: Richard K. Wright, Southern Pacific Company Diagrams of Locomotives and Tenders (Pacific Lines), vol. I, Oakhurst, Calif: Wright Enterprises, 1973.
This photo shows the relationship of the Southern Pacific freight shed and depot to the school on the hill at El Dorado, California. The school building houses the El Dorado Community Hall today.
The SP No. 2260, a Schenectady-built T-1 class Ten Wheel 4-6-0, sets on the mainline of the Placerville Branch. The locomotive is heading uphill toward Diamond Springs and Placerville. It appears to be a working freight.
This and other historic photographs published on the blog are from the collection of the El Dorado County Historical Museum. These photographs are available for $10 each from the museum. Call (530) 621-5865 for additional information. Please consult museum staff for limitations to the use of photographs.
El Dorado Western Railway Foundation
P.O. Box 3517
Diamond Springs, CA 95619
Call for general information:
(530) 621-5865
Workdays and work locations vary during the week. Please contact the crew via Facebook if you'd like to volunteer. You can also stop by the museum.
El Dorado County Historical Museum
104 Placerville Drive
Placerville, CA 95667
To join our effort to renovate the Diamond and Caldor Railway No. 4 Shay locomotive and to build and operate an El Dorado County Historical Railroad Park, send $35 (check or money order) for individual membership the Diamond Springs address. Other membership options include:
Family membership $60
Corporate membership $100
Life membership $500 for individual/family
Business life membership $1,000
