Train rides for winter 2012

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.

Burlington Northern Railroad speeder at work in 1982

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.

Video on the El Dorado Western Railroad

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

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.

Fairmont A-4D motorcar

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.

Snow on the El Dorado Western Railway

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.

Speeder run on Saturday

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.

Movin' rock

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

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.

Run day at Shingle Springs

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

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

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

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.

MOW trailer

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.

Second ride on the Placerville Branch

CPLT speeder, originally uploaded by SeabeeCook.

The El Dorado Western Railway offered rides for the second Saturday on old Placerville Branch of the Southern Pacific Lines.

Given in partnership with the El Dorado County Historical Museum, the event gave the El Dorado Western a chance to tell key interested people and organizations of our plans to build a railroad park and demonstration railroad on the site of the old SP railroad depot at El Dorado.

Keith Berry used the museum's track inspection car to give tours between El Dorado and Blanchard roads. The Kalamazoo speeder was donated to the museum by the former Camino, Placerville and Lake Tahoe Railroad sometime in the 1980s.

Hanging around

Hanging around, originally uploaded by SeabeeCook.

A crewman and visitors discuss engine mechanics during a break from rides. The two-cylinder engine was only hitting on one cylinder most of the time.

The engine ran smoothly despite mechanical problems. Keith and Mark said that they would perform a compression check in the next two weeks to find out what's going on.

It was hitting on "one and a half" cylinders once the engine warmed up, said Mark.

The Camino, Placerville and Lake Tahoe Railroad donated the speeder car to the county museum sometime after it ceased operations in 1986. The standard gauge CPLT No. 4 was built by Kalamazoo.

Speeder driver

Speeder driver, originally uploaded by SeabeeCook.

The El Dorado Western Railway, in partnership with the El Dorado County Historical Museum, hosted rides museum's track inspection car on the former Southern Pacific Placerville Branch in El Dorado, between El Dorado and Blanchard roads.

The ride gave us a chance to tell key people and organizations of our plans to build a railroad park and demonstration railroad on the site of the old SP railroad depot at El Dorado.

EDWRF president Keith Berry drives the Camino, Placerville and Lake Tahoe Railroad speeder back to the depot site. Each ride took the car 1/2-mile west toward El Dorado Road. Keith then "turned the car around" and headed to Blanchard Road, about 1-1/2 miles to the northwest. Each 3-mile ride took about 20 minutes.

Camino, Placerville and Lake Tahoe Speeder No. 4

The crew replaced the brake shoes on the CP and LT Speeder No. 4 during the past two weeks. The standard-gauge speeder is now fully operation and can be used to survey the Southern Pacific Placerville Branch right-of-way once we secure permission.

A Quick Visit to the Ione Railfair

We found an eclectic collection of speeder cars at the Ione Railfair today. Among the cars present this afternoon was the Weyerhaeuser Vail Speeder No. 30. The trolley is owned and operated by Folsom, El Dorado & Sacramento Historical Railroad Association.

The FEDS operate the Folsom Railroad Museum at 198 Wool Street, Folsom, California.

The annual event is held ajacient to the old Southern Pacific depot and yard at the south end of Ione. The Recreational Railroad Coalition sponsored the railfair for the second year. The depot is also the western terminus of the Amador Foothills Railroad, which runs east for about 11 miles to Martel.

2007 Ione Railfair this Weekend

Keith and I are planning on visiting the 2007 Ione Railfair this Saturday after the workday at the engine house.

Here's the add for the railfair from the DiscoverLiveSteam website:

2007 IONE RAILFAIR & MOW Expo.

May 12-13, 2007

Ione Railyard
339 South Mill Street
Ione, California

Ione is the western terminus of the Amador Foothills Railroad.

Antique "speeders" will be featured along with other, rarely seen and no longer used, mechanical muscles of the nations railroads. See these pieces of railroad history move on the rails of the historic AFRR.

A Skagit car, a track mobile and a Whitcomb locomotive have been invited to participate in displays and/or demonstrations in their natural habitat, the railroad tracks of Amador County.

There is no charge or entry fee to see these historic old machines in action. Owners of rehabilitated speeders will participate in a series of excursions eastbound and return in their privately owned track inspection machines.

A Living History presentation will be made with former employees of the railroad in cooperation with the Amador Historic Society. Railroad history buffs will find this particularly interesting and informative. A special railroad media presentation will be made using video.

The "Hobo Camp" for RV dry camping has been arranged again at trackside. A $10.00 fee will be charged for this unique opportunity. RV parking is available in the "Hobo Camp" to all who wish to live in recreational vehicle civilized comfort in the center of the RailFair for the weekend of the event.

For additional information contact Dave Balestreri, 916-531-7536 or Larry Bowler 916-686-5950.