Pulling No. 4 out of the barn

Pulling No. 4 out of the barn, originally uploaded by SeabeeCook.

The Diamond and Caldor Railway No. 4 gets some fresh air after seven months in the engine house. Lead machinist Sam Thompson watches to keep the engineer's side track clear. We pulled the engine for the El Dorado County Fair in Placerville, California, yesterday.

Although fair attendance is down significantly from last year, about 200 fair goers stopped by and viewed the engine. The locomotive is in its fifteenth year of restoration.

Come out to the fair

I'm getting ready to head out to the El Dorado County Fair and pull the No. 4 out of the engine house with the crew. This has been a slow year so far, so we need you to come out. The museum, railroad and fair have each experienced low turnout.

We would love to meet our fans today. All it costs you is a nominal fee at the entrance gate. The Diamond and Caldor No. 4 will be on the trail track from 10 a.m. until around 5 p.m.

See you then ...

No. 4 to be displyed at the county fair

The No. 4, originally uploaded by SeabeeCook.

From Eric Stohl, president of the El Dorado Western Railway:

Every June is marked by the El Dorado County Fair in Placerville, and each year we look forward to putting the Diamond and Caldor No. 4 Shay on display. Volunteers will be available each day of the fair from June 12 to 15 to answer questions about the engine.

This year we will pull the engine out of its barn on Saturday, June 14. Besides the excitement of seeing the old girl in the sun, this year we are going to allow visitors into the cab for pictures. This is a fund raising activity so we will charge for this privilege.

So mark you calendar for June 14 and come on by the fair and say hi. You’ll have pay admission to get in, but it’s worth the nominal charge. El Dorado County Fair is located at 100 Placerville Road, Placerville, Calif.

We look forward to seeing you.

Diamond and Caldor No. 4 Shay

Keith Berry (left in door) and Eric Stohl occupy their rightful places as fireman and engineer on the Diamond and Caldor No. 4 at the El Dorado County Historical Museum. They are the vice-president and president, respectively, of the El Dorado Historical Foundation. Bill Rogers (standing) and Steve Karoly form the remainder of the crew for Saturday's display of the locomotive at the county fair.

The engine is about 80 to 85 percent complete. The boiler refit and re-installation of the brake system are the remaining major projects. Once the boiler refit is complete, the crew will be able to reassemble all other systems and get her ready for steaming.

Friday at the County Fair

Over 90 fair goers enjoyed a visit with the Diamond and Caldor No. 4 Shay locomotive today. That's an impressive number considering that the engine house only sees about one-fourth of the museum's visitors. We're encouraged to hear that many visitors had read the recent articles about the locomotive in the Mountain Democrat.

And now this note to Richard Wright: Your sister and brother-in-law said hi! She promised snap a few pictures of the Four-Spot for you tomorrow when we pull her out of the engine house.

Finally, we should note that Harold Kiser was featured on page one of today's Mountain Democrat. The 83-year-old El Dorado Western Railway board member was a El Dorado Rose Escort and was treated to his first Ferris wheel ride in 50 years. Harold attended a special VIP/media night last Wednesday.

Thursday at the County Fair

I worked the fair this afternoon a little after noon until 7 p.m. Board member Bill Rodgers held down the morning shift. Over 40 folks , including a few who told me a thing or two about the Shay locomotive, stopped by the engine house.

Stop by tomorrow and take a look at the Diamond & Caldor No. 4 Shay. The engine house is open from 1o a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through Sunday. Bill will be there Friday morning. Keith Berry and I will be on duty tomorrow afternoon and early evening.

We have T-shirts on sale for $20, coffee mugs for $10 and train whistles for $6. Our newest T-shirt sports an image of the No. 4 number plate.

And don't forget that memberships are available for $35, $60 and $100 each (individual, family and corporate).

The fair schedule, parking and shuttle service information for the El Dorado County Fair is posted on its website. El Dorado Transit is offering free shuttle service each day from three separate parking lots to the fair entrance on Placerville Drive. Service is operated from 9:30 a.m. until midnight on Saturday. Check the schedule for Friday and Sunday. Parking is available for $5 in the fair parking lots.

Garrett Augustus (left), Dale Mace and Eric Stohl install the Sunbeam steam powered dynamo on the boiler two weeks ago.

Mounting the Oil Tank, Part 2

The oil tank has been mounted on the water tank for the first time in 13 years. The crew lifted the oil tank on Saturday, June 2, 2007 with the assistance of one of our heavy surplus forklifts. After a slow start while Doug and Garrett installed the siphoning elbow, Eric (driving forklift), Doug, Garrett, Keith, Dale, Sam and Bill were able to place the oil tank in place for the county fair.

Come see the locomotive at the El Dorado County Fair this weekend. The fair runs today through Sunday. The fair website has hours and a schedule of events. The museum is located at 104 Placerville Drive, adjacent to fairground’s Green Gate. The fair admission fee is good for the museum and engine house.

Logan's mother grabs a quick pose. Logan and his family were leaving for Disneyland right after the photograph. He had to see the locomotive before leaving for Southern California.

Eric, driving the forklift, starts the approach toward the locomotive with the oil tank.

Garrett guides Eric as he stets the oil tank on the jack stands. Initially, the oil tank rested on the jack stands so the crew could rig straps to make the final lift.

Doug worked the cab end of the oil tank. The cab, which was built to original Lima specifications, leaves little room to lower the oil tank in place. This view shows the cribbing that supports the oil tank. Keith, Eric and I measured and cut the cribbing Memorial Day weekend.

Doug and Garrett (behind forklift tower) rig the straps. The crew will then lower the oil tank into its final position.

Garrett and Keith get ready to remove the jack stands once Eric lifts the oil tank a few inches with the forklift.

This view gives you an idea of the tight quarters in the cab once the oil tank is installed.

100-Year Old Locomotive on Display for El Dorado County Fair

"Current restoration activities center on preparing the Shay No. 4 for her second 'coming out.' The first one was 100 years ago when No. 4 was delivered and started work at the Diamond and Caldor Railway. This time will be for her centennial birthday," said Eric Stohl, El Dorado Western Railway Foundation president.

On Saturday, June 16, 2007, railway volunteers will pull the 100-year old logging locomotive out of the engine house and onto the "tail track" for the El Dorado County Fair.

In conjunction this year’s railroad theme at the El Dorado County Historical Museum, volunteers will dress the engine with many of the appliances that distinguished steam locomotives of the era.

Children (and adults!) will be able to ring the bell. The engine will be looking smart with the rear headlight shining out from the top of the oil tank. And the newly refurbished generator will be spotted behind the smoke stack.

Watch for the beam of light from the original Sunbeam locomotive headlight as you enter museum grounds from the fair plaza. At 1 p.m., the beacon will signal that it's time for the public to join in the birthday celebration.

The museum is located at 104 Placerville Drive, adjacent to fairground’s Green Gate. The fair admission fee is good for the museum and engine house.

April 27, 2007 marked the Diamond and Caldor No. 4's 100th birthday. It's one of three surviving Shay locomotives of the 24 that once steamed in the El Dorado County woods.

The unique reduction gear arrangement in the Shay's drive train made the engine ideal for the rough track of logging railroads. The No. 4 hauled lumber and logs along the 34-mile narrow gauge railroad between Diamond Springs and Caldor from 1907 to 1953.

The foundation is working in partnership with the County of El Dorado and the museum to educate the community about railroad logging in El Dorado County.

Pulling the Shay Out of the Engine House

The first job this morning was to move the oil tank. It's been sitting on the tail track for over two years. Eric Stohl moves the oil tank with the forklift.

We use the block and tackle to pull the engine out of the barn. The lead is connected to a pick up truck. In the photo, Logan removes the river rock from along the track.

Doug Youngberg and Garrett Augustus connect the line to the locomotive.

Keith Berry pulls the locomotive out of the engine house with his pick up.

The crew only pulled the engine out half way. During the El Dorado County Fair, we plan to pull the Diamond and Caldor No. 4 Shay geared locomotive completely out of the engine house on the morning of Saturday, June 16, 2007.

Spring Newsletter Has Been Released

The spring issue of The Dispatch, the official newsletter of El Dorado Western Railway Foundation, was mailed to members and supporters this week, said El Dorado County Historical Museum director Mary Cory. The second issue for 2007, which sports a fresh, new banner, will be in the mail by mid-week next week.

The Dispatch is a benefit of membership in the railway foundation. A copy of the quarterly is normally mailed to each member's house at the beginning of each quarter.

100th birthday party for Diamond & Caldor No. 4 Shay locomotive
We will pull the Four-Spot out of the engine house and display her on the tail track on Saturday, June 16, 2007 at the El Dorado County Fair. A little birthday celebration is scheduled at 1:00 p.m. that day. Please come by and share this memorable event with us.

The locomotive, which steamed on the 34-mile narrow gauge railroad between 1907 and 1953, will be in her finest attire for the fair. We are working hard to have her dressed up with her bell, back-up light, air compressor and dynamo.

Let the Sunbeam back-up light guide you as you enter the museum -- it's bean will draw you to the engine house.

Join the effort to restore the Diamond & Caldor No. 4 today
To join our effort to renovate the Diamond & Caldor No. 4 Shay locomotive and to build and operate an El Dorado County Logging and Railroad Museum, send $35 (check or money order) for individual membership to:

EDWRF
PO Box 3517
Diamond Springs, CA 95619

Family membership costs $60, corporate $100 and life membership is $500 for individual or family and $1,000 for a business. Annual membership runs from January to December.

Won't you please join our effort for the 2007 renovation season and help us celebrate the 100th anniversary of the D&C No. 4 Shay?

Oil Tank Filler Lid & County Fair

We plan on setting the oil tank on top of the water tank for the El Dorado County Fair next month. Doug Youngberg will be back from his new home in Oregon on June 2 to help the team lift the tank.

The plan during the county fair (June 14-17, 2007) is to move the Shay onto the tail track on Saturday, June 16. We will install the back-up light, water tank ladder, air compressor and dynamo onto the locomotive for display. When you walk into the museum from the fairgrounds, a beam of light will attract you back to the engine house.

Stop by and meet the crew. We'll be ready to answer any questions and encourage you to join the railway's effort to restore the Diamond & Caldor No. 4.

Dale Mace fabricated a new dip stick for the oil tank. Like many parts on the No. 4, the dip stick was missing when the project started in 1993.

The chain will be used to lock the dip stick in place after each day's run. Since a part like the dip stick is easily pilfered, makes sense to lock it in place at night. This saves us the effort it takes to fabricate a new piece when the first is stolen.

Keith Berry purchased this wire cloth basket from McMaster-Carr last month. He bought the model with dual grip handles. Since he was only able to buy a basket with 15-inch inside diameter, he had the basket reduced by about 3/8-inch by a professional welder.

Although we're certain Dale could've done the project, Keith wanted to keep Dale focused on fabrication of the oil tank lid. The welder also had special knowledge working with stainless steel.

It took Dale approximately four Saturday to fabricate the lid for the oil fill port. As with the dip stick, we will be able to lock the oil tank lid in the evening. I doubt the original lid had a locking device as the Diamond & Caldor never had to worry about pilferage or sabotage. It's a true concern for us in today world, however.

What's with Bending Over?

No matter how hard we try to make railroading easy, some things never change. Les Wilmunder has done a lot to modernize the 60 feet of light rail that he uses to demonstrate his Sheffield Motor Car speeder. He uses bolts instead of spikes, four-by-fours in place of ties and a power drill replaces the spike maul.

But there's one thing Les can't change is the need to bend over. It pains me just to watch.

Les Wilmunder uses a bolt and washer system to replace the spike.

Les drills the bolt into four-by-four ties with a power drill.

Scott Romine bends over as he sets bolts and washers in place.

Keith Berry's posture puzzles me. Bending at the waist seems to be his most comfortable posture.

There's always one sensible worker on the MOW gang. Bill Rogers kneels to join the rail sections together. (The other sensible guy is the photographer -- he walks around snapping pictures instead on bending at the waist.)

Saturday at the Fair

By the time I left the engine house late yesterday afternoon, around 90 fairgoers had stopped by to check progress on the Shay locomotive. Keith Berry said another 50 stopped by Saturday evening.

Little work got done yesterday, although we had planned a regular work day. Ken and Scott Romine -- along with their wives -- came by to talk to visitors at the engine house and to enjoy the fair. I suspect that Sam Thompson and Bill, two of our machinists, were the only ones working. Keith and I rounded out the crew.

Railway president Eric Stohl and board member Kathy Brown arrived around 3 p.m. to take the evening watch. Bill Rodgers was going to man the booth today.

Les Wilmunder's Sheffield Motor Car speeder was the hit of the day. Les' father Hal Wilmunder rescued the speeded, along with the Railbus No. 10 and other equipment, from the scrapper's torch in 1953. Les and the crew set up 60 feet on mobile track. He gave demonstrations all day.


According to Les, The speeder was manufactured in 1914 and was operated by the Diamond & Caldor Railway until the line closed operations in 1953.

"As far as we know," said Keith, "that's the only operating piece of Diamond and Caldor equipment."

"Wow" and "Dad, come look at this" seemed to be the most common expressions of the day. Many boys and girls enjoyed taking a peak at a 99-year old locomotive. Adults and children alike enjoyed hearing the history of the four-spot.

Some folks stopped to check the progress of restoration. Others were just curious.

But locating men and women who're willing to contribute to the El Dorado Western Railway may be our biggest accomplishment of the 2006 El Dorado County Fair.

Two women -- one with fund raising skills and the other a graphic artist -- expressed a willingness to possibly work with the railway.

Two men with critical trades stopped by the engine house on Friday and Saturday. The railway may have located a carpenter who can finish important finish work on the West Side & Cherry Valley parlor car and combine car.

A certified welder who can repair the boiler stopped by after being referred to the railway by a mutual friend. He can provide valuable assistance as we gear up to certify the Shay's 180-pound boiler for operation.

From my vantage point (this was my first fair with the railway), the 2006 El Dorado County Fair was successful. Although we have few new members, about 200 newsletters made it into the hands of county residents and visitors. We like to think that 200 more folks have a newly acquired appreciation for an important piece of El Dorado County history.

See you next year.

Friday at the Fair

Just a quick note before I head over to the engine house ...

"He just loves trains."

That's how Brandon's mother summed her son's fascination with trains. When he's not watching train videos with his sisters, she takes the him to the Union Pacific tracks outside their Auburn, California home to watch the trains go by.

Brandon was not alone during my watch last night. Three other four-year old boys got excited when their mothers and fathers brought them by the engine house.

Stay in touch, Brandon. We're going to need an engineer in about 15 years!

Thursday at the Fair

I stopped by the fair this evening a little after 6 o'clock. Our president, Eric Stohl, was holding down the engine house. Bill Rodgers had the morning and early afternoon shift.

Around 120 forth and fifth grade students toured the museum and engine house this morning, according to Mary Cory, the director of the El Dorado County Historical Museum. Other than the school children, today has been a slow day for the museum and the engine house. We enjoy passing the history of El Dorado county onto our youth.

Stop by tomorrow and take a look at the Diamond & Caldor No. 4 Shay. The engine house is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through Sunday. Bill will be there Friday morning. Keith Berry and I will be on duty tomorrow afternoon. We have T-shirts on sale for $20 and coffee mugs for $10. And don't forget that memberships are available for $25, $60 and $100 each (individual, family and corporate).

The fair schedule, parking and shuttle service information for the El Dorado County Fair is posted on its website. El Dorado Transit is offering free shuttle service each day from three separate parking lots to the fair entrance on Placerville Drive. Service is operated from 10 a.m. until 12:30 a.m.

A pre-1923 photograph of mill-bound Diamond & Caldor No. 4 shows the locomotive paused at Coles Station for the camera. Four lumber service cars carry rough cut to the Diamond Springs exchange with the Southern Pacific. A slab wood car (behind engine) and combine No. 1002 round out the train's consist.

Unless noted, historic photographs on the El Dorado Western 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 County Fair

Just a reminder ...

The El Dorado County Fair starts tomorrow morning. So come by the engine house and take a look at the only Diamond & Caldor Shay locomotive to survive the rail line's 50-year history as one of two major logging roads in El Dorado County. The trainmen of the El Dorado Western Railway will man the engine house each day from 10 a.m. into the evening.

Clean Up Day & The El Dorado County Fair

Today was spend cleaning up for the El Dorado County Fair, which will be held June 15-18, 2006, at the fairgrounds on Placerville Drive in Placerville. Eric, Keith, Bill and I the engine house tidied up while Sam and Dave worked in the machine shop. Ken and Scott sanded and primed rusted spots on the Shay's oil tank.

Like any operation, junk accumulates everywhere. The Shay's running boards have become a convenient stowage location for nails, safety goggles engine parts.

The engine house will be opened from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day of the county fair in two weeks. And Saturday, June 17, is a regular work day. The Plymouth locomotive crew plans to pull remaining two the journal bearings off of the read wheel set. The machine shop crew will be working as will our welder and metal frabricator.

The fireman's side of the engine was so cluttered that we couldn't pass through. We now have a safety corridor around the engine's "backside."

The El Dorado Western Railway Foundation will be conducting a membership drive during the county fair. Annual membership cost is $35. The railway needs support from the community to continue restoration of the Diamond & Caldor Shay No. 4 and build the El Dorado County Logging and Railroad Museum.

Steve occasionally sets his camera down and helps.

2006 El Dorado County Fair

"A Fair to Remember" is the theme for the 2006 El Dorado County Fair, to be held at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds, June 16-18, 2006. The fairgrounds is located at 100 Placerville Drive, Placerville, California.

So come by the engine house and take a look at the only Diamond & Caldor Shay locomotive to survive the rail line's 50-year history as one of two major logging roads in El Dorado County. The trainmen of the El Dorado Western Railway will man the engine house each day from 10 a.m. into the evening.

Saturday, June 17 is a regular work day for the crew. I can't say for certain what we'll be working on in mid-June. I suspect all six corner braces will be back on the Shay. We may have the steam-powered dynamo on display if all goes as planned for the Tuesday night dynamo and lantern team (Doug Youngberg, Keith Berry and Steve Karoly).

The machinists will be in the machine shop working on the drive shafts and valve shaping tool, among other projects. And the Plymouth crew (Garrett, Ken and Scott) should have the bearings to Arnold (why the name Arnold? See Keith's April 27 blog for the answer) completely removed and have started the rebuilding process.

I'll post additional information here as I hear from the president. If I hear anything at the board meeting is Thursday evening, I'll post it by Friday.